Applying a gender lens to understand pathways through care for acutely ill young children in Kenyan urban informal settlements
Background: In many African settings, gender strongly influences household treatment-seeking and decision-making for childhood illnesses. While mothers are often the primary engagers with health facilities, their independence in illness-related decisions is shaped by various factors. Drawing on a gender lens, we explored treatment-seeking pathways pre- and post-hospital admission for acutely ill young children living in […]
Factors Associated with Pregnancy Intentions Amongst Postpartum Women Living with HIV in Rural Southwestern Uganda
Comprehensive HIV treatment and care makes it safer for women living with HIV (WLWH) to have the children they desire, partly through provision and appropriate use of effective contraception. However, nearly one third of WLWH in-care in a large Ugandan cohort became pregnant within 3 years of initiating ART and half of these incident pregnancies (45%) […]
Understanding the factors affecting the humanitarian health and nutrition response for women and children in Somalia since 2000: A case study
Background: Somalia has been ravaged by more than two decades of armed conflict causing immense damage to the country’s infrastructure and mass displacement and suffering among its people. An influx of humanitarian actors has sought to provide basic services, including health services for women and children, throughout the conflict. This study aimed to better understand […]
Demographic characteristics of women that use traditional birth attendants in Bongo District, Ghana
INTRODUCTION Over the last decade, the government of Ghana has implemented several interventions aimed at increasing access to skilled birth-care services from trained professionals. Despite these efforts, there is a wide gap between antenatal care attendance and skilled delivery attendance, particularly in rural areas. Evidence shows that many women in rural and deprived communities in […]
Pooled prevalence of stunting and associated factors among children aged 6-59 months in Sub-Saharan Africa countries: A Bayesian multilevel approach
Background: Over 155 million children under five suffer from stunting, and it is responsible for over one million deaths and 54.9 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS) of under-five children worldwide. These predominantly occurred in low-and middle-income countries like sub- Saharan Africa. Stunted children begin their lives at a marked disadvantage. Some of these are; […]
Factors associated with intended use of a maternity waiting home in Southern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Background: Although Ethiopia is scaling up Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality, women’s use of MWHs varies markedly between facilities. To maximize MWH utilization, it is essential that policymakers are aware of supportive and inhibitory factors. This study had the objective to describe factors and perceived barriers associated with potential utilization […]
Lopinavir/Ritonavir versus Lamivudine peri-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV-1 transmission by breastfeeding: the PROMISE-PEP trial Protocol ANRS 12174
Background: Postnatal transmission of HIV-1 through breast milk remains an unsolved challenge in many resource-poor settings where replacement feeding is not a safe alternative. WHO now recommends breastfeeding of infants born to HIV-infected mothers until 12 months of age, with either maternal highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or peri-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in infants using nevirapine. […]
WHO multicentre study for the development of growth standards from fetal life to childhood: The fetal component
Background: In 2006 WHO presented the infant and child growth charts suggested for universal application. However, major determinants for perinatal outcomes and postnatal growth are laid down during antenatal development. Accordingly, monitoring fetal growth in utero by ultrasonography is important both for clinical and scientific reasons. The currently used fetal growth references are derived mainly […]
Randomised controlled pilot feasibility trial of an early intervention programme for young infants with neurodevelopmental impairment in Uganda: A study protocol
Introduction Early intervention programmes (EIPs) for infants with neurodevelopmental impairment have been poorly studied especially in low-income settings. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a group participatory EIP, the â € ABAaNA EIP’, for young children with neurodevelopmental impairment in Uganda. Methods and analysis We will conduct a pilot feasibility, single-blinded, randomised […]
Viability of diagnostic decision support for antenatal care in rural settings: Findings from the Bliss4Midwives Intervention in Northern Ghana
Background Antenatal screening is useful for early identification and management of high-risk pregnancies. In low-resource settings, provision of the full complement of tests is limited and diagnostic referrals incure additional costs for pregnant women. We assessed the viability of Bliss4Midwives (B4M) – a point-of-care diagnostic decision support device for decentralized screening of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes […]
