Evaluating quality neonatal care, call Centre service, tele-health and community engagement in reducing newborn morbidity and mortality in Bungoma county, Kenya
Background: Neonatal mortality is a major health burden in Bungoma County with the rate estimated at 31 per 1000 live births and is above the national average of 22 per 1000. Nonetheless, out of the nine sub county hospitals, only two are fairly equipped with necessary infrastructure and skilled personnel to manage neonatal complications such […]
Maternity waiting homes utilization and associated factors among childbearing women in rural settings of Finfinnee special zone, central Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study
Background Maternity waiting home (MWH) is one of the strategies designed for improved access to comprehensive obstetric care for pregnant women living far from health facilities. Hence, it is vital to promote MWHs for pregnant women in Ethiopia, where most people reside in rural settings and have a high mortality rate. Therefore, this study aimed […]
Hygienic disposal of stools and risk of diarrheal episodes among children aged under two years: Evidence from the Ghana Demographic Health Survey, 2003–2014
Background Most childhood diarrheal illnesses are a result of the faeco-oral transmission of infected food, water, and unclean fingers. The present paper was conducted to estimate the prevalence of hygienic disposal of stools (HDS) and its associated factors, and further quantify the impact of HDS on diarrheal diseases among children under two years. Methods A […]
Safe abortion service utilization and associated factors among insecurely housed women who experienced abortion in southwest Ethiopia, 2021: A communitybased cross-sectional study
Background Insecurely housed women are more vulnerable to physical and mental health issues than the general population, making access to a safe abortion more difficult. Though Ethiopia has a penal code regarding safe abortion care, there has been a dearth of studies investigating the safe abortion care practice among those insecurely housed women. Thus, this […]
Zinc deficiency and associated factors among pregnant women’s attending antenatal clinics in public health facilities of Konso Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Background Zinc is an essential mineral known to be important for the normal physiological functions of the immune system. It is one of the basic nutrients required during pregnancy for the normal development and growth of the fetus. However, Zinc deficiency during pregnancy causes irreversible effects on the newborn such as growth impairment, spontaneous abortion, […]
Patterns of child mortality in rural area of Burkina Faso: evidence from the Nanoro health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS)
Background: Half of global child deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding child mortality patterns and risk factors will help inform interventions to reduce this heavy toll. The Nanoro Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), Burkina Faso was described previously, but patterns and potential drivers of heterogeneity in child mortality in the district had not been […]
Causes of preterm and low birth weight neonatal mortality in a rural community in Kenya: evidence from verbal and social autopsy
Background: Under-five mortality in Kenya has declined over the past two decades. However, the reduction in the neonatal mortality rate has remained stagnant. In a country with weak civil registration and vital statistics systems, there is an evident gap in documentation of mortality and its causes among low birth weight (LBW) and preterm neonates. We […]
Evaluating the cascade of care for hypertension in Sierra Leone
Objective: To assess the care for hypertension in Sierra Leone, by the use of a cascade-of-care approach, to identify where the need for healthcare system interventions is greatest. Methods: Using data from a nationwide household survey on surgical conditions undertaken in 1956 participants ≥18 years from October 2019 to March 2020, a cascade of care for […]
Partner HIV serostatus disclosure and determinants of serodiscordance among prevention of mother to child transmission clients in Nigeria
Background: Serodiscordance exists when the known HIV result of one member of a couple pair is positive while that of his/her partner is negative. In sub-Saharan Africa, in stable long-term couple partnerships (married or cohabiting), serodiscordance is a growing source of HIV-transmissions. This study aimed to ascertain across Nigeria, serodiscordance prevalence, partner HIV status disclosure […]
Prevalence of hepatitis D virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Hepatitis D virus (also known as hepatitis delta virus) can establish a persistent infection in people with chronic hepatitis B, leading to accelerated progression of liver disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, where HBsAg prevalence is higher than 8%, hepatitis D virus might represent an important additive cause of chronic liver disease. We aimed to establish […]