Non-adherence to oral antibiotics for community paediatric pneumonia treatment in Malawi – A qualitative investigation

Elena Mozzo

Non-adherence to oral antibiotics for community paediatric pneumonia treatment in Malawi – A qualitative investigation

March 10, 2020Useful Publications

Authors: King C, Nightingale R,  Phiri T,  Zadutsa B, Kainja E, Makwenda C, Colbourn T, Stevenson F

Published in: PlosOne.2018;31;13(10):e0206404.

Background
Pneumonia remains the leading cause of paediatric infectious mortality globally. Treatment failure, which can result from non-adherence to oral antibiotics, can lead to poor outcomes and therefore improving adherence could be a strategy to reduce pneumonia related morbidity and mortality. However, there is little published evidence from low-resource settings for the drivers of non-adherence to oral antibiotics in children.

Objective
We aimed to investigate reasons for adherence and non-adherence in children diagnosed and treated in the community with fast-breathing pneumonia in rural Malawi.

Methods
We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with caregivers of children known to have been diagnosed and treated with oral antibiotics for fast-breathing pneumonia in the community and key informant interviews with community healthcare workers (CHW). FGDs and interviews were conducted within communities in Chichewa, the local language. We used a framework approach to analyze the transcripts.