Distance to care, care seeking and child mortality in rural Burkina Faso: findings from a population-based cross-sectional survey
Objective: Although distance has been identified as an important barrier to care, evidence for an effect of distance to care on child mortality is inconsistent. We investigated the association of distance to care with self-reported care seeking behaviours, neonatal and post-neonatal under-five child mortality in rural areas of Burkina Faso. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional […]
Development of a Fetal Weight Chart Using Serial Trans-Abdominal Ultrasound in an East African Population: A Longitudinal Observational Study
Objective: To produce a fetal weight chart representative of a Tanzanian population, and compare it to weight charts from Sub-Saharan Africa and the developed world. Methods: A longitudinal observational study in Northeastern Tanzania. Pregnant women were followed throughout pregnancy with serial trans-abdominal ultrasound. All pregnancies with pathology were excluded and a chart representing the optimal […]
Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria with sulphadoxine- pyrimethamine during pregnancy in Burkina Faso: Effect of adding a third dose to the standard two-dose regimen on low birth weight, anaemia and pregnancy outcomes
Background. Intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine- pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) is being implemented in most malaria endemic countries as a standard two-doses regimen as it reduces the risk of low birth weight (LBW) and the prevalence of maternal anaemia. Nevertheless, where the risk of infection close to delivery is high because of intense transmission, a third IPTp-SP […]
Incidence of induced abortion and post-Abortion care in Tanzania
Background Tanzania has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and unsafe abortion is one of its leading causes. Yet little is known about its incidence. Objectives To provide the first ever estimates of the incidence of unsafe abortion in Tanzania, at the national level and for each of the 8 geopolitical […]
Investigating health impacts of natural resource extraction projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania: Protocol for a mixed methods study
Background: Natural resource extraction projects offer both opportunities and risks for sustainable development and health in host communities. Often, however, the health of the community suffers. Health impact assessment (HIA) can mitigate the risks and promote the benefits of development but is not routinely done in the developing regions that could benefit the most. Objective: […]
The effects of midwives’ job satisfaction on burnout, intention to quit and turnover: a longitudinal study in Senegal
Background: Despite working in a challenging environment plagued by persistent personnel shortages, public sector midwives in Senegal play a key role in tackling maternal mortality. A better understanding of how they are experiencing their work and how it is affecting them is needed in order to better address their needs and incite them to remain […]
The profile, health seeking behavior, referral patterns, and outcome of outborn neonates admitted to a district and regional hospital in the upper west region of ghana: A cross-sectional study
Neonatal mortality is the major contributor to under-five mortality rates in many low and middle income countries. We examined the health practices, care-seeking behavior, and referral of sick outborn neonates to a district and regional hospital in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study was a cross-sectional study conducted over an eight (8) month […]
Antenatal care attendance and risk of low birthweight in Burkina Faso: a cross-sectional study
Background: Low birthweight is a major contributor to infant mortality. We evaluated the association between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and low birthweight among newborns in 5 regions of Burkina Faso. Methods: We utilized data from the baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial evaluating azithromycin distribution during the neonatal period for prevention of infant mortality. […]
User fee exemptions and excessive household spending for normal delivery in Burkina Faso: The need for careful implementation
Background: In 2006, the Parliament of Burkina Faso passed a policy to reduce the direct costs of obstetric services and neonatal care in the countrys health centres, aiming to lower the countrys high national maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Implementation was via a partial exemption covering 80% of the costs. In 2008 the German NGO […]
Wealth-related inequalities of women’s knowledge of cervical cancer screening and service utilisation in 18 resource-constrained countries: Evidence from a pooled decomposition analysis
Introduction: Resource-constrained countries (RCCs) have the highest burden of cervical cancer (CC) in the world. Nonetheless, although CC can be prevented through screening for precancerous lesions, only a small proportion of women utilise screening services in RCCs. The objective of this study was to examine the magnitude of inequalities of women’s knowledge and utilisation of […]
