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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Preconceptional Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation In 2 Low-Resource Countries Results In Distinctly Different Igf-1/Mtor Placental Responses, Marisol Castillo-Castrejon, Ivana V. Yang, Elizabeth J. Davidson, Sarah J. Borengasser, Purevsuren Jambal, Jamie Westcott, Jennifer F. Kemp, Ana Garces, Sumera Aziz Ali, Sarah Saleem Dec 2020

Preconceptional Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation In 2 Low-Resource Countries Results In Distinctly Different Igf-1/Mtor Placental Responses, Marisol Castillo-Castrejon, Ivana V. Yang, Elizabeth J. Davidson, Sarah J. Borengasser, Purevsuren Jambal, Jamie Westcott, Jennifer F. Kemp, Ana Garces, Sumera Aziz Ali, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Preconceptional maternal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation (SQLNS) improved intrauterine linear growth in low-resource countries as demonstrated by the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial (WF). Fetal growth is dependent on nutrient availability and regulated by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) through changes in placental transfer capacity, mediated by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.
Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the role of placental mTOR and IGF-1 signaling on fetal growth in women from 2 low-resource countries with high rates of stunting after they received preconceptional SQLNS.
Methods: We studied 48 women from preconception through delivery who were …


Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Towards Covid-19 Among Pakistani Residents: Information Access And Low Literacy Vulnerabilities, Zafar Fatmi, Shafaq Mahmood, Waqas Hameed, Ibtisam Qazi, Muhammad Siddiqui, Anny Dhanwani, Sameen Siddiqi Dec 2020

Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Towards Covid-19 Among Pakistani Residents: Information Access And Low Literacy Vulnerabilities, Zafar Fatmi, Shafaq Mahmood, Waqas Hameed, Ibtisam Qazi, Muhammad Siddiqui, Anny Dhanwani, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has accentuated the need for speedy access to information. Digital divide and socio-demographic disparity create an information hiatus and therefore unhealthy practices with regard to dealing with COVID-19, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Aims: We assessed knowledge, attitudes, practices and their determinants regarding COVID-19 in Pakistan during March-April 2020.
Methods: 905 adults ≥18 years (males and females) participated: 403 from a web-based survey; 365 from an urban survey; and 137 from a rural survey. Frequency of adequate knowledge, attitudes and practices for the three populations was determined based on available global guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression …


The Relationship Between Birth Intervals And Adverse Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes In Six Low And Lower-Middle Income Countries, Melissa Bauserman, Kayla Nowak, Tracy L. Nolen, Jackie Patterson, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Archana B. Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Sarah Saleem, Saleem Jessani Nov 2020

The Relationship Between Birth Intervals And Adverse Maternal And Neonatal Outcomes In Six Low And Lower-Middle Income Countries, Melissa Bauserman, Kayla Nowak, Tracy L. Nolen, Jackie Patterson, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Archana B. Patel, Patricia L. Hibberd, Sarah Saleem, Saleem Jessani

Community Health Sciences

Background: Due to high fertility rates in some low and lower-middle income countries, the interval between pregnancies can be short, which may lead to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Methods: We analyzed data from women enrolled in the NICHD Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) from 2013 through 2018. We report maternal characteristics and outcomes in relationship to the inter-delivery interval (IDI, time from previous delivery [live or stillborn] to the delivery of the index birth), by category of 6-17 months (short), 18-36 months (reference), 37-60 months, and 61-180 months (long). We used non-parametric tests for maternal characteristics, and …


Stillbirth 2010-2018: A Prospective, Population-Based, Multi-Country Study From The Global Network, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Sarah Saleem, Shivaprasad S. Gouda, Ana Garces, Ryan Whitworth, Fabian Esamai, Archana B. Patel, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Musaku Mwenechanya, Elwyn Chomba Nov 2020

Stillbirth 2010-2018: A Prospective, Population-Based, Multi-Country Study From The Global Network, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Sarah Saleem, Shivaprasad S. Gouda, Ana Garces, Ryan Whitworth, Fabian Esamai, Archana B. Patel, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Musaku Mwenechanya, Elwyn Chomba

Community Health Sciences

Background: Stillbirth rates are high and represent a substantial proportion of the under-5 mortality in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). In LMIC, where nearly 98% of stillbirths worldwide occur, few population-based studies have documented cause of stillbirths or the trends in rate of stillbirth over time.
Methods: We undertook a prospective, population-based multi-country research study of all pregnant women in defined geographic areas across 7 sites in low-resource settings (Kenya, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Pakistan, and Guatemala). Staff collected demographic and health care characteristics with outcomes obtained at delivery. Cause of stillbirth was assigned by algorithm.
Results: From …


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 - …


Reports From The Nichd Global Network's Maternal And Newborn Health Registry: Supplement Introduction, Robert L. Goldenberg, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sarah Saleem, Patricia L. Hibberd, Jorge E. Tolosa, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Global Network Investigators Nov 2020

Reports From The Nichd Global Network's Maternal And Newborn Health Registry: Supplement Introduction, Robert L. Goldenberg, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sarah Saleem, Patricia L. Hibberd, Jorge E. Tolosa, Marion Koso-Thomas, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Global Network Investigators

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.


Lifetime Risk Of Diabetes In Metropolitan Cities In India, Shammi Luhar, Dimple Kondal, Rebecca Jones, Ranjit M. Anjana, Shivani A. Patel, Sanjay Kinra, Lynda Clarke, Mohammed K. Ali, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Muhammad Masood Kadir Nov 2020

Lifetime Risk Of Diabetes In Metropolitan Cities In India, Shammi Luhar, Dimple Kondal, Rebecca Jones, Ranjit M. Anjana, Shivani A. Patel, Sanjay Kinra, Lynda Clarke, Mohammed K. Ali, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Muhammad Masood Kadir

Community Health Sciences

Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to estimate the lifetime risk of diabetes and diabetes-free life expectancy in metropolitan cities in India among the population aged 20 years or more, and their variation by sex, age and BMI.
Methods: A Markov simulation model was adopted to estimate age-, sex- and BMI-specific lifetime risk of developing diabetes and diabetes-free life expectancy. The main data inputs used were as follows: age-, sex- and BMI-specific incidence rates of diabetes in urban India taken from the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (2010-2018); age-, sex- and urban-specific rates of mortality from period lifetables reported by …


Predictive Modeling For Perinatal Mortality In Resource-Limited Settings, Vivek V. Shukla, Barry Eggleston, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Musaku Mwenechanya, Elwyn Chomba, Carl Bose, Melissa Bauserman, Antoinette Tshefu, Sarah Saleem Nov 2020

Predictive Modeling For Perinatal Mortality In Resource-Limited Settings, Vivek V. Shukla, Barry Eggleston, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Musaku Mwenechanya, Elwyn Chomba, Carl Bose, Melissa Bauserman, Antoinette Tshefu, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Importance: The overwhelming majority of fetal and neonatal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Fetal and neonatal risk assessment tools may be useful to predict the risk of death.
Objective: To develop risk prediction models for intrapartum stillbirth and neonatal death.
Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study used data from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research population-based vital registry, including clinical sites in South Asia (India and Pakistan), Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Kenya), and Latin America (Guatemala). A total of 502 …


Air Pollution And Non Communicable Diseases, Zafar Fatmi, Shafaq Mahmood, Zainab Samad, Mohammad Wasay Nov 2020

Air Pollution And Non Communicable Diseases, Zafar Fatmi, Shafaq Mahmood, Zainab Samad, Mohammad Wasay

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.


Use Of Smokeless Tobacco Before Conception And Its Relationship With Maternal And Fetal Outcomes Of Pregnancy In Thatta, Pakistan: Findings From Women First Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Umber S. Khan, Farina Abrejo, Brandi Vollmer, Sarah Saleem, Michael K. Hambidge, Nancy F. Krebs, Jamie E. Westcott, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Omrana Pasha Oct 2020

Use Of Smokeless Tobacco Before Conception And Its Relationship With Maternal And Fetal Outcomes Of Pregnancy In Thatta, Pakistan: Findings From Women First Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Umber S. Khan, Farina Abrejo, Brandi Vollmer, Sarah Saleem, Michael K. Hambidge, Nancy F. Krebs, Jamie E. Westcott, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Omrana Pasha

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) consumption during pregnancy has adverse consequences for the mother and fetus. We aimed to investigate the effects of maternal pre-pregnancy SLT consumption on maternal and fetal outcomes in the district of Thatta, Pakistan.
Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of an individual randomized controlled trial of preconception maternal nutrition. Study participants were women of reproductive age residing in the district of Thatta, Pakistan. Participants were asked questions regarding the usage of commonly consumed SLT known as gutka (exposure variable). Study outcomes included maternal anemia, miscarriage, preterm births, stillbirths, and low birth weight. We performed a …


Measuring Service Quality And Assessing Its Relationship To Contraceptive Discontinuation: A Prospective Cohort Study In Pakistan And Uganda, Karen T. Chang, Nirali M. Chakraborty, Amanda M. Kalamar, Waqas Hameed, Ben Bellows, Karen A. Grépin, Agha Xaher Gul, Sarah E K. Bradley, Lynn M. Atuyambe, Dominic Montagu Oct 2020

Measuring Service Quality And Assessing Its Relationship To Contraceptive Discontinuation: A Prospective Cohort Study In Pakistan And Uganda, Karen T. Chang, Nirali M. Chakraborty, Amanda M. Kalamar, Waqas Hameed, Ben Bellows, Karen A. Grépin, Agha Xaher Gul, Sarah E K. Bradley, Lynn M. Atuyambe, Dominic Montagu

Community Health Sciences

Background: The quality of contraceptive counseling that women receive from their provider can influence their future contraceptive continuation. We examined (1) whether the quality of contraceptive service provision could be measured in a consistent way by using existing tools from 2 large-scale social franchises, and (2) whether facility quality measures based on these tools were consistently associated with contraceptive discontinuation.
Methods: We linked existing, routinely collected facility audit data from social franchise clinics in Pakistan and Uganda with client data. Clients were women aged 15-49 who initiated a modern, reversible contraceptive method from a sampled clinic. Consented participants completed an …


Regulation, Quality Reporting And Third-Party Certification Of Healthcare Providers, Amir Jahan Khan, Muhammad Ashar Malik Oct 2020

Regulation, Quality Reporting And Third-Party Certification Of Healthcare Providers, Amir Jahan Khan, Muhammad Ashar Malik

Community Health Sciences

The newly established provincial healthcare commissions in Pakistan have started certification of healthcare providers. The policy-makers perceive that without third-party certification or licencing the healthcare quality will be suboptimal in the country. This paper reviews the current literature on third-party certification and studies objectives and progress of the largest healthcare commission in Pakistan. It analyses the certification role of the Punjab Healthcare Commission and draw lessons for future regulation and strengthening of the quality reporting process. It also documents the short-term and long-term trade-off resulting from the enforcement of quality certification in the absence of appropriate alternative investment in medical …


Household And Personal Air Pollution Exposure Measurements From 120 Communities In Eight Countries: Results From The Pure-Air Study, Matthew Shupler, Perry Hystad, Aaron Birch, Daniel Miller-Lionberg, Matthew Jeronimo, Raphael E. Arku, Yen Li Chu, Rehman Khawaja, Romaina Iqbal, Khawar Kazmi Oct 2020

Household And Personal Air Pollution Exposure Measurements From 120 Communities In Eight Countries: Results From The Pure-Air Study, Matthew Shupler, Perry Hystad, Aaron Birch, Daniel Miller-Lionberg, Matthew Jeronimo, Raphael E. Arku, Yen Li Chu, Rehman Khawaja, Romaina Iqbal, Khawar Kazmi

Community Health Sciences

Background: Approximately 2·8 billion people are exposed to household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels. Few monitoring studies have systematically measured health-damaging air pollutant (ie, fine particulate matter [PM2·5] and black carbon) concentrations from a wide range of cooking fuels across diverse populations. This multinational study aimed to assess the magnitude of kitchen concentrations and personal exposures to PM2·5 and black carbon in rural communities with a wide range of cooking environments.
Methods: As part of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) cohort, the PURE-AIR study was done in 120 rural communities in eight countries …


Healthcare Utilisation And Expenditure Patterns For Cardio-Metabolic Diseases In South Asian Cities: The Carrs Study, Priti Gupta, Kalpana Singh, Roopa Shivashankar, Kavita Singh, Ajay Vamadevan, V Mohan, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Nikhil Tandon, K M. Narayan, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Mohammed K. Ali Sep 2020

Healthcare Utilisation And Expenditure Patterns For Cardio-Metabolic Diseases In South Asian Cities: The Carrs Study, Priti Gupta, Kalpana Singh, Roopa Shivashankar, Kavita Singh, Ajay Vamadevan, V Mohan, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Nikhil Tandon, K M. Narayan, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Mohammed K. Ali

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To estimate average annual expenditures per person, total economic burden and distress health financing associated with the treatment of five cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs-hypertension, diabetes, heart disease (angina, myocardial infarction and heart failure), stroke and chronic kidney disease) in three metropolitan cities in South Asia.
Design: Cross-sectional surveys.
Setting: We analysed community-based baseline data from the Centre for cArdio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) Study collected in 2010-2011 representing Chennai and New Delhi (India), and Karachi (Pakistan).
Participants: We used data from non-pregnant adults (≥20 years) from the aforementioned cities that responded to a cost-of-illness questionnaire. We estimated health …


Malnutrition And Food Insecurity In Child Labourers In Sindh, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study, Meesha Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Kausar S. Khan, Yusra Jumani, Neelma Amjad, Asaad Ahmed Nafees Sep 2020

Malnutrition And Food Insecurity In Child Labourers In Sindh, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study, Meesha Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Kausar S. Khan, Yusra Jumani, Neelma Amjad, Asaad Ahmed Nafees

Community Health Sciences

Background: Child labour is common in low- and middle-income countries. Although child labour is widespread in Pakistan, no data are available on the health of child labourers.
Aims: This study aimed to assess the food security, food intake and nutritional status of child labourers aged 5-14 years working in lower Sindh, Pakistan.
Methods: Child labourers aged 5-14 years working in agriculture, manufacturing industry, hotels and restaurants, domestic work and migrant child labourers working in vegetable markets were recruited using a respondent-driven sampling technique. Sociodemographic and nutrition information was obtained by an interviewer questionnaire. The children's height and weight were measured …


Prevalence And Determinants Of Anemia Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Thatta Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Zahid Abbasi, Babar Shahid, Ghazal Moin, K Michael Hambidge, Nancy F. Krebs, Jamie E. Westcott, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Robert L. Goldenberg, Sarah Saleem Sep 2020

Prevalence And Determinants Of Anemia Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Thatta Pakistan: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Zahid Abbasi, Babar Shahid, Ghazal Moin, K Michael Hambidge, Nancy F. Krebs, Jamie E. Westcott, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Robert L. Goldenberg, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Anemia is a major public health concern among women of reproductive age leading to high maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Of the prior studies conducted in Pakistan, most focused on large urban areas and did not explore the determinants of anemia among women of reproductive age (WRA) across socio-demographic, dietary, reproductive, and biological domains. Thus, we aimed to study the prevalence and determinants of anemia among WRA in rural Pakistan.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in the Thatta district of Pakistan from September 2018 to January 2019 and enrolled 150 non-pregnant, married women. Data collectors administered …


Brucellosis In Pakistan: A Neglected Zoonotic Disease, Meesha Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Mumtaz Ali Khan Sep 2020

Brucellosis In Pakistan: A Neglected Zoonotic Disease, Meesha Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Mumtaz Ali Khan

Community Health Sciences

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease; endemic but neglected in the South Asian countries including Pakistan. It causes economic loss to the livestock sector and leads to systemic infection in humans. Brucellosis was neglected in Pakistan since long. According to the Staged Tool for the Elimination of Brucellosis (STEB), Pakistan carries a grim landscape of the disease with no structured control activities. This article describes the five-year national brucellosis control strategic plan (2018-2023) formulated by the government of Pakistan using the one-health approach for the prevention and control of disease across the country. The plan incorporates components of surveillance, research, diagnostic …


A Comparison Of Mits Counseling And Informed Consent Processes In Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, And Ethiopia, Anam Shahil Feroz, Christina Paganelli, Milka Bunei, Beza Eshetu, Shahana Parveen, Sayyeda Reza, Chaitali Sanji, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sarah Saleem Aug 2020

A Comparison Of Mits Counseling And Informed Consent Processes In Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, And Ethiopia, Anam Shahil Feroz, Christina Paganelli, Milka Bunei, Beza Eshetu, Shahana Parveen, Sayyeda Reza, Chaitali Sanji, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Shivaprasad S. Goudar, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Globally, more than 5 million stillbirths and neonatal deaths occur annually. For many, the cause of death (CoD) is unknown. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) has been increasingly used in postmortem examinations for ascertaining the CoD in stillbirths and neonates. Our study compared the counseling and consent methods used in MITS projects in five countries in Africa and south Asia. Key informant interviews were conducted with researchers to describe the characteristics and backgrounds of counselors, the environment and timing of consent and perceived facilitators and barriers encountered during the consent process. Counselors at all sites had backgrounds in social science, …


Impact Of The Societal Response To Covid-19 On Access To Healthcare For Non-Covid-19 Health Issues In Slum Communities Of Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria And Pakistan: Results Of Pre-Covid And Covid-19 Lockdown Stakeholder Engagements, Syed A K Shifat Ahmed, Motunrayo Ajisola, Kehkashan Azeem, Pauline Bakibinga, Yen-Fu Chen, Narjis Rizvi, Syed Iqbal Azam, Romaina Iqbal, Ahsana Nazish, Komal Tabani Aug 2020

Impact Of The Societal Response To Covid-19 On Access To Healthcare For Non-Covid-19 Health Issues In Slum Communities Of Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria And Pakistan: Results Of Pre-Covid And Covid-19 Lockdown Stakeholder Engagements, Syed A K Shifat Ahmed, Motunrayo Ajisola, Kehkashan Azeem, Pauline Bakibinga, Yen-Fu Chen, Narjis Rizvi, Syed Iqbal Azam, Romaina Iqbal, Ahsana Nazish, Komal Tabani

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: With COVID-19, there is urgency for policymakers to understand and respond to the health needs of slum communities. Lockdowns for pandemic control have health, social and economic consequences. We consider access to healthcare before and during COVID-19 with those working and living in slum communities.
Methods: In seven slums in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan, we explored stakeholder perspectives and experiences of healthcare access for non-COVID-19 conditions in two periods: pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Results: Between March 2018 and May 2020, we engaged with 860 community leaders, residents, health workers and local authority representatives. Perceived common illnesses in …


Perceptions Of Stakeholders About The Role Of Health System In Suicide Prevention In Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Anila Anjum, Tazeen S. Ali, Nousheen Pradhan, Murad M. Khan Dr., Rozina Karmaliani Professor Jun 2020

Perceptions Of Stakeholders About The Role Of Health System In Suicide Prevention In Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Anila Anjum, Tazeen S. Ali, Nousheen Pradhan, Murad M. Khan Dr., Rozina Karmaliani Professor

Community Health Sciences

Background: Suicide is a serious global public health problem, with more than 800,000 people dying by suicide worldwide every year. 79% of suicides happen in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), where lack of national suicide prevention programs coupled with inadequate MH facilities for early identification and treatment of mental disorders add to seriousness of the problems. Although there is paucity of research, studies suggest that the rate of suicide in district Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), in northern Pakistan may be higher compared to rest of the country.
Methods: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of stakeholders about the role of …


Perceptions And Experiences Of Men And Women Towards Acceptability And Use Of Contraceptives In Underserved Areas Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Midline Qualitative Assessment Of Sukh Initiative, Karachi Pakistan, Sarah Saleem, Narjis Rizvi, Anam Feroz, Sayyeda Reza, Saleem Jessani, Farina Abrejo Jun 2020

Perceptions And Experiences Of Men And Women Towards Acceptability And Use Of Contraceptives In Underserved Areas Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Midline Qualitative Assessment Of Sukh Initiative, Karachi Pakistan, Sarah Saleem, Narjis Rizvi, Anam Feroz, Sayyeda Reza, Saleem Jessani, Farina Abrejo

Community Health Sciences

Background: Family planning (FP) is an essential component of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and contributes directly to SDG targets 3.7 and 5.6. In Pakistan, contraceptive use has remained stagnant over the past 5 years. This change has been very slow when compared to the FP2020 pledge. The Sukh initiative project was conceived and implemented to alleviate these challenges by providing access to quality contraceptive methods in some underserved areas of Karachi, Pakistan. A qualitative study was conducted to understand the perceptions and experiences of men and women towards acceptability and contraceptive use.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted at ten …


Assessing The Governance Of The Health Policy-Making Process Using A New Governance Tool: The Case Of Lebanon, Rasha Hamra, Sameen Siddiqi, Emma Carmel, Walid Ammar Jun 2020

Assessing The Governance Of The Health Policy-Making Process Using A New Governance Tool: The Case Of Lebanon, Rasha Hamra, Sameen Siddiqi, Emma Carmel, Walid Ammar

Community Health Sciences

Background: In the international agenda, it has become common to assert that the assessment of health system governance using a practical tool is crucial. This approach can help us better understand how health systems are being steered as well as to identify gaps in the decision-making process and their causes. The authors developed a new assessment tool, the Health Policymaking Governance Guidance Tool (HP-GGT), that was designed to be conceptually sound and practical. This tool enables policy-makers and stakeholders to systematically review and assess health system governance at policy-making level. This article presents first use of the HP-GGT in Lebanon, …


Factors Affecting The Utilization Of Antenatal Care Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age In The Rural Thatta, Pakistan: Findings From A Community-Based Case-Control Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Anam Feroz, Sarah Saleem, Zafar Fatmi, Muhammad Masood Kadir Jun 2020

Factors Affecting The Utilization Of Antenatal Care Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age In The Rural Thatta, Pakistan: Findings From A Community-Based Case-Control Study, Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Anam Feroz, Sarah Saleem, Zafar Fatmi, Muhammad Masood Kadir

Community Health Sciences

Background: There are differences in antenatal care (ANC) utilization between urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Although multiple factors have been studied affecting the utilization of general health care services, the effect of road network distance particularly on the utilization of ANC has not been assessed. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between road network distance from a health care facility and utilization of the ANC among women of reproductive age in Thatta Pakistan.
Methods: A community-based case-control study was conducted in district Thatta, Pakistan. Women who did not utilize ANC services during their last pregnancy were considered …


Prelacteal Feeding Practices In Pakistan: A Mixed-Methods Study, Muhammad Asim, Zarak Husain Ahmed, Mark D. Hayward, Elizabeth M. Widen Jun 2020

Prelacteal Feeding Practices In Pakistan: A Mixed-Methods Study, Muhammad Asim, Zarak Husain Ahmed, Mark D. Hayward, Elizabeth M. Widen

Community Health Sciences

Background: Prelacteal feeding, the feeding a newborn substances or liquids before breastfeeding, is a common cultural practice in Pakistan, but is associated with neonatal morbidity and mortality because it delays early initiation of breastfeeding. In this study, we sought to examine the social and cultural factors associated with prelacteal feeding in Pakistan.
Methods: This mixed-method study used data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-13. Findings from the survey were complemented by qualitative interviews with mothers and healthcare providers. In a subset of PDHS dyads (n = 1361) with children (0-23 months), descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable …


Associations Of Outdoor Fine Particulate Air Pollution And Cardiovascular Disease In 157 436 Individuals From 21 High-Income, Middle-Income, And Low-Income Countries (Pure): A Prospective Cohort Study, Perry Hystad, Andrew Larkin, Sumathy Rangarajan, Khalid F. Alhabib, Álvaro Avezum, Kevser Burcu Tumerdem Calik, Jephat Chifamba, Antonio Dans, Rafael Diaz, Romaina Iqbal Jun 2020

Associations Of Outdoor Fine Particulate Air Pollution And Cardiovascular Disease In 157 436 Individuals From 21 High-Income, Middle-Income, And Low-Income Countries (Pure): A Prospective Cohort Study, Perry Hystad, Andrew Larkin, Sumathy Rangarajan, Khalid F. Alhabib, Álvaro Avezum, Kevser Burcu Tumerdem Calik, Jephat Chifamba, Antonio Dans, Rafael Diaz, Romaina Iqbal

Community Health Sciences

Background: Most studies of long-term exposure to outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2·5) and cardiovascular disease are from high-income countries with relatively low PM2·5 concentrations. It is unclear whether risks are similar in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and how outdoor PM2·5 contributes to the global burden of cardiovascular disease. In our analysis of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, we aimed to investigate the association between long-term exposure to PM2·5 concentrations and cardiovascular disease in a large cohort of adults from 21 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries.
Methods: In this multinational, prospective cohort study, we studied 157 436 …


Substantial And Sustained Reduction In Under-5 Mortality, Diarrhea, And Pneumonia In Oshikhandass, Pakistan: Evidence From Two Longitudinal Cohort Studies 15 Years Apart, C L. Hansen, B J J. Mccormick, Iqbal Azam Syed, K Ahmed, J M. Baker, E Hussain, A Jahan, A F. Jamison, N Samji, Oshikhandass Diarrhea And Pneumonia Project, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Ahmed Jan May 2020

Substantial And Sustained Reduction In Under-5 Mortality, Diarrhea, And Pneumonia In Oshikhandass, Pakistan: Evidence From Two Longitudinal Cohort Studies 15 Years Apart, C L. Hansen, B J J. Mccormick, Iqbal Azam Syed, K Ahmed, J M. Baker, E Hussain, A Jahan, A F. Jamison, N Samji, Oshikhandass Diarrhea And Pneumonia Project, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Ahmed Jan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Oshikhandass is a rural village in northern Pakistan where a 1989-1991 verbal autopsy study showed that diarrhea and pneumonia were the top causes of under-5 mortality. Intensive surveillance, active community health education and child health interventions were delivered in 1989-1996; here we assess improvements in under-5 mortality, diarrhea, and pneumonia over this period and 15 years later.
Methods: Two prospective open-cohort studies in Oshikhandass from 1989 to 1996 (Study 1) and 2011-2014 (Study 2) enrolled all children under age 60 months. Study staff trained using WHO guidelines, conducted weekly household surveillance and promoted knowledge on causes and management of …


Risk Factors For Postpartum Sepsis: A Nested Case-Control Study, Samina Bakhtawar, Sana Sheikh, Rahat Qureshi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Beth Payne, Iqbal Azam Syed, Peter Von Dadelszen, Laura Magee May 2020

Risk Factors For Postpartum Sepsis: A Nested Case-Control Study, Samina Bakhtawar, Sana Sheikh, Rahat Qureshi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Beth Payne, Iqbal Azam Syed, Peter Von Dadelszen, Laura Magee

Community Health Sciences

Background: The Majority (99%) of maternal deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. The three most important causes of maternal deaths in these regions are postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and puerperal sepsis. There are several diagnostic criteria used to identify sepsis and one of the commonly used criteria is systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However, these criteria require laboratory investigations that may not be feasible in resource-constrained settings. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model based on risk factors and clinical signs and symptoms that can identify sepsis early among postpartum women.
Methods: A case-control study was nested in an …


Estimation Of The Burden Of Out-Of-Hospital Traumatic Cardiac Arrest In Karachi, Pakistan, Using A Cross-Sectional Capture-Recapture Analysis, Minaz Mawani, Syed Iqbal Azam, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Zainab Samad, Junaid Abdul Razzak May 2020

Estimation Of The Burden Of Out-Of-Hospital Traumatic Cardiac Arrest In Karachi, Pakistan, Using A Cross-Sectional Capture-Recapture Analysis, Minaz Mawani, Syed Iqbal Azam, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Zainab Samad, Junaid Abdul Razzak

Community Health Sciences

Background: The burden of trauma-related-out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in developing countries like Pakistan remains largely unexplored due to a lack of organized pre-hospital systems. In order to estimate the burden, we used a two-sample capture-recapture method which has been used in several domains to estimate difficult-to-count populations.
Methods: We obtained 3-month data from two sources: Records of two major EMS (emergency medical services) systems and five major hospitals providing coverage to the city's population. All adults with traumatic OHCA were included. Information on variables such as name, age, gender, date and time of arrest, cause of arrest, and destination hospital …


Associations Of Sickness Absence For Pain In The Low Back, Neck And Shoulders With Wider Propensity To Pain, David Coggon, Georgia Ntani, Karen Walker-Bone, Vanda E. Felli, Raul Harari, Lope H. Barrero, Sarah A. Felknor, Marianela Rojas, Anna Cattrell, Muhammad Masood Kadir May 2020

Associations Of Sickness Absence For Pain In The Low Back, Neck And Shoulders With Wider Propensity To Pain, David Coggon, Georgia Ntani, Karen Walker-Bone, Vanda E. Felli, Raul Harari, Lope H. Barrero, Sarah A. Felknor, Marianela Rojas, Anna Cattrell, Muhammad Masood Kadir

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: To explore the association of sickness absence ascribed to pain at specific anatomical sites with wider propensity to musculoskeletal pain.
Methods: As part of the CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) study, potential risk factors for sickness absence from musculoskeletal pain were determined for 11 922 participants from 45 occupational groups in 18 countries. After approximately 14 months, 9119 (78%) provided follow-up information about sickness in the past month because of musculoskeletal pain, including 8610 who were still in the same job. Associations with absence for pain at specific anatomical sites were assessed by logistic regression and summarised …


Do Recipients Of Cash Transfer Scheme Make The Right Decisions On Household Food Expenditure? A Study From A Rural District In Pakistan, Aminah Jahangir, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Shifa Habib May 2020

Do Recipients Of Cash Transfer Scheme Make The Right Decisions On Household Food Expenditure? A Study From A Rural District In Pakistan, Aminah Jahangir, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Shifa Habib

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To assess spending by beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme on monthly food commodities, and contribution of the cash grant programme on purchase of nutritious foods.
Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional survey of households enrolled in the Benazir Income Support Programme was conducted during July and August, 2013, in Matiari district of the Sindh province of Pakistan. Monthly household food expenditure on food commodities and use of the cash grant on type of food purchased was assessed through structured interviews of the beneficiaries. Results were computed in 2013 Pak rupees and converted to 2018 United States dollar. Women beneficiaries were …