The phone is my boss and my helper’ – A gender analysis of an mHealth intervention with Health Extension Workers in Southern Ethiopia
Background There is considerable optimism in mHealth’s potential to overcome health system deficiencies, yet gender inequalities can weaken attempts to scale-up mHealth initiatives. We report on the gendered experiences of an mHealth intervention, in Southern Ethiopia, realised by the all-female cadre of Health Extension Workers (HEWs). Methodology Following the introduction of the mHealth intervention, in-depth […]
Infant and young child feeding practices among adolescent mothers and associated factors in India
Adequate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) improve child survival and growth. Globally, about 18 million babies are born to mothers aged 18 years or less and have a higher likelihood of adverse birth outcomes in India due to insufficient knowledge of child growth. This paper examined factors associated with IYCF practices among adolescent Indian […]
Birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women admitted in a rural hospital in Rwanda
Background: With an aim to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes, ‘birth preparedness and complication readiness’ (BP/CR) promotes timely access to skilled maternal and neonatal services. Objective of this study was to assess implementation of BP/CR among pregnant women admitted with obstetric emergencies in rural Rwanda. Methods: A cross-sectional study among pregnant women who were referred to […]
Socio-economic inequalities in intimate partner violence justification among women in Ghana: analysis of the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data
BACKGROUND: One of the key reasons for the high prevalence of intimate partner violence among women is the justification of intimate partner violence. Socio-economic status of women plays a key role in intimate partner violence justification. This study investigated the socio-economic inequalities in the justification of intimate partner violence among Ghanaian women. METHODS: Data from […]
Mental health experiences of mothers in Jos, Nigeria: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Objectives: There is an increasing mental health disease burden in mothers with infants and young children, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Children of distressed mothers suffer early-life exposure from the effects of maternal distress which contributes to the risk of physical and mental health problems in their childhood and beyond. This […]
Health facility or home delivery? Factors influencing the choice of delivery place among mothers living in rural communities of Eritrea
Background: In Eritrea, despite high antenatal care (ANC) use, utilization of health facilities for child birth is still low and with marked variations between urban and rural areas. Understanding the reasons behind the poor use of these services in a rural setting is important to design targeted strategies and address the challenge contextually. This study […]
Mind the Gap: What explains the education-related inequality in missed opportunities for vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa? Compositional and structural characteristics
Missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) is an important barrier hindering full immunisation coverage among eligible children. Though factors responsible for MOV are well documented in literature, little attention has been paid to the role of inequalities. The aim of this study is to examine the association between structural or compositional factors and education inequalities in […]
Regional health disparities in Burkina Faso during the period of health care decentralization. Results of a macro-level analysis
Background: Burkina Faso has undertaken decentralization reforms in the health care sector to improve the performance of the health system. This study aimed to analyze the differences in health outcomes by health district’s demographic and economic status, and the distribution of health resources during the period of health care decentralization. Methods: A bivariate correlation analysis […]
Trust me! Parental embodied mentalizing predicts infant cognitive and language development in longitudinal follow-up
Children’s cognitive and language development is a central aspect of human development and has wide and long-standing impact. The parent-infant relationship is the chief arena for the infant to learn about the world. Studies reveal associations between quality of parental care and children’s cognitive and language development when the former is measured as maternal sensitivity. […]
Pre-and post-natal macronutrient supplementation for HIV-positive women in Tanzania: Effects on infant birth weight and HIV transmission
Objective To determine if a protein-calorie supplement (PCS) plus a micronutrient supplement (MNS) improves outcomes for HIV-infected lactating women and their infants. Design Randomized, controlled trial. Setting Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Subjects, participants Pregnant HIV-infected women enrolled in PMTCT programs who intended to breastfeed for 6 months. Intervention Randomization 1:1 to administration of a PCS […]
