International prevalence patterns of low eGFR in adults aged 18-60 without traditional risk factors from a population-based cross-sectional disadvantaged populations eGFR epidemiology (DEGREE) study.

The disadvantaged populations eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) epidemiology (DEGREE) study was designed to gain insight into the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of undetermined cause (CKDu) using standard protocols to estimate the general-population prevalence of low eGFR internationally. Therefore, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of eGFR under 60 ml/min per 1.73m in adults aged 18-60, excluding participants with commonly known causes of CKD; an ACR (albumin/creatinine ratio) over 300 mg/g or equivalent, or self-reported or measured (HT) hypertension or (DM) diabetes mellitus, stratified by sex and location.

Surveillance of Excess Mortality Based on Community Perceptions of Funeral Frequency in Northern Malawi during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Supplementary methods of mortality surveillance are needed in settings with incomplete death registration. Local perceptions of mortality levels might be useful indicators of excess deaths. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a survey question asking respondents to evaluate the recent frequency of funerals in their community relative to a pre-pandemic baseline.

Controlling the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi: Results from a multi-round study.

We investigated behavioral responses to COVID-19 in Malawi, where a first wave of the pandemic occurred between June and August 2020. Contrary to many countries on the African continent, the Government of Malawi did not impose a lockdown or a stay-at-home order in response to the initial spread of SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesized that, in the absence of such requirements to restrict social interactions, individuals would primarily seek to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during contacts, rather than reduce the extent of their social contacts.