Double Burden of Malnutrition: Evidence from a Selected Nigerian Population
Indices reflecting the double burden of malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa are increasing. Evidence to support this claim in households of Africa’s most populous country – Nigeria – is scant. This study, therefore, presents results from a study of mother-child pairs sampled from Akwa Ibom State in the southern region of Nigeria. Anthropometric measures for 660 […]
Contracting of private medical practitioners in a National Health Insurance pilot district: What has been the effect on primary healthcare utilisation indicators?
Background: In 2012, the National Department of Health in South Africa started contracting of private medical practitioners (MPs) as part of the first phase of National Health Insurance (NHI) in 11 pilot districts to improve access to healthcare. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the effect of contracting private MPs on the […]
Prevalence and determinants of adherence to HAART amongst PLHIV in a tertiary health facility in south-south Nigeria
Background: Adherence to Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is a major predictor of the success of HIV/AIDS treatment. Good adherence to HAART is necessary to achieve the best virologic response, lower the risk of drug resistance and reduce morbidity and mortality. This study therefore aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of adherence to HAART […]
Prevalence and factors associated with depression among pregnant mothers in the West Shoa zone, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Background: Depression during pregnancy, the most prevalent mental health problem, can alter fetal development and has important consequences on the offspring’s physical and mental health. Evidence suggests increasing rates of prevalence of depression in low-income settings such as Ethiopia. However, there are a few studies on the topic with inconsistent results. Therefore, the aim of […]
Inequities in childhood anaemia at provincial borders in Mozambique: Cross-sectional study results from multilevel Bayesian analysis of 2018 National Malaria Indicator Survey
Objectives This study aims to identify the child-level, maternal-level, household-level and community-level determinants of anaemia among children aged 6-59 months, and determine the inequities of anaemia prevalence across communities in Mozambique. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Mozambique. Participants This study used data of a weighted population of 3946 children, 6-59 months, delivered by women between 15 […]
Mortality level and predictors in a rural Ethiopian population: Community based longitudinal study
Background: Over the last fifty years the world has seen enormous decline in mortality rates. However, in low-income countries, where vital registration systems are absent, mortality statistics are not easily available. The recent economic growth of Ethiopia and the parallel large scale healthcare investments make investigating mortality figures worthwhile. Methods: Longitudinal health and demographic surveillance […]
Shamba Maisha: A pilot study assessing impacts of a micro-irrigation intervention on the health and economic wellbeing of HIV patients
HIV/AIDS negatively impacts poverty alleviation and food security, which reciprocally hinder the rapid scale up and effectiveness of HIV care programs. Nyanza province has the highest HIV prevalence (15.3%), and is the third highest contributor (2.4 million people) to rural poverty in Kenya. Thus, we tested the feasibility of providing a micro-irrigation pump to HIV-positive […]
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Kenya: Challenges to implementation
Background: The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is lauded as one of the more successful HIV prevention measures. However, despite some gains in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in sub-Saharan Africa, mother-to-child transmission rates are still high. In Kenya, mother-to-child transmission is considered one of the greatest health […]
The Critical Role of Supervision in Retaining Staff in Obstetric Services: A Three Country Study
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 commits us to reducing maternal mortality rates by three quarters and MDG 4 commits us to reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. In order to reach these goals, greater access to basic emergency obstetric care (EmOC) as well as comprehensive EmOC which includes safe Caesarean section, is […]
Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Dessie Town, Northeastern Ethiopia, 2021: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
Background: Globally about 159, 101, and 52 million children are stunted, underweight, and wasted, respectively. According to the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, about 38% of Ethiopian children are stunted and 46, 28.4, and 9.8% of children in Amhara Region are stunted, underweight and wasted, respectively. This study aimed to assess undernutrition and associated […]
