Lessons learned from setting up the Nahuche health and demographic surveillance system in the resourceconstrained context of northern Nigeria

Background: The present time reflects a period of intense effort to get the most out of public health interventions, with an emphasis on health systems reform and implementation research. Population health approaches to determine which combinations are better at achieving the goals of improved health and well-being are needed to provide a ready response to […]

Risk factors for mortality and effect of correct fluid prescription in children with diarrhoea and dehydration without severe acute malnutrition admitted to Kenyan hospitals: an observational, association study

Background: Diarrhoea causes many deaths in children younger than 5 years and identification of risk factors for death is considered a global priority. The effectiveness of currently recommended fluid management for dehydration in routine settings has also not been examined. Methods: For this observational, association study, we analysed prospective clinical data on admission, immediate treatment, […]

Development and upgrading of public primary healthcare facilities with essential surgical services infrastructure: A strategy towards achieving universal health coverage in Tanzania

Background: Infrastructure development and upgrading to support safe surgical services in primary health care facilities is an important step in the journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Quality health service provision together with equitable geographic access and service delivery are important components that constitute UHC. Tanzania has been investing in infrastructure development to offer […]

Impact of community-based health insurance on utilisation of preventive health services in rural Uganda: a propensity score matching approach

The effect of voluntary health insurance on preventive health has received limited research attention in developing countries, even when they suffer immensely from easily preventable illnesses. This paper surveys households in rural south-western Uganda, which are geographically serviced by a voluntary Community-based health insurance scheme, and applied propensity score matching to assess the effect of […]

Breastfeeding Interpersonal Communication, Mobile Phone Support, and Mass Media Messaging Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding at 6 and 24 Weeks Among Clients of Private Health Facilities in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Although most health facilities in urban Nigeria are privately owned, interventions to promote optimal breastfeeding practices in private facilities have not previously been implemented. Objectives: We tested the impact of a breastfeeding promotion intervention on early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding among clients of private facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: The intervention included […]

Service delivery point and individual characteristics associated with the adoption of modern contraceptive: A multi-country longitudinal analysis

Background Women who start using contraception (“adopters”) are a key population for family planning goals, but little is known about characteristics that predict the adoption of contraception as opposed to current use. We used prospective data from women and facilities for five countries, (Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso) and identified […]

The high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections is associated with stunting among children aged 6-59 months in Boricha Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Background: Prior studies reported controversial results about the association between intestinal parasitic infections and childhood under-nutrition. We investigated the association of intestinal parasitic infections with under-nutrition among children aged 6-59 months in Boricha Woreda, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: This community-based prospective cross-sectional study was carried out from January 1-30, 2019 among 622 children aged 6-59 months. […]

Validation of an Automated Wearable Camera-Based Image-Assisted Recall Method and the 24-h Recall Method for Assessing Women’s Time Allocation in a Nutritionally Vulnerable Population: The Case of Rural Uganda

Accurate data are essential for investigating relationships between maternal time-use patterns and nutritional outcomes. The 24 h recall (24HR) has traditionally been used to collect time-use data, however, automated wearable cameras (AWCs) with an image-assisted recall (IAR) may reduce recall bias. This study aimed to evaluate their concurrent criterion validity for assessing women’s time use […]

Effects of Menstrual Health and Hygiene on School Absenteeism and Drop-Out among Adolescent Girls in Rural Gambia

Poor knowledge and management of menstruation impacts girls’ school attendance and academic performance. This paper aims to explore how menstrual hygiene management practices and related factors influence school absenteeism and drop-out among primary and secondary school girls in rural Gambia. Mixed-method studies were conducted among students and key informants from 19 schools from July 2015–December […]

‘[We] learned how to speak with love’: a qualitative exploration of accredited social health activist (ASHA) community health worker experiences of the Mobile Academy refresher training in Rajasthan, India

Introduction Mobile Academy is a mobile-based training course for India’s accredited social health activist (ASHA) community health workers (CHW). The course, which ASHAs access by dialling a number from their phones, totals 4 hours of audio content. It consists of 11 chapters, each with their own quiz, and provides a cumulative pass or fail score […]