Prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in eight or more antenatal care contacts in Ghana: Findings from 2019 population-based data
Background: For the prevention of complications and death during pregnancy, adequate antenatal care (ANC) contacts are important. To achieve optimal obstetric care, the latest ANC guidance recommends eight or more ANC contacts. The aim of this analysis is to investigate the prevalence and socio-economic differences of eight or more Ghanaian ANC contacts. Methods: A total […]
Introduction and integration of PrEP and sexual and reproductive health services for young people: Health provider perspectives from South Africa
South Africa has one of the largest HIV epidemics in the world, with particularly high prevalence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Oral PrEP was introduced in the public sector in 2016 in a phased manner. Given the important role played by health providers, research was undertaken to understand their experiences of and attitudes […]
The lancet series nutritional interventions in Ghana: A determinants analysis approach to inform nutrition strategic planning
Background: Malnutrition is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among children in low- and middle-income countries. Ghana is one of 36 countries with the highest burden of stunting, globally. The aim of this work is to use data driven planning methods to conduct in-depth analysis on the Lancet series nutrition interventions in Ghana to […]
Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
Background: Global development goals increasingly rely on country-specific estimates for benchmarking a nation’s progress. To meet this need, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 estimated global, regional, national, and, for selected locations, subnational cause-specific mortality beginning in the year 1980. Here we report an update to that study, making […]
Exploring adolescents and young people’s candidacy for utilising health services in a rural district, South Africa
Background: We use the ‘candidacy framework’ to describe adolescents’ and young people’s (AYP) experiences of health services in a rural KwaZulu-Natal district, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative approach was used including group discussions, in-depth and key informant interviews with a purposive sample of AYP (n = 70), community leaders (n = 15), school health teams […]
Procedures to select digital sensing technologies for passive data collection with children and their caregivers: Qualitative cultural assessment in South Africa and Nepal
Background: Populations in low-resource settings with high childhood morbidity and mortality increasingly are being selected as beneficiaries for interventions using passive sensing data collection through digital technologies. However, these populations often have limited familiarity with the processes and implications of passive data collection. Therefore, methods are needed to identify cultural norms and family preferences influencing […]
Use of community-based interventions to promote family planning use among pastoralist women in Ethiopia: cluster randomized controlled trial
Background: Afar region is one of the pastoralist dominated regions in Ethiopia. The region is characterized by a low contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) of 5.4%. Lack of awareness of contraceptive use, husband objection and religious barriers are attributed to low CPR in the region. This study assessed the effect of community-based interventions for promoting family […]
Maternal supplementation with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements compared with multiple micronutrients, but not with iron and folic acid, reduces the prevalence of low gestational weight gain in semi-urban Ghana: A randomized controlled trial
Background: It is unclear whether maternal supplementation with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs; 118 kcal/d) affects maternal weight. Objective: We compared several secondary anthropometric measures between 3 groups of women in the iLiNS (International Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements)-DYAD trial in Ghana. Methods: Women (n = 1320; < 20 wk of gestation) were randomly assigned to receive […]
Small-quantity, lipid-based nutrient supplements provided to women during pregnancy and 6 mo postpartum and to their infants from 6 mo of age increase the mean attained length of 18-mo-old children in semi-urban Ghana: A randomized controlled trial
Background: Childhood stunting usually begins in utero and continues after birth; therefore, its reduction must involve actions across different stages of early life. Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of small-quantity, lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) provided during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy on attained size by 18 mo of age. Design: In this partially double-blind, individually randomized […]
mHealth-supported delivery of an evidence-Based family home-visiting intervention in Sierra Leone: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial
Background: Past trauma and exposure to violence have been related to poor emotion regulation and household violence, which can have persistent mental health effects across generations. The Family Strengthening Intervention for Early Childhood Development (FSI-ECD/called Sugira Muryango in Rwanda) is an evidence-based behavioral home-visiting intervention to promote caregiver mental health, positive parenting practices, and early […]
