Unwanted pregnancy and associated factors among pregnant married women in Hosanna town, Southern Ethiopia
Of an estimated 210 million pregnancies that occur in the world each year, 38% are unplanned, out of which 22% end in abortion. In Ethiopia, the estimates of unintended pregnancy indicate that it is one of the major reproductive health problems with all its adverse outcomes. Women risk their lives in by seeking illegal abortions […]
Determinants and preventive practices of midwives and physicians toward vertical transmission of hepatitis B in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey
Introduction: countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection. In these areas, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is an essential mode of HBV transmission. Evidently, timely hepatitis B birth dose vaccination remains an effective preventive intervention against MTCT of HBV. Considering that midwives and physicians are the primary care providers […]
An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Household Demographics on Diarrhea Morbidity in Children Aged 0 to 48 Months in Namibia
Many of the simple and low-cost child diarrhea morbidities interventions, such as adequate home care, access to health care services, and improved sanitation and hygiene practices, are far beyond the reach of many households in developing countries, and Namibia is not an exception to this. In this study, a quantitative cross-sectional study design using a […]
Spoiled breast milk and bad water; Local understandings of diarrhea causes and prevention in rural Sierra Leone
Abstract. Background: Globally, diarrhea remains a leading killer of young children. In Sierra Leone, one in seven children die before their fifth birthday and diarrhea is a leading cause. Studies that emphasize the demand-side of health interventions – how caregivers understand causation and prevention of diarrhea – have been neglected in research and programming. Methods. […]
Between the city and the farm: Food environments in artisanal mining communities in Upper Guinea
Objective: Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a widespread livelihood in low- and middle-income countries; however, many in ASM communities face high levels of poverty and malnutrition. The food environments in ASM communities have non-agricultural rural characteristics that differ from those in urban and agricultural rural areas examined in much existing food environment literature. Design: […]
A qualitative study to explore strategies to improve the Road to Health Application for maternal and child health outcomes in South Africa
Background: The Road to Health Application (RTHA) is essentially a digitalized version of the National Department of Health’s Road to Health book, and a hand-printed booklet given to mothers at the birth of each baby. The RTHA, like the booklet, provides guidelines for maternal and child health outcomes, with the goal of creating a database […]
Agricultural and finance intervention increased dietary intake and weight of children living in HIV-affected households in Western Kenya
We tested whether a multisectoral household agricultural and finance intervention increased the dietary intake and improved the nutritional status of HIV-affected children. Two hospitals in rural Kenya were randomly assigned to be either the intervention or the control arm. The intervention comprised a human-powered water pump, microfinance loan for farm commodities, and training in sustainable […]
Applying a gender lens to understand pathways through care for acutely ill young children in Kenyan urban informal settlements
Background: In many African settings, gender strongly influences household treatment-seeking and decision-making for childhood illnesses. While mothers are often the primary engagers with health facilities, their independence in illness-related decisions is shaped by various factors. Drawing on a gender lens, we explored treatment-seeking pathways pre- and post-hospital admission for acutely ill young children living in […]
Factors Associated with Pregnancy Intentions Amongst Postpartum Women Living with HIV in Rural Southwestern Uganda
Comprehensive HIV treatment and care makes it safer for women living with HIV (WLWH) to have the children they desire, partly through provision and appropriate use of effective contraception. However, nearly one third of WLWH in-care in a large Ugandan cohort became pregnant within 3 years of initiating ART and half of these incident pregnancies (45%) […]
Child bed net use before, during, and after a bed net distribution campaign in Bo, Sierra Leone
Background: This analysis examined how the proportion of children less than 5-years-old who slept under a bed net the previous night changed during and after a national long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) distribution campaign in Sierra Leone in November-December 2010. Methods: A citywide cross-sectional study in 2010-2011 interviewed the caregivers of more than 3000 under-five children […]
