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Full-Text Articles in Women's Health

Determinants Of Immunization In Polio Super High-Risk Union Councils Of Pakistan, Ahmad Khan, Imtiaz Hussain, Dale A. Rhoda, Muhammad Umer, Uzair Ansari, Imran Ahmed, Caitlin Clary, Rana Muhammad Safdar, Sajid Bashir Soofi Dec 2023

Determinants Of Immunization In Polio Super High-Risk Union Councils Of Pakistan, Ahmad Khan, Imtiaz Hussain, Dale A. Rhoda, Muhammad Umer, Uzair Ansari, Imran Ahmed, Caitlin Clary, Rana Muhammad Safdar, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: The current polio epidemiology in Pakistan poses a unique challenge for global eradication as the country is affected by ongoing endemic poliovirus transmission. Across the country, 40 union councils (UCs) which serve as core reservoirs for poliovirus with continuous incidences of polio cases are categorized as super-high-risk union councils (SHRUCs).
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 39 SHRUCs using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique. 6,976 children aged 12-23 months were covered. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using STATA version 17.
Results: Based on both vaccination records and recall, 48.3% of children …


The Causes Of Preterm Neonatal Deaths In India And Pakistan (Purpose): A Prospective Cohort Study, Sangappa M. Dhaded, Sarah Saleem, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Kay Hwang, Gowdar Guruprasad, Gayathri H. Aradhya, Varun B. Kusagur, Sana Roujani, Sayyeda Reza Nov 2022

The Causes Of Preterm Neonatal Deaths In India And Pakistan (Purpose): A Prospective Cohort Study, Sangappa M. Dhaded, Sarah Saleem, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Kay Hwang, Gowdar Guruprasad, Gayathri H. Aradhya, Varun B. Kusagur, Sana Roujani, Sayyeda Reza

Community Health Sciences

Background: Preterm birth remains the major cause of neonatal death worldwide. South Asia contributes disproportionately to deaths among preterm births worldwide, yet few population-based studies have assessed the underlying causes of deaths. Novel evaluations, including histological and bacteriological assessments of placental and fetal tissues, facilitate more precise determination of the underlying causes of preterm deaths. We sought to assess underlying and contributing causes of preterm neonatal deaths in India and Pakistan.
Methods: The project to understand and research preterm pregnancy outcomes and stillbirths in South Asia (PURPOSe) was a prospective cohort study done in three hospitals in Davangere, India, and …


Effect Of Bovine Lactoferrin On Seroconversion Following Polio Vaccine Administration In Children: Protocol For A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial, Atif Habib, Sidrah Nausheen, Shanila Nooruddin, Tooba Javed, Tariq Samejo, Amjad Hussain, Suneeta Namdave, Sehrish Amirali, Muhammad Umer, Lumaan Sheikh May 2022

Effect Of Bovine Lactoferrin On Seroconversion Following Polio Vaccine Administration In Children: Protocol For A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial, Atif Habib, Sidrah Nausheen, Shanila Nooruddin, Tooba Javed, Tariq Samejo, Amjad Hussain, Suneeta Namdave, Sehrish Amirali, Muhammad Umer, Lumaan Sheikh

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: The oral polio vaccine (OPV) has substantial results in eliminating wild poliovirus and the vaccine of choice in polio eradication. However, the mucosal immunity induced by the OPV is still uncertain. Literature has shown that bovine lactoferrin (BLF) is a safe and useful protein found in cow's milk with extraordinary antimicrobial, antiviral, antiinflammatory and immune-modulatory functions that help children's gut to fight against micro-organisms like poliovirus. However, limited data exist regarding the effect of BLF on polio vaccine immune response. The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of BLF in enhancing mucosal and humoral immunity in children following …


Urinary Incontinence: Understanding The Silent Plight Of Women, Yasmin Nadeem Parpio, Anmol Minaz, Sonia Ijaz Haider Apr 2022

Urinary Incontinence: Understanding The Silent Plight Of Women, Yasmin Nadeem Parpio, Anmol Minaz, Sonia Ijaz Haider

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as the complaint of involuntary loss of urine. UI affects both men and women but is more common in women. It has been identified as a World Health Organization priority. The burden related to UI at local, national, and global levels is huge and its impact in terms of physical, social, mental, and financial aspects makes it a concerning issue. However, there exist several barriers in terms of knowledge and attitude in seeking healthcare among women experiencing UI. This calls upon a multi-disciplinary approach involving professionals from different disciplines and tackling it with collaborative and …


Factors Associated With Home Delivery In Rural Sindh, Pakistan: Results From The Global Network Birth Registry, Afreen Sadia, Shafaq Mahmood, Farnaz Naqvi, Seemab Naqvi, Zahid Soomro, Sarah Saleem Mar 2022

Factors Associated With Home Delivery In Rural Sindh, Pakistan: Results From The Global Network Birth Registry, Afreen Sadia, Shafaq Mahmood, Farnaz Naqvi, Seemab Naqvi, Zahid Soomro, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: According to global estimates for 2017, nearly 295,000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide. Thus, approximately 810 women die every day due to pregnancy-related complications. This burden of maternal deaths in LMICs is primarily due to poor healthcare service utilization, as indicated by relatively low rates of institutional deliveries and skilled-birth attendance (SBA). We conducted this study with an aim to assess the factors associated with home delivery and its subsequent effect on the pregnancy outcome in rural Sindh, Pakistan.
Methods: Data for this study were taken from The Global Network's Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), which is a prospective, population-based …


Perspective On Newborn Screening (Nbs): Evidence Sharing On Conditions To Be Included In Nbs In Pakistan, Hafsa Majid, Lena Jafri, Sibtain Ahmed, Khadija Humayun, Salman Kirmani, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Bushra Moiz, Aysha Habib, Bushra Afroze Mar 2022

Perspective On Newborn Screening (Nbs): Evidence Sharing On Conditions To Be Included In Nbs In Pakistan, Hafsa Majid, Lena Jafri, Sibtain Ahmed, Khadija Humayun, Salman Kirmani, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Bushra Moiz, Aysha Habib, Bushra Afroze

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Newborn screening aims at detecting treatable disorders early so that the treatment can be initiated to prevent mortality and morbidity. Such programmes are well established in most developed countries, and all newborns are screened for selected metabolic, endocrine and other disorders based on disease epidemiology, testing and treatment availability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Even in developing countries, such screening programmes are initiated using heel prick capillary blood collected on filter paper. The current narrative review was planned to provide a perspective with evidence in favour of starting newborn screening for different disorders. The programme project should be initiated nationwide, taking one …


Understanding The Needs Of A Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring Program For Pregnant Women At High Risk For Pre-Eclampsia: Interpretive Qualitative Description Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Kristina De Vera, Nadia D. Bragagnolo, Sarah Saleem, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Emily Seto Feb 2022

Understanding The Needs Of A Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring Program For Pregnant Women At High Risk For Pre-Eclampsia: Interpretive Qualitative Description Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Kristina De Vera, Nadia D. Bragagnolo, Sarah Saleem, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Emily Seto

Community Health Sciences

Background: Lack of early risk detection, diagnosis, and treatment of pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia can result in high maternal mortality and morbidity not only in Pakistan but also in other low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). A potential tool for supporting pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia for early detection is telemonitoring (TM). However, there is a limited body of evidence on end-user needs and preferences to inform the design of the TM programs for pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia, specifically in LMICs such as Pakistan.
Objective: This study aims to explore the needs of …


Understanding Perceptions And Practices For Designing An Appropriate Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Implementation Package: Qualitative Exploratory Study, Shabina Ariff, Ikram Maznani, Maria Asif Bhura, Zahid Memon, Tayyaba Arshad, Tariq Ahmed Samejo, Shujaat Zaidi, Muhammad Umer, Imran Ahmed, Muhammad Atif Habib, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta Jan 2022

Understanding Perceptions And Practices For Designing An Appropriate Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Implementation Package: Qualitative Exploratory Study, Shabina Ariff, Ikram Maznani, Maria Asif Bhura, Zahid Memon, Tayyaba Arshad, Tariq Ahmed Samejo, Shujaat Zaidi, Muhammad Umer, Imran Ahmed, Muhammad Atif Habib, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a common outcome of preterm birth, which increases the risk of an infant's morbidity and mortality. Approximately 20 million infants are born with LBW globally per year. Since a significant number of births in Pakistan take place at home, it is important to focus on the use of kangaroo mother care (KMC), the practice of skin-to-skin contact, in communities to prevent neonatal mortality and morbidity.
Objective: We employed a formative research approach to understand the context of communities and facilities with regard to neonatal care and KMC practice. The broader aims were to inform …


The Family Planning "Know-Do" Gap Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age In Urban Pakistan, S Yameen, Sidrah Nausheen, I Hussain, K Hackett, Arjumand Rizvi, Uzair Ansari, Zohra S. Lassi, D Canning, I Shah, Sajid Bashir Soofi Sep 2021

The Family Planning "Know-Do" Gap Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age In Urban Pakistan, S Yameen, Sidrah Nausheen, I Hussain, K Hackett, Arjumand Rizvi, Uzair Ansari, Zohra S. Lassi, D Canning, I Shah, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Objective: To examine the prevalence and predictors of family planning (FP) know-do gaps among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) in low socio-economic urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan.
Design: This was a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected 7288 MWRA (16-49 years) to identify predictors of the know-do gap in FP using a logistic regression model.
Results: More than one third (35.5%) of MWRA had FP know-do gap, i.e., despite having a knowledge of contraceptives and desire to limit or delay childbearing, they were not using contraceptives. Women were less likely to use FP if they were getting older (25-35 years: …


Quality Of Inpatient Care Of Small And Sick Newborns In Pakistan: Perceptions Of Key Stakeholders, Nousheen Pradhan, Ammarah Ali, Sana Roujani, Sumera Aziz Ali, Samia Rizwan, Sarah Saleem, Sameen Siddiqi Sep 2021

Quality Of Inpatient Care Of Small And Sick Newborns In Pakistan: Perceptions Of Key Stakeholders, Nousheen Pradhan, Ammarah Ali, Sana Roujani, Sumera Aziz Ali, Samia Rizwan, Sarah Saleem, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Background: In LMICs including Pakistan, neonatal health and survival is a critical challenge, and therefore improving the quality of facility-based newborn care services is instrumental in averting newborn mortality. This paper presents the perceptions of the key stakeholders in the public sector to explore factors influencing the care of small and sick newborns and young infants in inpatient care settings across Pakistan.
Methods: This exploratory study was part of a larger study assessing the situation of newborn and young infant in-patient care provided across all four provinces and administrative regions of Pakistan. We conducted 43 interviews. Thirty interviews were conducted …


Effect Of Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Package On Neonatal Mortality Among Preterm And Low Birthweight Infants In Rural Pakistan: Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Shabina Ariff, Atif Habib, Zahid Memon, Tayyaba Arshad, Tariq Samejo, Ikram Maznani, Muhammad Umer, Amjad Hussain, Arjumand Rizvi, Imran Ahmed, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta Aug 2021

Effect Of Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Package On Neonatal Mortality Among Preterm And Low Birthweight Infants In Rural Pakistan: Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Shabina Ariff, Atif Habib, Zahid Memon, Tayyaba Arshad, Tariq Samejo, Ikram Maznani, Muhammad Umer, Amjad Hussain, Arjumand Rizvi, Imran Ahmed, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Neonatal mortality due to preterm birth and low birthweight remains a significant challenge in Pakistan. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a unique, low-cost intervention proven to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity and increase exclusive breastfeeding rates. However, KMC has not been attempted in community settings in Pakistan. We aim to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based KMC package to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality among preterm and low birthweight (LBW) infants, which will provide evidence for policy development and the large-scale implementation of KMC across the country.
Objective: The primary objective of this trial is to reduce …


Evaluation Of The Feasibility Of The Fast-M Maternal Sepsis Intervention In Pakistan: A Protocol, Sheikh Irfan Ahmed, Raheel Sikandar, Rubina Barolia, Bakhtawar M H. Khowaja, Kashif Ali Memon, James Cheshire, Catherine Dunlop, Arri Coomarasamy, Lumaan Sheikh, David Lissauer Jun 2021

Evaluation Of The Feasibility Of The Fast-M Maternal Sepsis Intervention In Pakistan: A Protocol, Sheikh Irfan Ahmed, Raheel Sikandar, Rubina Barolia, Bakhtawar M H. Khowaja, Kashif Ali Memon, James Cheshire, Catherine Dunlop, Arri Coomarasamy, Lumaan Sheikh, David Lissauer

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Maternal sepsis is a life-threatening condition, defined by organ dysfunction caused by infection during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It is estimated to account for between one-tenth and half (4.7% to 13.7%) of all maternal deaths globally. An international stakeholder group, including the World Health Organization, developed a maternal sepsis management bundle called "FAST-M" for resource-limited settings through a synthesis of evidence and international consensus. The FAST-M treatment bundle consists of five components: Fluids, Antibiotics, Source identification and control, assessment of the need to Transport or Transfer to a higher level of care and ongoing Monitoring (of the …


Uterine Artery Embolization Combined With Methotrexate For Broad Ligament Ectopic Pregnancy In A 30-Year Old Primigravida, Khurram Khaliq Bhinder, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Shaista Riaz, Samreen Aslam, Zouina Ameena Jun 2021

Uterine Artery Embolization Combined With Methotrexate For Broad Ligament Ectopic Pregnancy In A 30-Year Old Primigravida, Khurram Khaliq Bhinder, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Shaista Riaz, Samreen Aslam, Zouina Ameena

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

We present the case of 30-year old primigravida female at 11 weeks' gestation who was diagnosed to have ectopic pregnancy on obstetric ultrasound. An MRI pelvis was ordered to assess invasion into the posterior myometrium which confirmed a single right-sided broad ligament-extra uterine pelvic ectopic pregnancy with extrinsic mass effect on the right lower uterine segment without frank myometrial invasion. On an urgent basis, a uterine artery embolization (UAE) was performed by targeting the right femoral artery. Selective catheterization was performed of both uterine arteries and the right side showed a major feeder of the gestational sac. Supplied dose of …


Evaluating Motor Performance With The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test Of Motor Proficiency In Impoverished Pakistani Children, Zehra Habib Hasan, Fariha Shaheen, Arjumand Rizvi, Jelena Obradovic, Aisha Khan Yousafzai Jun 2021

Evaluating Motor Performance With The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test Of Motor Proficiency In Impoverished Pakistani Children, Zehra Habib Hasan, Fariha Shaheen, Arjumand Rizvi, Jelena Obradovic, Aisha Khan Yousafzai

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity of the modified Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test in identifying motor differences secondary to malnutrition and poverty.
Methods: This longitudinal cohort study was conducted at Nowshero Feroze, Sindh from 2013 to 2014 and comprised data drawn from children who participated in a randomised controlled trial, that assessed responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions in the first two years of life. Outcome measures included motor development assessed using Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test, child anthropometry and household economic and demographic information. Data was analysed using SPSS 15 and STATA 12.
Results: Of the 1058 children, …


Workplace Mistreatment And Mental Health In Female Surgeons In Pakistan, Mahim Malik, Hina Inam, Russell S. Martins, Mahin B N. Janjua, Nida Zahid, Sadaf Khan, Abida K. Sattar, Shaista Khan, Adil H. Haider, Ather Enam May 2021

Workplace Mistreatment And Mental Health In Female Surgeons In Pakistan, Mahim Malik, Hina Inam, Russell S. Martins, Mahin B N. Janjua, Nida Zahid, Sadaf Khan, Abida K. Sattar, Shaista Khan, Adil H. Haider, Ather Enam

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background: Despite workplace mistreatment, which includes harassment, bullying and gender discrimination(GD)/bias, being serious problems for female surgeons, there are limited data from lower-middle-income countries like Pakistan. This study explored harassment and GD/bias experienced by female surgeons in Pakistan, and the effects of these experiences on mental health and well-being.
Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted between July and September 2019 in collaboration with the Association of Women Surgeons of Pakistan, an organization consisting of female surgeons and trainees in Pakistan. An anonymous online survey was emailed directly, disseminated via social media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), and sent …


Predictors Of Iron Consumption For At Least 90 Days During Pregnancy: Findings From National Demographic Health Survey, Pakistan (2017-2018), Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Shama Razzaq, Nayab Khowaja, Sarah Gutkind, Fazal Ur Rehman, Nadir Suhail May 2021

Predictors Of Iron Consumption For At Least 90 Days During Pregnancy: Findings From National Demographic Health Survey, Pakistan (2017-2018), Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Shama Razzaq, Nayab Khowaja, Sarah Gutkind, Fazal Ur Rehman, Nadir Suhail

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Iron supplementation is considered an imperative strategy for anemia prevention and control during pregnancy in Pakistan. Although there is some evidence on the predictors of iron deficiency anemia among Pakistani women, there is a very limited understanding of factors associated with iron consumption among Pakistani pregnant women. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the predictors of iron consumption for at least ≥90 days during pregnancy in Pakistan.
Methods: We analyzed dataset from the nationally representative Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017-2018. The primary outcome of the current study was the consumption of iron supplementation for ≥90 days during the pregnancy …


Fears And Barriers: Problems In Breast Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment In Pakistan, Sidra Saeed, Muhammad Asim, Malik Muhammad Sohail Apr 2021

Fears And Barriers: Problems In Breast Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment In Pakistan, Sidra Saeed, Muhammad Asim, Malik Muhammad Sohail

Community Health Sciences

Background: Women in Pakistan lack appropriate awareness about diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer due to a range of multifaceted barriers. There is a dearth of literature examining the socio-cultural factors that inhibit women from breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment in Punjab, Pakistan. Addressing this gap, this qualitative study sought to identify and explore the barriers that hinder women from seeking timely screening and treatment.
Methods: In this process 45 women (age = 18-50 years) with breast cancer were purposively sampled and interviewed from the Punjab Institute of Nuclear Medicine (PINUM) hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Results: An inductive approach was …


Impact Of 10-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (Pcv10) On Nasopharyngeal Carriage In Children 2 Years Of Age: Data From A Four-Year Time Series Cross-Sectional Study From Pakistan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Shahira Shahid, Sajid Muhammad, Farah Khalid, Amjad Hussain, Sheraz Ahmed, Sadia Shakoor, Furqan Kabir, Aneeta Hotwani, Syed Asad Ali, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Fyezah Jehan, Najeeha Talat Iqbal Feb 2021

Impact Of 10-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (Pcv10) On Nasopharyngeal Carriage In Children 2 Years Of Age: Data From A Four-Year Time Series Cross-Sectional Study From Pakistan, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Shahira Shahid, Sajid Muhammad, Farah Khalid, Amjad Hussain, Sheraz Ahmed, Sadia Shakoor, Furqan Kabir, Aneeta Hotwani, Syed Asad Ali, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Fyezah Jehan, Najeeha Talat Iqbal

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

The dataset described in this paper was collected for a time-series cross-sectional study exploring the impact of 10-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV10) on nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage in children under 2 years of age from a rural population in Sindh, Pakistan. The study was carried out in two union councils of Matiari - Khyber and Shah Alam Shah Jee Wasi (Latitude 25.680298 / Longitude 68.502711). Data was collected on socio-demographics, clinical characteristics and vaccination status using android phone-based application. NP samples were collected using standard World Health Organisation (WHO) techniques, culture and serotyping was done using sequential Multiplex PCR described by …


Why Are The Pakistani Maternal, Fetal And Newborn Outcomes So Poor Compared To Other Low And Middle-Income Countries?, Aleha Aziz, Sarah Saleem, Tracy L. Nolen, Nousheen Akber Pradhan, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Saleem Jessani, Ana L. Garces, Patricia L. Hibberd, Janet L. Moore, Sameen Siddiqi Dec 2020

Why Are The Pakistani Maternal, Fetal And Newborn Outcomes So Poor Compared To Other Low And Middle-Income Countries?, Aleha Aziz, Sarah Saleem, Tracy L. Nolen, Nousheen Akber Pradhan, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Saleem Jessani, Ana L. Garces, Patricia L. Hibberd, Janet L. Moore, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan has among the poorest pregnancy outcomes worldwide, significantly worse than many other low-resource countries. The reasons for these differences are not clear. In this study, we compared pregnancy outcomes in Pakistan to other low-resource countries and explored factors that might help explain these differences.
Methods: The Global Network (GN) Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) is a prospective, population-based observational study that includes all pregnant women and their pregnancy outcomes in defined geographic communities in six low-middle income countries (India, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Kenya, Zambia). Study staff enroll women in early pregnancy and follow-up soon after …


Hemoglobin Concentrations And Adverse Birth Outcomes In South Asian Pregnant Women: Findings From A Prospective Maternal And Neonatal Health Registry, Sumera Aziz Ali, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Sarah Saleem, Archana B. Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sangappa Dhaded, Richard J. Derman, Janet L. Moore, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Robert L. Goldenberg Nov 2020

Hemoglobin Concentrations And Adverse Birth Outcomes In South Asian Pregnant Women: Findings From A Prospective Maternal And Neonatal Health Registry, Sumera Aziz Ali, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Sarah Saleem, Archana B. Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sangappa Dhaded, Richard J. Derman, Janet L. Moore, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Robert L. Goldenberg

Community Health Sciences

Background: While the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and pregnancy outcomes has been studied often, most reports have focused on a specific Hb cutoff used to define anemia. Fewer studies have evaluated pregnancy outcomes across the entire range of Hb values. Moreover, to date, most studies of the relationship of Hb concentrations to pregnancy outcomes have been done in high-income countries. Thus, we have sought to determine the relationship between the range of maternal Hb concentrations and adverse birth outcomes among South Asian pregnant women.
Methods: For this study, we used data collected from two South Asian countries (Pakistan - …


Researching The Delivery Of Health And Nutrition Interventions For Women And Children In The Context Of Armed Conflict: Lessons On Research Challenges And Strategies From Branch Consortium Case Studies Of Somalia, Mali, Pakistan And Afghanistan, Michelle F. Gaffey, Anushka Ataullahjan, Jai K. Das, Mohammed Shafiq Mirzazada, Moctar Tounkara, Abdirisak A. Dalmar, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta Oct 2020

Researching The Delivery Of Health And Nutrition Interventions For Women And Children In The Context Of Armed Conflict: Lessons On Research Challenges And Strategies From Branch Consortium Case Studies Of Somalia, Mali, Pakistan And Afghanistan, Michelle F. Gaffey, Anushka Ataullahjan, Jai K. Das, Mohammed Shafiq Mirzazada, Moctar Tounkara, Abdirisak A. Dalmar, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: The BRANCH Consortium recently conducted 10 mixed-methods case studies to investigate the provision of health and nutrition interventions for women and children in conflict-affected countries, aiming to better understand the dominant influences on humanitarian health actors' programmatic decision-making and how such actors surmount intervention delivery barriers. In this paper, the research challenges encountered and the mitigating strategies employed by the case study investigators in four of the BRANCH case study contexts are discussed: Somalia, Mali, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Discussion: Many of the encountered research challenges were anticipated, with investigators adopting mitigation strategies in advance or early on, but others …


Evaluating Implementation Of "Management Of Possible Serious Bacterial Infection (Psbi) When Referral Is Not Feasible" In Primary Health Care Facilities In Sindh Province, Pakistan, Maria Asif Bhura, Shabina Ariff, Shamim Ahmad Qazi, Zaitoon Qazi, Imran Ahmed, Yasir Bin Nisar, Zamir Suhag, Abdul Wahab Soomro, Sajid Bashir Soofi Oct 2020

Evaluating Implementation Of "Management Of Possible Serious Bacterial Infection (Psbi) When Referral Is Not Feasible" In Primary Health Care Facilities In Sindh Province, Pakistan, Maria Asif Bhura, Shabina Ariff, Shamim Ahmad Qazi, Zaitoon Qazi, Imran Ahmed, Yasir Bin Nisar, Zamir Suhag, Abdul Wahab Soomro, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Woman and Child Health

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a guideline in 2015 for managing Possible Serious Bacterial Infection (PSBI) when referral is not feasible in young infants aged 0-59 days. This guideline was implemented across 303 Basic Health Unit (BHU) Plus primary health care (PHC) facilities in peri-urban and rural settings of Sindh, Pakistan. We evaluated the implementation of PSBI guideline, and the quality of care provided to sick young infants at these facilities.
Methods: Thirty (10%) out of 303 BHU Plus facilities were randomly selected for evaluation. A survey team visited each facility for one day, assessed the health system …


Current Challenges Of Digital Health Interventions In Pakistan: Mixed Methods Analysis, Abdul Momin Kazi, Saad Ahmed Qazi, Nazia Ahsan, Sadori Khawaja, Fareeha Sameen, Muhammad Ayub Khan Mughal, Zabin Wajidali, Hussain Kalimuddin, Yasir Rauf, Fatima Mahmood Sep 2020

Current Challenges Of Digital Health Interventions In Pakistan: Mixed Methods Analysis, Abdul Momin Kazi, Saad Ahmed Qazi, Nazia Ahsan, Sadori Khawaja, Fareeha Sameen, Muhammad Ayub Khan Mughal, Zabin Wajidali, Hussain Kalimuddin, Yasir Rauf, Fatima Mahmood

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Digital health is well-positioned in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to revolutionize health care due, in part, to increasing mobile phone access and internet connectivity. This paper evaluates the underlying factors that can potentially facilitate or hinder the progress of digital health in Pakistan.
Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the current digital health projects and studies being carried out in Pakistan, as well as the key stakeholders involved in these initiatives. We aim to follow a mixed-methods strategy and to evaluate these projects and studies through a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis to …


Correction To: Epidemiology Of Patients Presenting To A Pediatric Emergency Department In Karachi, Pakistan, Nadir Ijaz, Matthew Strehlow, N Ewen Wang, Elizabeth Pirrotta, Areeba Tariq, Naseeruddin Mahmood, Swaminatha Mahadevan Aug 2020

Correction To: Epidemiology Of Patients Presenting To A Pediatric Emergency Department In Karachi, Pakistan, Nadir Ijaz, Matthew Strehlow, N Ewen Wang, Elizabeth Pirrotta, Areeba Tariq, Naseeruddin Mahmood, Swaminatha Mahadevan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.


Impact Of Conflict On Maternal And Child Health Service Delivery - How And How Not: A Country Case Study Of Conflict Affected Areas Of Pakistan, Jai K. Das, Zahra Ali Padhani, Sultana Jabeen, Arjumand Rizvi, Uzair Ansari, Malika Fatima, Ghulam Akbar, Wardah Ahmed, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta May 2020

Impact Of Conflict On Maternal And Child Health Service Delivery - How And How Not: A Country Case Study Of Conflict Affected Areas Of Pakistan, Jai K. Das, Zahra Ali Padhani, Sultana Jabeen, Arjumand Rizvi, Uzair Ansari, Malika Fatima, Ghulam Akbar, Wardah Ahmed, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Woman and Child Health

Introduction: In conflict affected countries, healthcare delivery remains a huge concern. Pakistan is one country engulfed with conflict spanning various areas and time spans. We aimed to explore the effect of conflict on provision of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH&N) services and describe the contextual factors influencing the prioritization and implementation in conflict affected areas of Pakistan (Balochistan and FATA).
Method: We conducted a secondary quantitative and a primary qualitative analysis. For the quantitative analysis, we stratified the various districts/agencies of Balochistan and FATA into the conflict categories of minimal-, moderate- and severe based on …


Health Systems Changes After Decentralisation: Progress, Challenges And Dynamics In Pakistan, Shehla Zaidi, Maryam Bigdeli, Etienne V. Langlois, Atif Riaz, David W. Orr, Nasir Idrees, Jesse B. Bump Jan 2019

Health Systems Changes After Decentralisation: Progress, Challenges And Dynamics In Pakistan, Shehla Zaidi, Maryam Bigdeli, Etienne V. Langlois, Atif Riaz, David W. Orr, Nasir Idrees, Jesse B. Bump

Community Health Sciences

Decentralisation is widely practised but its scrutiny tends to focus on structural and authority changes or outcomes. Politics and process of devolution implementation needs to be better understood to evaluate how national governments use the enhanced decision space for bringing improvements in the health system and the underlying challenges faced. We use the example of Pakistan's radical, politically driven provincial devolution to analyse how national structures use decentralisation opportunities for improved health planning, spending and carrying out transformations to the health system. Our narrative draws on secondary data sources from the PRIMASYS study, supplemented with policy roundtable notes from Pakistan. …


The Logistics Of Voucher Management: The Underreported Component In Family Planning Voucher Discussions, Moazzam Ali, Madeline Farron, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed Nov 2018

The Logistics Of Voucher Management: The Underreported Component In Family Planning Voucher Discussions, Moazzam Ali, Madeline Farron, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed

Community Health Sciences

Background: The purpose of health care vouchers or coupons is to receive a health service in exchange which is fully or partially subsidized, such as any treatment offered for communicable disease; for immunization; antenatal care-/postnatal care-related maternal health services; a family planning (FP) service; or to get a health commodity like a medicine. Vouchers are targeted for a group of people who can benefit the most such as on the basis of poverty ranking, marginalized or living in rural areas. According to the World Health Organization, voucher schemes in the area of sexual and reproductive health are considered of high …


What Influences Family Planning In Rural Pakistan: Franchised Service Provider And Community Health Worker Perspective, Waqas Hameed, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Muhammad Ishaque, Sharmeen Hussain, Xaher Gul, Hina Najmi, Shehla Noorani, Ghulam Mustafa, Asma Balal Jun 2018

What Influences Family Planning In Rural Pakistan: Franchised Service Provider And Community Health Worker Perspective, Waqas Hameed, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Muhammad Ishaque, Sharmeen Hussain, Xaher Gul, Hina Najmi, Shehla Noorani, Ghulam Mustafa, Asma Balal

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan has a low modern contraceptive prevalence rate, 26%, leading family planning (FP) programmes to explore partnerships with local private providers to improve access to quality FP services. This study aims to understand the socio-cultural and organizational factors that influence delivery of quality family planning services.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with private service providers and community health workers (CHW) in Marie Stopes Society's (MSS) social franchise network. A total of 31 providers and 28 CHWs from Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. The study used thematic content analysis to …


Does Courtesy Bias Affect How Clients Report On Objective And Subjective Measures Of Family Planning Service Quality? A Comparison Between Facility- And Home-Based Interviews, Waqas Hameed, Muhammad Ishaque, Xaher Gul, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Sharmeen Hussain, Wajahat Hussain, Aftab Ahmed, Asma Balal May 2018

Does Courtesy Bias Affect How Clients Report On Objective And Subjective Measures Of Family Planning Service Quality? A Comparison Between Facility- And Home-Based Interviews, Waqas Hameed, Muhammad Ishaque, Xaher Gul, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Sharmeen Hussain, Wajahat Hussain, Aftab Ahmed, Asma Balal

Community Health Sciences

Purpose: Despite a general understanding that exit interviews being conducted at service providers' facilities may influence clients' responses favorably to health professionals, there is very little evidence available that demonstrates the extent to which this problem exists. This study aimed at assessing and comparing clients' perceptions of the quality of family planning services and their satisfaction levels between facility- and home-based interviews.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clients receiving family planning services across three service delivery channels - nongovernmental organization (NGO) clinics, social franchise (SF) centers, and outreach camps. The survey took place from December 2015 to January …


Women's Experiences Of Mistreatment During Childbirth: A Comparative View Of Home- And Facility-Based Births In Pakistan, Waqas Hameed, Bilal Iqbal Avan Mar 2018

Women's Experiences Of Mistreatment During Childbirth: A Comparative View Of Home- And Facility-Based Births In Pakistan, Waqas Hameed, Bilal Iqbal Avan

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Respectful and dignified healthcare is a fundamental right for every woman. However, many women seeking childbirth services, especially those in low-income countries such as Pakistan, are mistreated by their birth attendants. The aim of this epidemiological study was to estimate the prevalence of mistreatment and types of mistreatment among women giving birth in facility- and home-based settings in Pakistan in order to address the lack of empirical evidence on this topic. The study also examined the association between demographics (socio-demographic, reproductive history and empowerment status) and mistreatment, both in general and according to birth setting (whether home- or facility-based). …