Pediatric out-of-hospital deaths following hospital discharge: A mixed-methods study
Background: Out-of-hospital death among children living in resource poor settings occurs frequently. Little is known about the location and circumstances of child death following a hospital discharge. Objectives: This study aimed to understand the context surrounding out-of-hospital deaths and the barriers to accessing timely care for Ugandan children recently discharged from the hospital. Methods: This […]
Electronic data capture in a rural African setting: Evaluating experiences with different systems in Malawi
Background: As hardware for electronic data capture (EDC), such as smartphones or tablets, becomes cheaper and more widely available, the potential for using such hardware as data capture tools in routine healthcare and research is increasing. Objective: We aim to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of four EDC systems being used simultaneously in rural Malawi: […]
Factors influencing the uptake of family planning services in the Talensi district, Ghana
Introduction: usage of family planning services in developing countries have been found to avert unintended pregnancies, reduce maternal and child mortality, however, it’s usage still remains low. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the decision of women in fertility age to go for family planning services. This was a […]
Why are babies born before arrival at health facilities in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa? A qualitative study
Introduction: Babies born before arrival at a health facility have a higher risk of neonatal death and their mothers a higher risk of maternal death compared with those born in-facility. The study explored the reasons for mothers giving birth before arrival (BBA) at health facilities and their experiences of BBA. Methods: A qualitative research design […]
Unmet need for family planning among married women in Zambia: lessons from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey
Background: Unmet need for family planning among married women is still a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. In Zambia, one in every five married women had an unmet need for family planning in 2018. Unmet need for family planning has the potential to increase the number of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. These factors […]
Analysis of risk and prognostic factors in a population of pediatric patients hospitalized for acute malnutrition at the Chiulo hospital, Angola
Background: Malnutrition is a multifactorial pathology in which genetic, epigenetic, cultural, environmental, socio-economic factors interact with each other. The impact that this disease has on the health of children worldwide is dramatic. Severe acute malnutrition in particular is a disease affecting nearly 20 million preschool children worldwide, most of them in Africa and South East […]
A comparative study of adult and adolescent maternal care continuum following community-oriented interventions in Cambodia, Guatemala, Kenya, and Zambia
Background The coverage for reproductive care continuum is a growing concern for communities in lowincome economies. Adolescents (15-19 years) are often at higher odds of maternal morbidity and mortality due to other underlying factors including biological immaturity, social, and economic differences. The aim of the study was to examine a) differences in care-seeking and continuum […]
Determinants of good vitamin A consumption in the 12 East Africa Countries using recent Demographic and health survey
Background Vitamin A one of the important micronutrients that it cannot be made in the human body and must be taken from outside the body through the diet. Ensuring that vitamin A is available in any form in sufficient quantities remains a challenge, especially in regions where access to vitamin A-containing foods and healthcare interventions […]
Effect of a labor triage checklist and ultrasound on obstetric referral at three primary health centers in Eastern Uganda
Objective: To test whether introduction of a midwife-performed triage checklist and focused ultrasound improves diagnosis and referral for obstetric conditions, including multiple gestation, placenta previa, oligohydramnios, preterm birth, malpresentation, and abnormal fetal heart rate. Methods: We implemented an intake log (Phase 1), a checklist (Phase 2), and a checklist plus ultrasound scan (Phase 3) at […]
Use of wind-up fetal Doppler versus Pinard for fetal heart rate intermittent monitoring in labour: A randomised clinical trial
Objectives: In resource-poor settings, the standard of care to inform labour management is the partograph plus Pinard stethoscope for intermittent fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring. We compared FHR monitoring in labour using a novel, robust wind-up handheld Doppler with the Pinard as a primary screening tool for abnormal FHR on perinatal outcomes. Design: Prospective equally […]
