Developmental stress elicits preference for methamphetamine in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Background: Developmental stress has been hypothesised to interact with genetic predisposition to increase the risk of developing substance use disorders. Here we have investigated the effects of maternal separation-induced developmental stress using a behavioural proxy of methamphetamine preference in an animal model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the spontaneously hypertensive rat, versus Wistar Kyoto and Sprague-Dawley comparator […]
Lockdown-associated hunger may be affecting breastfeeding: Findings from a large sms survey in South Africa
The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on food security and child health is especially concerning. A rapid, Short Message Service (SMS) Maternal and Child Health survey was conducted in South Africa in June 2020 (n = 3140), with a follow-up in July 2020 (n = 2287). This was […]
Neighborhood-Based Socioeconomic Determinants of Cognitive Impairment in Zambian Children with HIV: A Quantitative Geographic Information Systems Approach
Background: Place-based inequalities, such as exposure to violence and access to nutritious food and clean water, may contribute to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-Associated cognitive impairment. In this study, we investigated neighborhood effects on cognition in children and adolescents with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 208 children with perinatally […]
Determinants of postnatal depression in Sudanese women at 3 months postpartum: A cross-sectional study
Objectives: Maternal mental health is a neglected issue in Sudanese healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the factors associated with postnatal depression (PND) at 3 months postpartum in a sample of Sudanese women in Khartoum state. Setting: Recruitment was from two major public antenatal care (ANC) clinics in two maternity teaching hospitals […]
Health trends, inequalities and opportunities in South Africa’s provinces, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study
Background: Over the last 30 years, South Africa has experienced four â € colliding epidemics’ of HIV and tuberculosis, chronic illness and mental health, injury and violence, and maternal, neonatal, and child mortality, which have had substantial effects on health and well-being. Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors […]
Health-related quality of life determinants among Rwandan women after delivery: Does antenatal care utilization matter? A cross-sectional study
Background: Despite the widespread use of antenatal care (ANC), its effectiveness in low-resource settings remains unclear. In this study, self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was used as an alternative to other maternal health measures previously used to measure the effectiveness of antenatal care. The main objective of this study was to determine whether adequate […]
Food insecurity, drug resistance and nondisclosure are associated with virologic nonsuppression among HIV pregnant women on antiretroviral treatment
We determined social and behavioral factors associated with virologic non-suppression among pregnant women receiving Option B+ antiretroviral treatment (ART). Baseline data was used from women in Mobile WAChX trial from 6 public maternal child health (MCH) clinics in Kenya. Virologic non-suppression was defined as HIV viral load (VL) ≥1000 copies/ml. Antiretroviral resistance testing was performed […]
Effects of a community health worker delivered intervention on maternal depressive symptoms in rural Tanzania
Maternal depression affects one in four women in sub-Saharan Africa, yet evidence on effective and scalable interventions is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a community health worker (CHW) delivered home visit responsive stimulation, health and nutrition intervention, and conditional cash transfers (CCTs) for antenatal care and child growth monitoring attendance on […]
Maternal mental health priorities, help-seeking behaviors, and resources in post-conflict settings: A qualitative study in eastern Uganda
Background: Limited knowledge exists to inform the selection and introduction of locally relevant, feasible, and effective mental health interventions in diverse socio-cultural contexts and health systems. We examined stakeholders’ perspectives on mental health-related priorities, help-seeking behaviors, and existing resources to guide the development of a maternal mental health component for integration into non-specialized care in […]
What factors are associated with pre-pregnancy nutritional status? Baseline analysis of the KITE cohort: A prospective study in northern Ethiopia
Objective To assess a broad range of factors associated with pre-pregnancy nutritional status, a key step towards improving maternal and child health outcomes, in Ethiopia. Design A baseline data analysis of a population-based prospective study. Setting Kilite-Awlaelo Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, eastern zone of Tigray regional state, northern Ethiopia. Participants We used weight measurements […]
