Utilization and accessibility of healthcare on Pemba Island, Tanzania: Implications for health outcomes and disease surveillance for typhoid fever
Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. Typhi) was estimated to cause over 200,000 deaths and more than 21 million illnesses worldwide, including over 400,000 illnesses in Africa. The current study was conducted in four villages on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, in 2010. We present data on policy makers’, health administrators’, and village residents’ and leaders’ perceptions of […]
Cost-effectiveness of sunflower oil fortification with vitamin A in Tanzania by scale
In 2011, Tanzania mandated the fortification of edible oil with vitamin A to help address its vitamin A deficiency (VAD) public health problem. By 2015, only 16% of edible oil met the standards for adequate fortification. There is no evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the fortification of edible oil by small- and medium-scale (SMS) producers […]
Randomized controlled pilot of a group antenatal care model and the sociodemographic factors associated with pregnancy-related empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa
Background: The links between empowerment and a number of health-related outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa have been documented, but empowerment related to pregnancy is under-investigated. Antenatal care (ANC) is the entry point into the healthcare system for most women, so it is important to understand how ANC affects aspects of women’s sense of control over their […]
Increasing partner attendance in antenatal care and HIV testing services: Comparable outcomes using written versus verbal invitations in an urban facility-based controlled intervention trial in Mbeya, Tanzania
In many Sub-Saharan African settings male partner involvement in antenatal care (ANC) remains low, although great benefits for maternal and infant health outcomes have been long recognised, in particular regarding the prevention of HIV transmission. Yet there is paucity on evidence regarding the effectiveness of strategies to increase male partner involvement. This controlled intervention trial […]
Male Involvement in Family Planning Decisions in Malawi and Tanzania: What Are the Determinants?
The participation of males in joint spousal decisions is urgently needed in achieving the fundamental indicators of reproductive health. The low involvement of males in family planning (FP) decision-making is a major determining factor in low FP usage in Malawi and Tanzania. Despite this, there are inconsistent findings regarding the extent of male involvement and […]
Protocol for the evaluation of a complex intervention aiming at increased utilisation of primary child health services in Ethiopia: A before and after study in intervention and comparison areas
Background: By expanding primary health care services, Ethiopia has reduced under-five mor4tality. Utilisation of these services is still low, and concerted efforts are needed for continued improvements in newborn and child survival. “Optimizing the Health Extension Program” is a complex intervention based on a logic framework developed from an analysis of barriers to the utilisation […]
Project Masihambisane: A cluster randomised controlled trial with peer mentors to improve outcomes for pregnant mothers living with HIV
Background: Pregnant women living with HIV (WLH) face daily challenges maintaining their own and their babies’ health and mental health. Standard Prevention of Maternal to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programs are not designed to address these challenges.Methods/Design: As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial, WLH are invited to attend four antenatal and four postnatal small […]
Effectiveness of an Electronic Partogram: A Mixed-Method, Quasi-Experimental Study Among Skilled Birth Attendants in Kenya
BACKGROUND: Timely identification and management of intrapartum complications could significantly reduce maternal deaths, intrapartum stillbirths, and newborn deaths due to hypoxia. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies monitoring of labor using the paper partograph as a high-priority intervention for identifying abnormities in labor and fetal well-being. This article describes a mixed-method, quasi-experimental study to assess […]
Enablers of sexual and reproductive health and rights interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Insights from capacity development projects implemented in 13 countries in Africa and Asia
Background: The global community has committed to achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, but how to do it remains a challenge in many low-income countries. Capacity development is listed as a means of implementation for Agenda 2030. Although it has been a major element in international development cooperation, including […]
Mobile phone intervention reduces perinatal mortality in zanzibar: Secondary outcomes of a cluster randomized controlled trial
Background: Mobile phones are increasingly used in health systems in developing countries and innovative technical solutions have great potential to overcome barriers of access to reproductive and child health care. However, despite widespread support for the use of mobile health technologies, evidence for its role in health care is sparse. Objective: We aimed to evaluate […]
