Household possession and use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in sierra leone 6 months after a national mass-distribution campaign

Background: In November 2010, Sierra Leone distributed over three million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) with the objective of providing protection from malaria to individuals in all households in the country. Methods: We conducted a nationally representative survey six months after the mass distribution campaign to evaluate its impact on household insecticide-treated net (ITN) ownership and […]

Minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers in Ataye District, North Shoa Zone, central Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

Background. Low dietary diversity superimposed with poor-quality monotonous diets is a major problem that often results in undernutrition, mainly micronutrient deficiencies. However, there is limited evidence on minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers in resource-poor settings, including the study area. Therefore, the objective of the study is to assess the prevalence of […]

Dietary intake and processes of behaviour change in a nutrition education intervention for pregnant women in rural Malawi: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

AbstractObjective: To examine if increased intake of locally available nutrient-dense foods among pregnant women improved the quality of their dietary intake and if use of the Theory of Planned Behaviour could explain changes in their dietary behaviour.Design: We used data from a randomised controlled trial where the intervention group received nutrition education and dietary counselling. […]

Impact of mobile phone delivered reminders and unconditional incentives on measles-containing vaccine timeliness and coverage: A randomised controlled trial in western Kenya

Introduction Short message service (SMS) reminders coupled with a small monetary incentive conditioned on prompt vaccination have been shown to improve first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) uptake. We assessed whether SMS reminders and unconditional monetary incentives – more amenable to programmatic implementation – can improve MCV1 uptake in Kenya. Methods Caregivers of eligible infants aged 6-8 […]

Weight gain during pregnancy among women initiating dolutegravir in Botswana

Background: Recent data suggests clinically significant weight gain among non-pregnant HIV-positive adults after starting dolutegravir-based ART (DTG). Excess or insufficient weight gain in pregnancy could adversely impact pregnancy outcomes, but data for pregnant women receiving DTG are limited. Methods: The Tsepamo Study captured data at delivery sites in Botswana from 2014 to 2019. HIV testing, […]

Effect of continuum-of-care intervention package on improving contacts and quality of maternal and newborn healthcare in Ghana: A cluster randomised controlled trial

Objective To evaluate the effect of a continuum-of-care intervention package on adequate contacts of women and newborn with healthcare providers and their reception of high-quality care. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting 32 subdistricts in 3 rural sites in Ghana. Participants The baseline survey involved 1480 women who delivered before the trial, and the follow-up […]

Scaling up context-tailored clinical guidelines and training to improve childbirth care in urban, low-resource maternity units in Tanzania: A protocol for a stepped-wedged cluster randomized trial with embedded qualitative and economic analyses (The PartoMa Scale-Up Study)

While facility births are increasing in many low-resource settings, quality of care often does not follow suit; maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably high. Therefore, realistic, context-tailored clinical support is crucially needed to assist birth attendants in resource-constrained realities to provide best possible evidence-based and respectful care. Our pilot study in Zanzibar suggested […]

“our girls need to see a path to the future” – Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health information among adolescent girls, guardians, and initiation counselors in Mulanje district, Malawi

Background: Malawi has one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates worldwide; at 141 births/1000 girls it is 3-fold higher than the global average. Adolescent pregnancy contributes to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes, school dropout, and poverty. In preparation for an information, education, and communication (IEC) intervention to reduce unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls, formative research […]