Perinatal mental health care in a rural African district, Uganda: A qualitative study of barriers, facilitators and needs
Background: Perinatal mental illness is a common and important public health problem, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators, as well as perceptions about the feasibility and acceptability of plans to deliver perinatal mental health care in primary care settings in a low income, rural district […]
Association of antenatal depression with adverse consequences for the mother and newborn in rural Ghana: Findings from the DON population-based cohort study
Background: Whilst there is compelling evidence of an almost 2-fold increased risk of still births, and suggestive evidence of increased mortality among offspring of mothers with psychotic disorders, only three studies have addressed the role of antenatal depression (AND) on survival of the baby. We examined these associations in a large cohort of pregnant women […]
Urban Health in Tanzania: Questioning the Urban Advantage
How are health inequalities articulated across urban and rural spaces in Tanzania? This research paper explores the variations, differences, and inequalities, in Tanzania’s health outcomes—to question both the idea of an urban advantage in health and the extent of urban–rural inequalities in health. The three research objectives aim to understand: what are the health differences […]
The right of access to healthcare: an analysis of how legal and institutional frameworks constrain or facilitate access to healthcare for residents in border areas in the East African Community
Background: Despite many countries working hard to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Health-related Sustainable Development Goals, access to healthcare services has remained a challenge for communities residing along national borders in the East Africa Community (EAC). Unlike the communities in the interior, those along national borders are more likely to face access barriers […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Determinants of dietary diversity and its relationship with the nutritional status of pregnant women
There is little information regarding factors that determine dietary diversity among pregnant women in Ghana. The present study, therefore, sought to assess the independent predictors of dietary diversity and its relationship with nutritional status of pregnant women in the Northern Region of Ghana. The present study was an analytical cross-sectional survey involving 423 pregnant women […]
