Beyond the biomedical: Community resources for mental health care in rural Ethiopia
Background: The focus of discussion in addressing the treatment gap is often on biomedical services. However, community resources can benefit health service scale-up in resource-constrained settings. These assets can be captured systematically through resource mapping, a method used in social action research. Resource mapping can be informative in developing complex mental health interventions, particularly in […]
“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 […]
Health workers’ views on factors affecting caregiver engagement with bubble CPAP
Background: Severe respiratory distress is a leading cause of mortality among neonates in Malawi. Despite evidence on the safety, cost effectiveness and efficacy of bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in managing the condition, its use in Malawian health facilities is limited and little is known about caregivers’ engagement with perspectives of bubble CPAP. The […]
Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy: An investigative survey of women in 9 developing nations
Objectives. We examined pregnant women’s use of cigarettes and other tobacco products and the exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke (SHS) in 9 nations in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Methods. Face-to-face surveys were administered to 7961 pregnant women (more than 700 per site) between October 2004 and September 2005. […]
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 […]
The use of antenatal and postnatal care: Perspectives and experiences of women and health care providers in rural southern Tanzania
Background: Although antenatal care coverage in Tanzania is high, worrying gaps exist in terms of its quality and ability to prevent, diagnose or treat complications. Moreover, much less is known about the utilisation of postnatal care, by which we mean the care of mother and baby that begins one hour after the delivery until six […]
Acceptability of the distribution of DMPA-SC by community health workers among acceptors in the rural province of Lualaba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a pilot study
Objectives: The objective of this research is to assess the acceptability of the provision of subcutaneously administered depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) by nonclinically trained community health workers (CHWs) among acceptors in the rural province of Lualaba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Study design: In 2017, 34 CHWs received training in provision of […]
District decision-making for health in low-income settings: A case study of the potential of public and private sector data in India and Ethiopia
Many low-and middle-income countries have pluralistic health systems where private for-profit and not-for-profit sectors complement the public sector: data shared across sectors can provide information for local decision-making. The third article in a series of four on district decision-making for health in low-income settings, this study shows the untapped potential of existing data through documenting […]
Rwandan stakeholder perspectives of integrated family planning and HIV services
The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices among key Rwandan policymakers and stakeholders related to family planning (FP) and integrated HIV/FP services. Motivational in-depth interview format and content was developed after an extensive policy review. A convenience sample of 10 high-level HIV and FP Rwandan policymakers and stakeholders […]
A randomized group antenatal care pilot showed increased partner communication and partner HIV testing during pregnancy in Malawi and Tanzania
Background: HIV testing at antenatal care (ANC) is critical to achieving zero new infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Although most women are tested at ANC, they remain at risk for HIV exposure and transmission to their infant when their partners are not tested. This study evaluates how an HIV-enhanced and Centering-based group ANC model-Group ANC+ that […]
