Wealth-based equity in maternal, neonatal, and child health services utilization: A cross-sectional study from Ethiopia
Background: Despite the pro-poor health policies in Ethiopia, the utilization of maternal, neonatal, and child health services remains a challenge for the country. Health equity became central in the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals globally and is a priority for Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess equity in utilization of a range of […]
Exploring community participation in project design: application of the community conversation approach to improve maternal and newborn health in Zambia
BACKGROUND: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has adopted an approach entitled Community Conversation (CC) to improve community engagement in addressing health challenges. CCs are based on Paulo Freire’s transformative communication approach, in which communities pose problems and critically examine their everyday life experiences through discussion. We adopted this approach to engage communities in maternal […]
How a woman’s interpersonal relationships can delay care-seeking and access during the maternity period in rural Zambia: An intersection of the Social Ecological Model with the Three Delays Framework
To reduce maternal mortality, countries must continue to seek ways to increase access to skilled care during pregnancy and delivery. In Zambia, while antenatal attendance is high, many barriers exist that prevent women from delivering with a skilled health provider. This study explores how the individuals closest to a pregnant woman in rural Zambia can […]
Contextual risk factors for low birth weight: A multilevel analysis
Background: Low birth weight (LBW) remains to be a leading cause of neonatal death and a major contributor to infant and under-five mortality. Its prevalence has not declined in the last decade in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Asia. Some individual level factors have been identified as risk factors for LBW but knowledge is limited on […]
Male involvement in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health: Evaluating gaps between policy and practice in Uganda
Introduction: Male involvement in maternal and child health is a practice wherein fathers and male community members actively participate in caring for women and supporting their family to access better health services. There is positive association between male involvement and better maternal and child health outcomes. However, the practice is not always practiced optimally, especially […]
Risk factors and case management of acute diarrhoea in North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, evidence is lacking about maternal care-taking and environmental risk factors that contribute to acute diarrhoea and the case management of diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors and to understand the management of acute diarrhoea. A pretested structured questionnaire was used for interviewing mothers of 440 children in […]
High maternal mortality in rural south-west Ethiopia: Estimate by using the sisterhood method
Background: Estimation of maternal mortality is difficult in developing countries without complete vital registration. The indirect sisterhood method represents an alternative in places where there is high fertility and mortality rates. The objective of the current study was to estimate maternal mortality indices using the sisterhood method in a rural district in south-west Ethiopia.Method: We […]
Decomposing maternal socioeconomic inequalities in Zimbabwe; leaving no woman behind
Background: Several studies in the literature have shown the existence of large disparities in the use of maternal health services by socioeconomic status (SES) in developing countries. The persistence of the socioeconomic disparities is problematic, as the global community is currently advocating for not leaving anyone behind in attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, health […]
Gendered norms of responsibility: Reflections on accountability politics in maternal health care in Malawi
Background: This paper aims to provide insights into the role of traditional authorities in two maternal health programmes in Northern Malawi. Among strategies to improve maternal health, these authorities issue by-laws: local rules to increase the uptake of antenatal and delivery care. The study uses a framework of gendered institutions to critically assess the by-law […]
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Undernutrition among Exclusively Breastfeeding Women in Arba Minch Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Community-Based Study
Background: In developing countries, women are generally vulnerable to undernutrition especially during lactation because of inadequate nutrient intake. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of underweight, associated factors and mean dietary intake of selected nutrients among lactating women in Arba Minch Zuriya districts, Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia. Methods: Multistage cluster sampling technique […]
