Mortality Trends from 2003 to 2009 among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Western Kenya Using a Health and Demographic Surveillance System
Background: Targeted global efforts to improve survival of young adults need information on mortality trends; contributions from health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) are required. Methods and Findings: This study aimed to explore changing trends in deaths among adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years), using census and verbal autopsy data in rural western […]
Employed mothers’ breastfeeding: Exploring breastfeeding experience of employed mothers in different work environments in Ethiopia
Background One of the most cost-effective interventions to enhance child health with the potential to reach families of all economic backgrounds is breastfeeding. Despite the many benefits optimal breastfeeding has, its practice is low due to various barriers among which maternal employment is mentioned repeatedly. Accordingly, this study has explored the experience of employed mothers […]
Assessing the feasibility of eHealth and mHealth: A systematic review and analysis of initiatives implemented in Kenya
Background: The growth of Information and Communication Technology in Kenya has facilitated implementation of a large number of eHealth projects in a bid to cost-effectively address health and health system challenges. This systematic review aims to provide a situational analysis of eHealth initiatives being implemented in Kenya, including an assessment of the areas of focus […]
“No visible signs of pregnancy, no sickness, no antenatal care”: Initiation of antenatal care in a rural district in Northern Ghana
Background: Attending antenatal care (ANC) early contribute to better birth outcomes. Studies have shown that many pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa do not initiate ANC early (i.e. in the first trimester). This study determined the gestational age of pregnancy at first ANC attendance. It also explored factors that influence initiation of ANC. Methods: This cross-sectional […]
Risk factors for obstructed labour in Eastern Uganda: A case control study
Introduction Obstructed labour (OL) is an important clinical and public health problem because of the associated maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Risk factors for OL and its associated obstetric squeal are usually context specific. No epidemiological study has documented the risk factors for OL in Eastern Uganda. This study was conducted to identify the […]
Problem solving therapy (PST) tailored for intimate partner violence (IPV) versus standard PST and enhanced usual care for pregnant women experiencing IPV in rural Ethiopia: Protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial
Background: In rural Ethiopia, 72% of women are exposed to lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV); IPV is most prevalent during pregnancy. As well as adversely affecting women’s physical and mental health, IPV also increases the risk of child morbidity and mortality associated with maternal depression, thus making antenatal care an important opportunity for intervention. Adapting […]
A road to obstetric fistula in malawi: Capturing women’s perspectives through a framework of three delays
Introduction: Obstetric fistula (OF) is a devastating birth injury, which leaves a woman with leaking urine and/or feces accompanied by bad smell, a situation that has been likened to death itself. The condition is caused by neglected obstructed labor. Many factors underlie fistula formation, most of which are preventable. The main purpose of this study […]
TSH Mediated the Effect of Iodized Salt on Child Cognition in a Randomized Clinical Trial
Objectives: This study examines the hormonal mediators of the effect of iodized salt in pregnancy on child cognition. Methods: Sixty districts across 6 zones in the Amhara region of Ethiopia were randomly allocated to a control or intervention arm of early market access to iodized salt. Twenty-two villages per arm were randomly selected for this […]
Demystifying the factors associated with rural–urban gaps in severe acute malnutrition among under-five children in low- and middle-income countries: a decomposition analysis
What explains the underlying causes of rural–urban differentials in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among under-five children is poorly exploited, operationalized, studied and understood in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We decomposed the rural–urban inequalities in the associated factors of SAM while controlling for individual, household, and neighbourhood factors using datasets from successive demographic and health […]
The impact of a multi-level maternal health programme on facility delivery and capacity for emergency obstetric care in Zambia
In 2012, Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL), a multi-level health systems initiative, launched in Kalomo District, Zambia, to address persistent challenges in reducing maternal mortality. We assessed the impact of the programme from 2012 to 2013 using a quasi-experimental study with both household- and health facility-level data collected before and after implementation in both intervention […]