International Public Health Commons^™

Reducing Barriers To Accessing Fistula Repair: Establishing A Baseline In Ebonyi, Population Council

Reproductive Health

As a partner on the Fistula Care Plus (FC+) project, the Population Council is conducting implementation research that tests solutions to treatment barriers. Formative research in Nigeria’s Ebonyi State found that a lack of knowledge among lower-level providers and women and families of how the condition occurs, where treatment is available, and the signs and symptoms of obstetric fistula, as well as transportation costs, affect women’s access to screening and repair. Baseline data reveal the necessity of a comprehensive intervention to address fistula treatment barriers in Ebonyi. Not only do primary healthcare providers lack adequate knowledge of fistula, referral, and …

Reducing Barriers To Accessing Fistula Repair: Establishing A Baseline In Katsina, Population Council

Reproductive Health

As a partner on the Fistula Care Plus (FC+) project, the Population Council is conducting implementation research that tests solutions to treatment barriers. Formative research in Nigeria’s Katsina State found that a lack of knowledge among lower-level providers and women and families of how the condition occurs, where treatment is available, and the signs and symptoms of obstetric fistula, as well as transportation costs, affect women’s access to screening and repair. Baseline data reveal the necessity of a comprehensive intervention to address fistula treatment barriers in Katsina. Not only do primary healthcare providers lack adequate knowledge of fistula, referral, and …

Reducing Barriers To Accessing Fistula Repair: Establishing A Baseline In Uganda, Population Council

Reproductive Health

As a partner on the Fistula Care Plus (FC+) project, the Population Council is conducting implementation research that tests solutions to treatment barriers. Formative research in Uganda found that a lack of knowledge among lower-level providers and women and families of how the condition occurs, where treatment is available, and the signs and symptoms of obstetric fistula, as well as transportation costs, affect women’s access to screening and repair. Baseline data reveal the necessity of a comprehensive intervention to address fistula treatment barriers in Uganda. Not only do primary healthcare providers lack adequate knowledge of fistula, referral, and counseling, but …

Resilience And Community Response To Climate-Related Events: Case Studies From Four Countries, Aviva Klein Meyers, Karen Hardee

Reproductive Health

It is important for governments, aid organizations, and researchers to understand how developing communities respond to climate change and how their efforts can be improved within a framework of resilience thinking. This review explores the definition of resilience and, more specifically, community resilience and its components, then presents four case studies of community response to extreme weather events to illustrate community resilience in action. The review is intended to provide context for and inform more detailed exploration of community resilience in integrated programming (specifically, programming designed to improve health, environment, and population outcomes). It is also intended to capture references …

Results From Systematic Literature Review On Pe/E In Bangladesh, Karen Kirk, Amy Dempsey

Reproductive Health

By 2015, at the conclusion of the Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh had achieved a reduction in maternal death from 550 per 100,000 live births in 1990, to 170 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015. Despite this progress, there are still between 5,000 and 6,000 maternal deaths every year in Bangladesh, where 20 percent are the result of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E). This systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between January 2000 and July 2016 identified interventions adopted to manage PE/E throughout Bangladesh. Specifically, it looked at issues around quality of care, gaps in the evidence, and barriers to …

Results From Systematic Literature Review On Pe/E In Nigeria, Amy Dempsey, Karen Kirk

Reproductive Health

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, are consistently cited as a leading cause of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. A recent, nationwide cross-sectional survey found that PE/E contributes to 28.2 percent of national maternal deaths. The other main contributors to maternal mortality are hemorrhage and pregnancy-related infection or sepsis. To fully understand the key challenges, gaps, and interventions related to the prevention and treatment of PE/E, the Ending Eclampsia project conducted a systematic review of papers on PE/E in Nigeria published between 2000–15. The methods, results, and recommendations are discussed in this brief.

Workplace Health And The Garment Sector In Cambodia, Bunmey Yat, Carolyn Rodehau, David Wofford, Ashish Bajracharya

Reproductive Health

In Cambodia, there has been considerable investment in improving the well-being of factory workers. Understanding the key stakeholders and their roles in improving worker health is essential for policy change and ensuring that interventions achieve sustainable, long-term impact in and around the workplace. This policy brief presents selected findings from a stakeholder and situational analysis undertaken by the Cambodia Worker Health Coalition (WorkerHealth) to understand the stakeholder landscape and policy environment for women’s health in the garment industry in Cambodia, with the objective of identifying leading stakeholders and their relationships, as well as strategies and opportunities for collaboration. Collaboration and …

Uganda Retail Audit: Analysis And Report, The Evidence Project

Reproductive Health

This brief presents results of a retail audit, carried out in January 2016, that was commissioned as part of PATH’s work under the USAID-funded Evidence Project to conduct a landscape assessment of the feasibility of a Total Market Approach (TMA) in Uganda. This project also involved key informant interviews with stakeholders on their attitudes toward TMA principles and the collection of a Uganda Market Research Summary of existing family planning knowledge. The approach is based on an understanding that equitably meeting the diverse needs of different population segments requires increased coordination across sectors, including the public, private for-profit, and not-for-profit …

A Month In Manila, Robin M. Lund

Posters

Describes a global health learning experience at Philippines Children's Medical Center in Manila.

South Africa: Combatting The Rise Of Hiv In Adolescents, Ryan Northrup

Posters

Describes a global health learning experience in South Africa in 2017, focused on educating teenagers in schools about sexual health and AIDS prevention.

Sex With Sweethearts: Exploring Factors Associated With Inconsistent Condom Use Among Unmarried Female Entertainment Workers In Cambodia, Siyan Yi, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Khuondyla Pal, Chanrith Ngin, Kolab Chhim, Carinne M. Brody

Background: Despite the success in promoting condom use in commercial relationships, condom use with regular, noncommercial partners remains low among key populations in Cambodia. This study explores factors associated inconsistent condom use with sweethearts among unmarried sexually active female entertainment workers (FEWs).

Methods: In 2014, the probability proportional to size sampling method was used to randomly select 204 FEWs from entertainment venues in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for face-to-face interviews. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine independent determinants of inconsistent condom use.

Results: Of total, 31.4% of the respondents reported consistent condom use with …

How Understanding And Application Of Drug-Related Legal Instruments Affects Harm Reduction Interventions In Cambodia: A Qualitative Study, Sovannary Tuot, Chanrith Ngin, Khuondyla Pal, Sochenda Sou, Ghazal Sawez, Phylicia Morgan, Siyan Yi

Background: Harm reduction interventions in Cambodia face numerous obstacles because of conflicting understanding and interests and inconsistencies in the implementation by law enforcement officials. This study aims to examine how understanding and application of Drug Control Law (DCL) and Village/Commune Safety Policy (VCSP) affects harm reduction interventions in Cambodia from the standpoints of law enforcement officials, people who inject drugs and people who use drugs (PWID/PWUD), as well as other key stakeholders.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in the capital city of Phnom Penh in 2015. We held five focus group discussions (FGDs) with groups of PWID/PWUD, …

Hiv Prevalence, Risky Behaviors, And Discrimination Experiences Among Transgender Women In Cambodia: Descriptive Findings From A National Integrated Biological And Behavioral Survey, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Srean Chhim, Khuondyla Pal, Gitau Mburu

Background: Transgender people are disproportionately affected by HIV. Despite their high vulnerability to HIV, lack of adequate epidemiological and surveillance data related to this population in many countries prevents provision of appropriate services. This paper summarizes descriptive findings from a national integrated biological and behavioral survey and discusses policy implications of the findings on HIV prevention among transgender women in Cambodia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2015 and February 2016. Participants were recruited from 20 sites in the capital city and 12 provinces of Cambodia using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method. Behavioral data were collected …

Health And Behavioral Factors Associated With Binge Drinking Among University Students In Nine Asean Countries, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Karl Peltzer, Supa Pengpid

Background: Heavy drinking among university students has been globally recognized as a major public health burden. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, studies on this issue have been scant, country-specific and in different time frames. The aim of this study was to identify social and behavioral factors associated with binge drinking among university students in nine ASEAN countries.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 among 8809 undergraduate university students from 13 universities in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam using self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted …

Prevalence And Associated Factors Of Illicit Drug Use Among University Students In The Association Of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Siyan Yi, Karl Peltzer, Supa Pengpid, Indri Hapsari Susilowati

Background: Illicit drug use among university students has been recognized as a global public health issue in recent years. It may lead to poor academic performance that in turn leads to poor productivity in their later life. This study explores prevalence of and factors associated with illicit drug use among university students in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Methods: This multi-country cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. A multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select undergraduate students from one or two universities in each …

Transition Into Adult Care: Factors Associated With Level Of Preparedness Among Adolescents Living With Hiv In Cambodia, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Khuondyla Pal, Vohith Khol, Sovannary Tuot, Sokunmealiny Sau, Penhsun Ly

Background: Preparing adolescents for transition into adult care and supporting their acquisition of self-health care management skills is a critical determinant of their post-transition HIV care outcomes. However, there is a scarcity of research on effective transition strategies. This study explores factors associated with adolescent preparedness for transition into adult care in Cambodia.

Methods: In August 2016, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 223 adolescents living with HIV aged 15–17, randomly selected from 11 antiretroviral therapy clinics, utilizing a structured questionnaire. The level of preparedness was determined using a pre-existing scale, and adolescents were categorized as having a …

Awareness And Willingness To Use Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Siyan Yi, Sovannary Tuot, Grace W. Mwai, Chanrith Ngin, Kolab Chhim, Khuondyla Pal, Gitau Mburu

Introduction: To facilitate provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), a better understanding of potential demand and user preferences is required. This review assessed awareness and willingness to use oral PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) in LMIC.

Methods: Electronic literature search of Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, PsychINFO, CINHAL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted between July and September 2016. Reference lists of relevant studies were searched, and three authors contacted for additional data. Non-peer reviewed publications were excluded. Studies were screened for inclusion, and relevant data abstracted, assessed …

Hiv Prevalence And Factors Associated With Hiv Infection Among Transgender Women In Cambodia: Results From A National Integrated Biological And Behavioral Survey, Srean Chhim, Chanrith Ngin, Pheak Chhoun, Sovannary Tuot, Cheaty Ly, Phalkun Mun, Siyan Yi

Objective To examine factors associated with HIV infection among transgender women in Cambodia.

Design Cross-sectional study.

Settings HIV high-burden sites including the capital city and 12 provinces.

Participants This study included 1375 sexually active transgender women with a mean age of 25.9 years (SD 7.1), recruited by using respondent-driven sampling for structured questionnaire interviews and rapid finger-prick HIV testing.

Primary outcome measure HIV infection detected by using Determine antibody test.

Results HIV prevalence among this population was 5.9%. After adjustment for other covariates, participants living in urban areas were twice as likely to be HIV infected as those living in …

Utilization Of Traditional, Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Mental Health Among Patients With Chronic Diseases In Primary Health Care Settings In Cambodia, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Tyler Fleming, Carinne M. Brody

Background: Coping with chronic illnesses often involves major lifestyle changes that may lead to poor mental health. Furthermore, in order to treat the chronic conditions, many sufferers in Asia turn to traditional, complementary and alternative medicines (TCAM). This study explores prevalence of TCAM use and factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with chronic diseases in Cambodia.

Methods: In 2015, this cross-sectional study was conducted with outpatients receiving treatment and care for chronic diseases in two urban and two rural primary health centers. Every eligible patient was randomly selected at the health centers using a systematic sampling procedure. …

High Prevalence Of Non-Communicable Diseases And Associated Risk Factors Amongst Adults Living With Hiv In Cambodia, Pheak Chhoun, Sovannary Tuot, Anthony D. Harries, Nang Thu Thu Kyaw, Khuondyla Pal, Carinne M. Brody, Siyan Yi

BACKGROUND:

With rapid expansion of antiretroviral therapy for HIV, there are rising life expectancies among people living with HIV. As a result, co-morbidity from non-communicable diseases in those living and aging with HIV is increasingly being reported. Published data on this issue have been limited in Cambodia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and associated risk factors in adults living with HIV in Cambodia.

METHODS:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in five provinces of Cambodia from May-June 2015. Information was obtained on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics through face-to-face interviews using …