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. 2024 Mar 13;14(3):e078426. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078426

Table 2.

Mode of referral and aetiology of fistula, by subregion, 2019–2021

2019–2021 Africa Central Africa Eastern Africa Western Africa Asia Southern Asia Global total
Aetiology and presumed cause of fistula, 2019–2021
Obstetric n 18 595 3633 11 950 3012 1727 1727 20 322
% 91% 89% 93% 87% 57% 57% 87%
Iatrogenic n 1332 377 633 322 1196 1196 2528
% 7% 9% 5% 9% 40% 40% 11%
Traumatic n 325 37 238 50 71 71 396
% 2% 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% 2%
Other n 183 31 81 71 31 31 214
% 1% 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1%
Total n 20 435 4078 12 902 3455 3025 3025 23 460
Mode of referral by subregion, 2019–2021
Number of women reached, n n 16 305 3986 9867 2452 2933 2933 19 238
Mode of referral
Health facility % 20% 42% 11% 18% 52% 52% 25%
Community health worker % 36% 10% 51% 18% 24% 24% 34%
Former patient % 8% 9% 5% 21% 4% 4% 8%
Radio % 12% 15% 13% 6% 0% 0% 10%
Relative % 6% 8% 5% 9% 13% 13% 7%
Self % 4% 2% 4% 6% 2% 2% 4%
Other % 14% 14% 12% 22% 5% 5% 12%

The subregions in table 2 are based on the United Nations Geoscheme.35 One of the most common modes of referral within the ‘other’ category were religious institutions.