Comparing level of food insecurity between households with and without home gardening practices in Zege, Amhara region, North West Ethiopia: Community based study
Background Globally, close to 1 billion people suffer from hunger and food insecurity. Evidence showed that prevalence of household food insecurity in Ethiopia is ranged from 25.5%-75.8%. Home gardening is one way to alleviate food insecurity. Hence, the study aimed to determine level of food insecurity and its associated factors between home gardening and non-home […]
mhealth-based health promotion intervention to improve use of maternity care services among women in rural southwestern uganda: Iterative development study
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) prevents perinatal morbidity and mortality, but use of these services in Uganda remains low and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world. There is growing evidence that mobile health (mHealth) approaches improve timely communication of health-related information and produce positive health behavior change as well as health outcomes. […]
Development of a Fetal Weight Chart Using Serial Trans-Abdominal Ultrasound in an East African Population: A Longitudinal Observational Study
Objective: To produce a fetal weight chart representative of a Tanzanian population, and compare it to weight charts from Sub-Saharan Africa and the developed world. Methods: A longitudinal observational study in Northeastern Tanzania. Pregnant women were followed throughout pregnancy with serial trans-abdominal ultrasound. All pregnancies with pathology were excluded and a chart representing the optimal […]
What makes advocacy work? Stakeholders’ voices and insights from prioritisation of maternal and child health programme in Nigeria
Background: The Nigerian government introduced and implemented a health programme to improve maternal and child health (MCH) called Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme for MCH (SURE-P/MCH). It ran from 2012 and ended abruptly in 2015 and was followed by increased advocacy for sustaining the MCH (antenatal, delivery, postnatal and immunization) services as a policy priority. […]
Patterns and predictors of gestational weight gain in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study
Introduction: Gaining excessive or inadequate gestational weight is associated with many adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of fetal growth restriction, pre-term birth, and low birth weight. It is a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and predictors […]
Fee exemption for caesarean section in Morocco
Financial barriers are an important obstacle for access to emergency obstetric care and a contributing factor to too slow a reduction in the level of maternal mortality. In Morocco, in 2009, a fee exemption policy for delivery and caesarean section was implemented in public maternity hospitals. As in most countries where a fee exemption policy […]
Health worker and policy-maker perspectives on use of intramuscular artesunate for pre-referral and definitive treatment of severe malaria at health posts in Ethiopia
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends injectable artesunate given either intravenously or by the intramuscular route for definitive treatment for severe malaria and recommends a single intramuscular dose of intramuscular artesunate or intramuscular artemether or intramuscular quinine, in that order of preference as pre-referral treatment when definitive treatment is not possible. Where intramuscular injections […]
Health-seeking behaviour of Ethiopian caregivers when infants are unwell: a descriptive qualitative study
OBJECTIVES: To explore the health-seeking behaviour of Ethiopian caregivers when infants are unwell. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive approach was employed using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were collected using semistructured interview guides. SETTING: The study was conducted in East Gojjam zone, Amhara region, northwest Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected using a maximum variation […]
Factors associated with overweight or obesity among post-partum women in the Tamale Metropolis, Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study
Introduction: adult overweight and obesity are public health challenges that are presently overwhelming health systems. Mothers are at an increased risk of overweight and obesity and its accompanying morbidities, especially after several deliveries; however, there is a paucity of data on the factors influencing this. As such, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and […]
Food insecurity associated with attendance to antenatal care among pregnant women: Findings from a community-based cross-sectional study in Southern Ethiopia
Purpose: Enrollment to antenatal care (ANC) is still not universal in Ethiopia. This study examines whether household food insecurity affects antenatal care attendance or not, as well as other factors associated with antenatal care. As optimal antenatal care is vital for the improvement of maternal and child health, the study will contribute to the efforts […]
