Health workers’ views on factors affecting caregiver engagement with bubble CPAP
Background: Severe respiratory distress is a leading cause of mortality among neonates in Malawi. Despite evidence on the safety, cost effectiveness and efficacy of bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in managing the condition, its use in Malawian health facilities is limited and little is known about caregivers’ engagement with perspectives of bubble CPAP. The […]
Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy: An investigative survey of women in 9 developing nations
Objectives. We examined pregnant women’s use of cigarettes and other tobacco products and the exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke (SHS) in 9 nations in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Methods. Face-to-face surveys were administered to 7961 pregnant women (more than 700 per site) between October 2004 and September 2005. […]
Pediatric malignancies, treatment outcomes and abandonment of pediatric cancer treatment in zambia
Background: There exist significant challenges to the receipt of comprehensive oncologic treatment for children diagnosed with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. To better define those challenges, we investigated treatment outcomes and risk factors for treatment abandonment in a cohort of children diagnosed with cancer at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), the site of the only pediatric […]
The use of antenatal and postnatal care: Perspectives and experiences of women and health care providers in rural southern Tanzania
Background: Although antenatal care coverage in Tanzania is high, worrying gaps exist in terms of its quality and ability to prevent, diagnose or treat complications. Moreover, much less is known about the utilisation of postnatal care, by which we mean the care of mother and baby that begins one hour after the delivery until six […]
District decision-making for health in low-income settings: A case study of the potential of public and private sector data in India and Ethiopia
Many low-and middle-income countries have pluralistic health systems where private for-profit and not-for-profit sectors complement the public sector: data shared across sectors can provide information for local decision-making. The third article in a series of four on district decision-making for health in low-income settings, this study shows the untapped potential of existing data through documenting […]
Rwandan stakeholder perspectives of integrated family planning and HIV services
The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices among key Rwandan policymakers and stakeholders related to family planning (FP) and integrated HIV/FP services. Motivational in-depth interview format and content was developed after an extensive policy review. A convenience sample of 10 high-level HIV and FP Rwandan policymakers and stakeholders […]
A randomized group antenatal care pilot showed increased partner communication and partner HIV testing during pregnancy in Malawi and Tanzania
Background: HIV testing at antenatal care (ANC) is critical to achieving zero new infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Although most women are tested at ANC, they remain at risk for HIV exposure and transmission to their infant when their partners are not tested. This study evaluates how an HIV-enhanced and Centering-based group ANC model-Group ANC+ that […]
‘Researchers have love for life’: opportunities and barriers to engage pregnant women in malaria research in post-Ebola Liberia
Background: Adoption of prevention and therapeutic innovations to ensure that National Malaria Control Programmes meet their incidence reduction targets is highly dependent on the conduct of rigorous clinical trials. In Liberia, malaria control virtually halted during the recent Ebola epidemic, and could enormously benefit from innovations to protect its most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, […]
Poor nutrition for under-five children from poor households in Ethiopia: Evidence from 2016 Demographic and Health Survey
Background: Ethiopia is commonly affected by drought and famine, and this has taken quite a toll on citizens of the country, particularly the under-five children. Undernutrition among under-five children in Ethiopia is a prominent public health concern, and it lacked attention for decades. However, the government of Ethiopia, together with other stakeholders, committed to overcoming […]
Health system factors influencing uptake of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls 9-15 years in Mbale District, Uganda
Background: Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women with more than 85% of the burden in developing countries. In Uganda, cervical cancer has shown an increase of 1.8% per annum over the last 20 years. The availability of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine presents an opportunity to prevent cervical cancer. Understanding […]
