Country-level assessment of missed opportunities for vaccination in south africa: Protocol for multilevel analysis
Background: Vaccination is one of the greatest public health interventions of all time. Vaccination coverage in South Africa has shown a steady improvement in reaching the national target. However, while there is progress nationally, there are districts within the country that are below the set target for vaccination coverage. One of the main drivers of […]
Educational films for improving screening and self-management of gestational diabetes in India and Uganda (GUIDES): study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial
Background: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rising rapidly in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most women with GDM in LMICs are undiagnosed and/or inadequately managed due to a lack of knowledge and skills about GDM on the part of both providers and patients. Following contextual analysis, we developed an educational/behavioural intervention […]
Effects of water quality, sanitation, handwashing, and nutritional interventions on diarrhoea and child growth in rural Kenya: a cluster-randomised controlled trial
Background: Poor nutrition and exposure to faecal contamination are associated with diarrhoea and growth faltering, both of which have long-term consequences for child health. We aimed to assess whether water, sanitation, handwashing, and nutrition interventions reduced diarrhoea or growth faltering. Methods: The WASH Benefits cluster-randomised trial enrolled pregnant women from villages in rural Kenya and […]
Evaluating the impact of community health volunteer home visits on child diarrhea and fever in the volta region, ghana: A cluster-randomized controlled trial
Background Although there is mounting evidence demonstrating beneficial effects of community health workers (CHWs), few studies have examined the impact of CHW programs focused on preventing infectious diseases in children through behavior changes. We assessed the preventive effects of community health volunteers (CHVs), who receive no financial incentive, on child diarrhea and fever prevalence in […]
The association between plasma choline, growth and neurodevelopment among Malawian children aged 6–15 months enroled in an egg intervention trial
Choline is an essential micronutrient that may influence growth and development; however, few studies have examined postnatal choline status and children’s growth and development in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this observational analysis was to examine associations of plasma choline with growth and development among Malawian children aged 6–15 months enrolled in an egg […]
Formative research and development of innovative tools for “better Outcomes in Labour Difficulty” (BOLD): Study protocol Obstetrics
Background: Most complications during labour and childbirth could be averted with timely interventions by skilled healthcare providers. Yet, the quality and outcomes of childbirth care remains suboptimal in many health facilities in low-resource settings. To accelerate the reduction of childbirth-related maternal, fetal and newborn mortality and morbidity, the World Health Organization has initiated the “Better […]
Evaluation of an adaptive, multimodal intervention to reduce postoperative infections following cesarean delivery in Ethiopia: study protocol of the CLEAN-CS cluster-randomized stepped wedge interventional trial
Background: We previously developed and pilot tested Clean Cut, a program to prevent postoperative infections by improving compliance with the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) and strengthening adherence to infection control practices. This protocol describes the CheckList Expansion for Antisepsis and iNfection Control in Cesarean Section (CLEAN–CS) trial evaluating our program’s ability to reduce infections […]
Lively Minds: improving health and development through play-a randomised controlled trial evaluation of a comprehensive ECCE programme at scale in Ghana
Introduction Many children in developing countries grow up in environments that lack stimulation, leading to deficiencies in early years of development. Several efficacy trials of early childhood care and education (ECCE) programmes have demonstrated potential to improve child development; evidence on whether these effects can be sustained once programmes are scaled is much more mixed. […]
Verbal autopsy interpretation: A comparative analysis of the InterVA model versus physician review in determining causes of death in the Nairobi DSS
Background: Developing countries generally lack complete vital registration systems that can produce cause of death information for health planning in their populations. As an alternative, verbal autopsy (VA) – the process of interviewing family members or caregivers on the circumstances leading to death – is often used by Demographic Surveillance Systems to generate cause of […]
Association of Care Environment with HIV Incidence and Death among Orphaned, Separated, and Street-Connected Children and Adolescents in Western Kenya
Importance: In 2015, there were nearly 140 million orphaned children globally, particularly in low- and middle-income regions, and millions more for whom the street is central to their everyday lives. A total of 16.6 million children were orphaned because of deaths associated with HIV/AIDS, of whom 90% live in sub-Saharan Africa. Although most orphaned and […]
