Is a bio-psychosocial approach model possible at the first level of health services in the Democratic Republic of Congo? An organizational analysis of six health centers in South Kivu

Background The health system, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is expected to move towards a more people-centered form of healthcare provision by implementing a biopsychosocial (BPS) approach. It’s then important to examine how change is possible in providing healthcare at the first line of care. This study aims to analyze the organizational capacity of health centers to implement a BPS approach in the first line of care. Methods A mixed descriptive and analytical study was conducted from November 2017 to February 2018. Six health centers from four Health Zones (South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo) were selected for this study. An organizational analysis of six health centers based on 15 organizational capacities using the Context and Capabilities for Integrating Care (CCIC) as a theoretical framework was conducted. Data were collected through observation, document review, and individual interviews with key stakeholders. The annual utilization rate of curative services was analyzed using trends for the six health centers. The organizational analysis presented three categories (Basic Structures, People and values, and Key Processes). Result This research describes three components in the organization of health services on a biopsychosocial model (Basic Structures, People and values, and Key processes). The current functioning of health centers in South Kivu shows strengths in the Basic Structures component. The health centers have physical characteristics and resources (financial, human) capable of operating health services. Weaknesses were noted in organizational governance through sharing of patient experience, valuing patient needs in Organizational/Network Culture, and Focus on Patient Centeredness & Engagement as well as partnering with other patient care channels. Conclusion This study highlighted the predisposition of health centers to implement a BPS approach to their organizationa capacities. The study highlights how national policies could regulate the organization of health services on the front line by relying more on the culture of teamwork in the care structures and focusing on the needs of the patients. Paying particular attention to the values of the agents and specific key processes could enable the implementation of the BPS approach at the health center level

Community perceptions of a biopsychosocial model of integrated care in the health center: the case of 4 health districts in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Background Biopsychosocial care is one of the approaches recommended in the health system by the WHO. Although efforts are being made on the provider side to implement it and integrate it into the health system, the community dynamic also remains to be taken into account for its support. The objective of this study is to understand the community’s perceptions of the concept of integrated health care management according to the biopsychosocial approach (BPS) at the Health Center of a Health District and its evaluation in its implementation. Methods This cross-sectional study was done in six Health Areas belonging to four Health Districts in South Kivu, DRC. We conducted 15 semi-directive individual interviews with 9 respondents selected by convenience, including 6 members of the Development Committees of the Health Areas, with whom we conducted 12 interviews and 3 patients met in the health centers. The adapted Normalization MeAsure Development (NoMAD) tool, derived from the Theory of the Normalization Process of Complex Interventions, allowed us to collect data from November 2017 to February 2018, and then from November 2018 to February 2019. After data extraction and synthesis, we conducted a thematic analysis using the NoMAD tool to build a thematic framework. Six themes were grouped into three categories. Results Initially, community reports that the BPS approach of integrated care in the Health Centre is understood differently by providers; but then, through collective coordination and integrated leadership within the health care team, the approach becomes clearer. The community encouraged some practices identified as catalysts to help the approach, notably the development of financial autonomy and mutual support, to the detriment of those identified as barriers. According to the community, the BPS model has further strengthened the performance of health workers and should be expanded and sustained. Conclusions The results of our study show the importance of community dynamics in the care of biopsychosocial situations by providers. The barriers and catalysts to the mechanism, both community-based and professional, identified in our study should be considered in the process of integrating the biopsychosocial model of person-centered health car

Community perceptions of a biopsychosocial model of integrated care in the health center: the case of 4 health districts in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Summary Background Biopsychosocial care is one of the approaches recommended in the health system by the WHO. Although efforts are being made on the provider side to implement it and integrate it into the health system, the community dynamic also remains to be taken into account for its support. The objective of this study is to understand the community's perceptions of the concept of integrated health care management according to the biopsychosocial approach (BPS) at the Health Center of a Health District and its evaluation in its implementation. Methods This cross-sectional study was done in six Health Areas belonging to four Health Districts in South Kivu, DRC. We conducted 15 semi-directive individual interviews with 9 respondents selected by convenience, including 6 members of the Development Committees of the Health Areas, with whom we conducted 12 interviews and 3 patients met in the health centers. The adapted Normalization MeAsure Development (NoMAD) tool, derived from the Theory of the Normalization Process of Complex Interventions, allowed us to collect data from November 2017 to February 2018, and then from November 2018 to February 2019. After data extraction and synthesis, we conducted a thematic analysis using the NoMAD tool to build a thematic framework. Six themes were grouped into three categories. Results Initially, community reports that the BPS approach of integrated care in the Health Centre is understood differently by providers; but then, through collective coordination and integrated leadership within the health care team, the approach becomes clearer. The community encouraged some practices identified as catalysts to help the approach, notably the development of financial autonomy and mutual support, to the detriment of those identified as barriers. According to the community, the BPS model has further strengthened the performance of health workers and should be expanded and sustained. Conclusions The results of our study show the importance of community dynamics in the care of biopsychosocial situations by providers. The barriers and catalysts to the mechanism, both community-based and professional, identified in our study should be considered in the process of integrating the biopsychosocial model of person-centered health care

Barriers and Facilitators in the Implementation of Bio-psychosocial Care at the Primary Healthcare Level in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), healthcare services are still focused on disease control and mortality reduction in specific groups. The need to broaden the scope from biomedical criteria to bio-psychosocial (BPS) dimensions has been increasingly recognized. Aim: The objective of this study was to identify the barriers and facilitators to providing healthcare at the health centre (HC) level to enable BPS care. Settings: This qualitative study was conducted in six HCs (two urban and four rural) in SouthKivu (eastern DRC) which were selected based on their accessibility and their level of primary healthcare organization. Methods: Seven focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 29 healthcare workers were organized. A data synthesis matrix was created based on the Rainbow Model framework. We identified themes related to plausible barriers and facilitators for BPS approach. Results: Our study reports barriers common to a majority of HCs: misunderstanding of BPS care by healthcare workers, home visits mainly used for disease control, solidarity initiatives not locally promoted, new resources and financial incentives expected, accountability summed up in specific indicators reporting. Availability of care teams and accessibility to patient information were reported as facilitators to change. Conclusion: This analysis highlighted major barriers that condition providers’ mindset and healthcare provision at the primary care level in South-Kivu. Accessibility to the information regarding BPS status of individuals within the community, leadership of HC authorities, dynamics of HC teams and local social support initiatives should be considered in order to develop an effective BPS approach in this region.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Violence against health care workers in a crisis context: a mixed cross-sectional study in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract Background Health Care Workers (HCWs) in conflict zones face high levels of violence while also playing a crucial role in assisting the population in distress. For more than two decades, the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have been wracked by conflict. This study aims to describe the state of violence against HCWs and the potential prevention mechanisms in eastern DRC. Methods In North and South Kivu, between February 5 and 21, 2021, we conducted a mixed cross-sectional convergent study in health facilities (health centers and hospitals). An anonymized self-administered questionnaire was sent to HCWs about their experience of violence in the 12 months prior to the study. In-depth individual interviews with HCWs, present on the day of the investigation, were also done to explore their experience of violence. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and a thematic analysis of the qualitative data was carried out. Results Of a total of 590 participants, 276 (45.9%) reported having experienced violence in the 12 months before the study. In North Kivu, aggressors were more frequently the patients (43.7% vs. 26.5%) and armed group members (14.3% vs. 7.9%) than in South Kivu. Most respondents (93.5%) reported verbal aggression (insults, intimidation, death threats). Other forms of physical aggression including with bare hands (11.2%), firearm (1.81%), and stabbing (4.7%). Only nearly one-tenth of the attacks were officially reported, and among those reported a higher proportion of sanctions was observed in South Kivu (8.5%) than in North Kivu (2.4%). The mechanisms proposed to prevent violence against HCWs were community initiatives and actions to strength the health system. Conclusions In Eastern DRC, HCWs face multiple and severe forms of aggression from a variety of individuals. The effects of such levels violence on HCWs and the communities they served could be devastating on the already pressured health system. Policy framework that defines the roles and responsibilities for the protection of HCWs and for the development and implementation of preparedness measures such as training on management of violence are possible solutions to this problem

Long-term effects of severe acute malnutrition during childhood on adult cognitive, academic and behavioural development in African fragile countries: The Lwiro cohort study in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Introduction Little is known about the outcomes of subjects with a history of severe acute malnutrition(SAM). We therefore sought to explore the long-term effects of SAM during childhood on human capital in adulthood in terms of education, cognition, self-esteem and health-relateddisabilities in daily living. Methodology We traced 524 adults (median age of 22) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,who were treated for SAM during childhood at Lwiro hospital between 1988 and 2007(median age 41 months). We compared them with 407 community controls of comparable age and sex. Our outcomes of interest were education, cognitive function [assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) for literate participants, or its modified version created by Ertan et al. (MMSE-I) for uneducated participants], self-esteem (measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and health-related social and functional disabilities measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS). For comparison, we used the Chi-squared test along with the Student’s t-test for the proportions and means respectively. Results Compared with the community controls, malnutrition survivors had a lower probability of attaining a high level of education (p < 0.001), of reporting a high academic performance (p= 0.014) or of having high self-esteem (p = 0.003). In addition, ma lnutrition survivors had anoverall mean score in the cognitive test that was lower compared with the community controls [25.6 compared with 27.8, p = 0.001 (MMSE) and 22.8 compared with 26.3, p < 0.001 (MMSE-I)] and a lower proportion of subjects with a normal result in this test (78.0% compared with 90.1%, p < 0.001). Lastly, in terms of health-related disabilities, unlike the community controls, malnutrition survivors had less social disability (p = 0.034), but no difference was observed as regards activities of daily living (p = 0.322). Conclusion SAM during childhood exposes survivors to low human capital as regards education, cognition and behaviour in adulthood. Policy-deciders seeking to promote economic growth and to address various psychological and medico-social disorders must take into consideration the fact that appropriate investment in child health as regards SAM is an essential means to achieve this

Adaptive Mechanisms of Health Zones to Chronic Traumatics Events in Eastern DRC: A Multiple Case Study

BackgroundThe Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been affected by armed conflict for several years. Despite the growing interest in the impact of these conflicts on health service utilisation, few studies have addressed the coping mechanisms of the health system. The purpose of this study is to describe the traumatic events and coping mechanisms used by the health zones (HZs) in conflict settings to maintain good performance.MethodsThis multiple case study took place from July to October 2022 in four HZs in the South Kivu Province of DRC. HZs were classified into "cases" according to their conflict profile: accessible and stable (Case 1), accessible but remote (Case 2), unstable (Case 3), and intermediate (Case 4). Eight performance indicators and the amount of funding provided to the HZs by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were recorded. A graph was created to compare their evolution from 2013 to 2018. A thematic analysis of qualitative data from individual interviews with selected health workers was conducted.ResultsBoth battle-related events (war and its effects) and non-battle-related events (epidemics, disasters, strikes) were recorded according to the case conflict-profile. Although the cases (3 and 4) most affected by armed conflicts occasionally performed better than the stable ones (1 and 2), their operational action plan was poorly carried out. The coping mechanisms developed in cases 3 and 4 were the deployment of military nurses in preventive and supervisory activities, the solicitations of subsidies from NGOs, the relocation of health care facilities and the implementation of negotiation strategies with the belligerents.ConclusionArmed conflict results in traumatic events that disrupt the execution of the operational action plan of HZs. The HZs' management team expertise, its strong leadership, and substantial financial support would enable this system to develop reliable and sustainable adaptive mechanisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Adaptive Mechanisms of Health Zones to Chronic Traumatics Events in Eastern DRC: A Mul-tiple Case Study

Background: The Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been affected by armed conflict for several years. Despite the growing interest in the impact of these conflicts on health service utilisation, few studies have addressed the coping mechanisms of the health system. The purpose of this study is to describe the traumatic events and coping mechanisms used by the health zones (HZs) in conflict settings to maintain good performance.Methods: This multiple case study took place from July to October 2022 in four HZs in the South Kivu Province of DRC. HZs were classified into "cases" according to their conflict profile: accessible and stable (Case 1), accessible but remote (Case 2), unstable (Case 3), and intermediate (Case 4). Eight performance indicators and the amount of funding provided to the HZs by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were recorded. A graph was created to compare their evolution from 2013 to 2018. A thematic analysis of qualitative data from individual interviews with selected health workers was conducted.Results: Both battle-related events (war and its effects) and non-battle-related events (epidemics, disasters, strikes) were recorded according to the case conflict-profile. Although the cases (3 and 4) most affected by armed conflicts occasionally performed better than the stable ones (1 and 2), their operational action plan was poorly carried out. The coping mechanisms developed in cases 3 and 4 were the deployment of military nurses in preventive and supervisory activities, the solicitations of subsidies from NGOs, the relocation of health care facilities and the implementation of negotiation strategies with the belligerents.Conclusion: Armed conflict results in traumatic events that disrupt the execution of the operational action plan of HZs. The HZs’ management team expertise, its strong leadership, and substantial financial support would enable this system to develop reliable and sustainable adaptive mechanisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Comparative analysis of the health status of the population in six health zones in South Kivu: a cross-sectional population study using the WHODAS.

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has experienced decades-long armed conflicts which have had a negative impact on population's health. Most research in public health explores measures that focus on a specific health problem rather than overall population health status. The aim of this study was to assess the health status of the population and its predictors in conflict settings of South Kivu province, using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS). Between May and June 2019, we conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey among 1440 adults in six health zones (HZ), classified according to their level of armed conflict intensity and chronicity in four types (accessible and stable, remote and stable, intermediate and unstable). The data were collected by a questionnaire including socio-demographic data and the WHODAS 2.0 tool with 12 items. The main variable of the study was the WHODAS summary score measuring individual's health status and synthesize in six domains of disability (household, cognitive, mobility, self-care, social and society). Univariate analysis, correlation and comparison tests as well as hierarchical multiple linear regression were performed. The median WHODAS score in the accessible and stable (AS), remote and stable (RS), intermediate (I) and unstable (U) HZ was 6.3 (0-28.6); 25 (6.3-41.7); 22.9 (12.5-33.3) and 39.6 (22.9-54.2), respectively. Four of the six WHODAS domain scores (household, cognitive, mobility and society) were the most altered in the UHZs. The RSHZ and IHZ had statistically comparable global WHODAS scores. The stable HZs (accessible and remote) had statistically lower scores than the UHZ on all items. In regression analysis, the factors significantly associated with an overall poor health status (or higher WHODAS score) were advanced age, being woman, being membership of an association; being divorced, separated or widower and living in an unstable HZ. Armed conflicts have a significantly negative impact on people's perceived health, particularly in crisis health zones. In this area, we must accentuate actions aiming to strengthen people's psychosocial well-being

Factors associated with hospital outcomes of patients with penetrating craniocerebral injuries in armed conflict areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo : a retrospective series

Introduction Penetrating craniocerebral injuries (PCCI) are types of open head injuries caused by sharp objects or missiles, resulting in communication between the cranial cavity and the external environment. This condition is deemed to be more prevalent in armed conflict regions where both civilians and military are frequently assaulted on the head, but paradoxically their hospital outcomes are under-reported. We aimed to identify factors associated with poor hospital outcomes of patients with PCCI. Methods This was a retrospective series of patients admitted at the Regional Hospital of Bukavu, DRC, from 2010 to 2020. We retrieved medical records of patients with PCCI operated in the surgical departments. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to find associations between patients' admission clinico-radiological parameters and hospital outcomes. Poor outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcomes Score below 4. Results The prevalence of PCCI was 9.1% (91/858 cases) among admitted TBI patients. More than one-third (36.2%) of patients were admitted with GCS < 13, and 40.6% of them were unstable hemodynamic. Hemiplegia was found in 23.1% on admission. Eight patients had an intracerebral hemorrhage. Among the 69 operated patients, complications, mainly infectious, occurred in half (50.7%) of patients. Poor hospital outcomes were observed in 30.4% and associated with an admission GCS < 13, hemodynamic instability, intracerebral hemorrhage, and hemiplegia (p < 0.05). Conclusion The hospital poor outcomes are observed when patients present with hemodynamic instability, an admission GCS < 13, intracerebral hemorrhage, and hemiplegia. There is a need for optimizing the initial care of patients with PCCI in armed conflict regions