International Journal of MCH and AIDS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Retaining women in Option B+ services is crucial for eliminating new pediatric HIV infections. However, there are few studies on factors influencing retention at the district level. This study evaluates the factors associated with retention in two health districts of Cameroon. METHODS: From September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016, we reviewed the records of pregnant and breastfeeding women initiating Option B+, a lifelong approach to preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, between October 2013 and July 2014...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Even though Ghana has recorded an appreciable level of facility delivery compared to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the country still has a lot of regional and community variations in facility delivery where professional maternal health care is guaranteed. This study assessed the main factors associated with facility delivery in the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly of the Northern Region of Ghana. METHODS: Using a simple random sampling method, a retrospective community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 12, 2021 to October 17, 2021, among 306 postnatal women within 15 to 49 years who had delivered within the last six months...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Following the recorded progress in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the proportion of HIV-exposed infants who are uninfected (UIH) is increasing. These children are subject to infectious and non-infectious fragility. The purpose of this study was to assess infectious morbidity and mortality rates among UIH in Yaoundé, Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Infants were included in the study and defined as the study subjects if they were between the ages of 24 months or younger, if they were born to HIV-positive mothers, and if they were confirmed to be HIV-negative...

BACKGROUND: Limited research exists on the association between housing, life expectancy, and mortality disparities in the United States (US). Using longitudinal individual-level and pooled county-level mortality data from 1979 to 2020, we examine disparities in life expectancy, child and youth mortality, and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the US by several housing variables. METHODS: Using the 1979-2011 National Longitudinal Mortality Study (N=1,313,627) and the 2011-2020 linked county-level National Mortality Database and American Community Survey, we analyzed disparities in life expectancy and all-cause and cause-specific disparities by housing tenure, household crowding, and housing stability...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel respiratory virus, rapidly spread, and placed patients at increased risk for short and potentially long-standing medical illnesses. The pandemic necessitated the rapid implementation of virtual prenatal care via telemedicine in obstetrics to maintain social distancing measures. The aim of this study was to assess and understand the patient perspectives of the rapidly implemented virtual prenatal care via a telemedicine model during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic utilizing the Consolidated Framework in Implementation Research (CFIR)...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic response overwhelmed health systems, disrupting other services, including maternal health services. The disruptive effects on the utilization of maternal health services in low-resource settings, including Nigeria have not been well documented. We assessed maternal health service utilization, predictors, and childbirth experiences amidst COVID-19 restrictions in a rural community of Kumbotso, Kano State, in northern Nigeria. METHODS: Using an explanatory mixed methods design, 389 mothers were surveyed in January 2022 using validated interviewer-administered questionnaires, followed by in-depth interviews with a sub-sample (n=20)...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: High-quality prenatal care promotes adequate care throughout pregnancy by increasing patients' desires to return for follow-up visits. Almost 15% of women in the United States receive inadequate prenatal care, with 6% receiving late or no prenatal care. Only 63% of pregnant women in Florida receive adequate prenatal care, and little is known about their perceptions of high-quality prenatal care. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess women's perceptions of the quality of their prenatal care and to describe their preferences for seeking prenatal care that meets their needs...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Despite guidelines recommending an interval of at least 18-24 months between a live birth and the conception of the next pregnancy, nearly one-third of pregnancies in the United States are conceived within 18 months of a previous live birth. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between multiple immigration-related variables and interbirth intervals among reproductive-aged immigrant and refugee women living in the United States. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of reproductive-aged immigrant and refugee women in the United States...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Social determinants of health impact various clinical health outcomes in the population. We conducted this study to examine the impact of adverse social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics on maternal obesity among hospitalized pregnant women in the US and its potential differential impact on women of different races/ethnicities. METHODS: The nationwide pregnancy hospitalization data analyzed in this study were collected through the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database during 2016-2018...

BACKGROUND: Promoting the maternal health of pregnant women who are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; [PWLH]) is key to reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. Thus, inadequate birth preparedness plans, non-institutional delivery, and status concealment among PWLH contribute to the spread of HIV infection and threaten the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the birth preparedness plan and status disclosure among PWLH, as well as the prevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women...

A paramedic's role in the United Kingdom is to primarily respond and provide emergency medical care to patients in the community. Pediatric patients form a small percentage of ambulance call-outs per year, which impacts a paramedic's confidence and competence when implementing effective healthcare protocols due to few attempts and existing opportunities to address pediatric patients' needs. There are also pre-existing gaps and barriers in pediatric emergency paramedic education and the lack of exposure to that specific patient group for emergency medical service healthcare providers in the prehospital settings when responding to pediatric medical emergencies...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Socio-demographic factors are important risk factors for HIV infection. Maternal socio-demographic factors associated with HIV transmission from mother to child are not well elucidated to our knowledge. This study aimed to assess the maternal socio-demographic factors associated with HIV vertical transmission. METHODS: A matched case-control study was conducted among children under 15 years of age born to HIV-infected mothers; using a structured questionnaire...

"No man is an island unto himself" - John Donne According to the World Health Organization, health is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity." Our healthcare industry, public behaviors, and environment have grown exponentially with digital technologies in the era of the 4th industrial revolution. Due to rapid digitalization and easy availability of the internet, we are now online round the clock on our digital devices, leaving behind digital traces/information...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial adverse impact on the health and well-being of populations in the United States (US) and globally. Although COVID-19 vaccine disparities among US adults aged ≥18 years are well documented, COVID-19 vaccination inequalities among US children are not well studied. Using the recent nationally representative data, we examine disparities in COVID-19 vaccination among US children aged 5-17 years by a wide range of social determinants and parental characteristics...

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young adults in the United States (US) have experienced a significant increase in drug overdose mortality rates in the last two decades. During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, they experienced a lack of access to substance use disorder treatment, stay-home orders, school closure, social isolation, increased psychological distress, and financial strain. Few studies have examined the impact of the pandemic on monthly trends in drug-overdose mortality among youth by race/ethnicity...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a newly emerged coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) with varying degrees of disease manifestations. Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory functions. The study aimed to investigate the association between serum vitamin C concentration and outcomes of COVID-19 among adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)...

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of nucleic acids is the gold standard test for the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there is the probability of false-negative results with this test, which poses a threat to public health. Here, we highlight some important factors that should be considered for reducing the false-negative results of the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test.

For decades now, malaria has been an important public health concern in Africa, which bears the greatest burden for the disease, affecting children and adults alike. Although a few countries (Australia, Brunei, Singapore, and Algeria, among others) have previously eliminated malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO), on June 30, 2021, declared China malaria-free. This commentary seeks to explore what China did differently to eliminate malaria and what Africa can learn from China's experience. First, Africa can use innovative tools and strategies used by China to attain success...

Background and Objectives: Despite a well-established universal HIV diagnosis and treatment program, Botswana continues to face a high HIV prevalence, in large part due to persistent stigma, which particularly affects pregnant women and interferes with healthcare engagement. Tackling stigma as a fundamental cause of HIV disparities is an important but understudied aspect of current HIV interventions. Our multinational and multicultural team used a theory-driven, multi-stage iterative process to develop measures and interventions to first identify and then target the most culturally-salient aspects of stigma for mothers living with HIV in Botswana...

Background and Objective: Teenage pregnancy is considered a social and health problem because of its multifaceted consequences for pregnant teens, their family and society. The objectives of this article are 1) to describe the vulnerabilities encountered by pregnant teenagers and their relatives throughout the time of transition from pregnancy to motherhood and 2) to identify the strengths that are mobilized by these individuals during this period. Methods: The qualitative data collection and analysis methodology was based on John Dewey's Social Inquiry...