Importance The emergence of acute neurological symptoms in children necessitates immediate intervention. Although low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear the highest burden of neurological diseases, there is a scarcity of diagnostic and therapeutic resources. Therefore, current understanding of the etiology of neurological emergencies in LMICs relies mainly on clinical diagnoses and verbal autopsies. Objective To […]
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Midwives’ experiences of performing obstetric ultrasounds in antenatal care in eastern Ethiopia: Qualitative exploratory study
Background: In 2016, the World Health Organization recommended inclusion of an ultrasound scan as part of routine antenatal care to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, most rural women in Ethiopia do not have access to ultrasound scanning as part of their routine antenatal care. Recently, ultrasonography services were introduced at health centers in Harar, Kersa, and […]
Factors affecting antenatal care attendance in Soweto, Johannesburg: The three-delay model
Background: Antenatal care remains critical for identifying and managing complications contributing to maternal and infant mortality, yet attendance among women in South Africa persists as a challenge. Aim: This study aimed to understand the challenges faced by women attending antenatal care in Soweto, Johannesburg, using the three-delay model. Setting: This study was conducted in Soweto, […]
Household Hardships and Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Shocks in Eastern Ethiopia
Background COVID-19 resulted in enormous disruption to life around the world. To quell disease spread, governments implemented lockdowns that likely created hardships for households. To improve knowledge of consequences, we examine how the pandemic period was associated with household hardships and assess factors associated with these hardships. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using quasi-Poisson […]
Knowledge of COVID-19 Symptoms, Transmission, and Prevention: Evidence from Health and Demographic Surveillance in Southern Mozambique
Understanding community members’ knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and prevention is essential for directing public health interventions to reduce disease spread and improve vaccination coverage. Here, we describe knowledge of COVID-19 transmission, prevention, and symptoms among community residents in Mozambique. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 33,087 households in a Health and Demographic Surveillance System in […]
Burden of child mortality from malaria in high endemic areas: results from the CHAMPS Network using minimally invasive tissue sampling
Background Malaria is a leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide. However, accurate estimates of malaria prevalence and causality among patients who die at the country level are lacking due to the limited specificity of diagnostic tools used to attribute etiologies. Accurate estimates are crucial for prioritizing interventions and resources aimed at reducing malaria-related mortality. Methods […]
Health care-seeking behavior for child illnesses in western Kenya Qualitative findings from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Study
Background Child mortality in Kenya is 41 per 1,000 live births, despite extensive investment in maternal, newborn, and child health interventions. Caregivers’ health-seeking for childhood illness is an important determinant of child survival, and delayed healthcare is associated with high child mortality. We explore determinants of health-seeking decisions for childhood illnesses among caregivers in western […]
Post-mortem Investigation of Pneumonia Deaths in Children 1-59 Months in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia countries: An observational study from 2016 to 2022
Background The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network programme undertakes post-mortem minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), together with collection of ante-mortem clinical information, to investigate causes of childhood deaths across multiple countries. We aimed to evaluate the overall contribution of pneumonia in the causal pathway to death and the causative pathogens of fatal […]
Prevalence of Food Insecurity amid COVID-19 Lockdowns and Sociodemographic Indicators of Household Vulnerability in Harar and Kersa, Ethiopia
Background The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with widespread social disruptions, as governments implemented lockdowns to quell disease spread. To advance knowledge of consequences for households in resource-limited countries, we examine food insecurity during the pandemic period. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study and used logistic regression to examine factors associated with food insecurity. Data were […]
Experience on postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling to ascertain the cause of death determination in South African children: A case for implementing as standard of care
Determining the death burden for prioritising public health interventions necessitates detailed data on the causal pathways to death. Postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), incorporating histology, molecular and microbial culture diagnostics, enhances cause-of-death attribution, particularly for infectious deaths. MITS proves a valid alternative to full diagnostic autopsies, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Soweto, […]