Acceptability of three novel lipid-based nutrient supplements among Malawian infants and their caregivers
We tested the acceptability of three new lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) in two independent phases among 18 8-12-month-old healthy rural Malawians and their caregivers. In phase 1, acceptability was assessed by offering three new LNSs in random order, and an LNS already determined to be acceptable, Nutributter ®, each added to 30g of warm maize […]
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 […]
Implication of new WHO growth standards on identification of risk factors and estimated prevalence of malnutrition in rural Malawian infants
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) released new Child Growth Standards in 2006 to replace the current National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth reference. We assessed how switching from the NCHS to the newly released WHO Growth Standards affects the estimated prevalence of wasting, underweight and stunting, and the pattern of risk factors identified. […]
Monitoring child mortality through community health worker reporting of births and deaths in Malawi: Validation against a household mortality survey
Background: The rate of decline in child mortality is too slow in most African countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. Effective strategies to monitor child mortality are needed where accurate vital registration data are lacking to help governments assess and report on progress in […]
Psychological wellbeing in a resource-limited work environment: Examining levels and determinants among health workers in rural Malawi
Background: A competent, responsive, and productive health workforce is central to a well-performing health system capable of providing universal access to high-quality care. Ensuring health workers’ psychological wellbeing is critical to sustaining their availability and productivity. This is particularly true in heavily constrained health systems in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Research on the issue, however, […]
Child health inequities in developing countries: Differences across urban and rural areas
Objectives: To document and compare the magnitude of inequities in child malnutrition across urban and rural areas, and to investigate the extent to which within-urban disparities in child malnutrition are accounted for by the characteristics of communities, households and individuals. Methods: The most recent data sets available from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of […]
Exclusive breastfeeding prenatal intentions among HIV-positive mothers in Blantyre, Malawi: A correlation study
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is an important component of child survival and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in resource-poor settings like Malawi. In Malawi, children under the age of six months are exclusively breastfed for an average duration of 3.7 months. This falls short of the recommendations by the World Health Organization as well as the […]
Socio-demographic characteristics associated with HIV and syphilis seroreactivity among pregnant women in Blantyre, Malawi, 2000-2004
Objectives: We aimed to evaluate socio-demographic factors associated with HIV and syphilis seroreactivity in pregnant Malawians presenting for antenatal care in late third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: Between December 2000 and March 2004 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Blantyre, Malawi, we collected cross-sectional clinical and socioeconomic data from consenting women. HIV-1 status was determined using […]
Inequities in childhood anaemia at provincial borders in Mozambique: Cross-sectional study results from multilevel Bayesian analysis of 2018 National Malaria Indicator Survey
Objectives This study aims to identify the child-level, maternal-level, household-level and community-level determinants of anaemia among children aged 6-59 months, and determine the inequities of anaemia prevalence across communities in Mozambique. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Mozambique. Participants This study used data of a weighted population of 3946 children, 6-59 months, delivered by women between 15 […]
The Critical Role of Supervision in Retaining Staff in Obstetric Services: A Three Country Study
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 commits us to reducing maternal mortality rates by three quarters and MDG 4 commits us to reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. In order to reach these goals, greater access to basic emergency obstetric care (EmOC) as well as comprehensive EmOC which includes safe Caesarean section, is […]