Distance to care, care seeking and child mortality in rural Burkina Faso: findings from a population-based cross-sectional survey
Objective: Although distance has been identified as an important barrier to care, evidence for an effect of distance to care on child mortality is inconsistent. We investigated the association of distance to care with self-reported care seeking behaviours, neonatal and post-neonatal under-five child mortality in rural areas of Burkina Faso. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional […]
Mapping geographical inequalities in oral rehydration therapy coverage in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000-17
Background: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home […]
Comparing level of food insecurity between households with and without home gardening practices in Zege, Amhara region, North West Ethiopia: Community based study
Background Globally, close to 1 billion people suffer from hunger and food insecurity. Evidence showed that prevalence of household food insecurity in Ethiopia is ranged from 25.5%-75.8%. Home gardening is one way to alleviate food insecurity. Hence, the study aimed to determine level of food insecurity and its associated factors between home gardening and non-home […]
Ready to deliver maternal and newborn care? Health providers’ perceptions of their work context in rural Mozambique
Background: Deficiencies in the provision of evidence-based obstetric care are common in low-income countries, including Mozambique. Constraints relate to lack of human and financial resources and weak health systems, however limited resources alone do not explain the variance. Understanding the healthcare context ahead of implementing new interventions can inform the choice of strategies to achieve […]
Prevalence and associated factors of early postnatal care service use among mothers who had given birth within the last 12 months in Adigrat town, Tigray, northern Ethiopia, 2018
Background: The care given for the first hours, days, and weeks after childbirth is life-threatening. So far, this period receives less attention from health-care providers than the care given to pregnancy and delivery. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of early postnatal care service use among mothers who had given birth […]
Patterns and predictors of gestational weight gain in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study
Introduction: Gaining excessive or inadequate gestational weight is associated with many adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of fetal growth restriction, pre-term birth, and low birth weight. It is a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and predictors […]
Exploring the effect of implementation and context on a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial of a vital sign triage device in routine maternity care in low-resource settings
Background: Interventions aimed at reducing maternal mortality are increasingly complex. Understanding how complex interventions are delivered, to whom, and how they work is key in ensuring their rapid scale-up. We delivered a vital signs triage intervention into routine maternity care in eight low- and middle-income countries with the aim of reducing a composite outcome of […]
Expectant fathers’ participation in antenatal care services in Papua New Guinea: A qualitative inquiry
Background: The importance of engaging men in maternal and child health programs is well recognised internationally. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), men’s involvement in maternal and child health services remains limited and barriers and enablers to involving fathers in antenatal care have not been well studied. The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes […]
Health service barriers to HIV testing and counseling among pregnant women attending Antenatal Clinic; A cross-sectional study
Background: HIV testing and counseling (HTC) remains critical in the global efforts to reach a goal of universal access to prevention and timely human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment and health care. Routine HIV testing has been shown to be cost-effective and life-saving by prolonging the life expectancy of HIV patients and reducing the annual HIV […]
HIV testing during pregnancy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ethiopia
Introduction HIV testing during pregnancy provides an entry point to prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to access treatment for HIV positive women. The study aimed to assess the uptake of HIV testing during pregnancy and associated factors among Ethiopian women. Methods We analyzed the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey dataset. Women who […]