The free caesareans policy in low-income settings: An interrupted time series analysis in Mali (2003-2012)
Introduction: Several countries have instituted fee exemptions for caesareans to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of fee exemptions for caesareans on population caesarean rates taking into account different levels of accessibility. Methods: The observation period was from January 2003 to May 2012 in one Region and covered 11.7 million person-years. […]
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 […]
Mixed effects analysis of factors associated with health insurance coverage among women in sub-Saharan Africa
Introduction In the pursuit of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets of universal health coverage and reducing maternal mortality, many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have implemented health insurance policies over the last two decades. Given that there is a paucity of empirical literature at the sub-regional level, we examined the prevalence and factors associated with […]
Evidence of Concurrent Stunting and Obesity among Children under 2 Years from Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds in the Era of the Integrated Nutrition Programme in South Africa
In view of persistent stunting and increasing rates of obesity coexisting among children in the era of the Integrated Nutrition Programme, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determined concurrent stunting and obesity (CSO) and related factors using a random sample of child–mother pairs (n = 400) in Mbombela, South Africa. Sociodemographic data was collected using […]
Determinants and spatial distribution of institutional delivery in Ethiopia: evidence from Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Surveys 2019
Background: Over the past few decades, maternal and child mortality had drawn the attention of governments and policymakers. Institutional delivery has been among the implementations needed to reduce maternal and child mortality. The fact that the problem was persisted intensified studies to research for more factors. Thus, the current study was intended for further analyses […]
A qualitative study of women’s network social support and facility delivery in rural Ghana
Similar to many sub-Saharan African countries, maternal mortality in Ghana ranks among the highest (39 th ) globally. Prior research has demonstrated the impact of social network characteristics on health facility delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. However, in-depth examination of the function of all members in a woman’s network, in providing various types of support for […]
Body size preferences and food choice among mothers and children in Malawi
Overweight in mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly increasing and may be related to body size perceptions and preferences. We enrolled 268 mother–child (6–59 months) pairs in central Malawi; 71% of mothers and 56% of children were overweight/obese, and the remainder were normal weight. Interviewers used seven body silhouette drawings and a questionnaire […]
Biomarkers of systemic inflammation and growth in early infancy are associated with stunting in young Tanzanian children
Stunting can afflict up to one-third of children in resource-constrained countries. We hypothesized that low-grade systemic inflammation (defined as elevations in serum C-reactive protein or alpha-1-acid glycoprotein) in infancy suppresses the growth hormone–insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis and is associated with subsequent stunting. Blood samples of 590 children from periurban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were […]
Determinants of prelacteal feeding practices among mothers of children aged less than 24 months in ile-ife Southwest Nigeria: A community cross-sectional study
Introduction: prelacteal feeding remains an obstacle in achieving the best breastfeeding practices in the country. The growing poor breastfeeding practices are made worse by the continued engagement of the communities in prelacteal feeding practices. This study aimed at assessing the determinants of prelacteal feeding among mothers of children aged less than 24 months in Ile-Ife […]
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 […]
