Determinants of health facility utilization for childbirth in rural western Kenya: Cross-sectional study
Background: Skilled attendance at delivery is recognized as one of the most important factors in preventing maternal death. However, more than 50% of births in Kenya still occur in non-institutional locations supported by family members and/or traditional birth attendants (TBAs). To improve this situation, a study of the determinants of facility delivery, including individual, family […]
Association between household environmental conditions and nutritional status of women of childbearing age in Nigeria
Maternal undernutrition remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Yet, most interventional programmes are focused on infant and child nutrition outcomes and not on maternal nutrition-related outcomes. Evidence suggests that the integration of household environmental interventions into nutrition actions can make a difference in reducing the burden of maternal undernutrition. This study […]
Who are CHWs? An ethnographic study of the multiple identities of community health workers in three rural Districts in Tanzania
Background: Numerous studies have examined the role of community health workers (CHWs) in improving the delivery of health services and accelerating progress towards national and international development goals. A limited but growing body of studies have also explored the interactions between CHWs’ personal, communal and professional identities and the implications of these for their profession. […]
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 […]
Determinants of dietary practice among pregnant women at the public hospitals in Bench-Sheko and Kaffa Zones, Southwest Ethiopia
Backgrounds: The frequency of poor dietary practice due to inappropriate dietary habits is higher during pregnancy compared to any other stage of the life cycle. Suboptimal dietary practices during pregnancy can increase the risk of intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, anemia, prenatal and infant mortality, and morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the […]
The role of gender power relations on women’s health outcomes: evidence from a maternal health coverage survey in Simiyu region, Tanzania
Background: Gender is a crucial consideration of human rights that impacts many priority maternal health outcomes. However, gender is often only reported in relation to sex-disaggregated data in health coverage surveys. Few coverage surveys to date have integrated a more expansive set of gender-related questions and indicators, especially in low- to middle-income countries that have […]
Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
Background A key component of achieving universal health coverage is ensuring that all populations have access to quality health care. Examining where gains have occurred or progress has faltered across and within countries is crucial to guiding decisions and strategies for future improvement. We used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study […]
Barriers in Implementing the PMTCT in Moretele Sub-District, South Africa: An Exploratory Study
The Prevention-of-Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program was introduced to prevent vertical transmission of HIV from a mother to her infant through pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding. Therefore, it is critical for the program to be accessible in primary health care facilities across the globe to increase treatment uptake and to eliminate child and maternal mortality rates caused […]
Improving sexual and reproductive health knowledge and practice in Mozambican families with media campaign and volunteer family health champions
Objective To increase knowledge, attitudes and practice of sexual and reproductive health and family planning and to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Mozambique. Design An implementation research project’s intermediate evaluation, applying two cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were planned for 316 subjects before and after interventions. Setting Research performed in Natikiri district of Nampula […]
The effects of health expenditure on infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from panel data analysis
Introduction: Although health expenditure in sub-Saharan African countries is the lowest compared with other regions in the world, most African countries have improved their budget allocations to health care over the past 15 years. The majority of health care sources in sub-Saharan Africa are private and largely involve out-of-pocket expenditure, which may prevent healthcare access. […]
