Understanding the determinants of infant and under-five mortality rates: A multivariate decomposition analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys in Ghana, 2003, 2008 and 2014
Introduction Despite the decline in infant and under-five mortality rates since the last decade, Ghana did not meet the millennium development goal (MDG) 4 target. To implement effective interventions that could fast-track progress towards achieving the sustainable development goal 3 in 2030, factors contributing to the decline in child mortality throughout the MDG period and […]
Advancing Survival in Nigeria: A Pre-post Evaluation of an Integrated Maternal and Neonatal Health Program
Introduction Nigeria contributes more obstetric, postpartum and neonatal deaths and stillbirths globally than any other country. The Clinton Health Access Initiative in partnership with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and the state Governments of Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna implemented an integrated Maternal and Neonatal Health program from July 2014. Up to 90% women deliver […]
From kitchen to classroom: Assessing the impact of cleaner burning biomass-fuelled cookstoves on primary school attendance in Karonga district, northern Malawi
Household air pollution from burning solid fuels is responsible for an estimated 2.9 million premature deaths worldwide each year and 4.5% of global disability-adjusted life years, while cooking and fuel collection pose a considerable time burden, particularly for women and children. Cleaner burning biomass-fuelled cookstoves have the potential to lower exposure to household air pollution […]
How Perceptions of HIV-Related Stigma Affect Decision-Making Regarding Childbirth in Rural Kenya
Introduction: HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Kenya is high. Furthermore, there is a high risk of maternal mortality, as many women do not give birth with a skilled healthcare provider. Previous research suggests that fears of HIV testing and unwanted disclosure of HIV status may be important barriers to utilizing maternity services. We explored […]
Are the timings and risk factors changing? Survival analysis of timing of first antenatal care visit among pregnant women in Nigeria (2003-2013)
Background: Child and maternal mortality and morbidity remain among the top global health challenges despite various efforts and multitude of resources directed to improving this situation over time. This study assessed trend of the timings of first antenatal care (ANC) visit in Nigeria and also identified the risk factors associated with it. Methods: The data […]
Causes of death among women aged 17-49 years between 2007 and 2010 in Maputo, Mozambique
Objectives To describe causes of death among young women and estimate the role of HIV/AIDS as a cause in Maputo City, based on the civil death register. Methods Death data of 17-49 year-old women were abstracted from January 2007-March 2010 from the civil death register in Maputo City, registering overall about 15 000 deaths per-year. […]
Determinants of healthcare utilisation and out-of-pocket payments in the context of free public primary healthcare in Zambia
Background: Access to appropriate and affordable healthcare is needed to achieve better health outcomes in Africa. However, access to healthcare remains low, especially among the poor. In Zambia, poor access exists despite the policy by the government to remove user fees in all primary healthcare facilities in the public sector. The paper has two main […]
Malaria indicator survey 2007, Ethiopia: Coverage and use of major malaria prevention and control interventions
Background. In 2005, a nationwide survey estimated that 6.5% of households in Ethiopia owned an insecticide-treated net (ITN), 17% of households had been sprayed with insecticide, and 4% of children under five years of age with a fever were taking an anti-malarial drug. Similar to other sub-Saharan African countries scaling-up malaria interventions, the Government of […]
Spatial access inequities and childhood immunisation uptake in Kenya
Background: Poor access to immunisation services remains a major barrier to achieving equity and expanding vaccination coverage in many sub-Saharan African countries. In Kenya, the extent to which spatial access affects immunisation coverage is not well understood. aim of this study was to quantify spatial accessibility to immunising health facilities and determine its influence on […]
Engaging men in maternal, infant and young child nutrition in rural Tanzania: Outcomes from a cluster randomized control trial and qualitative study
There is growing recognition that engaging men in maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) interventions can benefit child health and disrupt harmful gender norms. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Tanzania, which engaged men and women in behaviour change via mobile messaging (short message service [SMS]) and traditional interpersonal communication (IPC), separately and in combination. […]
