Factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Objective A non-negligible proportion of sub-Saharan African (SSA) households experience catastrophic costs accessing healthcare. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence to identify factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) incidence in the region. Methods We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, CNKI, Africa Journal Online, SciELO, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, and supplemented these […]
A mother’s choice: a qualitative study of mothers’ health seeking behaviour for their children with acute diarrhoea
Background: Diarrhoea presents a considerable health risk to young children and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality. Although proven cost-effective interventions exist, South Africa is yet to reach the Sustainable Development Goals set for the elimination of preventable under-five mortality and water-borne diseases. The rural study area in the Eastern Cape of […]
Barriers and facilitators in the provision of post-abortion care at district level in central Uganda – A qualitative study focusing on task sharing between physicians and midwives
Background: Abortion is restricted in Uganda, and poor access to contraceptive methods result in unwanted pregnancies. This leaves women no other choice than unsafe abortion, thus placing a great burden on the Ugandan health system and making unsafe abortion one of the major contributors to maternal mortality and morbidity in Uganda. The existing sexual and […]
Non-malaria fevers in a high malaria endemic area of Ghana
Background: The importance of fevers not due to malaria [non-malaria fevers, NMFs] in children in sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly being recognised. We have investigated the influence of exposure-related factors and placental malaria on the risk of non-malaria fevers among children in Kintampo, an area of Ghana with high malaria transmission. Methods: Between 2008 and 2011, […]
Overview and factors associated with pregnancies and abortions occurring in sex workers in Benin
Background: Behavioural and structural factors related to sex work, place female sex workers (FSWs) at high risk of maternal mortality and morbidity (MMM), with a large portion due to unintended pregnancies and abortions. In the African context where MMM is the highest in the world, understanding the frequency and determinants of pregnancy and abortion among […]
Achieving community-based postpartum follow up in eastern Uganda: The field experience from the MamaMiso Study on antenatal distribution of misoprostol ISRCTN70408620 ISRCTN
Background: Advance provision of misoprostol to women during antenatal care aims to achieve broader access to uterotonics for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. Studies of this community-based approach usually involve antenatal education as well as timely postpartum follow-up visits to confirm maternal and neonatal outcomes. The MamaMiso study in Mbale, Uganda sought to assess the […]
What makes staff consider leaving the health service in Malawi?
Background: Malawi faces a severe shortage of health workers, a factor that has contributed greatly to high maternal mortality in the country. Most clinical care is performed by mid-level providers (MLPs). While utilization of these cadres in providing health care is a solution to the current shortages, demotivating factors within the Malawian health system are […]
Women’s perceptions of and experiences with the use of misoprostol for treatment of incomplete abortion in central Malawi: a mixed methods study
Background: Abortion-related complications are among the common causes of maternal mortality in Malawi. Misoprostol is recommended for the treatment of first-trimester incomplete abortions but is seldom used for post-abortion care in Malawi. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study that used mixed methods was conducted in three hospitals in central Malawi. A survey was done on 400 […]
Where do delays occur when women receive antenatal care? A client flow multi-site study in four health facilities in Nigeria
Objectives: The objective of the study was to identify where delays occur when women present for antenatal care in four Nigerian referral hospitals, and to make recommendations on ways to reduce delays in the course of provision of antenatal care in the hospitals. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Four Nigerian (1 tertiary and 3 secondary) […]
From effectiveness to sustainability: Understanding the impact of CARE’s Community Score Card© social accountability approach in Ntcheu, Malawi
We evaluated the sustainability of CARE’s Community Score Card>© (CSC) social accountability approach in Ntcheu, Malawi, approximately 2.5 years after the end of formal intervention activities. Using a cross-sectional, exploratory design, we conducted 41 focus groups with members of Community Health Advisory Groups (CHAGs) and youth groups and 19 semi-structured interviews with local and district […]
