Ethnicity as a cultural factor influencing complete vaccination among children aged 12-23 months in Nigeria
Achieving complete vaccination for children has been challenging in Nigeria. Yet, addressing Nigeria’s completeness of vaccination requires ethno-cultural diversity consideration rather than nationally population based. This study explored patterns and determinants of complete vaccination among children of Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba, the predominant ethnicities in Nigeria. The study used a cross-sectional data involving 3980 children […]
Bayesian Analysis of Trends in Utilization of Maternal Healthcare Services in Pakistan during 2006-2018
Objectives. This study is aimed at investigating the time trends and disparities in access to maternal healthcare in Pakistan using Bayesian models. Study Design. A longitudinal study from 2006 to 2018. Methods. The detailed analysis is based on the data from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) conducted during 2006-2018. We have proposed Bayesian logistic […]
“Passing through difficult times”: Perceptions of perinatal depression and treatment needs in Malawi – A qualitative study to inform the development of a culturally sensitive intervention
Purpose This study was conducted to explore the perceptions of perinatal women and key maternal care health workers about perinatal depression and the health service needs required to inform development of a culturally sensitive and acceptable psychosocial intervention. Methods This qualitative study used a descriptive exploratory design; it is the first phase of a larger […]
A qualitative study of community elders’ perceptions about the underutilization of formal maternal care and maternal death in rural Nigeria
Background: Underutilization of formal maternal care services and accredited health attendants is a major contributor to the high maternal mortality rates in rural communities in Nigeria. Perceptions of a poor quality of care and inaccessible services in health facilities strongly influence the low use of formal maternal care services. There is therefore a need to […]
A model to facilitate collaborative social support for pregnant students in secondary schools
Pregnancy among secondary school students remains a public health problem and is associated with school dropout as well as poor maternal and child health outcomes. Schools in South Africa no longer expel pregnant students as was the case before 2000. Instead, the government encourages them to remain in class to complete their education, but pregnant […]
Observed trends in the magnitude of socioeconomic and area-based inequalities in use of caesarean section in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Background: In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of studies on inequality in caesarean section using methodologically rigorous and well-established approaches. In this study, we showed extent and the overtime dynamics of inequality in caesarean section in Ethiopia following rigorous methodologies. Methods: The data for analysis came from Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) conducted between […]
The developmental effects of HIV and alcohol: A comparison of gestational outcomes among babies from South African communities with high prevalence of HIV and alcohol use
Background: There is growing evidence of the negative impact of alcohol on morbidity and mortality of individuals living with HIV but limited evidence of in utero effects of HIV and alcohol on exposure on infants. Methods: We conducted a population-based birth cohort study (N=667 mother-infant dyads) in South Africa to investigate whether maternal alcohol use […]
Policymaker, health provider and community perspectives on male involvement during pregnancy in southern Mozambique: A qualitative study
Background: Increasing male involvement during pregnancy is considered an important, but often overlooked intervention for improving maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa. Intervention studies aimed at improving maternal health mostly target mothers hereby ignoring the crucial role their partners play in their ability to access antenatal care (ANC) and to prevent and treat infectious diseases like […]
Common mental disorders in mothers of children attending out-patient malnutrition clinics in rural North-western Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Background: Children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition are managed routinely within out-patient malnutrition treatment programs. These programs do not offer maternal mental health support services, despite maternal mental health playing a significant role in the nutritional status of children. Additionally, the burden of maternal Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) is poorly described among mothers of children […]
Prevalence and factors associated with caesarean section in Rwanda: a trend analysis of Rwanda demographic and health survey 2000 to 2019–20
Background: Caesarean section (CS) is an important medical intervention for reducing the risk of poor perinatal outcomes. However, CS trends in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continue to increase yet maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity remain high. Rwanda, like many other countries in SSA, has shown an increasing trend in the use of CS. This study […]
