Determinants of institutional delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa: findings from Demographic and Health Survey (2013–2017) from nine countries
Introduction: Institutional delivery is a major concern for a country’s long-term growth. Rapid population development, analphabetism, big families, and a wider range of urban-rural health facilities have had a negative impact on institutional services in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. The aim of this study was to look into the factors that influence women’s decision to […]
Effect of continuum-of-care intervention package on improving contacts and quality of maternal and newborn healthcare in Ghana: A cluster randomised controlled trial
Objective To evaluate the effect of a continuum-of-care intervention package on adequate contacts of women and newborn with healthcare providers and their reception of high-quality care. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting 32 subdistricts in 3 rural sites in Ghana. Participants The baseline survey involved 1480 women who delivered before the trial, and the follow-up […]
Multilevel geospatial analysis of factors associated with unskilled birth attendance in Ghana
Background Globally, about 810 women die every day due to pregnancy and its related complications. Although the death of women during pregnancy or childbirth has declined from 342 deaths to 211 deaths per 100, 000 live births between 2000 and 2017, maternal mortality is still higher, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where 86% […]
Geographical Inequalities and Social and Environmental Risk Factors for Under-Five Mortality in Ghana in 2000 and 2010: Bayesian Spatial Analysis of Census Data
Background: Under-five mortality is declining in Ghana and many other countries. Very few studies have measured under-five mortality—and its social and environmental risk factors—at fine spatial resolutions, which is relevant for policy purposes. Our aim was to estimate under-five mortality and its social and environmental risk factors at the district level in Ghana. Methods and […]
Understanding the determinants of infant and under-five mortality rates: A multivariate decomposition analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys in Ghana, 2003, 2008 and 2014
Introduction Despite the decline in infant and under-five mortality rates since the last decade, Ghana did not meet the millennium development goal (MDG) 4 target. To implement effective interventions that could fast-track progress towards achieving the sustainable development goal 3 in 2030, factors contributing to the decline in child mortality throughout the MDG period and […]
Valuing and sustaining (or not) the ability of volunteer community health workers to deliver integrated community case management in northern Ghana: A qualitative study
Background: Within the integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) programme, the traditional health promotion and prevention role of community health workers (CHWs) has been expanded to treatment. Understanding both the impact and the implementation experience of this expanded role are important. In evaluating UNICEF’s implementation of iCCM, this qualitative case study explores the […]
Prevalence and determinants of unmet need for contraception in North Gonja District, Ghana
Background: Unmet need for contraception contributes to the burden of unwanted pregnancies, which are correlated with a host of adverse maternal and child outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify the determinants of unmet need for contraception in North Gonja District, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 386 randomly […]
Effects of a lipid-based nutrient supplement during pregnancy and lactation on maternal plasma fatty acid status and lipid profile: Results of two randomized controlled trials
It is unknown whether a novel small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (SQ-LNS) containing alpha-linolenic (ALA) and linoleic acids impacts maternal plasma lipids and fatty acid status. We measured plasma fatty acids (wt%) and lipid concentrations at 36 wk gestation and breast milk fatty acids (wt%) at 6 months postpartum in a subsample of women enrolled in […]
Impact of iron fortification on the geospatial patterns of malaria and non-malaria infection risk among young children: A secondary spatial analysis of clinical trial data from Ghana
Objectives: Patterns of infection among children with varying levels of iron status in a malaria endemic area may vary spatially in ways requiring integrated infection and iron deficiency control programmes. The objective of this secondary analysis was to determine the geospatial factors associated with malaria and non-malaria infection status among young Ghanaian children at the […]
Measuring the Overall Burden of Early Childhood Malnutrition in Ghana: A Comparison of Estimates From Multiple Data Sources
Background: Childhood malnutrition contributes to nearly half (45%) of all deaths among children under 5 globally. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030; however, measuring progress towards these goals is challenging, particularly in countries with emerging economies where nationally-representative data are limited. The primary objective of […]
