Young and vulnerable: Spatial-temporal trends and risk factors for infant mortality in rural South Africa (Agincourt), 1992-2007
Background. Infant mortality is an important indicator of population health in a country. It is associated with several health determinants, such as maternal health, access to high-quality health care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health policy and practices. Methods. A spatial-temporal analysis was performed to assess changes in infant mortality patterns between 1992-2007 and to identify […]
Early-life exposure to indoor air pollution or tobacco smoke and lower respiratory tract illness and wheezing in African infants: a longitudinal birth cohort study
Background Indoor air pollution (IAP) and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are associated with lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) or wheezing in children. However, the effect of the timing of these exposures, specifically antenatal versus postnatal, and of alternate fuel sources such as the increasingly used volatile organic compounds have not been well studied. We longitudinally […]
Prenatal hiv test uptake and its associated factors for prevention of mother to child transmission of hiv in East Africa
Identifying the socioeconomic and structural issues that act as enablers and/or barriers to HIV testing services is critical in combatting HIV/AIDS amongst mothers and children in Africa. In this study, we used a weighted sample of 46,645 women aged 15–49 who gave birth in the two years preceding the survey from the recent DHS dataset […]
Burden of invasive group B Streptococcus disease and early neurological sequelae in South African infants
Introduction: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. We aimed to evaluate the burden of invasive early-onset (0-6 days of life, EOD) and late-onset (7-89 days, LOD) GBS disease and subsequent neurological sequelae in infants from a setting with a high prevalence (29.5%) of HIV among pregnant women. Methods: […]
Bridging the policy-implementation gap in federal health systems: Lessons from the nigerian experience
The Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria-Maternal, Newborn and Child Health initiative supports efforts by the government of Nigeria to bridge primary health care (PHC) policies and services at three levels of government: federal, state and local. The paper suggests that understandings informed by complexity theory and complex adaptive systems have been helpful […]
Wireless versus routine physiologic monitoring after cesarean delivery to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in a resource-limited setting: protocol of type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study
Background: Women in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality during childbirth globally. Despite increases in facility-based childbirth, gaps in quality of care at facilities have limited reductions in maternal deaths. Infrequent physiologic monitoring of women around childbirth is a major gap in care that leads to delays in life-saving interventions for […]
Women’s knowledge towards neonatal danger signs and its associated factors in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: Reducing neonatal mortality is an essential part of the third Sustainable Development Goal, to end preventable child deaths. Neonatal danger signs are the most common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. In Ethiopia, most babies are born at home or are discharged from the health institutions in the first 24 h, as a result […]
Why do families still not receive the child support grant in South Africa? A longitudinal analysis of a cohort of families across South Africa
Background: Child cash transfers are increasingly recognised for their potential to reduce poverty and improve health outcomes. South Africa’s child support grant (CSG) constitutes the largest cash transfer in the continent. No studies have been conducted to look at factors associated with successful receipt of the CSG. This paper reports findings on factors associated with […]
Experiences of mothers and significant others in accessing comprehensive healthcare in the first 1000 days of life post-conception during COVID-19 in rural Uganda
Background: COVID-19 presented an unprecedented global public health challenge because of its rapid and relentless spread, and many countries instituted lockdowns to prevent the spread of infection. Although this strategy may have been appropriate to reduce infection, it presented unintended difficulties in rural Uganda, especially in maternal and born newborn care. For example, some services […]
Barriers to utilisation of antenatal care services in South Sudan: a qualitative study in Rumbek North County
Background: Access to adequate antenatal care (ANC) is critical in ensuring a good maternal health and in preventing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. South Sudan has one of the world’s poorest health indicators due to a fragile health system and a combination of socio-cultural, economic, and political factors. This study was conducted to identify […]
