Association between household environmental conditions and nutritional status of women of childbearing age in Nigeria

Maternal undernutrition remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Yet, most interventional programmes are focused on infant and child nutrition outcomes and not on maternal nutrition-related outcomes. Evidence suggests that the integration of household environmental interventions into nutrition actions can make a difference in reducing the burden of maternal undernutrition. This study […]

At the frontlines of digitisation: A qualitative study on the challenges and opportunities in maintaining accurate, complete and timely digital health records in India’s government health system

Objectives To understand factors underpinning the accuracy and timeliness of mobile phone numbers and other health information captured in India’s government registry for pregnant and postpartum women. Accurate and timely registration of mobile phone numbers is necessary for beneficiaries to receive mobile health services. Setting Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan states in India at the community, […]

Cost of hospital care of women with postpartum haemorrhage in India, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda: a financial case for improved prevention

Objective: Access to quality, effective lifesaving uterotonics in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains a major barrier to reducing maternal deaths from postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). Our objective was to assess the costs of care for women who receive different preventative uterotonics, and with PPH and no-PPH so that the differences, if significant, can inform better […]

Who are CHWs? An ethnographic study of the multiple identities of community health workers in three rural Districts in Tanzania

Background: Numerous studies have examined the role of community health workers (CHWs) in improving the delivery of health services and accelerating progress towards national and international development goals. A limited but growing body of studies have also explored the interactions between CHWs’ personal, communal and professional identities and the implications of these for their profession. […]

Accessibility of Early Infant Diagnostic Services by Under-5 Years and HIV Exposed Children in Muheza District, North-East Tanzania

Introduction: Early infant diagnosis (EID) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) provides an opportunity for follow up of HIV exposed children for early detection of infection and timely access to antiretroviral treatment. We assessed predictors for accessing HIV diagnostic services among under-five children exposed to HIV infection in Muheza district, Tanzania. Methods: A cross sectional facility-based […]

Determinants of dietary practice among pregnant women at the public hospitals in Bench-Sheko and Kaffa Zones, Southwest Ethiopia

Backgrounds: The frequency of poor dietary practice due to inappropriate dietary habits is higher during pregnancy compared to any other stage of the life cycle. Suboptimal dietary practices during pregnancy can increase the risk of intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, anemia, prenatal and infant mortality, and morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the […]

The role of gender power relations on women’s health outcomes: evidence from a maternal health coverage survey in Simiyu region, Tanzania

Background: Gender is a crucial consideration of human rights that impacts many priority maternal health outcomes. However, gender is often only reported in relation to sex-disaggregated data in health coverage surveys. Few coverage surveys to date have integrated a more expansive set of gender-related questions and indicators, especially in low- to middle-income countries that have […]

Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Background A key component of achieving universal health coverage is ensuring that all populations have access to quality health care. Examining where gains have occurred or progress has faltered across and within countries is crucial to guiding decisions and strategies for future improvement. We used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study […]

Barriers in Implementing the PMTCT in Moretele Sub-District, South Africa: An Exploratory Study

The Prevention-of-Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program was introduced to prevent vertical transmission of HIV from a mother to her infant through pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding. Therefore, it is critical for the program to be accessible in primary health care facilities across the globe to increase treatment uptake and to eliminate child and maternal mortality rates caused […]

Improving sexual and reproductive health knowledge and practice in Mozambican families with media campaign and volunteer family health champions

Objective To increase knowledge, attitudes and practice of sexual and reproductive health and family planning and to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Mozambique. Design An implementation research project’s intermediate evaluation, applying two cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were planned for 316 subjects before and after interventions. Setting Research performed in Natikiri district of Nampula […]