Treating fever in children under 5 years of age: caregiver perceptions of community health worker services in Dangme West district, Ghana
Conclusions
Dissemination of information among priority groups can enhance utilization of CHW services. Exploring the perspective of both men and women to gain in-depth understanding on their views on male involvement will be useful for planning appropriate strategies to get more males involved in community-based child health programs. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Abbey, M., Bartholomew, L. K., Pappoe, M., van den Borne, B. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
The characteristics of, and risk factors for, child injuries in Andhra Pradesh, India: the Young Lives project
Conclusions
Urgent attention is needed to reduce child injuries and address risk factors according to local context. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Kataoka, E., Griffin, M., Durham, J. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Screening for psychological difficulties in young children in crisis: complementary cross-cultural validation
Conclusions
As shown by its validation in diverse contexts, use in other populations may help improve the delivery of mental health care to children in crises and low-resource settings. Additional research on the design and delivery of intervention models for crises remains essential. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Marquer, C., Barry, C., Mouchenik, Y., Djibo, D. M., Manzo, M. L., Trujillo Maza, E. M., Githaiga, S., Casas, G., Kirubi, B. W., Marichez, H., Falissard, B., Moro, M.-R., Grais, R. F. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
The relationship of weekend admission and mortality on the public medical wards at a Kenyan referral hospital
Conclusions
Among adult patients on the medical wards, patients admitted on weekends had similar mortality rates to those admitted on weekdays. This similarity may reflect a stable level of care or a generalized shortage of resources and staffing that subsumes any impact of weekly variations. Future research examining optimal staffing and resource levels is needed in such settings. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Stone, G. S., Aruasa, W., Tarus, T., Shikanga, M., Biwott, B., Ngetich, T., Andale, T., Cheriro, B. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Malnutrition prevalence and nutrition barriers in children under 5 years: a mixed methods study in Madagascar
Conclusions
Malnutrition rates are alarming. Health and nutritional education to improve health literacy and address misconceptions, and improvement in social services, are warranted. A multilateral approach with involvement of health and social service agencies and non-governmental organizations to plan effective preventative strategies, along with broader national and transnational strategies are instrumental to address the fundamental causes of lack of access to proper nutrition. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Asgary, R., Liu, M., Naderi, R., Grigoryan, Z., Malachovsky, M. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices regarding dengue fever in rural areas of Yemen
Conclusions
In rural areas of Yemen, people have a vague understanding of DF transmission and a negative attitude towards preventative practices. Efforts should be made to correct misconceptions about transmission of the disease and to highlight the importance of community participation in control activities. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Saied, K. G., Al-Taiar, A., Altaire, A., Alqadsi, A., Alariqi, E. F., Hassaan, M. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Prevalence of pneumonia and associated factors among indigenous children in Brazil: results from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition
Conclusions
The study results demonstrate that pneumonia is an important cause of illness among indigenous children throughout Brazil. The association between pneumonia and household characteristics suggests that indoor home environment is closely related to the respiratory health of indigenous children. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Cardoso, A. M., Horta, B. L., Santos, R. V., Escobar, A. L., Welch, J. R., Coimbra, C. E. A. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Pregnant women with HIV in rural Nigeria have higher rates of antiretroviral treatment initiation, but similar loss to follow-up as non-pregnant women and men
Conclusions
Pregnant women with HIV in rural Nigeria were more likely to initiate ART but were no more likely to be retained in care. Our findings underscore the importance of effective retention strategies across all patient groups, regardless of sex and pregnancy status. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Aliyu, M. H., Blevins, M., Megazzini, K. M., Parrish, D. D., Audet, C. M., Chan, N., Odoh, C., Gebi, U. I., Muhammad, M. Y., Shepherd, B. E., Wester, C. W., Vermund, S. H. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
When free healthcare is not free. Corruption and mistrust in Sierra Leone's primary healthcare system immediately prior to the Ebola outbreak
Conclusions
A lack of accountability in Sierra Leone's health sector appears pervasive at all levels. Petty corruption is rife. Understaffing leads to charging for free care in order to pay clinic-based ‘volunteers’ who function as vaccinators, health workers and birth attendants. Accountability interventions were found to have little impact on healthworker (mis)behaviour. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Pieterse, P., Lodge, T. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
Why the communicable/non-communicable disease dichotomy is problematic for public health control strategies: implications of multimorbidity for health systems in an era of health transition
In today's globalized world, rapid urbanization, mechanization of the rural economy, and the activities of trans-national food, drink and tobacco corporations are associated with behavioral changes that increase the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These changes include less healthy diet, lower physical activity, tobacco smoking and increased alcohol consumption. As a result, population health profiles are rapidly changing. For example, the global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus is expected to double by 2030, with 80% of adult cases occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Many LMIC are unde...
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Oni, T., Unwin, N. Tags: REVIEWS Source Type: research
Diagnostics in a digital age: an opportunity to strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes
Diagnostics play a critical role in clinical decision making, and in disease control and prevention. Rapid point-of-care (POC) tests for infectious diseases can improve access to diagnosis and patient management, but the quality of these tests vary, quality of testing is often not assured and there are few mechanisms to capture test results for surveillance when the testing is so decentralised. A new generation of POC molecular tests that are highly sensitive and specific, robust and easy to use are now available for deployment in low resource settings. Decentralisation of testing outside of the laboratory can put tremendo...
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Peeling, R. W. Tags: REVIEWS Source Type: research
Improving surgical systems in low- and middle-income countries: an inclusive framework for monitoring and evaluation
High disease burden and inadequate resources have formed the basis for advocacy to improve surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Current measures are heavily focused on availability of resources rather than impact and fail to fully describe how surgery can be more integrated into health systems. We propose a new monitoring and evaluation framework of surgical care in LMICs to integrate surgical diseases into broader health system considerations and track efforts toward improved population health. Although more discussion is required, we seek to broaden the dialogue of how to improve surgical care in LM...
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Bendix, P. G., Anderson, J. E., Rose, J. A., Noormahomed, E. V., Bickler, S. W. Tags: COMMENTARIES Source Type: research
The challenge of unreported and unprogrammed deworming for soil-transmitted helminth control programs
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) affects more than one billion people worldwide. WHO aims to control STH as a public health problem by providing periodic anthelminthic treatment to ≥75% of all at-risk children. Tracking progress toward this 2020 goal relies on accurate reporting of drug coverage. For STH, this is difficult because an unknown–but substantial–proportion of deworming occurs outside nationally-administered STH control programs, so-called ‘unprogrammed deworming.’ Further, coordination of intersectoral efforts needed to administer drugs to different risk groups–and to report...
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Addiss, D. G. Tags: COMMENTARIES Source Type: research
Fifty years of travel medicine epidemiology: what have we learnt?
(Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - November 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Steffen, R., Wilson, M. E. Tags: EDITORIAL Source Type: research
Reasons for loss to follow-up of patients with podoconiosis in the Amhara Region, northern Ethiopia
Conclusions
The consequences of podoconiosis are exacerbated by walking long distances, but in most areas, this is currently required of patients in order to receive treatment. We recommend expansion of services to widen treatment availability, since provision of transport to and from treatment centres is unlikely to be feasible. (Source: International Health)
Source: International Health - August 26, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Campion, A., Tamiru, A., Tsegay, G., Davey, G. Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research
