An Analysis of Pregnancy-Related Mortality in the KEMRI/CDC Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Western Kenya
Background:Pregnancy-related (PR) deaths are often a result of direct obstetric complications occurring at childbirth.Methods and Findings:To estimate the burden of and characterize risk factors for PR mortality, we evaluated deaths that occurred between 2003 and 2008 among women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years) using Health and Demographic Surveillance System data in rural western […]
A multilevel analysis of individual and contextual factors associated with the practice of safe disposal of children’s faeces in sub-Saharan Africa
Background Over the years, sanitation programs over the world have focused more on household sanitation, with limited attention towards the disposal of children’s stools. This lack of attention could be due to the misconception that children’s stools are harmless. The current study examined the individual and contextual predictors of safe disposal of children’s faeces among […]
Knowledge of neonatal danger signs and associated factors among husbands of mothers who gave birth in the last 6 months in Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2020: A community-based cross-sectional study
Objective To assess knowledge of neonatal danger signs and their associations among husbands of mothers who gave birth in the last 6 months in Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia, from 1 February to 28 February 2020. Design Community-based cross-sectional study. Setting Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Participants The study was conducted among 633 participants living in Gurage […]
Variation in competent and respectful delivery care in Kenya and Malawi: a retrospective analysis of national facility surveys
Objective: Although substantial progress has been made in increasing access to care during childbirth, reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality have been slower. Poor-quality care may be to blame. In this study, we measure the quality of labour and delivery services in Kenya and Malawi using data from observations of deliveries and explore factors associated […]
Factors associated with comorbidity of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections among children under five years in Ghana
Introduction Globally, childhood mortality is an important public health concern. In Ghana, both diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the top five causes of morbidity and mortality among children under five years old (CU5). Yet, there is a paucity of studies on the comorbidity of diarrhoea and ARIs in CU5 in Ghana. Aim […]
Building forward better—An exploration of nutrition practices, food choice, and coping behaviors among Kenyan adolescents during COVID-19: Experiences and program implications
This implementation research study sought to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent nutrition practices and related behaviors in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with adolescents 10–19 years of age, in-depth interviews with 10 health facility providers, and a combination of FGDs (n-4) and key […]
Barriers to institutional childbirth in rumbek north county, South Sudan: A qualitative study
Background South Sudan has one of the world’s poorest health indicators due to a fragile health system and a combination of socio-cultural, economic and political factors. This study was conducted to identify barriers to utilisation of institutional childbirth services in Rumbek North County. Methods Data were collected through 14 focus group discussions with 169 women […]
Four delays of child mortality in Rwanda: A mixed methods analysis of verbal social autopsies
Objectives We sought to understand healthcare-seeking patterns and delays in obtaining effective treatment for rural Rwandan children aged 1-5 years by analysing verbal and social autopsies (VSA). Factors in the home, related to transport and to quality of care in the formal health sector (FHS) were thought to contribute to delays. Design We collected quantitative […]
Health management information system (HMIS) data verification: A case study in four districts in Rwanda
Introduction Reliable Health Management and Information System (HMIS) data can be used with minimal cost to identify areas for improvement and to measure impact of healthcare delivery. However, variable HMIS data quality in low- and middle-income countries limits its value in monitoring, evaluation and research. We aimed to review the quality of Rwandan HMIS data […]
Trust of community health workers influences the acceptance of community-based maternal and child health services
Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are a component of the health system in many countries, providing effective community-based services to mothers and infants. However, implementation of CHW programmes at scale has been challenging in many settings. Aim: To explore the acceptability of CHWs conducting household visits to mothers and infants during pregnancy and after delivery, […]
