Modifiable antenatal risk factors for stillbirth amongst pregnant women in the Omusati region, Namibia
Background: Reduction of stillbirth rates is important because of the social and economicimplications. Access to quality antenatal care is important in preventing the risk factorsassociated with stillbirth.Aim: To determine the prevalence of modifiable antenatal risk factors associated with stillbirthso as to determine possible gaps in their prevention.Setting: The study was conducted at four district hospitals […]
Synthesizing qualitative and quantitative evidence on non-financial access barriers: Implications for assessment at the district level
Introduction: A key element of the global drive to universal health coverage is ensuring access to needed health services for everyone, and to pursue this goal in an equitable way. This requires concerted efforts to reduce disparities in access through understanding and acting on barriers facing communities with the lowest utilisation levels. Financial barriers dominate […]
Perceptions of health, health care and community-oriented health interventions in poor urban communities of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
In Democratic Republic of Congo access to health care is limited because of many geographical and financial barriers, while quality of care is often low. Global health donors assist the country with a number of community-oriented interventions such as free distribution of bednets, antihelminthic drugs, vitamin A supplementation and vaccination campaigns, but uptake of these […]
Task sharing of a psychological intervention for maternal depression in Khayelitsha, South Africa: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background: Maternal depression carries a major public health burden for mothers and their infants, yet there is a substantial treatment gap for this condition in low-resourced regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. To address this treatment gap, the strategy of “task sharing” has been proposed, involving the delivery of interventions by non-specialist health workers trained and […]
Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial
Background: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. Methods: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters […]
Residence and young women’s comprehensive HIV knowledge in Ethiopia
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global health problem. The epidemic is very serious in sub-Saharan Africa with approximately 70% of the global cases. The disease particularly affects youth, accounting for half of the new HIV infections yearly. Inadequate knowledge may contribute to the high rates among youth. Hence, the main aim of […]
Time-critical conditions: Assessment of burden and access to care using verbal autopsy in Agincourt, South Africa
Background Time-critical conditions (TCC) are estimated to cause substantial mortality in low and middle-income countries. However, quantification of deaths and identification of contributing factors to those deaths are challenging in settings with poor health records. Aim To use verbal autopsy (VA) data from the Agincourt health and sociodemographic surveillance system in rural South Africa to […]
Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Treatment and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women in Sao Tome and Principe: A Cross-Sectional Study
Background. Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are a public health problem in developing countries such as Sao Tome and Principe (STP) although the pregnancy burden of IPIs is unknown in this endemic country. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IPIs, prescribed anthelmintics, and associated factors among pregnant women admitted to […]
Community views on short birth interval in Northern Uganda: a participatory grounded theory
Background: Short birth interval is associated with adverse perinatal, maternal, and infant outcomes, although evidence on actionable factors underlying short birth interval remains limited. We explored women and community views on short birth intervals to inform potential solutions to promote a culturally safe child spacing in Northern Uganda. Methods: Gendered fuzzy cognitive mapping sessions (n […]
Development of a phone survey tool to measure respectful maternity care during pregnancy and childbirth in India: Study protocol
Background: Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a key barometer of the underlying quality of care women receive during pregnancy and childbirth. Efforts to measure RMC have largely been qualitative, although validated quantitative tools are emerging. Available tools have been limited to the measurement of RMC during childbirth and confined to observational and face-to-face survey modes. […]
