Effect of a community health worker mHealth monitoring system on uptake of maternal and newborn health services in Rwanda
Background: In an effort to improve access to proven maternal and newborn health interventions, Rwanda implemented a mobile phone (mHealth) monitoring system called RapidSMS. RapidSMS was scaled up across Rwanda in 2013. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of RapidSMS on the utilization of maternal and newborn health services in Rwanda. […]
Emergency obstetrical care in Benin referral hospitals: ‘Near miss’ patients’ views
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate emergency obstetric care and the perceptions and expectations of women who experienced ‘near miss’ events to improve maternal health in Benin. METHODS: Qualitative survey in seven hospitals at the three referral levels of the health pyramid from July to October 2003. We used two methods: 557 women with near miss events were […]
Is religion the forgotten variable in maternal and child health? Evidence from Zimbabwe
The Apostolic faith, a rapidly growing and increasingly influential force in Zimbabwe, has received attention in the literature due to its potential role in shaping its followers’ attitudes and behaviours towards health. Existing literature, however, has only examined small cross-section samples from a few confined survey sites or has failed to adequately control for the […]
Protocol for analysing the epidemiology of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe: A civil registration and vital statistics trend study
Background Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) carries the highest burden of maternal mortality, yet, the accurate maternal mortality ratios (MMR) are uncertain in most SSA countries. Measuring maternal mortality is challenging in this region, where civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are weak or non-existent. We describe a protocol designed to explore the use of CRVS […]
Charting health system reconstruction in post-war Liberia: A comparison of rural vs. remote healthcare utilization
Background: Despite a growing global emphasis on universal healthcare, access to basic primary care for remote populations in post-conflict countries remains a challenge. To better understand health sector recovery in post-conflict Liberia, this paper seeks to evaluate changes in utilization of health services among rural populations across a 5-year time span. Methods: We assessed trends […]
Male involvement in maternal health: Perspectives of opinion leaders
Background: Twenty years after acknowledging the importance of joint responsibilities and male participation in maternal health programs, most health care systems in low income countries continue to face challenges in involving men. We explored the reasons for men’s resistance to the adoption of a more proactive role in pregnancy care and their enduring influence in […]
Caste in Muslim Pakistan: a structural determinant of inequities in the uptake of maternal health services
The failure to reduce maternal mortality rates in high-burden countries has led to calls for a greater understanding of structural determinants of inequities in access to maternal health services. Caste is a socially constructed identity that imposes structural disadvantages on subordinate groups. Although a South Asian construct, the existence of caste as a structural social […]
The Development and Inclusion of Questions on Surgery in the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey
Background: While primary data on the unmet need for surgery in low- and middle-income countries is lacking, household surveys could provide an entry point to collect such data. We describe the first development and inclusion of questions on surgery in a nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Zambia. Method: Questions regarding surgical conditions […]
Who has access to counseling and testing and anti-retroviral therapy in Malawi – An equity analysis
Background. The HIV and AIDS epidemic in Malawi poses multiple challenges from an equity perspective. It is estimated that 12% of Malawians are living with HIV or AIDS among the 15-49 age group. This paper synthesises available information to bring an equity lens on Counselling and Testing (CT) and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) policy, practice and […]
Using mobile health to support clinical decision-making to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes in Ghana: Insights of frontline health worker information needs
Background: Developing and maintaining resilient health systems in low-resource settings like Ghana requires innovative approaches that adapt technology to context to improve health outcomes. One such innovation was a mobile health (mHealth) clinical decision-making support system (mCDMSS) that utilized text messaging (short message service, SMS) of standard emergency maternal and neonatal protocols via an unstructured […]
