Factors Associated with Stunted Growth in Children Under Five Years in Antananarivo, Madagascar and Bangui, Central African Republic
Objectives: With a fourth of all under-five children affected, stunting remains one of the biggest health challenges worldwide. Even though the main underlying factors are known, the exact pathways to stunting varying in affected regions, and interventions thus need to be tailored to the local contexts. This study aimed assessing and comparing factors associated with […]
Use of a novel supplementary food and measures to control inflammation in malnourished pregnant women in Sierra Leone to improve birth outcomes: Study protocol for a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical effectiveness trial
Background: The negative synergy between poor nutritional status and infectious diseases is doubly detrimental in pregnancy. In Sierra Leone, maternal malnutrition is amongst the highest in the world, while maternal mortality is high at 1320/100,000 live births and stunting in under-five is 37.9%, ranked 110/132 worldwide. Maternal malnutrition has been associated with preterm birth, small-for-gestational […]
Association of maternal high-risk fertility behavior and under-five mortality in Ethiopia: Community-based survey
Background High-risk fertility behavior is a major public health concern in low and middle-income countries including Ethiopia. Some studies show that the relationship between high-risk fertility behavior and child mortality has analyzed each fertility behavior individually. Yet, there are limited studies that have analyzed outcomes associated with the joint impact of high-risk fertility behaviors. Therefore, […]
The association between infant and young child feeding practices and diarrhoea in Tanzanian children
Background: Diarrhoea is a leading cause of child mortality in Tanzania. The association between optimal infant feeding practices and diarrhoea has been reported elsewhere, but the evidence has been limited to promote and advocate for strategic interventions in Tanzania. This study examined the association between infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and diarrhoea in […]
Referral patterns through the lens of health facility readiness to manage obstetric complications: National facility-based results from Ghana
Introduction: Countries with high maternal and newborn mortality can benefit from national facility level data that describe intra-facility emergency referral patterns for major obstetric complications. This paper assesses the relationship between referral and facilities’ readiness to treat complications at each level of the health system in Ghana. We also investigate other facility characteristics associated with […]
Newborn weight change and predictors of underweight in the neonatal period in Guinea-Bissau, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda
In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), growth impairment is common; however, the trajectory of growth over the course of the first month has not been well characterised. To describe newborn growth trajectory and predictors of growth impairment, we assessed growth frequently over the first 30 days among infants born ≥2000 g in Guinea-Bissau, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda. […]
Faecal regenerating 1B protein concentration is not associated with child growth in rural Malawi
Aim: This study was designed to determine whether faecal regenerating 1B protein (REG1B) concentration is associated with physical growth among 6–30-month-old children in rural Malawi. Methods: This was a secondary analysis from a randomised controlled trial in rural Malawi in which we followed-up 790 live-born infants from birth to 30 months of age. We collected […]
Can community action improve equity for maternal health and how does it do so? Research findings from Gujarat, India
Background: Efforts to work with civil society to strengthen community participation and action for health are particularly important in Gujarat, India, given that the state has resources and capacity, but faces challenges in ensuring that services reach those most in need. To contribute to the knowledge base on accountability and maternal health, this study examines […]
A priori and a posteriori dietary patterns among pregnant women in johannesburg, south africa: The nuped study
Dietary pattern analyses allow assessment of the diet as a whole. Limited studies include both a priori and a posteriori dietary pattern analyses. This study aimed to explore the diet of pregnant women in urban South Africa through both a priori and a posteriori dietary pattern analyses and associated maternal and household factors. Dietary data […]
Missed opportunities along the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services cascade in South Africa: Uptake, determinants, and attributable risk (the SAPMTCTE)
Objectives: We examined uptake of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services, predictors of missed opportunities, and infant HIV transmission attributable to missed opportunities along the PMTCT cascade across South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4-8 week old infants receiving first immunisations in 580 nationally representative public health facilities in 2010. This […]
