Dr Mathieu Loposso, urologue à l'université Unikin à Kinshasa reçoit une bourse pour un doctorat sur “ une prise en charge intégrée des fistules génitales obstétricales ” à base des données des patientes dans le programme fistule de SOLFA. Promoteurs: Dirk De Ridder "Integrated approach to obstetric fistula care."
Description: In subsaharan Africa hundred thousands of women are suffering from vesicovaginal fistula as a consequence of poor obstetrical care. Women with a fistula will have permanent urinary leakage and will be excluded from social activities and community activities and will become outcasts of their society. Surgical closure of the fistula will be their best chance for social re-integration.Most initiatives for fistula care only provide surgical treatment for the women with the fistula, but do not develop preventive actions or social reintegration action. A newer model of fistula care integrates surgical treatment, social re-integration, preventive actions and educational actions.
Several research questions will be addressed:
1) quality of life of African women with fistula. Adaptation, translation and validation of international questionnaires will be necessary.
2) organisation of fistula care. A comparison will be made between two African centres, one offering classical fistula treatment and one offering integrated care. The impact of the organisational model on the occurence of obstetrical fistula in the health district will be evaluated.
3) retrospective analysis of women operated for an obstetrical fistula: etiological factors, predictive factors for succesful surgical treatment; predictive factors for persisting stressincontinence and the impact on Quality of life?
4) design and elaboration of a prospective study on obstetric fistulaIn order to achieve these goals the candidate will collaborate with the SOLFA/LUMOS team in Kisantu, RD Congo and the dept of urology of the K.U.Leuven and of UNIKIN, RD Congo. A database on the patients operated since 2006 is available to perform the retrospective study. De Ridder, D. (2009). Vesicovaginal fistula: a major healthcare problem. Current Opinion in Urology, 19(4), 358-61 De Ridder, D., Badlani, G., Browning, A., Singh, P., Sombie, I., Wall, L. (2009). Fistulas in the developing world. In: Abrams P., Cardozo L., Khoury S., Wein A. (Eds.), Incontinence, Chapt. 18 (pp. 1419-1458). Health Publication Ltd.. Key words: obstetric fistula Programme: Patient Related and Public Health ResearchStart date: 2012-10-01 Application date: 2012-01-01 Publication date: 2011-10-01 Financing: IRO Research group: Department of Surgery Remarks: This project will train a junior staffmember of the dept. of urology of UNIKIN in scientific research, writing articles and defending a PhD. The topic of obstetric fistula is very relevant in an African context, because of the devastating consequences for the patient and her family. If a Congolose PhD student will be able to study this topic scientifically, he/she will be able to become a local expert in these matters who might be able to influence local policy makers. This project can be integrated in other projects on maternal health and perinatal care as well as in other prevention projects.
