The competence of village clinicians in the diagnosis and management of childhood epilepsy in Southwestern China and its determinants: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Due to lack of neurologists in low- and middle-income countries, communities of patients living with epilepsy are calling for task-shifting of diagnosis and management from physicians to paramedical providers in the primary health care systems to narrow the huge treatment gap. Evidence to guide this work has been limited. This study assesses the competence of village clinicians (VC)- mostly paramedical providers- in the diagnosis and management of a presumptive case of childhood epilepsy and its determinants.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of a province in Southwestern China from July 2017 to January 2018. We randomly selected 370 VCs who practiced Western medicine and assumed the main responsibility of providing medical services in h

SUBMITTER: Yi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8315368 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature