Reasons for poor blood pressure control in Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa: looking into 4P’s (primary care, professional, patient, and public health policy) for improving blood pressure control: a scoping review
Aim: Hypertension control in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the worst (less than one out of ten) when compared to the rest of the world. Therefore, this scoping review was conducted to identify and describe the possible reasons for poor blood pressure (BP) control based on 4Ps’ (patient, professional, primary healthcare system, and public health policy) […]
Accessibility of Early Infant Diagnostic Services by Under-5 Years and HIV Exposed Children in Muheza District, North-East Tanzania
Introduction: Early infant diagnosis (EID) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) provides an opportunity for follow up of HIV exposed children for early detection of infection and timely access to antiretroviral treatment. We assessed predictors for accessing HIV diagnostic services among under-five children exposed to HIV infection in Muheza district, Tanzania. Methods: A cross sectional facility-based […]
Maternal CD4+ cell count decline after interruption of antiretroviral prophylaxis for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
Background: We evaluated maternal CD4+ cell count (CD4+) decline after PMTCT prophylaxis in a multi-country HIV care program. Methods: Analysis was restricted to antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive, HIV-infected pregnant women with CD4+ ≥250 cells/mm3 at enrollment. Single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP) or short-course antiretroviral prophylaxis (sc-ARVp) with zidovudine (AZT) or AZT + lamivudine (3TC) was initiated in 11 […]
A cross sectional comparison of postnatal care quality in facilities participating in a maternal health voucher program versus non-voucher facilities in Kenya
Background: Health service fees constitute substantial barriers for women seeking childbirth and postnatal care. In an effort to reduce health inequities, the government of Kenya in 2006 introduced the output-based approach (OBA), or voucher programme, to increase poor women’s access to quality Safe Motherhood services including postnatal care. To help improve service quality, OBA programmes […]
Decomposition of factors associated with housing material inequality in under-five deaths in low and middle-income countries
Background: Low-and Medium-Income Countries (LMIC) continue to record a high burden of under-five deaths (U5D). There is a gap in knowledge of the factors contributing to housing materials inequalities in U5D. This study examined the contributions of the individual- and neighbourhood-level factors to housing materials inequalities in influencing U5D in LMIC. Methods: We pooled data […]
Prevalence and determinants of intimate partner violence against mothers of children under-five years in Central Malawi
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global human rights violation and a public health problem. The phenomenon is linked to adverse health effects for women and children. Mothers of young children in Malawi can be particularly at risk because of gender-based power imbalances. The objectives of this study were to examine the […]
Evaluating implementation effectiveness and sustainability of a maternity waiting homes intervention to improve access to safe delivery in rural Zambia: A mixed-methods protocol
Background: In low-income countries such as Zambia, where maternal mortality rates are persistently high, maternity waiting homes (MWHs) represent one potential strategy to improve access to safe delivery, especially for women living in remote areas. The Maternity Homes Access in Zambia project (MAHMAZ) is evaluating the impact of a MWH model on women’s access to […]
Quality of antenatal care in Zambia: A national assessment
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the recommended interventions to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Yet in most Sub-Saharan African countries, high rates of ANC coverage coexist with high maternal and neonatal mortality. This disconnect has fueled calls to focus on the quality of ANC services. However, little conceptual or empirical work exists on […]
Characteristics of maternity waiting homes and the women who use them: Findings from a baseline cross-sectional household survey among SMGL-supported districts in Zambia
Objective Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) have been identified as one solution to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality by bringing women living in hard-to-reach areas closer to a hospital or health center that provides emergency obstetric care. The objective of this study was to obtain data on current MWH characteristics and the women who use them […]
Prevalence and associated factors of adolescent pregnancy (15–19 years) in East Africa: a multilevel analysis
Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a major public health problem both in developed and developing countries with huge consequences to maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. However, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and associated factors of adolescent pregnancy in East Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of adolescent pregnancy […]
