Distance to available services for newborns at facilities in Malawi: A secondary analysis of survey and health facility data
Background Malawi has halved the neonatal mortality rate between 1990-2018, however, is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 12 per 1,000 live births. Despite a high facility birth rate (91%), mother-newborn dyads may not remain in facilities long enough to receive recommended care and quality of care improvements are needed to reach […]
Randomised controlled pilot feasibility trial of an early intervention programme for young infants with neurodevelopmental impairment in Uganda: A study protocol
Introduction Early intervention programmes (EIPs) for infants with neurodevelopmental impairment have been poorly studied especially in low-income settings. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a group participatory EIP, the â € ABAaNA EIP’, for young children with neurodevelopmental impairment in Uganda. Methods and analysis We will conduct a pilot feasibility, single-blinded, randomised […]
Viability of diagnostic decision support for antenatal care in rural settings: Findings from the Bliss4Midwives Intervention in Northern Ghana
Background Antenatal screening is useful for early identification and management of high-risk pregnancies. In low-resource settings, provision of the full complement of tests is limited and diagnostic referrals incure additional costs for pregnant women. We assessed the viability of Bliss4Midwives (B4M) – a point-of-care diagnostic decision support device for decentralized screening of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes […]
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of men in a South African rural community in relation to exclusive breastfeeding
Background: Several lifelong maternal, child and societal health benefits have been associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). However, despite all the potential advantages, EBF rates have been consistently low in developing countries, including South Africa. It has been suggested that the knowledge, attitudes and practices of male partners in relation to EBF are amongst the important […]
Home birth without skilled attendants despite millennium villages project intervention in Ghana: Insight from a survey of women’s perceptions of skilled obstetric care
Background: Skilled birth attendance from a trained health professional during labour and delivery can prevent up to 75 % of maternal deaths. However, in low- and middle-income rural communities, lack of basic medical infrastructure and limited number of skilled birth attendants are significant barriers to timely obstetric care. Through analysis of self-reported data, this study […]
‘Birds of the same feathers fly together’: Midwives’ experiences with pregnant women and FGM/C complications – A grounded theory study in Liberia
Background: In Liberia, approximately 70% of the women of the North-Central and North-Western regions could have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in their childhood during a traditional ceremony marking their entrance into Sande, a secret female society. Little is known about FGM/C from Liberian women’s perspective. This study aimed to understand the health implications of […]
Impact of traffic, poverty and facility ownership on travel time to emergency care in Nairobi, Kenya
Background: In many low and middle-income countries (LMICs), timely access to emergency healthcare services is limited. In urban settings, traffic can have a significant impact on travel time, leading to life-threatening delays for time-sensitive injuries and medical emergencies. In this study, we examined travel times to hospitals in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the largest and […]
Key determinants of induced abortion in women seeking postabortion care in hospital facilities in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Introduction: Despite the universal recognition of unsafe abortion as a major public health problem, very little research has been conducted to document its precipitating factors in Burkina Faso. Our aim was to investigate the key determinants of induced abortion in a sample of women who sought postabortion care. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional household survey […]
Where there is no toilet: Water and sanitation environments of domestic and facility births in Tanzania
Background: Inadequate water and sanitation during childbirth are likely to lead to poor maternal and newborn outcomes. This paper uses existing data sources to assess the water and sanitation (WATSAN) environment surrounding births in Tanzania in order to interrogate whether such estimates could be useful for guiding research, policy and monitoring initiatives.Methods: We used the […]
Improving the Quality of Adult Mortality Data Collected in Demographic Surveys: Validation Study of a New Siblings’ Survival Questionnaire in Niakhar, Senegal
Background:In countries with limited vital registration, adult mortality is frequently estimated using siblings’ survival histories (SSHs) collected during Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). These data are affected by reporting errors. We developed a new SSH questionnaire, the siblings’ survival calendar (SSC). It incorporates supplementary interviewing techniques to limit omissions of siblings and uses an event […]
