Effect of HIV infection on growth and bone density in peripubertal children in the era of antiretroviral therapy: a cross-sectional study in Zimbabwe
Background: Faltered linear growth and pubertal delay, which are both common in children with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, might affect adolescent bone accrual and future fragility fracture risk. We investigated the association of HIV with bone density adjusted for skeletal size in peripubertal children in Zimbabwe. Methods: We did a cross-sectional study of baseline data […]
Seroepidemiology of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever among cattle in Cameroon: Implications from a One Health perspective
Background Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral zoonotic disease distributed across several continents and recognized as an ongoing health threat. In humans, the infection can progress to a severe disease with high fatality, raising public health concerns due to the limited prophylactic and therapeutic options available. Animal species, clinically unaffected by the virus, […]
Integrated Child and Family Hub models for detecting and responding to family adversity: protocol for a mixed-methods evaluation in two sites
Introduction Integrated community healthcare Hubs may offer a € one stop shop’ for service users with complex health and social needs, and more efficiently use service resources. Various policy imperatives exist to implement Hub models of care, however, there is a dearth of research specifically evaluating Hubs targeted at families experiencing adversity. To contribute to […]
Impact of the Umoyo mother-infant pair model on HIV-positive mothers’ social support, perceived stigma and 12-month retention of their HIV-exposed infants in PMTCT care: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial in Zambia
Background: Public health systems in resource-constrained settings have a critical role to play in the elimination of HIV transmission but are often financially constrained. This study is an evaluation of a mother-infant-pair model called “Umoyo,” which was designed to be low cost and scalable in a public health system. Facilities with the Umoyo model dedicate […]
Population-based socio-demographic household assessment of livelihoods and health among communities in Migori County, Kenya over multiple timepoints (2021, 2024, 2027): A study protocol
Migori County is located in western Kenya bordering Lake Victoria and has traditionally performed poorly on important health metrics, including child mortality and HIV prevalence. The Lwala Community Alliance is a non-governmental organization that serves to promote the health and well-being of communities in Migori County through an innovative model utilizing community health workers, community […]
Kolaviron protects against cognitive deficits and cortico-hippocampal perturbations associated with maternal deprivation in rats
Prolonged separation of pups from their mother in early postnatal period can interfere with normal growth and development, resulting in different behavioral changes similar to features of schizophrenia in man. This study explored the cytoprotective action of kolaviron, a biflavonoid, on the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of maternally deprived Wistar rats. Eight months old female […]
Two-way short message service (SMS) communication may increase pre-exposure prophylaxis continuation and adherence among pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya
Introduction: We evaluated a 2-way short message service (SMS) communication platform to improve continuation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention among Kenyan women who initiated PrEP within routine maternal child health (MCH) and family planning clinics. Methods: We adapted an existing SMS platform (Mobile WACh [mWACh]) to send PrEP-tailored, theory-based SMS and allow clients […]
Learn, Engage, Act, Dedicate (LEAD): development and feasibility testing of a task-shifted intervention to improve alcohol use, depression and family engagement for fathers
Background: Men’s depression, alcohol use, and family problems commonly co-occur to create of cluster of mental health problems. Yet, few treatments exist to address these problems, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper describes the development and initial feasibility and acceptability of a novel task-shifted intervention to address this cluster of men’s mental […]
Determinants of healthcare seeking and out-of-pocket expenditures in a “free” healthcare system: Evidence from rural Malawi
Background: Monitoring financial protection is a key component in achieving Universal Health Coverage, even for health systems that grant their citizens access to care free-of-charge. Our study investigated out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) on curative healthcare services and their determinants in rural Malawi, a country that has consistently aimed at providing free healthcare services. Methods: Our study […]
An integrated infant and young child feeding and small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo is associated with improvements in breastfeeding and handwashing behaviours but not dietary diversity
Integrating small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) into infant and young child feeding (IYCF) programmes can increase consumption of essential nutrients among children in vulnerable populations; however, few studies have assessed the impact of integrated IYCF–SQ-LNS programmes on IYCF practices. A 2-year, enhanced IYCF intervention targeting pregnant women and infants (0–12 months) was implemented in a health […]
