Rumana Huque - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Rumana Huque

Research paper thumbnail of Children learning about second-hand smoke (CLASS II)

Research paper thumbnail of Bangladesh Health Watch Report 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Health Systems in Transition

Research paper thumbnail of Bangladesh Health System Review

Over 43 years after independence in 1971 the health system of Bangladesh has gone through a numbe... more Over 43 years after independence in 1971 the health system of Bangladesh has gone through a number of reforms and established an extensive health infrastructure in the public and private sectors. Bangladesh has achieved impressive improvements in population health status by achieving MDG 4 by reducing child death before the 2015 target, and rapidly improving on other key indicators including maternal death, immunization coverage, and survival from some infectious diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrhoea. However, some challenges for the health system remain critical. First, lack of coordination across two different ministries for implementing primary health-care service delivery in rural and urban areas; second, critical shortage of trained health providers with appropriate skill-mix in the public sector and widespread increase in unregulated informal providers for an alternative source of care; third, low annual allocation to health in the government budget and high ...

Research paper thumbnail of Children Learning About Secondhand Smoke (CLASS II): protocol of a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial: Table 1

BMJ Open, 2015

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases children's risk of acquiring chest and... more Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases children's risk of acquiring chest and ear infections, tuberculosis, meningitis and asthma.

Research paper thumbnail of Smokeless tobacco supply chain in South Asia: A comparative analysis using the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2015

Most South-Asian countries are signatories to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control(FC... more Most South-Asian countries are signatories to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control(FCTC). However, there is little information on the extent to which FCTC standards areeffectively implemented for controlling smokeless tobacco (SLT) -used by over 250 million people in the region. We assessed the feasibility of a novel approach based on interviewing the key actors of SLT supply chain and analysing its findings using standards set by FCTC.

Research paper thumbnail of Public-Private Partnership for TB Control in Bangladesh: Role of Private Medical Practitioners in the Management of TB Patients

World Medical & Health Policy, 2010

Background: Despite enormous efforts, Bangladesh has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis (... more Background: Despite enormous efforts, Bangladesh has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis (TB) in the world. Treatment in the private sector is common and popular among TB patients in South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, even though the quality of diagnosis and treatment of TB patients has been shown to be poor in several such countries. The Bangladesh National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) has recently shown considerable interest in exploring policy options to address this problem. Consequently, the NTP and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners planned to develop a public-private partnership (PPP) model for effective involvement of private medical practitioners (PMPs) in TB control. However, there was a lack of solid data on TB case management practice by PMPs, which was needed to appraise the potential role and contribution of PMPs in TB control. The purpose of the study is therefore to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of PMPs on TB control in an urban setting in Bangladesh in order to inform development of a public-private collaboration model. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in four areas of Dhaka city involving the NTP and three NGO partners. A mapping of PMPs was carried out: of the 250 PMPs identified, 97 showed an interest in becoming involved in the public-private collaboration model and agreed to be interviewed. Information was also collected from focus group discussions with PMPs, and through a workshop.

Research paper thumbnail of Children's exposure to second-hand smoke at home in Bangladesh: a community survey

BMJ open, 2013

In Bangladesh, second-hand smoke (SHS) is recognised as a principal source of indoor air pollutio... more In Bangladesh, second-hand smoke (SHS) is recognised as a principal source of indoor air pollution and a major public health problem. However, we know little about the extent to which people are aware of the risks of second-hand smoking, or restrict smoking indoors or in the presence of children. We report findings of a community survey exploring these questions. A total of 722 households were surveyed in urban and rural settings, using a multistage cluster random sampling approach and a semistructured questionnaire. In addition, we used qualitative methods to further explore the determinants of smoking-related behaviours inside homes. 55% of households in our sample had at least one regular smoker. Smoking indoors was common. In 30% of households, smoking occurred in the presence of children, exposing nearly 40% of children to SHS. Overall, we found a lack of awareness about the harms associated with second-hand smoking. Our study highlights that a sizeable proportion of children a...

Research paper thumbnail of Smokeless Tobacco Control Policies in South Asia: A Gap Analysis and Recommendations

Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2014

introduction: Almost a fifth of the world's tobacco is consumed in smokeless form. Its consumptio... more introduction: Almost a fifth of the world's tobacco is consumed in smokeless form. Its consumption is particularly common in South Asia, where an increasing array of smokeless tobacco (SLT) products is widely available. Mindful of the growing public health threat from SLT, a group of international academics and policy makers recently gathered to identify policy and knowledge gaps and proposed strategies to address these.

Research paper thumbnail of Tuberculosis in the workplace: developing partnerships with the garment industries in Bangladesh

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 2012

To implement and evaluate a public-private partnership model involving garment factories to reduc... more To implement and evaluate a public-private partnership model involving garment factories to reduce the tuberculosis (TB) burden in this workforce. We used operational research to develop and evaluate a mechanism for effective and sustainable TB control in workplaces in three areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Strategies, protocols, guides and tools were developed with stakeholders. We assessed the impact of the project using quantitative and qualitative measures: changes in TB outcomes were calculated using standard indicators based on factory and DOTS centre records; changes in TB care-seeking behaviour were assessed using qualitative in-depth interviews with factory managers and medical personnel, and focus group discussions with factory workers, including TB patients. The project brought positive changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices of managers, workers and health care providers on TB care and control. During 2008-2010, a total of 3372 workers from a workforce of 69,000 were referred for sputum microscopy and 598 were diagnosed with smear-positive TB, 145 of whom received care at their workplace. The overall treatment success rate was 100%. It is feasible to engage factories in TB control activities in Bangladesh, and thereby increase case notifications and improve treatment outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of involving the private medical sector in the National TB Control Programme in Bangladesh: Evidence from mixed methods

Research paper thumbnail of Children Learning About Second-hand Smoking (CLASS): a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial

Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Jan 29, 2015

Exposure to second-hand smoke is a threat to children's health. We developed a school-based s... more Exposure to second-hand smoke is a threat to children's health. We developed a school-based smoke-free intervention (SFI) to support families in implementing smoke-free homes in Bangladesh, and gathered preliminary evidence of its effectiveness. A feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of SFI was conducted in 24 schools in Mirpur, an urban area within Dhaka. Using simple stratified randomisation, schools were allocated to: Arm A (SFI only), B (SFI plus reminders) and Arm C (the control group). A total of 781 year-five children (10-12 years old) in the consenting schools, participated in the study. Outcomes including 'smoke-free homes' and 'social visibility' i.e. not smoking in front of children at home, were assessed through questionnaire-based children's surveys, administered by researchers, at baseline and at weeks 1, 12, 27 and 52 in all arms. 'Smoke-free homes' were significantly higher in Arm A (odds ratio (OR) 4.8; 95%CI: 2.6-9.0) and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Children learning about second-hand smoke (CLASS II)

Research paper thumbnail of Bangladesh Health Watch Report 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Health Systems in Transition

Research paper thumbnail of Bangladesh Health System Review

Over 43 years after independence in 1971 the health system of Bangladesh has gone through a numbe... more Over 43 years after independence in 1971 the health system of Bangladesh has gone through a number of reforms and established an extensive health infrastructure in the public and private sectors. Bangladesh has achieved impressive improvements in population health status by achieving MDG 4 by reducing child death before the 2015 target, and rapidly improving on other key indicators including maternal death, immunization coverage, and survival from some infectious diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrhoea. However, some challenges for the health system remain critical. First, lack of coordination across two different ministries for implementing primary health-care service delivery in rural and urban areas; second, critical shortage of trained health providers with appropriate skill-mix in the public sector and widespread increase in unregulated informal providers for an alternative source of care; third, low annual allocation to health in the government budget and high ...

Research paper thumbnail of Children Learning About Secondhand Smoke (CLASS II): protocol of a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial: Table 1

BMJ Open, 2015

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases children's risk of acquiring chest and... more Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases children's risk of acquiring chest and ear infections, tuberculosis, meningitis and asthma.

Research paper thumbnail of Smokeless tobacco supply chain in South Asia: A comparative analysis using the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2015

Most South-Asian countries are signatories to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control(FC... more Most South-Asian countries are signatories to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control(FCTC). However, there is little information on the extent to which FCTC standards areeffectively implemented for controlling smokeless tobacco (SLT) -used by over 250 million people in the region. We assessed the feasibility of a novel approach based on interviewing the key actors of SLT supply chain and analysing its findings using standards set by FCTC.

Research paper thumbnail of Public-Private Partnership for TB Control in Bangladesh: Role of Private Medical Practitioners in the Management of TB Patients

World Medical & Health Policy, 2010

Background: Despite enormous efforts, Bangladesh has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis (... more Background: Despite enormous efforts, Bangladesh has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis (TB) in the world. Treatment in the private sector is common and popular among TB patients in South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, even though the quality of diagnosis and treatment of TB patients has been shown to be poor in several such countries. The Bangladesh National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) has recently shown considerable interest in exploring policy options to address this problem. Consequently, the NTP and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners planned to develop a public-private partnership (PPP) model for effective involvement of private medical practitioners (PMPs) in TB control. However, there was a lack of solid data on TB case management practice by PMPs, which was needed to appraise the potential role and contribution of PMPs in TB control. The purpose of the study is therefore to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of PMPs on TB control in an urban setting in Bangladesh in order to inform development of a public-private collaboration model. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in four areas of Dhaka city involving the NTP and three NGO partners. A mapping of PMPs was carried out: of the 250 PMPs identified, 97 showed an interest in becoming involved in the public-private collaboration model and agreed to be interviewed. Information was also collected from focus group discussions with PMPs, and through a workshop.

Research paper thumbnail of Children's exposure to second-hand smoke at home in Bangladesh: a community survey

BMJ open, 2013

In Bangladesh, second-hand smoke (SHS) is recognised as a principal source of indoor air pollutio... more In Bangladesh, second-hand smoke (SHS) is recognised as a principal source of indoor air pollution and a major public health problem. However, we know little about the extent to which people are aware of the risks of second-hand smoking, or restrict smoking indoors or in the presence of children. We report findings of a community survey exploring these questions. A total of 722 households were surveyed in urban and rural settings, using a multistage cluster random sampling approach and a semistructured questionnaire. In addition, we used qualitative methods to further explore the determinants of smoking-related behaviours inside homes. 55% of households in our sample had at least one regular smoker. Smoking indoors was common. In 30% of households, smoking occurred in the presence of children, exposing nearly 40% of children to SHS. Overall, we found a lack of awareness about the harms associated with second-hand smoking. Our study highlights that a sizeable proportion of children a...

Research paper thumbnail of Smokeless Tobacco Control Policies in South Asia: A Gap Analysis and Recommendations

Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2014

introduction: Almost a fifth of the world's tobacco is consumed in smokeless form. Its consumptio... more introduction: Almost a fifth of the world's tobacco is consumed in smokeless form. Its consumption is particularly common in South Asia, where an increasing array of smokeless tobacco (SLT) products is widely available. Mindful of the growing public health threat from SLT, a group of international academics and policy makers recently gathered to identify policy and knowledge gaps and proposed strategies to address these.

Research paper thumbnail of Tuberculosis in the workplace: developing partnerships with the garment industries in Bangladesh

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 2012

To implement and evaluate a public-private partnership model involving garment factories to reduc... more To implement and evaluate a public-private partnership model involving garment factories to reduce the tuberculosis (TB) burden in this workforce. We used operational research to develop and evaluate a mechanism for effective and sustainable TB control in workplaces in three areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Strategies, protocols, guides and tools were developed with stakeholders. We assessed the impact of the project using quantitative and qualitative measures: changes in TB outcomes were calculated using standard indicators based on factory and DOTS centre records; changes in TB care-seeking behaviour were assessed using qualitative in-depth interviews with factory managers and medical personnel, and focus group discussions with factory workers, including TB patients. The project brought positive changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices of managers, workers and health care providers on TB care and control. During 2008-2010, a total of 3372 workers from a workforce of 69,000 were referred for sputum microscopy and 598 were diagnosed with smear-positive TB, 145 of whom received care at their workplace. The overall treatment success rate was 100%. It is feasible to engage factories in TB control activities in Bangladesh, and thereby increase case notifications and improve treatment outcomes.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of involving the private medical sector in the National TB Control Programme in Bangladesh: Evidence from mixed methods

Research paper thumbnail of Children Learning About Second-hand Smoking (CLASS): a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial

Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Jan 29, 2015

Exposure to second-hand smoke is a threat to children's health. We developed a school-based s... more Exposure to second-hand smoke is a threat to children's health. We developed a school-based smoke-free intervention (SFI) to support families in implementing smoke-free homes in Bangladesh, and gathered preliminary evidence of its effectiveness. A feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of SFI was conducted in 24 schools in Mirpur, an urban area within Dhaka. Using simple stratified randomisation, schools were allocated to: Arm A (SFI only), B (SFI plus reminders) and Arm C (the control group). A total of 781 year-five children (10-12 years old) in the consenting schools, participated in the study. Outcomes including 'smoke-free homes' and 'social visibility' i.e. not smoking in front of children at home, were assessed through questionnaire-based children's surveys, administered by researchers, at baseline and at weeks 1, 12, 27 and 52 in all arms. 'Smoke-free homes' were significantly higher in Arm A (odds ratio (OR) 4.8; 95%CI: 2.6-9.0) and ...