Protocol for a sequential, prospective metaanalysis to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pregnancy and postpartum periods

We urgently need answers to basic epidemiological questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and postpartum women and its effect on their newborns. While many national registries, health facilities, and research groups are collecting relevant data, we need a collaborative and methodologically rigorous approach to better combine these data and address knowledge gaps, especially those related […]

Ghana’s Ensure Mothers and Babies Regular Access to Care (EMBRACE) program: Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: The United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals call for improving maternal and child health status. Their progress, however, has been minimal and uneven across countries. The continuum of care is a key to strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health. In this context, the Japanese government launched the Ghana Ensure Mothers and Babies Regular Access to […]

Using community pharmacies to expand access to screening for noncommunicable diseases in suburban Ghana—A facility-based survey on client needs and acceptability

Background: Many of the 28 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries each year could be prevented through early detection and intervention. The introduction of screening for NCDs in community pharmacies (CPs) in Ghana could enhance access to early detection. Methods: We surveyed clients in three districts in suburban Ghana to […]

Cost-effectiveness of peer counselling for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in Uganda

Background Community based breastfeeding promotion programmes have been shown to be effective in increasing breastfeeding prevalence. However, there is limited data on the cost-effectiveness of these programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper evaluates the cost-effectiveness of a breastfeeding promotion intervention targetingmothers and their 0 to 6 month old children. Methods Data were obtained from a […]

The child survival impact of the Ghana Essential Health Interventions Program: A health systems strengthening plausibility trial in Northern Ghana

Background The Ghana Health Service in collaboration with partner institutions implemented a five-year primary health systems strengthening program known as the Ghana Essential Health Intervention Program (GEHIP). GEHIP was a plausibility trial implemented in an impoverished region of northern Ghana around the World Health Organizations (WHO) six pillars combined with community engagement, leadership development and […]

Healthcare utilization and maternal and child mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in 18 low- and middle-income countries: An interrupted time-series analysis with mathematical modeling of administrative data

Background The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had wide-reaching direct and indirect impacts on population health. In low- and middle-income countries, these impacts can halt progress toward reducing maternal and child mortality. This study estimates changes in health services utilization during the pandemic and the associated consequences for maternal, neonatal, and child mortality. Methods […]

Is the National Health Insurance Scheme helping pregnant women in accessing health services? Analysis of the 2014 Ghana demographic and Health survey

Background: Increasing the use of healthcare is a significant step in improving health outcomes in both the short and long term. However, the degree of the relationship between utilization of health services and health outcomes is affected by the quality of the services rendered, the timeliness of treatment and follow-up care. In this study, we […]

Socio-economic inequalities in intimate partner violence justification among women in Ghana: analysis of the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data

BACKGROUND: One of the key reasons for the high prevalence of intimate partner violence among women is the justification of intimate partner violence. Socio-economic status of women plays a key role in intimate partner violence justification. This study investigated the socio-economic inequalities in the justification of intimate partner violence among Ghanaian women. METHODS: Data from […]

PREventing Maternal and Neonatal Deaths (PREMAND): A study protocol for examining social and cultural factors contributing to infant and maternal deaths and near-misses in rural northern Ghana

Plain English Summary: The Preventing Maternal And Neonatal Deaths (PREMAND) project works to understand the social and cultural factors that may contribute to the deaths and near-misses (people who almost die but end up surviving) of mothers and babies in four districts in Northern Ghana. Examples of these factors include such thing as treating a […]

Determinants of contraceptive use among sexually active unmarried adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years in Ghana: A nationally representative cross-sectional study

Objective There is a decline in contraceptive use among sexually active unmarried young women in Ghana. This study assessed the prevalence of contraceptive knowledge and use, and the determinant of contraceptive use among sexually active unmarried young women in Ghana. Design This was a nationally representative cross-sectional survey, using data from the 2017 Ghana Maternal […]