Use of chicken eggshell to improve dietary calcium intake in rural sub-Saharan Africa
Undernutrition resulting from inadequate access to high-quality, nutritious food is a widespread issue in sub-Saharan Africa impacting the health and survival of mothers and their children. Inadequate dietary intake leads to a deficiency in nutrients including calcium, required for growth and physiological functioning. This study investigated the potential of increasing dietary calcium intake by the […]
The effect of an interactive weekly mobile phone messaging on retention in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV program: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (WELTEL PMTCT)
Background: Improving retention in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programs is critical to optimize maternal and infant health outcomes, especially now that lifelong treatment is immediate regardless of CD4 cell count). The WelTel strategy of using weekly short message service (SMS) to engage patients in care in Kenya, where mobile coverage […]
Mothers moving towards empowerment’ intervention to reduce stigma and improve treatment adherence in pregnant women living with HIV in Botswana: Study protocol for a pragmatic clinical trial
Background: With high rates of HIV and multiple vulnerable subgroups across diverse settings, there is a need for culturally based, HIV stigma reduction interventions. Pregnant women who are living with HIV are especially in need of services to protect not only their own but also their children’s lives. Uptake of HIV services worldwide is hindered […]
Cost-effectiveness and economies of scale of a mass radio campaign to promote household life-saving practices in Burkina Faso
Introduction Child health promotion through mass media has not been rigorously evaluated for cost-effectiveness in low-income and middle-income countries. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of a mass radio campaign on health-seeking behaviours for child survival within a trial in Burkina Faso and at national scale. Methods We collected provider cost data prospectively alongside a 35-month cluster […]
Exploring antenatal education content for couples in Blantyre, Malawi
Background: Despite advocating for male involvement in antenatal education, there is unmet need for antenatal education information for expectant couples. The objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the education content for couples during antenatal education sessions in Malawi. This is needed for the development of a tailor-made curriculum for couple […]
Joint spatial mapping of childhood anemia and malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional study of small-scale geographical disparities
Background: In epidemiological studies, several diseases share common risk factors or co-exist in their spatial prevalence. Disease mapping allows the health practitioners and epidemiologists to hypothesize the disease aetiology and gain better understanding of the geographical prevalence of the disease risks. Objective: This paper investigates the differences in small scale geographical variations and the underlying […]
Determinants of insecticide-treated net ownership and utilization among pregnant women in Nigeria
Background: Malaria during pregnancy is a major public health problem in Nigeria leading to increase in the risk of maternal mortality, low birth weight and infant mortality. This paper is aimed at highlighting key predictors of the ownership of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and its use among pregnant women in Nigeria. Methods. A total of […]
“If I had known, I would have applied”: Poor communication, job dissatisfaction, and attrition of rural health workers in Sierra Leone
Background: Sierra Leone’s health outcomes rank among the worst in the world. A major challenge is the shortage of primary healthcare workers (HCWs) in rural areas due to especially high rates of attrition. This study was undertaken to determine the drivers of job dissatisfaction and poor retention among Sierra Leone’s rural HCWs. Methods: Interviews were […]
Anaemia and its determinants among young children aged 6–23 months in Ethiopia (2005–2016)
Anaemia in children remains a significant public health threat. Recent numbers from Ethiopia showed that more than two-thirds of children under the age of 2 years were anaemic. This study aimed to investigate the determinants of anaemia throughout Ethiopia over 11 years, making use of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) rounds 2005, 2011 […]
Testing the contextual Interaction theory in a UHC pilot district in South Africa
Background: World-wide, there is growing universal health coverage (UHC) enthusiasm. The South African government began piloting policies aimed at achieving UHC in 2012. These UHC policies have been and are being rolled out in the ten selected pilot districts. Our study explored policy implementation experiences of 71 actors involved in UHC policy implementation, in one […]
