A clinical decision support system is associated with reduced loss to follow-up among patients receiving HIV treatment in Kenya: a cluster randomized trial
Background: Loss to follow-up (LFTU) among HIV patients remains a major obstacle to achieving treatment goals with the risk of failure to achieve viral suppression and thereby increased HIV transmission. Although use of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) has been shown to improve adherence to HIV clinical guidance, to our knowledge, this is among the […]
Partner involvement in abortion trajectories and subsequent abortion safety in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire
Background: Unsafe abortions contribute to maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, with disproportionate impacts in lower-income countries. Identifying factors associated with an elevated risk of experiencing an abortion under the most unsafe conditions is an important component of addressing this burden. The partner’s role in obtaining a safe or unsafe abortion is not well understood. This […]
Using the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the implementation of scaling-up the Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe – a quantitative observational study
Background: This study aimed to evaluate the real-world implementation of the Friendship Bench (FB) – an evidence-based brief psychological intervention delivered by community health workers (CHWs) – three years after its implementation in three city health departments in Zimbabwe. Implementation sites were evaluated according to their current performance using the RE-AIM framework making this one […]
Dynamics of stunting from childhood to youthhood in Ethiopia: Evidence from the Young Lives panel data
Introduction Stunting continues to be a public health challenge with grave health, cognitive and economic consequences. Yet, its dynamics along the life course remain not well investigated in Ethiopia and beyond. Methods Longitudinal data generated by following two (younger and older) cohorts of about 3000 children for nearly 15 years were analyzed to investigate the […]
Early Childhood Outcomes After Neonatal Encephalopathy in Uganda: A Cohort Study
Background: Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a leading cause of global child mortality. Survivor outcomes in low-resource settings are poorly described. We present early childhood outcomes after NE in Uganda. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of term-born infants with NE (n = 210) and a comparison group of term non-encephalopathic (non-NE) infants (n = […]
A pragmatic randomised controlled trial on routine iron prophylaxis during pregnancy in Maputo, Mozambique (PROFEG): Rationale, design, and success
The effects of prophylactic iron during pregnancy on maternal and child health in developing settings with endemic malaria and high prevalence of HIV remain unclear. This paper describes the rationale, implementation and success of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing routine iron supplementation vs. screening and treatment for anaemia during pregnancy. The setting was two […]
Measurement of expressive vocabulary in school-age children: Development and application of the Kilifi Naming Test (KNT)
The dearth of locally developed measures of language makes it difficult to detect language and communication problems among school-age children in sub-Saharan African settings. We sought to describe variability in vocabulary acquisition as an important element of global cognitive functioning. Our primary aims were to establish the psychometric properties of an expressive vocabulary measure, examine […]
Country-level assessment of missed opportunities for vaccination in south africa: Protocol for multilevel analysis
Background: Vaccination is one of the greatest public health interventions of all time. Vaccination coverage in South Africa has shown a steady improvement in reaching the national target. However, while there is progress nationally, there are districts within the country that are below the set target for vaccination coverage. One of the main drivers of […]
Educational films for improving screening and self-management of gestational diabetes in India and Uganda (GUIDES): study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial
Background: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rising rapidly in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most women with GDM in LMICs are undiagnosed and/or inadequately managed due to a lack of knowledge and skills about GDM on the part of both providers and patients. Following contextual analysis, we developed an educational/behavioural intervention […]
Effects of water quality, sanitation, handwashing, and nutritional interventions on diarrhoea and child growth in rural Kenya: a cluster-randomised controlled trial
Background: Poor nutrition and exposure to faecal contamination are associated with diarrhoea and growth faltering, both of which have long-term consequences for child health. We aimed to assess whether water, sanitation, handwashing, and nutrition interventions reduced diarrhoea or growth faltering. Methods: The WASH Benefits cluster-randomised trial enrolled pregnant women from villages in rural Kenya and […]
