A new study by Transform Nutrition West Africa identifies the trends and gaps in research that cover the World Health Assembly indicators across West Africa. These are potentially valuable insights for nutrition decision makers in the region. This presentation is to be used as a freely accessible resource for decision-makers at all levels.
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Similaire à Senegal Systematic Map to Guide decision-making on the current landscape of research on World Health Assembly indicators in West Africa (20)
Senegal Systematic Map to Guide decision-making on the current landscape of research on World Health Assembly indicators in West Africa
1. Senegal
International Food Policy Research Institute
The Current Landscape of Research on World Health
Assembly Indicators in West Africa: A Systematic Map
to Guide Decision-Making
2. 2
The West Africa (WA) Region has been one of the slowest in
reducing its many burdens of malnutrition. The World Health
Assembly’s (WHA) 2025 nutrition targets were developed to track
countries’ nutritional situations, and measure progress in reducing
malnutrition. These indicators are therefore essential to guide
decision making. Understanding the regional and in-country
dynamics are an essential first step to highlight gaps and trends in
evidence in the region.
Introduction
This study aimed to identify and catalogue peer-reviewed research
on the WHA indicators in West Africa, and create a map of recent
research evidence to inform decision-making for nutrition policies
and programs in the region.
Objective
3. Data were extracted at abstract level.
No quality appraisal of publications was undertaken
A systematic approach was applied to literature searches, developing inclusion
criteria, screening, coding, taxonomy, data extraction, and study synthesis
The MEDLINE database was searched for research published on World Health
Assembly (WHA) indicators from 2010 to April 2018
Search terms were developed to capture evidence on
the prevalence, drivers, programs (Randomized
Controlled Trials), and policies relating to the WHA
indicators. These include stunting, wasting and
overweight in children under 5, low birth weight
(LBW), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) up to 6 months,
and anemia in women of reproductive age (WRA)
Methods
4. References identified through
systematic search (n=6,630)
References excluded (n=2,581)
- Not WA region (n=130)
- Not target population (n=172)
- Disease specific/not nutrition related
(n=1729)
- Nutrition related but not WHA specific
(n=337)
- Additional program studies (n=75)
- RCT Protocol (n=9)
- Other (n=129)
Duplicates removed
(n=3,669)
References retrieved after title
and abstract screening
(n=380)
- Primary studies (n=359)
- Reviews (n=21)
References retrieved for title
and abstract screening
(n=2,961)
References included in mapping
(n=363)
Primary Studies (n=340)
Reviews (n=23)
Excluded at extraction level (n=17)
Flow chart of
search
approach
7. 21
39
4
12
10
86
5
5
5
15
18
147
14
8
2
1
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Cote d'Ivoire
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea- Bassau
Liberia
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierre Leone
Togo
WA region Number of publications per country
4% of publications
report on Senegal
8 publications focus on
Senegal only and 6
publications are multi-
country studies that
include Senegal
8. Publications per year in focal countries
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Nrofpublications
Nigeria
Ghana
Burkina Faso
Senegal
9. Publications reporting on Senegal by study setting
6
6
1
1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not specified
National
Village
Health facility
Nr of publications
10. Publications reporting on Senegal by study design
7%
29%
7%
43%
7%
7%
Percent of publications per study
design (n=14)
Other Not specified
Case-control Case series
Cross-sectional Cohort
Qualitative RCT
50%
7%
Hierarchy of evidence
15. Publications per WHA indicator and research focus in Senegal
4
3
2 2
1
3
1
1
3
1 1 3
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
U5 Stunting U5 Wasting LBW U5 Overweight EBF Anaemia WRA
Nrofpublications
Policy
Program
Problem
16. Program studies by intervention type and outcome
18
8
4
1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Burkina Faso Ghana Nigeria Senegal
Nrofprogramstudies
Intervention description U5NS (n=1)
malaria intermittent
preventive treatment
1
Senegal’s program
17. Key Messages
There is only 1 randomized controlled trial program in
Senegal. This trial is a malaria prevention intervention
which reports on under 5 stunting
The majority of publications report on the prevalence and
drivers of World Health Assembly indicators
Senegal represents 4% of publications in the West Africa
region
Notes de l'éditeur
Note: Only primary studies are included in the analysis (n=340)
23 reviews have been recorded for use at a later stage
Note:
Each bar in this graph includes publications that reports on one country only (eg. Senegal), as well as publications that report on multiple countries (Burkina Faso and Senegal and Ghana) We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates that specific country (eg. Senegal). This is why the total is greater than 340 (the number of publications included in this study) because they may be counted twice if it reports on more than 1 country.
There are 17 publications that report on more than 1 country
Key message: There are only 14 publications reporting on Senegal (4%).
Note: This graph includes publications that report on one specific focal country only (eg Senegal), as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include the focal country (eg. Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates each focal country
Key messages:
Over all the volume of publications in these focal countries has increased over time. Senegal has the fewest publications compared to the other focal countries.
In 2013 there were no publications reporting on Senegal.
There is a positive tendency for 2016 and 2017
Note: This graph includes publications that report on Senegal only, as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include Senegal (14 studies in total). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates Senegal.
Key message:
Most of publications either do not report the setting (n=6) or report at a national level (n=6) at the abstract level.
Note: This graph includes publications that report on Senegal only, as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include Senegal (14 studies in total). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates Senegal
Key message:
The majority (50%) of studies reporting on Senegal are observational in design (cross-sectional, case-control) (n=7).
There is only one experimental study (randomized control trial (RCT)).
The remaining are either not specified at abstract level or are of an alternative design
Majority of studies are towards the bottom of the evidence pyramid in terms of evidence quality
Note:
Each bar in this graph includes publications that report on one specific focal country only (eg Senegal), as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include the focal country (eg. Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates each focal country
Also, this graph includes publications reporting on one indicator category alone (Eg. EBF), as well as multi-indicator publications (eg. EBF and stunting). Therefore publications can be counted twice – Both in the EBF category and stunting category. This is why the total for Senegal is higher than 14 (total number of publication reporting on Senegal).
Key Messages:
Most of the studies among the four focal countries report on stunting, wasting, LBW and Anaemia WRA.
In Senegal:
Stunting and wasting represent the majority of studies (n=5 for each), followed by EBF (n=4) and Anaemia WRA (n=3).
The less reported are LBW and U5 Overweight (n=2 for each)
Note:
These pie charts includes publications that report on Senegal only, as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include Senegal. We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates Senegal.
U5NS (Under 5 nutritional status including stunting, wasting, LBW and overweight)
The left pie chart includes publications reporting on one indicator alone (Eg. EBF). Studies that report on more that one indicator have been brought together into the ‘more than 1 indicator’ category (n=4)
The right side pie chart includes studies that report on single indicators only (eg. Stunting). Studies reporting on more than one indicator (eg. Stunting and wasting) have not been included here.
Key Messages:
The majority of research publications report on U5NS (n=6), followed by Anaemia and EBF (n=2 each). There are 4 publications that report in more than 1 indicator.
Within U5SN, most of the studies are reporting on stunting (n=3) and wasting (n=2). Only one reports on overweight. There is no study reporting exclusively on low birth weight.
Note:
This graph includes publications that report on Senegal only, as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include Senegal (14 studies in total). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates Senegal
Also, this graph includes publications reporting on one WHA indicator alone (Eg. EBF), as well as multi-indicator publications (eg. EBF and stunting). Therefore publications can be counted twice – Both in the EBF category and the stunting category. This is why the total is higher than 14 (total number of publication reporting on Senegal).
Key message:
The majority of publications across WHA indicators report on the problem (prevalence and drivers) of WHA indicators. There is only 1 program study. This reports on stunting.
There is at least one policy study per WHA target, except for Anaemia WRA, for which only studies on the problem are available.
Note:
For each country, we included publications that report on that specific focal country only (eg Senegal), as well as publications that report on multiple countries, that include the focal country (eg. Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal). We include all of these because we want to capture all evidence that incorporates each focal country
Key message:
Senegal has only 1 program (Randomized control trial) study (out of 42 in the region). This shows a very important research gap whereby the research on prevalence and drivers is not being translated to interventions.
The program focus is on malaria preventative treatment
The outcome reported is U5 stunting