Essential evidence for guiding health system priorities and policies
Anticipating epidemiological transition in Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19530797 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Peter Bya (0000-0001-5474-4361, University of the Witwatersrand, corresponding author), Don De Savigny (0000-0002-6903-4722, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Alan D Lopez (0000-0001-5818-6512, The University of Melbourne) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 23359-23359 |
| Publication date | 2014-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Global Health Action (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1654-9716 • E-ISSN: 1654-9880 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.3402/gha.v7.23359 |
| PMID | 24848653 |
| OpenAlex | W2110149355 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 45 |
BACKGROUND: Despite indications that infection-related mortality in sub-Saharan Africa may be decreasing and the burden of non-communicable diseases increasing, the overwhelming reality is that health information systems across most of sub-Saharan Africa remain too weak to track epidemiological transition in a meaningful and effective way. PROPOSALS: We propose a minimum dataset as the basis of a functional health information system in countries where health information is lacking. This would involve continuous monitoring of cause-specific mortality through routine civil registration, regular documentation of exposure to leading risk factors, and monitoring effective coverage of key preventive and curative interventions in the health sector. Consideration must be given as to how these minimum data requirements can be effectively integrated within national health information systems, what methods and tools are needed, and ensuring that ethical and political issues are addressed. A more strategic approach to health information systems in sub-Saharan African countries, along these lines, is essential if epidemiological changes are to be tracked effectively for the benefit of local health planners and policy makers. CONCLUSION: African countries have a unique opportunity to capitalize on modern information and communications technology in order to achieve this. Methodological standards need to be established and political momentum fostered so that the African continent's health status can be reliably tracked. This will greatly strengthen the evidence base for health policies and facilitate the effective delivery of services
Developing country · Development economics · Documentation · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Epidemiological transition · Global health · Psychological intervention · Public health · Computer Science · Data-Driven Disease Surveillance · Global Maternal and Child Health · Medicine · Nursing · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research · Health Informatics · Health Policy
Prevalence and risk factors for self-reported non-communicable diseases among older Ugandans
Validation of verbal autopsy
Special Issue
Undertaking cause-specific mortality measurement in an unregistered population
Integrating community-based verbal autopsy into civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS)
Beyond the ‘transition’ frameworks
Trends of mortality attributable to child and maternal undernutrition, overweight/obesity and dietary risk factors of non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2015
A network analysis of patient referrals in two district health systems in Tanzania
Adolescent Fertility Is Lower than Expected in Rural Areas
Disease and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa
Measuring the Global Burden of Disease
The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries
National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980
Non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa
First experiences in the implementation of biometric technology to link data from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems with health facility data
Monitoring the millennium development goals
Revising the WHO verbal autopsy instrument to facilitate routine cause-of-death monitoring
Indepth @ 10
Levels and trends of demographic indices in southern rural Mozambique
Implementing new health interventions in developing countries
Systems thinking for strengthening health systems in LMICs
Rethinking health systems strengthening
Health systems, systems thinking and innovation
Trends and geographic differentials in mortality under age 60 in India
| Citations per year | 0.75 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2014 - 2021 (8) |
| Highly cited | No |