Acceptability and feasibility of community-based provision of urine pregnancy tests to support linkages to reproductive health services in Western Kenya: a qualitative analysis
Background: The majority of women living in rural Kenya access antenatal care (ANC) late in pregnancy, and approximately 20% have an unmet need for family planning (FP). This study aimed to determine whether training community health volunteers (CHVs) to deliver urine pregnancy testing (UPT), post-test counselling, and referral to care was an acceptable and feasible […]
Intimate partner violence against women and its association with pregnancy loss in Ethiopia: Evidence from a national survey
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is major public health problem that affects many dimensions of women’s health. However, the role of IPV on women’s reproductive health in general and pregnancy loss in particular, is largely unknown in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study investigated the association between IPV and pregnancy loss in Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective analysis […]
Lesotho’s Minimum PMTCT Package: Lessons learned for combating vertical HIV transmission using co-packaged medicines
Introduction: Mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be reduced to
Achieving equity in HIV-treatment outcomes: can social protection improve adolescent ART-adherence in South Africa?
Low ART-adherence amongst adolescents is associated with morbidity, mortality and onward HIV transmission. Reviews find no effective adolescent adherence-promoting interventions. Social protection has demonstrated benefits for adolescents, and could potentially improve ART-adherence. This study examines associations of 10 social protection provisions with adherence in a large community-based sample of HIV-positive adolescents. All 10–19-year-olds ever ART-initiated […]
Respectful maternity care among laboring women in public hospitals of Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia: A mixed cross-sectional study with direct observations
Objectives: Promoting respectful maternity care is a fundamental strategy for enhancing facility birth, which significantly reduces maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. Despite these effects, disrespect and abusive childbirth care remain a challenge in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of respectful maternity care and its associated factors among laboring women in […]
Socioeconomic predictors of cognition in Ugandan children: Implications for community interventions
Background: Several interventions to improve cognition in at risk children have been suggested. Identification of key variables predicting cognition is necessary to guide these interventions. This study was conducted to identify these variables in Ugandan children and guide such interventions. Methods: A cohort of 89 healthy children (45 females) aged 5 to 12 years old […]
Postneonatal under-5 mortality in peri-urban and rural Eastern Uganda, 2005-2015
Introduction Community and individual sociodemographic characteristics play an important role in child survival. However, a question remains how urbanisation and demographic changes in sub-Saharan Africa affect community-level determinants for child survival. Methods Longitudinal data from the Iganga/Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site was used to obtain postneonatal under-5 mortality rates between March 2005 and February […]
Prevalence and risk factors of neurological impairment among children aged 6-9 years: From population based cross sectional study in western Kenya
Background: The burden of disability is more severe among children in low income countries. Moreover, the number of children with disabilities (CWDs) in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to increase with reduction in child mortality. Although the issue on CWDs is important in sub-Saharan Africa, there are few researches on risk factors of disabilities. The purpose […]
Different gut microbial profiles in sub-saharan african and south asian women of childbearing age are primarily associated with dietary intakes
Background: To compare and characterize the gut microbiota in women of childbearing age from sub-Saharan Africa (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) and South Asia (India), in relation to dietary intakes. Methods: Women of childbearing age were recruited from rural DRC and India as part of the Women First (WF) preconception maternal nutrition trial. […]
mHealth Phone Intervention to Reduce Maternal Deaths and Morbidity in Cameroon: Protocol for Translational Adaptation
Purpose: The purpose of this NIH-funded protocol is to adapt (Aim 1) and pilot test (Aim 2) an mHealth intervention to improve maternal and child health in Cameroon. We will adapt the 24/7 University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Information Service via Telephone (MIST) provider support system to mMIST (mobile MIST) for peripheral providers who […]