Primary health care in rural Malawi – A qualitative assessment exploring the relevance of the community-directed interventions approach
Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) is a strategy endorsed for attaining equitable access to basic health care including treatment and prevention of endemic diseases. Thirty four years later, its implementation remains sub-optimal in most Sub-Saharan African countries that access to health interventions is still a major challenge for a large proportion of the rural population. […]
Exploring the use of mobile phone technology for the enhancement of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV program in Nyanza, Kenya: A qualitative study
Background: Community-based mobile phone programs can complement gaps in clinical services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in areas with poor infrastructure and personnel shortages. However, community and health worker perceptions on optimal mobile phone communication for PMTCT are underexplored. This study examined what specific content and forms of mobile communication are acceptable […]
Mortality Trends from 2003 to 2009 among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Western Kenya Using a Health and Demographic Surveillance System
Background: Targeted global efforts to improve survival of young adults need information on mortality trends; contributions from health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) are required. Methods and Findings: This study aimed to explore changing trends in deaths among adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years), using census and verbal autopsy data in rural western […]
Assessing the feasibility of eHealth and mHealth: A systematic review and analysis of initiatives implemented in Kenya
Background: The growth of Information and Communication Technology in Kenya has facilitated implementation of a large number of eHealth projects in a bid to cost-effectively address health and health system challenges. This systematic review aims to provide a situational analysis of eHealth initiatives being implemented in Kenya, including an assessment of the areas of focus […]
Correlates of HIV detection among breastfeeding postpartum Kenyan women eligible under Option B+
Background The Option B+ strategy streamlines delivery of HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) to pregnant women, but concerns remain about ART treatment adherence and long term outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort of HIV-positive, postpartum breastfeeding women receiving ART via Option B+ in Nairobi, Kenya. The primary outcome was virologic failure in […]
Impact of a two-way short message service (SMS) to support maternally administered childhood mid-upper arm circumference monitoring and expand malnutrition screening in Kenya: The Mama Aweza trial protocol
Introduction Over 52 million children under 5 years of age become wasted each year, but only 17% of these children receive treatment. Novel methods to identify and deliver treatment to malnourished children are necessary to achieve the sustainable development goals target for child health. Mobile health (mHealth) programmes may provide an opportunity to rapidly identify […]
Impact of mobile phone delivered reminders and unconditional incentives on measles-containing vaccine timeliness and coverage: A randomised controlled trial in western Kenya
Introduction Short message service (SMS) reminders coupled with a small monetary incentive conditioned on prompt vaccination have been shown to improve first-dose measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) uptake. We assessed whether SMS reminders and unconditional monetary incentives – more amenable to programmatic implementation – can improve MCV1 uptake in Kenya. Methods Caregivers of eligible infants aged 6-8 […]
Cluster-Randomized Controlled Study of SMS Text Messages for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rural Kenya
Background. Antiretroviral medications are key for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, and transmission mitigation is affected by service delivery, adherence, and retention. Methods. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled study in 26 facilities in Nyanza, Kenya, to determine the efficacy of SMS text messages on PMTCT outcomes. The relative risk and confidence intervals were […]
Examining person-centered maternity care in a peri-urban setting in Embakasi, Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction Peri-urban settings have high maternal mortality and the quality of care received in different types of health facilities is varied. Yet few studies have explored the construct of person-centered maternity care (PCMC) within peri-urban settings. Understanding women’s experience of maternity care in peri-urban settings will allow health facility managers and policy makers to improve […]
Social affiliation matters: Both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships predict survival in wild female baboons
Social integration and support can have profound effects on human survival. The extent of this phenomenon in non-human animals is largely unknown, but such knowledge is important to understanding the evolution of both lifespan and sociality. Here, we report evidence that levels of affiliative social behaviour (i.e. ‘social connectedness’) with both same-sex and opposite-sex conspecifics […]
