Health trends, inequalities and opportunities in South Africa’s provinces, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study
Background: Over the last 30 years, South Africa has experienced four â € colliding epidemics’ of HIV and tuberculosis, chronic illness and mental health, injury and violence, and maternal, neonatal, and child mortality, which have had substantial effects on health and well-being. Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors […]
Factors associated with low birth weight among babies born at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Background: Low birth weight is defined as infant born with weight of less than 2500 g. It is one of the major public health problems worldwide. In Ethiopia, there are limited evidences on factors contributing to low birthweight. Objective: To assess factors associated with low birth weight babies in Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, […]
Health-related quality of life determinants among Rwandan women after delivery: Does antenatal care utilization matter? A cross-sectional study
Background: Despite the widespread use of antenatal care (ANC), its effectiveness in low-resource settings remains unclear. In this study, self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was used as an alternative to other maternal health measures previously used to measure the effectiveness of antenatal care. The main objective of this study was to determine whether adequate […]
Caregiver parenting practices, dietary diversity knowledge, and association with early childhood development outcomes among children aged 18-29 months in Zanzibar, Tanzania: a cross-sectional survey
Background: Many children in low- and middle-income countries fail to reach their cognitive potential, with experiences before age 3 critical in shaping long-term development. Zanzibar’s Jamii ni Afya program is the first national, digitally enabled community health volunteer (CHV) program promoting early childhood development (ECD) following the Nurturing Care Framework within an integrated maternal and […]
Evaluation of Linear Growth at Higher Altitudes
Importance: Irrespective of their genetic makeup, children living in an ideal home environment that supports healthy growth have similar growth potential. However, whether this potential is true for children residing at higher altitudes remains unknown. Objective: To investigate whether altitude is associated with increased risk of linear growth faltering and evaluate the implications associated with […]
Biomarkers of maternal environmental enteric dysfunction are associated with shorter gestation and reduced length in newborn infants in Uganda
Background Adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth and stunting at birth, have long-term health implications. The relation between adverse birth outcomes and chronic, asymptomatic gastrointestinal inflammation (environmental enteric dysfunction – EED) is poorly understood. Objective We aimed to examine the relation between maternal EED and adverse birth outcomes in a sample of pregnant Ugandan women […]
Use of herbal medicine during pregnancy among women with access to public healthcare in Nairobi, Kenya: A cross-sectional survey
Background: Maternal health is a public health priority in many African countries, but little is known about herbal medicine use in pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the pattern of use of herbal medicine in an urban setting, where women have relatively high access to public healthcare. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 333 women attending […]
Who are CHWs? An ethnographic study of the multiple identities of community health workers in three rural Districts in Tanzania
Background: Numerous studies have examined the role of community health workers (CHWs) in improving the delivery of health services and accelerating progress towards national and international development goals. A limited but growing body of studies have also explored the interactions between CHWs’ personal, communal and professional identities and the implications of these for their profession. […]
Accessibility of Early Infant Diagnostic Services by Under-5 Years and HIV Exposed Children in Muheza District, North-East Tanzania
Introduction: Early infant diagnosis (EID) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) provides an opportunity for follow up of HIV exposed children for early detection of infection and timely access to antiretroviral treatment. We assessed predictors for accessing HIV diagnostic services among under-five children exposed to HIV infection in Muheza district, Tanzania. Methods: A cross sectional facility-based […]
Determinants of dietary practice among pregnant women at the public hospitals in Bench-Sheko and Kaffa Zones, Southwest Ethiopia
Backgrounds: The frequency of poor dietary practice due to inappropriate dietary habits is higher during pregnancy compared to any other stage of the life cycle. Suboptimal dietary practices during pregnancy can increase the risk of intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, anemia, prenatal and infant mortality, and morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the […]
