Examining changes in maternal and child health inequalities in Ethiopia
Background: Ethiopia has made considerable progress in maternal, newborn, and child health in terms of health outcomes and health services coverage. This study examined how different groups have fared in the process. It also looked at possible factors behind the inequalities. Methods: The study examined 11 maternal and child health outcomes and services: stunting, underweight, […]
Place-specific factors associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in Southern Mozambique: A retrospective cohort study
Objectives To identify and measure the place-specific determinants that are associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in the southern region of Mozambique. Design Retrospective cohort study. Choice of variables informed by literature and Delphi consensus. Setting Study conducted during the baseline phase of a community level intervention for pre-eclampsia that was led by community […]
Prenatal care and uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women in Gambia: A cross-sectional study
Background: Improving the coverage of antenatal care is regarded as an important strategy to reduce the risks of maternal and child mortality in low income settings like Gambia. Nonetheless, a large number of countries in Africa, including Gambia, are struggling to attain an optimum level of healthcare utilization among pregnant women. The role of socioeconomic […]
Community based distribution agents’ approach to provision of family planning information and services in five Nigerian states: A mirage or a reality?
Background: Reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria has received continuous attention both nationally and internationally. Objectives: This article highlights the outcome of an intervention which sought to address maternal mortality reduction through increasing contraceptive uptake in 10 rural local government areas (LGAs)in five Nigerian states. Method: The community based distribution (CBD) approach was used in the […]
Prevalence and determinants of anemia among children in zanzibar, tanzania: Analysis of cross-sectional population representative surveys
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia and its determinants among children aged 6–59 months in Zanzibar, Tanzania, from 2005 to 2015. We used secondary data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys from three different periods: 2005, 2010, and 2015. A sample of 3502 child-mother pairs from three survey […]
The epidemiology of undernutrition and its determinants in children under five years in Ghana
Background Understanding the burden and contextual risk factors is critical for developing appropriate interventions to control undernutrition. Methods This study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey to estimate the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting. Single multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with underweight, wasting and stunting. […]
Dietary diversity and related factors among lactating women visiting public health facilities in Aksum town, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Background: Dietary diversity is a proxy indicator of maternal nutrient adequacy. However, little is documented on dietary diversity among lactating mothers. Therefore, this study assessed diet diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers visiting public health facilities in Aksum town, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 346 randomly selected […]
Public health risks of humanitarian crises in Mozambique
Mozambique has been experiencing various humanitarian crises with important public health implications over the last years. These crises compound underlying disease burden dominated by human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and malaria [1]. Despite important health gains over the last two decades, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted […]
Assessing factors associated with poor maternal mental health among mothers of children born small and sick at 24–47 months in rural Rwanda
Background: Global investments in neonatal survival have resulted in a growing number of children with morbidities surviving and requiring ongoing care. Little is known about the caregivers of these children in low- and middle-income countries, including maternal mental health which can further negatively impact child health and development outcomes. We aimed to assess the prevalence […]
Decomposing the gap in missed opportunities for vaccination between poor and non-poor in sub-Saharan Africa: A Multicountry Analyses
Understanding the gaps in missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) in sub-Saharan Africa would inform interventions for improving immunisation coverage to achieving universal childhood immunisation. We aimed to conduct a multicountry analyses to decompose the gap in MOV between poor and non-poor in SSA. We used cross-sectional data from 35 Demographic and Health Surveys in SSA […]
