Maternal psychosocial risk factors and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) during infancy in a South African birth cohort
Objective To investigate the association between maternal antenatal and/or postnatal psychosocial risk factors (including depression, psychological distress, alcohol abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV) and infant lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in a low- and middleincome- country (LMIC). Study design Pregnant women (n = 1137) enrolled in a South African birth cohort study, the Drakenstein […]
Optimizing infant HIV diagnosis with additional screening at immunization clinics in three sub-Saharan African settings: a cost-effectiveness analysis
Introduction: Uptake of early infant HIV diagnosis (EID) varies widely across sub-Saharan African settings. We evaluated the potential clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of universal maternal HIV screening at infant immunization visits, with referral to EID and maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Methods: Using the CEPAC-Pediatric model, we compared two strategies for infants born in 2017 […]
Spatial patterns and inequalities in skilled birth attendance and caesarean delivery in sub-Saharan Africa
Background Improved access to and quality obstetric care in health facilities reduces maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We examined spatial patterns, within-country wealth-related inequalities and predictors of inequality in skilled birth attendance and caesarean deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We analysed the most recent Demographic and Health Survey data from 25 sub-Saharan African countries. […]
Cost-effectiveness of World Health Organization 2010 guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Zimbabwe
Background. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) released revised guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission (PMTCT). We projected clinical impacts, costs, and cost-effectiveness of WHO-recommended PMTCT strategies in Zimbabwe.Methods. We used Zimbabwean data in a validated computer model to simulate a cohort of pregnant, HIV-infected women (mean age, 24 years; […]
Estimated impact of maternal vaccination on global paediatric influenza-related in-hospital mortality: A retrospective case series
Background: Influenza virus infection is an important cause of under-five mortality. Maternal vaccination protects children younger than 3 months of age from influenza infection. However, it is unknown to what extent paediatric influenza-related mortality may be prevented by a maternal vaccine since global age-stratified mortality data are lacking. Methods: We invited clinicians and researchers to […]
Preliminary assessment of the gender aspects of disaster vulnerability and loss of human life in South Africa
South Africa has reached a medium level of human development and has a heterogeneous situation with respect to disaster risk management. In this article, a preliminary assessment of the gender aspects of disaster vulnerability and fatalities is presented. The United Nations, the Health Systems Trust and Statistics South Africa were used as data sources for […]
Health care financing in Nigeria: Prospects and challenges
Fifty years after independence, Nigeria is still struggling with the provision of basic health services for its teeming population, now estimated at over 150million. The health care sector is still a labour-intensive handicraft industry, in spite of advances in technology, and health care provision has now become more complicated than in the past. Infant and […]
Chronic Child Poverty and Health Outcomes in South Africa Using a Multidimensional Poverty Measure
In this paper, I examine the differences in health outcomes between children residing in poor and non-poor households. In order to identify household poverty, I make use of the framework of multidimensional poverty as introduced by Alkire and Foster (Journal of Public Economics, 95(7–8), 2011). I follow the poverty status of children (defined as individuals […]
Associations between maternal mental health and early child wheezing in a South African birth cohort
Background: Wheezing in early childhood is common and has been identified in high-income countries (HIC) as associated with maternal antenatal or postnatal psychosocial risk factors. However, the association between maternal mental health and childhood wheezing has not been well studied in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), such as South Africa. Methods: A total of 1137 […]
Evaluating the impact of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Malawi through immunization clinic-based surveillance
Background: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs can greatly reduce the vertical transmission rate (VTR) of HIV, and Malawi is expanding PMTCT access by offering HIV-infected pregnant women life-long antiretroviral therapy (Option B+). There is currently no empirical data on the effectiveness of Malawian PMTCT programs. This study describes a surveillance approach to […]
