Utilizing passive sensing data to provide personalized psychological care in low-resource settings

Background: With the growing ubiquity of smartphones and wearable devices, there is an increased potential of collecting passive sensing data in mobile health. Passive data such as physical activity, Global Positioning System (GPS), interpersonal proximity, and audio recordings can provide valuable insight into the lives of individuals. In mental health, these insights can illuminate behavioral […]

Impact of a two-way short message service (SMS) to support maternally administered childhood mid-upper arm circumference monitoring and expand malnutrition screening in Kenya: The Mama Aweza trial protocol

Introduction Over 52 million children under 5 years of age become wasted each year, but only 17% of these children receive treatment. Novel methods to identify and deliver treatment to malnourished children are necessary to achieve the sustainable development goals target for child health. Mobile health (mHealth) programmes may provide an opportunity to rapidly identify […]

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Under-Five Children in Pastoral Communities of Afar Regional State, Northeast Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Malnutrition among children remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. In Ethiopia, malnutrition is one of the most serious public health problem and the biggest in the world. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among under-five children in pastoral communities of […]

Childhood Psychological Problems in School Settings in Rural Southern Africa

Background:Many children can be exposed to multiple adversities in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) placing them at potential risk of psychological problems. However, there is a paucity of research using large representative cohorts examining the psychological adjustment of children in school settings in these countries. Children’s psychological adjustment has been shown to affect educational progress […]

Household possession and use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in sierra leone 6 months after a national mass-distribution campaign

Background: In November 2010, Sierra Leone distributed over three million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) with the objective of providing protection from malaria to individuals in all households in the country. Methods: We conducted a nationally representative survey six months after the mass distribution campaign to evaluate its impact on household insecticide-treated net (ITN) ownership and […]

Minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers in Ataye District, North Shoa Zone, central Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

Background. Low dietary diversity superimposed with poor-quality monotonous diets is a major problem that often results in undernutrition, mainly micronutrient deficiencies. However, there is limited evidence on minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers in resource-poor settings, including the study area. Therefore, the objective of the study is to assess the prevalence of […]

Weight gain during pregnancy among women initiating dolutegravir in Botswana

Background: Recent data suggests clinically significant weight gain among non-pregnant HIV-positive adults after starting dolutegravir-based ART (DTG). Excess or insufficient weight gain in pregnancy could adversely impact pregnancy outcomes, but data for pregnant women receiving DTG are limited. Methods: The Tsepamo Study captured data at delivery sites in Botswana from 2014 to 2019. HIV testing, […]

Scaling up context-tailored clinical guidelines and training to improve childbirth care in urban, low-resource maternity units in Tanzania: A protocol for a stepped-wedged cluster randomized trial with embedded qualitative and economic analyses (The PartoMa Scale-Up Study)

While facility births are increasing in many low-resource settings, quality of care often does not follow suit; maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably high. Therefore, realistic, context-tailored clinical support is crucially needed to assist birth attendants in resource-constrained realities to provide best possible evidence-based and respectful care. Our pilot study in Zanzibar suggested […]

Exploring knowledge on danger signs of common childhood illnesses and associated factors among mothers of under-five children in central tigrai, ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Introduction Globally, a large number of under-five deaths have occurred from preventable and treatable common childhood illnesses. Therefore, early identification of general danger signs of common childhood illnesses and adhering to appropriate treatment helps to reduce morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of mothers and associated factors on general danger signs […]

Determinants of Poor Sleep Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Women Attending Antenatal Care Services at the Health Facilities of Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia: An Institutional-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Women’s ability to get sleep can be affected by pregnancy-related hormonal changes or other external stressful situations like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the proportion of poor sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic and its determinants among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) services. Methods: […]