Journal Article > Short ReportFull Text
Public Health Action. 21 June 2014; Volume 4 (Issue 1); DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0071
Harries AD, Marais BJ, Kool B, Ram S, Kumar AMV, et al.
Public Health Action. 21 June 2014; Volume 4 (Issue 1); DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0071
Journal Article > ReviewFull Text
Public Health Action. 21 June 2014; Volume 4; DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0091
Bissel K, Viney K, Brostom R, Gounder S, Khogali MA, et al.
Public Health Action. 21 June 2014; Volume 4; DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0091
Operational research (OR) in public health aims to investigate strategies, interventions, tools or knowledge that can enhance the quality, coverage, effectiveness or performance of health systems. Attention has recently been drawn to the lack of OR capacity in public health programmes throughout the Pacific Islands, despite considerable investment in implementation. This lack of ongoing and critical reflection may prevent health programme staff from understanding why programme objectives are not being fully achieved, and hinder long-term gains in public health. The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) has been collaborating with Pacific agencies to conduct OR courses based on the training model developed by The Union and Médecins Sans Frontières Brussels-Luxembourg in 2009. The first of these commenced in 2011 in collaboration with the Fiji National University, the Fiji Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and other partners. The Union and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community organised a second course for participants from other Pacific Island countries and territories in 2012, and an additional course for Fijian participants commenced in 2013. Twelve participants enrolled in each of the three courses. Of the two courses completed by end 2013, 18 of 24 participants completed their OR and submitted papers by the course deadline, and 17 papers have been published to date. This article describes the context, process and outputs of the Pacific courses, as well as innovations, adaptations and challenges.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Public Health Action. 21 December 2012; Volume 2 (Issue 4); 142-4.; DOI:10.5588/pha.12.0064
Delai M, Gounder S, Tayler-Smith K, Van der Bergh R, Harries AD
Public Health Action. 21 December 2012; Volume 2 (Issue 4); 142-4.; DOI:10.5588/pha.12.0064
Due to concerns about under-reporting of the tuberculosis (TB) case burden in Fiji, efforts have been put into national training, education and awareness activities in the formal health sector and among village health workers, health volunteers and the community since 2010. There has been an absolute increase in TB registrations, and TB case notification rates during the period of training activities in 2010 (21.3 per 100 000 population) and 2011 (23.6/100 000) were significantly increased compared with TB case notification rates in 2008 (12.4/100 000) and 2009 (14.6/100 000), when no training activities took place (P < 0.01). These findings support the use of ongoing training efforts.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Public Health Action. 21 March 2014; Volume 4 (Issue 1); 42-6.; DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0100
Tamani T, Bissell K, Tayler-Smith K, Gounder S, Linh NN, et al.
Public Health Action. 21 March 2014; Volume 4 (Issue 1); 42-6.; DOI:10.5588/pha.13.0100
SETTING
P J Twomey Hospital, National Tuberculosis Programme, Fiji.
OBJECTIVES
To review the trend in numbers of tuberculosis (TB) cases registered each year from 1950 to 2010 at P J Twomey Hospital, Fiji's largest TB treatment centre and central TB unit, and to consider trends in the context of key TB control events in Fiji.
DESIGN
Descriptive study of data from medical records and TB registers, including age, sex, ethnicity, TB diagnosis and smear result.
RESULTS
Between 1950 and 2010, 14 616 cases were registered at P J Twomey Hospital. Of these, 58% were male, 70% were indigenous Fijians (i-taukei) and 64% were aged 15-49 years. The caseload dropped sharply in the 1960s, and has fallen steadily since 1990. Smear results were available for the majority of cases (91%). Between 1950 and 1985, smear-positive cases accounted for 19% of cases overall; this increased to 41% after 1985 following laboratory training. The numbers of sputum smear-positive cases recorded each year has been increasing in the last decade.
CONCLUSION
There have been marked changes in TB caseload over the last 60 years at Fiji's largest TB treatment centre. The recent increase in smear-positive cases while total TB cases have been falling needs further evaluation.
P J Twomey Hospital, National Tuberculosis Programme, Fiji.
OBJECTIVES
To review the trend in numbers of tuberculosis (TB) cases registered each year from 1950 to 2010 at P J Twomey Hospital, Fiji's largest TB treatment centre and central TB unit, and to consider trends in the context of key TB control events in Fiji.
DESIGN
Descriptive study of data from medical records and TB registers, including age, sex, ethnicity, TB diagnosis and smear result.
RESULTS
Between 1950 and 2010, 14 616 cases were registered at P J Twomey Hospital. Of these, 58% were male, 70% were indigenous Fijians (i-taukei) and 64% were aged 15-49 years. The caseload dropped sharply in the 1960s, and has fallen steadily since 1990. Smear results were available for the majority of cases (91%). Between 1950 and 1985, smear-positive cases accounted for 19% of cases overall; this increased to 41% after 1985 following laboratory training. The numbers of sputum smear-positive cases recorded each year has been increasing in the last decade.
CONCLUSION
There have been marked changes in TB caseload over the last 60 years at Fiji's largest TB treatment centre. The recent increase in smear-positive cases while total TB cases have been falling needs further evaluation.