Predictors of non-exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months among rural mothers in east Ethiopia: A community-based analytical cross-sectional study
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding in infants aged under six months is a simple and cost-effective feeding method that ensures better infant and child survival and boosts the achievement of child related Millennium Development Goals in the developing world. Identifying factors associated with good breastfeeding practice helps to increase its coverage and maximize its advantages through improved […]
Prevalence and factors associated with underutilization of antenatal care services in Nigeria: A comparative study of rural and urban residences based on the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey
Introduction Antenatal care (ANC) is a major public health intervention aimed at ensuring safe pregnancy outcomes. In Nigeria, the recommended minimum of four times ANC attendance is underutilized. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with underutilization of ANC services with a focus on the differences between rural and urban residences in Nigeria. Methods […]
“They must understand we are people”: Pregnancy and maternity service use among signing Deaf women in Cape Town
Background Women with disabilities are at disproportionate risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, however, there is limited information on their pregnancy histories. This mixed-methods study focuses on signing Deaf women whose access to health care may be compromised by language barriers related to their disability. Objective To describe and compare the pregnancy outcomes and maternity service […]
Individual, maternal and household risk factors for anaemia among young children in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional study
Objective Anaemia affects the majority of children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Previous studies of risk factors for anaemia have been limited by sample size, geography and the association of many risk factors with poverty. In order to measure the relative impact of individual, maternal and household risk factors for anaemia in young children, we analysed […]
Towards achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3: multilevel analyses of demographic and health survey data on health insurance coverage and maternal healthcare utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa
BACKGROUND: Improving maternal health and achieving universal health coverage (UHC) are important expectations in the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. While health insurance has been shown as effective in the utilisation of maternal healthcare, there is a paucity of literature on this relationship in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We examined the relationship between health insurance […]
Evaluation of the Direct Health Facility Financing Program in Improving Maternal Health Services in Pangani District, Tanzania
Background: Maternal morbidity and mortality remain significant public health concerns globally, with Tanzania reporting 398 deaths per 100,000 live births annually. While national level data provide some insights into the issue, a focus on sub-national levels is required because of differences in contexts such as rural-urban disparities in maternal mortality. This study examined Direct Health […]
Multisite, mixed methods study to validate 10 maternal health system and policy indicators in Argentina, Ghana and India: A research protocol
Introduction Most efforts to assess maternal health indicator validity focus on measures of service coverage. Fewer measures focus on the upstream enabling environment, and such measures are typically not research validated. Thus, methods for validating system and policy-level indicators are not well described. This protocol describes original multicountry research to be conducted in Argentina, Ghana […]
Participating in a Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Intervention Is Not Associated with Less Maternal Time for Care in a Rural Ghanaian District
Background: Nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions may increase farm-related work for mothers, with consequences for child nutrition. The Nutrition Links (NL) intervention provided mothers with poultry, gardening inputs, technical support, and education to improve livelihoods and child nutrition outcomes in rural Ghana. Objectives: Our objective was to compare time allocated to child care by a cross-section […]
Correlates of child functional difficulties status in Ghana: A further analysis of the 2017/18 multiple indicator cluster survey
Background: Functional difficulties have long-term implications for children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and academic growth and development. Although the subject of functional difficulties has received enough scholarly attention in the developed world, few studies have addressed the issue in Ghana. Therefore, the study aimed to regress child, maternal and household and geographical level factors associated […]
Assessing socioeconomic inequalities in the reduction of child stunting in sub-Saharan Africa
Aim: Health and nutrition in early childhood are essential for survival, growth and adult life outcomes. As such, a number of global and national interventions have been pursued to improve early childhood health and nutrition. However, child malnutrition is pervasive and endemic across the sub Saharan Africa. This paper therefore assesses the nature and trends […]
