Child Healthcare http://childhealthcare.co.za Quick mobile reference for nurses Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:01:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://childhealthcare.co.za/about/42107/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/about/42107/#comments Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:34:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://childhealthcare.co.za/?p=42107 Child Health Care contains lots of useful information for healthcare professionals, especially nurses in southern Africa. It’s a simple site meant for mobile phones. All the content is taken, with permission, from EBW Healthcare. To contact us, email info@childhealthcare.co.za.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/about/42107/feed/ 0 What should be done once the modifiable factors have been identified within a region? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-once-the-modifiable-factors-have-been-identified-within-a-region/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-once-the-modifiable-factors-have-been-identified-within-a-region/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41998
A meeting of all role-players must be called to report and discuss the findings. It is important to identify the most common and most important modifiable factors, especially those that can be addressed and corrected. Doctors, nurses and administrators should work together to find practical answers. A plan must then be developed to implement changes aimed at lowering the mortality rate. This usually requires an improvement in the quality of health care that children receive.

The data collection sheet for childhood deaths from the ChildPIP

A regular assessment of both the causes and modifiable factors must be made to determine whether the interventions are in fact reducing the mortality rate by decreasing the frequency of deaths associated with those causes and modifiable factors. Positive results are a very powerful motivating factors for the staff. A failure to show an improvement indicates that the strategy to lower mortality is ineffective. The reasons for this must be found and corrected. In future it is hoped that the deaths of children of 5 years and older will also be recorded and analysed in a similar fashion.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-once-the-modifiable-factors-have-been-identified-within-a-region/feed/ 0 What should be done to address specific causes of under-5 deaths? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-to-address-specific-causes-of-under-5-deaths/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-to-address-specific-causes-of-under-5-deaths/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41997

Once the cause of each death has been established, it is important to look actively for any modifiable factors. It is of little value to know the cause of death if nothing is done to prevent similar deaths due to that cause in future.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-should-be-done-to-address-specific-causes-of-under-5-deaths/feed/ 0 How can under-5 mortality data be used to improve the quality of care in a health system? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/how-can-under-5-mortality-data-be-used-to-improve-the-quality-of-care-in-a-health-system/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/how-can-under-5-mortality-data-be-used-to-improve-the-quality-of-care-in-a-health-system/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41995

By reviewing the data in hospitals and clinics, it is possible to decrease the under-5 mortality and improve the care of children. The problem of a high under-5 mortality rate cannot be addressed until the common causes of death and modifiable factors are fully understood.

All health facilities should conduct regular mortality reviews as this can reduce the under-5 morality rate.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/how-can-under-5-mortality-data-be-used-to-improve-the-quality-of-care-in-a-health-system/feed/ 0 What steps can be taken to reduce the under-5 mortality rate? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-steps-can-be-taken-to-reduce-the-under-5-mortality-rate/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-steps-can-be-taken-to-reduce-the-under-5-mortality-rate/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41994
  • Improve the general health, nutrition and home environment of children. This can be achieved by reducing poverty.
  • Improve the access and quality of care provided by the health system.
]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/ways-of-avoiding-the-common-causes-of-under-5-deaths/what-steps-can-be-taken-to-reduce-the-under-5-mortality-rate/feed/ 0 What is the Child Health Care Problem Identification Programme? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-the-child-health-care-problem-identification-programme/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-the-child-health-care-problem-identification-programme/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41992

The Child Health Care Problem Identification Programme (ChildPIP) is an important and innovative computer-based system to collect, analyse and report on childhood mortality data. It was developed in South Africa and is modelled on the highly successful Perinatal Problem Identification Programme (PPIP).

The aim of ChildPIP is to determine the mortality rates, causes of death and modifiable factors which may prevent childhood deaths. This should improve the quality of care that children receive in the health service.

Figure 15.1 shows the data collection sheet for childhood deaths from ChildPIP.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-the-child-health-care-problem-identification-programme/feed/ 0 What ongoing assessments are needed? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-ongoing-assessments-are-needed/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-ongoing-assessments-are-needed/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41991

Regular assessments are needed to measure whether there are improvements in mortality rates and whether causes and modifiable factors are being addressed. Only with ongoing assessments can the impact of mortality reports be judged. It is very important to identify and correct causes of death that are not becoming less frequent and modifiable factors that are not being corrected.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-ongoing-assessments-are-needed/feed/ 0 What is a mortality report? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-a-mortality-report/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-a-mortality-report/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41988

This is usually an annual report prepared from the monthly results of the mortality meetings. The mortality report gives a summary of the results and also draws conclusions from the results. It is of little value to collect and analyse mortality data throughout the year without interpreting what the results mean. The mortality report should also suggest ways that the results can be used to plan methods of reducing the mortality rate. The feedback loop between collecting mortality data, analysing the data and then using the data to improve care is very important.

A mortality report must summarise mortality data and suggest ways to reduce mortality.

At a report-back meeting all the staff must be given the findings of the mortality report. An annual mortality report should be prepared for each health district. Theses should be used to produce reports for each province and for the whole nation.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-is-a-mortality-report/feed/ 0 What should be done with the results of the analysis? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-should-be-done-with-the-results-of-the-analysis/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-should-be-done-with-the-results-of-the-analysis/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:21 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41987

It is extremely important that the results of the analysis be made available to all who are interested, especially the staff and administration. The results must be used to improve the care of children.

]]> http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-should-be-done-with-the-results-of-the-analysis/feed/ 0 What results are obtained from the analysis? http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-results-are-obtained-from-the-analysis/ http://childhealthcare.co.za/childhood-mortality/the-analysis-of-mortality-data/what-results-are-obtained-from-the-analysis/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:14:20 +0000 arthurattwell http://www.ebwhealthcare.com/?page_id=41986
  • Details of the basic information, e.g. number of infants born alive each year and total hospital admissions. Admissions can be divided into age groups and by nutritional status (e.g. below the 3rd centile for weight).
  • Number of deaths and mortality rates
  • Causes of death and modifiable factors
  • Tables and graphs can be printed giving monthly or annual information on the number of deaths, mortality rates, causes of death and modifiable factors.
  • Children can be grouped by age and site of death.
  • Data from more than one site or region can be combined.
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