skip to main content
Language:
Search Limited to: Search Limited to: Resource type Show Results with: Show Results with: Search type Index

The burden of suspected strokes in uMgungundlovu – Can biomarkers aid prognostication?

Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 2023, Vol.28 (1), p.1916-1916 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

2023. The Authors. ;COPYRIGHT 2023 African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS ;2023. The Authors 2023 ;This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. ;ISSN: 1025-9848 ;ISSN: 2071-9736 ;EISSN: 2071-9736 ;DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v28i0.1916 ;PMID: 37292236

Full text available

Citations Cited by
  • Title:
    The burden of suspected strokes in uMgungundlovu – Can biomarkers aid prognostication?
  • Author: van Vuuren, Juan M. Jansen ; Pillay, Somasundram ; Naidoo, Ansuya
  • Subjects: Biological markers ; Biomarkers ; Cerebrovascular accident ; Developing countries ; haemorrhagic stroke ; Health aspects ; Health Care Sciences & Services ; Health Policy & Services ; Ischaemic stroke ; Morbidity ; Mortality ; Original Research ; Physicians ; Prognosis ; Prognostication ; South Africa ; Stroke ; Stroke (Disease)
  • Is Part Of: Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 2023, Vol.28 (1), p.1916-1916
  • Description: Background The burden of stroke is increasing worldwide. The hierarchical healthcare referral system in South Africa (SA) poses unique challenges to clinicians when caring for people with suspected strokes (PsS). To improve health outcomes, novel strategies are required to provide adequate care, including prognostication, in SA.Aim To determine the subjective burden of and challenges posed by suspected stroke cases and the potential usefulness of biomarkers in prognostication.Setting This study was conducted in the uMgungundlovu Health District (UHD), KwaZulu-Natal, SA.Methods An online questionnaire was distributed to doctors within the UHD. Demographic data and answers to a series of 5-point-Likert-type statements were collected.Results Seventy-seven responses were analysed. A third of doctors worked in primary healthcare facilities (PHCare) and saw ≥ 2.15 suspected strokes-per-doctor-per-week, compared to ≥ 1.38 seen by doctors working in higher levels of healthcare. Neuroimaging was relied upon by>85% of doctors, with nearly half of PHCare doctors having to refer patients to facilities 5 km – 20 km away, with resultant delays. Knowledge about prognostic biomarkers in strokes was poor, yet most doctors believed that a biomarker would assist in the prognostication process and they would use it routinely.Conclusion Doctors in this study faced a significant burden of strokes and rely on neuroimaging to guide their management; however, many challenges exist in obtaining such imaging, especially in the PHCare setting. The need for prognostic biomarkers was clear.Contribution This research lays the platform for further studies to investigate prognostic biomarkers in stroke in our clinical setting.
  • Publisher: South Africa: AOSIS
  • Language: English;Portuguese;Afrikaans
  • Identifier: ISSN: 1025-9848
    ISSN: 2071-9736
    EISSN: 2071-9736
    DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v28i0.1916
    PMID: 37292236
  • Source: Open Access: AOSIS OpenJournals
    PubMed Central (Open access)
    SciELO
    Geneva Foundation Free Medical Journals at publisher websites
    African Journals (Open access)
    ROAD
    DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journals
Back to results list
INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY (84-028) 37 755 057 Feedback
19 Nguyen Huu Tho St. Dist.7, HCM thuvien@tdtu.edu.vn

Copyright © 2017 INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Searching Remote Databases, Please Wait