Burden of chronic disease comorbidities among cancer patients attending oncology services at Queen Elizabeth and Kamuzu Central hospitals in Malawi
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Date
2020-10-16
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Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
Problem to be studied: This doctoral study is focusing on estimating burden of chronic diseases among
cancer patients. In Malawi, cancers are increasingly contributing to high burden of diseases. There
is also high burden of other chronic diseases, however, there is no available data on prevalence of
specific comorbidities among cancer patients. Therefore, understanding the prevalence of chronic
disease comorbidities among cancer patients will help in developing appropriate interventions for
prevention, management and treatment of comorbidities with the aim of improving quality of life
and survival.
Type of study: The project has two study designs; cross-sectional and Randomized Control
Trial (RCT) components at different phases.
Broad objective/ aim:
1. Explore common chronic comorbid conditions among cancer patients at two main
referral hospitals of Queen Elizabeth and Kamuzu Central.
Objectives
Phase one
1. To estimate prevalence of chronic disease comorbidities among cancer patients.
2. To compare prevalence of comorbidities across gender, age and urban versus rural
settings among cancer patients.
3. To identify factors associated with disease comorbidities among cancer patients
4. To compare quality of life among cancer patients with chronic disease comorbidities to
those without comorbidities.
Phase two
5. To compare quality of life among cancer patients with chronic disease comorbidities
between the intervention and control groups.
6. To estimate survival among cancer patients with comorbidities
Methodology: The study has two phases. The initial phase which is formative will use a crosssectional study design to estimate the prevalence of comorbidities among cancer patients
presenting at Queen Elizabeth and Kamuzu Central Hospitals. The sample size will be a minimum
of one hundred and ten. This will be followed by a single-blinded randomized control trial
involving delivery of SMS alerts delivery to participants. The study will have two arms
namely; intervention and control. Individual participants from the intervention arm will
know about their receiving of SMS alerts but they will not be given information about
whether everyone is getting similar messages. The end line will measure the effectiveness of
the intervention (use of SMS alerts) in terms of improving quality of life and estimate
survival.
Ethical Consideration: The permission to conduct the study will be sought from Kamuzu Central
Hospital (KCH) and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH). Ethics approval will be sought
from the College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (COMREC).
Expected findings: We expect to have high burden of chronic diseases among cancer patients due
to direct proportionality of high burden of cancers and other chronic diseases in Malawi.
Results dissemination: All results will be disseminated through research dissemination
conferences both at College of Medicine and other available international symposia. Copies of the
findings will be shared with COMREC, QECH, KCH and Ministry of Health Headquarters.
Description
Keywords
Chronic disease, cancer, oncology