Improving the quality of care for people who had a stroke in a low‐/middle‐income country

A qualitative analysis of health‐care professionals’ perspectives

Bibliographic Data

ID19507935
AuthorsLeonard Baatiema (0000-0003-3286-6565, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research University of Ghana Legon Ghana, corresponding author), Ama De-Graft Aikins (0000-0001-9215-0134, Institute of Advanced Studies University College London London UK), Ama de‐Graft Aikins, Fred Stephen Sarfo (0000-0001-7274-5093, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital), Seye Abimbola (0000-0003-1294-3850, School of Public Health University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia), John Kuumuori Ganle (0000-0002-8382-3437, University of Ghana), Shawn Somerset (0000-0002-4922-3593, Faculty of Health University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia)
Year2020
Volume23
Issue2
Pages450-460
Publication date2020-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Expectations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-6513 • E-ISSN: 1369-7625
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hex.13027
PMID31967387
OpenAlexW3001333284
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited40

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Efforts to improve the adoption of evidence-based interventions for optimal patient outcomes in low-/middle-income countries (LMICs) are persistently hampered by a plethora of barriers. Yet, little is known about strategies to address such barriers to improve quality stroke care. This study seeks to explore health professionals' views on strategies to improve quality stroke care for people who had a stroke in a LMIC. METHODS: A qualitative interview study design was adopted. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews among forty stroke care providers in major referral centres in Ghana. Participants were from nursing, medical, specialist and allied health professional groups. A purposive sample was recruited to share their views on practical strategies to improve quality stroke care in clinical settings. A thematic analysis approach was utilized to inductively analyse the data. RESULTS: A number of overarching themes of strategies to improve quality stroke care were identified: computerization and digitization of medical practice, allocation of adequate resources, increase the human resource capacity to deliver stroke care, development of clinical guideline/treatment protocols, institutionalization of multidisciplinary care and professional development opportunities. These strategies were however differentially prioritized among different categories of stroke care providers. CONCLUSION: Closing the gap between existing knowledge on how to improve quality of stroke care in LMICs has the potential to be successful if unique and context-specific measures from the views of stroke care providers are considered in developing quality improvement strategies and health systems and policy reforms. However, for optimal outcomes, further research into the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed strategies by stroke care providers is needed

Health care · Political science · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Referral · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Acute Ischemic Stroke Management · Health Policy Implementation Science · Medicine · Nursing · Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access