Table 1. Survey-based assessment of pulse oximetry use by health-care providers, Malawi, 2012–2014.
| Variable | All providers (n = 22) | HCB providers |
CHW (n = 6) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical assistants (n = 6) | Clinical officers (n = 5) | Nurses (n = 5) | |||
| Provider | |||||
| Years in current job, mean (SD)a | 5.8 (3.7) | 4.3 (2.2) | 4 (1.9) | 11.6 (2.1) | 3.8 (1.7) |
| Used pulse oximetry for > 12 months, no. (%; 95% CI)a | 16 (72.7; 49.8–89.3) | 4 (66.7; 22.3–95.7) | 4 (80.0; 28.4–99.5) | 4 (80.0; 28.4–99.5) | 4 (66.7; 22.3–95.7) |
| Daily number of measurements, mean (SD) | 18 (23) | 7 (4) | 21 (9) | 40 (46) | 7 (4) |
| Mean measurement time, no. (%; 95% CI) | |||||
| < 2 minutes | 10 (45.5; 24.3–67.8) | 5 (83.3; 35.9–99.6) | 3 (60.0; 14.7–94.7) | 2 (40.0; 5.3–85.3) | 0 (0; 0–45.9) |
| 2–5 minutes | 12 (54.5; 32.2–75.6) | 1 (16.7; 0.4–64.1) | 2 (40.0; 5.3–85.3) | 3 (60.0; 14.7–94.7) | 6 (100.0; 54.1–100.0) |
| Use of pulse oximetry, no. (%; 95% CI) | |||||
| On children with cough or difficult breathing only | 6 (27.3; 10.7–50.2) | 3 (50.0; 11.8–88.2) | 0 (0; 0–52.2) | 1 (20.0; 0.5–71.6) | 2 (33.3; 4.3–77.7) |
| On severely ill children, with or without cough or difficult breathing | 12 (54.5; 32.2–75.6) | 3 (50.0; 11.8–88.2) | 4 (80.0; 28.4–99.5) | 1 (20.0; 0.5–71.6) | 4 (66.7; 22.3–95.7) |
| On other children | 4 (18.2; 5.2–40.3) | 0 (0; 0–45.9) | 1 (20.0; 0.5–71.6) | 3 (60.0; 14.7–94.7) | 0 (0; 0–45.9) |
| Challenges experienced, no. (%; 95% CI) | |||||
| Battery charge difficult to maintain | 15 (68.2; 45.1–86.1) | 6 (100.0; 54.1–100.0) | 4 (80.0; 28.4–99.5) | 2 (40.0; 5.3–85.3) | 3 (50.0; 11.8–88.2) |
| Clip probe not fitting well | 14 (63.6; 40.7–82.8) | 6 (100.0; 54.1–100.0) | 3 (60.0; 14.7–94.7) | 3 (60.0; 14.7–94.7) | 2 (33.3; 4.3–77.7) |
| Child crying | 5 (22.7; 7.8–45.4) | 0 (0; 0–45.9) | 2 (40.0; 5.3–85.3) | 1 (20.0; 0.5–71.6) | 2 (33.3; 4.3–77.7) |
| Child movement issues | 5 (22.7; 7.8–45.4) | 1 (16.7; 0.4–64.1) | 2 (40.0; 5.3–85.3) | 0 (0; 0–52.2) | 2 (33.3; 4.3–77.7) |
| Child’s extremity too dirty for probe | 19 (86.4; 65.1–97.1) | 6 (100.0; 54.1–100.0) | 5 (100.0; 47.8–100.0) | 4 (80.0; 28.4–99.5) | 4 (66.7; 22.3–95.7) |
CHW: community health workers; CI: confidence interval; HCB: health-centre-based; SD: standard deviation.
a At the mid-point of the study period, on 1 April 2013.