Improving nutritional status among urban poor children in sub-Saharan Africa: An evidence-informed Delphi-based consultation
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), rapid urbanisation coupled with the high prevalence of infant and young child (IYC) undernutrition in low-income settings means that interventions to support IYC nutrition are a priority. Little is known about how urbanisation influences IYC feeding (IYCF) practices, and evidence-based interventions to improve IYC health/nutrition in the urban poor are lacking. […]
Automated wearable cameras for improving recall of diet and time use in Uganda: a cross-sectional feasibility study
Background: Traditional recall approaches of data collection for assessing dietary intake and time use are prone to recall bias. Studies in high- and middle-income countries show that automated wearable cameras are a promising method for collecting objective health behavior data and may improve study participants’ recall of foods consumed and daily activities performed. This study […]
Using antenatal care as a platform for malaria surveillance data collection: study protocol
Background: While many malaria-endemic countries have health management information systems that can measure and report malaria trends in a timely manner, these routine systems have limitations. Periodic community cross-sectional household surveys are used to estimate malaria prevalence and intervention coverage but lack geographic granularity and are resource intensive. Incorporating malaria testing for all women at […]
Universal versus conditional day 3 follow-up for children with non-severe unclassified fever at the community level in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A cluster-randomized, community-based non-inferiority trial
Background: The World Health Organization’s integrated community case management (iCCM) guidelines recommend that all children presenting with uncomplicated fever and no danger signs return for follow-up on day 3 following the initial consultation on day 1. Such fevers often resolve rapidly, however, and previous studies suggest that expectant home care for uncomplicated fever can be […]
Complementary feeding: A Global Network cluster randomized controlled trial
Background: Inadequate and inappropriate complementary feeding are major factors contributing to excess morbidity and mortality in young children in low resource settings. Animal source foods in particular are cited as essential to achieve micronutrient requirements. The efficacy of the recommendation for regular meat consumption, however, has not been systematically evaluated.Methods/Design: A cluster randomized efficacy trial […]
Two strategies for the delivery of IPTc in an area of seasonal malaria transmission in the Gambia: A randomised controlled trial
Background: The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) provides an effective way of delivering intermittent preventive treatment for malaria (IPT) to infants. However, it is uncertain how IPT can be delivered most effectively to older children. Therefore, we have compared two approaches to the delivery of IPT to Gambian children: distribution by village health workers (VHWs) […]
The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) of diarrheal disease in infants and young children in developing countries: Epidemiologic and clinical methods of the case/control study
Background. Diarrhea is a leading cause of illness and death among children aged
Study protocol for a three-armed randomized controlled trial to assess whether house screening can reduce exposure to malaria vectors and reduce malaria transmission in The Gambia
Background: Mosquito-proofing homes was one of the principal methods of environmental management in the early 1900s. House screening provides protection against malaria by reducing exposure to malaria parasites and has the added benefit of protecting everyone sleeping in the house, avoiding issues of inequity within the household. The aim of this study is to determine […]
Implementing school malaria surveys in Kenya: Towards a national surveillance system
Abstract. Objective. To design and implement surveys of malaria infection and coverage of malaria control interventions among school children in Kenya in order to contribute towards a nationwide assessment of malaria. Methods. The country was stratified into distinct malaria transmission zones based on a malaria risk map and 480 schools were visited between October 2008 […]
Combined infant and young child feeding with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation is associated with a reduction in anemia but no changes in anthropometric status of young children from Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo: A quasi-experimental effectiveness study
Background: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) are efficacious in controlled settings; data are scarce on the effectiveness utilizing health care delivery platforms. Objective: We evaluated the impact of an infant young child feeding (IYCF)-SQ-LNS intervention on anemia and growth in children aged 6-18 mo in the Democratic Republic of Congo following a quasi-experimental effectiveness design. […]