Factors associated with stunting among pre-school children in southern highlands of Tanzania
Background: Stunting is a major public health problem in Africa and is associated with poor child survival and development. We investigate factors associated to child stunting in three Tanzanian regions.Methods: A cross-sectional two-stage cluster sampling survey was conducted among children aged 6-59 months. The sample included 1360 children aged 6-23 months and 1904 children aged […]
Overweight and obesity among women: Analysis of demographic and health survey data from 32 Sub-Saharan African Countries
Background: Overweight and obesity are risk factors for many chronic diseases globally. However, the extent of the problem in low-income countries like Sub-Saharan Africa is unclear. We assessed the magnitude and disparity of both phenomena by place of residence, level of education and wealth quintile using cross-sectional data from 32 countries. Methods: Demographic and Health […]
Multiple sexual partners and condom use among 10 – 19 year-olds in four districts in Tanzania: What do we learn?
Abstract. Background: Although some studies in Tanzania have addressed the question of sexuality and STIs among adolescents, mostly those aged 15 – 19 years, evidence on how multiple sexual partners influence condom use among 10 – 19 year-olds is limited. This study attempts to bridge this gap by testing a hypothesis that sexual relationships with […]
Group B Streptococcus Colonization among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at Tertiary Hospital in Rural Southwestern Uganda
Objectives. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with group B streptococcal anogenital colonization among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, a tertiary hospital. Methods. Cross-sectional study where 309 pregnant women ≥ thirty-five weeks of gestation attending antenatal clinic were consecutively recruited between January and March 2015. Anovaginal […]
Assessing women’s satisfaction with family planning services in Mozambique
Background The contraceptive prevalence rate in Mozambique was estimated as 11.3% in the last Demographic and Health Survey. The impact of family planning (FP) on women’s health and on the reduction of maternal mortality is well known. Methods Acknowledging the importance of user satisfaction in the utilisation of health services, exit interviews were used to […]
Reasons for low utilization of intrauterine device utilisation amongst short term contraceptive users in Hossana town, Southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Background: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are one of the long-acting, safe and effective methods of contraception in women across the world. However, this method is underutilised in many countries, including Ethiopia. Several quantitative studies have been used to address this problem and generated a list of factors associated with this problem. However, this list lacks detailed […]
Family influences on child nutritional outcomes in Nairobi’s informal settlements
Background: Improving child nutritional status is an important step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 3 in developing countries. Most child nutrition interventions in these countries remain variably effective because the strategies often target the child’s mother/caregiver and give limited attention to other household members. Quantitative studies have identified individual level factors, such […]
Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Background: Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) involves all people receiving the health services they need, of high quality, without experiencing financial hardship. Making progress towards UHC is a policy priority for both countries and global institutions, as highlighted by the agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work […]
Food insecurity and water insecurity in rural Zimbabwe: Development of multidimensional household measures
Background: With millions of people experiencing malnutrition and inadequate water access, FI and WI remain topics of vital importance to global health. Existing unidimensional FI and WI metrics do not all capture similar multidimensional aspects, thus restricting our ability to assess and address food-and water-related issues. Methods: Using the Sanitation, Hygiene and Infant Nutrition Efficacy […]
Characterizing potential risks of fecal–oral microbial transmission for infants and young children in Rural Zambia
Undernourished children in low-income contexts often suffer from environmental enteric disorder—damage to the intestines probably caused by chronic exposure to bacterial pathogens from feces. We aimed to identify strategies for reducing infants and young children’s (IYC) exposure to human and animal feces in rural farming families by conducting direct observation of 30 caregiver–infant dyads for […]
