Factors Affecting Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests in South Africa
Author Information
Author(s): Moonasar Devanand, Goga Ameena Ebrahim, Frean John, Kruger Philip, Chandramohan Daniel
Primary Institution: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Hypothesis
What factors affect the performance and usage of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria in the Limpopo Province, South Africa?
Conclusion
Improvements are needed in storage, quality assurance, end user training, and the use of RDT results for clinical decision making in primary care facilities in South Africa.
Supporting Evidence
- 65% of health facilities had appropriate air-conditioning for RDT storage.
- 60% of nurses did not receive external training on RDT use.
- 50% of nurses reported RDT stock-outs.
- 15% of nurses gave antimalarial drugs even if the RDT was negative.
Takeaway
This study found that many nurses in South Africa are not properly trained to use malaria tests, and the tests are often stored incorrectly, which can lead to mistakes in treatment.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 20 randomly selected nurses and 10 key informants using semi-structured questionnaires.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data from nurses regarding their training and practices.
Limitations
The study involved a small representative sample and may not be applicable to other countries in Africa.
Participant Demographics
Nurses from 17 primary health care facilities and 3 hospitals in malaria risk sub-districts of Limpopo Province.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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