Lockdown-associated hunger may be affecting breastfeeding: Findings from a large sms survey in South Africa
The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on food security and child health is especially concerning. A rapid, Short Message Service (SMS) Maternal and Child Health survey was conducted in South Africa in June 2020 (n = 3140), with a follow-up in July 2020 (n = 2287). This was […]
Association of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s Funding With Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Kenya
Importance: From 2004 to 2014, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) invested more than $248 000 000 in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in Kenya. Concurrently, child mortality in Kenya decreased by half. Objective: To identify the extent to which the decrease in child mortality in Kenya is associated with PEPFAR […]
Results-based financing to increase uptake of skilled delivery services in The Gambia: using the ‘three delays’ model to interpret midline evaluation findings
Background: Delays in accessing skilled delivery services are a major contributor to high maternal mortality in resource-limited settings. In 2015, the government of The Gambia initiated a results-based financing intervention that sought to increase uptake of skilled delivery. We performed a midline evaluation to determine the impact of the intervention and explore causes of delays. […]
Applying a system dynamics modelling approach to explore policy options for improving neonatal health in Uganda
Background: The most recent reports on global trends in neonatal mortality continue to show alarmingly slow progress on improvements in neonatal mortality rates, with sub-Saharan Africa still lagging behind. This emphasised the urgent need to innovatively employ alternative solutions that take into account the intricate complexities of neonatal health and the health systems in which […]
Childbirth at home and associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Maternal mortality remains a major challenge to health systems worldwide. Although most pregnancies and births are uneventful, approximately 15% of all pregnant women develop potentially life-threatening complications. Childbirth at home in this context can be acutely threatening, particularly in developing countries where emergency care and transportation are less available. Therefore, this systematic review and […]
Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers in azezo district, northwest Ethiopia
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a very important, long lasting and cost effective intervention to help reduce the morbidity and mortality of infants. However, a large proportion of infants are not exclusively breastfed as recommended by the World Health Organization. The study aim was to assess the exclusive breastfeeding practices and identify determinants among mothers […]
Neighborhood-Based Socioeconomic Determinants of Cognitive Impairment in Zambian Children with HIV: A Quantitative Geographic Information Systems Approach
Background: Place-based inequalities, such as exposure to violence and access to nutritious food and clean water, may contribute to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-Associated cognitive impairment. In this study, we investigated neighborhood effects on cognition in children and adolescents with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 208 children with perinatally […]
Determinants and the impact of the National Health Insurance on neonatal mortality in Ghana
The national health insurance was established to increase access to health care services and the maternal component was later introduced to improve the health outcomes of both mother and child. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the factors that affect neonatal deaths as well as examine the effect of the Ghana Health […]
Determinants of postnatal depression in Sudanese women at 3 months postpartum: A cross-sectional study
Objectives: Maternal mental health is a neglected issue in Sudanese healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the factors associated with postnatal depression (PND) at 3 months postpartum in a sample of Sudanese women in Khartoum state. Setting: Recruitment was from two major public antenatal care (ANC) clinics in two maternity teaching hospitals […]
Health trends, inequalities and opportunities in South Africa’s provinces, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study
Background: Over the last 30 years, South Africa has experienced four â € colliding epidemics’ of HIV and tuberculosis, chronic illness and mental health, injury and violence, and maternal, neonatal, and child mortality, which have had substantial effects on health and well-being. Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors […]
