Progress in adolescent health and wellbeing: tracking 12 headline indicators for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016
Background: Rapid demographic, epidemiological, and nutritional transitons have brought a pressing need to track progress in adolescent health. Here, we present country-level estimates of 12 headline indicators from the Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing, from 1990 to 2016. Methods: Indicators included those of health outcomes (disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs] due to communicable, maternal, and […]
Women’s perspectives on the measures that need to be taken to increase the use of health-care facility delivery service among slums women, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Background: Global strategies to target high maternal mortality ratios are focused on providing skilled attendance at delivery along with access to emergency obstetric care. Research that examines strategies to increase facility-based skilled birth attendance among slum residents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is limited. Objective: The study aimed to explore women’s perspectives on the measures that […]
Electronic data capture in a rural African setting: Evaluating experiences with different systems in Malawi
Background: As hardware for electronic data capture (EDC), such as smartphones or tablets, becomes cheaper and more widely available, the potential for using such hardware as data capture tools in routine healthcare and research is increasing. Objective: We aim to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of four EDC systems being used simultaneously in rural Malawi: […]
Why are babies born before arrival at health facilities in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa? A qualitative study
Introduction: Babies born before arrival at a health facility have a higher risk of neonatal death and their mothers a higher risk of maternal death compared with those born in-facility. The study explored the reasons for mothers giving birth before arrival (BBA) at health facilities and their experiences of BBA. Methods: A qualitative research design […]
Determinants of good vitamin A consumption in the 12 East Africa Countries using recent Demographic and health survey
Background Vitamin A one of the important micronutrients that it cannot be made in the human body and must be taken from outside the body through the diet. Ensuring that vitamin A is available in any form in sufficient quantities remains a challenge, especially in regions where access to vitamin A-containing foods and healthcare interventions […]
Use of wind-up fetal Doppler versus Pinard for fetal heart rate intermittent monitoring in labour: A randomised clinical trial
Objectives: In resource-poor settings, the standard of care to inform labour management is the partograph plus Pinard stethoscope for intermittent fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring. We compared FHR monitoring in labour using a novel, robust wind-up handheld Doppler with the Pinard as a primary screening tool for abnormal FHR on perinatal outcomes. Design: Prospective equally […]
It does matter where you come from: Mothers’ experiences of childbirth in midwife obstetric units, Tshwane, South Africa
Background: Health professionals are striving to improve respectful care for women, but they fall short in the domains of effective communication, respectful and dignified care and emotional support during labour. This study aimed to determine women’s experiences of childbirth with a view to improving respectful clinical care practices in low-risk, midwife-led obstetric units in the […]
Quality of the delivery services in health facilities in Northern Ethiopia
Background: Substantial improvements have been observed in the coverage of and access to maternal health service, especially in skilled birth attendants, in Ethiopia. However, the quality of care has been lagging behind. Therefore, this study investigated the status of the quality of delivery services in Northern Ethiopia. Methods: A facility based survey was conducted from […]
Assessing health system responsiveness in primary health care facilities in Tanzania
Background: Health system performance is one of the important components of the health care delivery; its achievement depends on the quality of services rendered and the health system responsiveness of its beneficiaries. Health system responsiveness is a multi-dimensional concept and is usually measured through several domains. Health system responsiveness (HSR) remains to be a key […]
The REFANI-S study protocol: A non-randomised cluster controlled trial to assess the role of an unconditional cash transfer, a non-food item kit, and free piped water in reducing the risk of acute malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months living in camps for internally displaced persons in the Afgooye corridor, Somalia
Background: The prevalence of acute malnutrition is often high in emergency-affected populations and is associated with elevated mortality risk and long-term health consequences. Increasingly, cash transfer programmes (CTP) are used instead of direct food aid as a nutritional intervention, but there is sparse evidence on their nutritional impact. We aim to understand whether CTP reduces […]
