"Why not bathe the baby today?": A qualitative study of thermal care beliefs and practices in four African sites.

Background: Recommendations for care in the first week of a newborn's life include thermal care practices such as drying and wrapping, skin to skin contact, immediate breastfeeding and delayed bathing. This paper examines beliefs and practices related to neonatal thermal care in three African countries.

Methods: Data were collected in the same way in each site and included 16-20 narrative interviews with recent mothers, eight observations of neonatal bathing, and in-depth interviews with 12-16 mothers, 9-12 grandmothers, eight health workers and 0-12 birth attendants in each site.

Current Neonatal Skin Care Practices in Four African Sites.

Data for this study on skin care practices and emollient use in four African sites were collected using in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions and observations. Respondents were mothers, grandmothers, fathers, health workers, birth attendants and people selling skin-care products. Analysis included content and framework analyses.

Roles and responsibilities in newborn care in four African sites.

Objectives: To explore roles and responsibilities in newborn care in the intra- and postpartum period in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Methods: Qualitative data were collected using in-depth interviews with mothers, grandmothers, fathers, health workers and birth attendants and were analysed through content and framework analyses.

Results: We found that birth attendants were the main decision-makers and care takers in the intrapartum period.

Scientific rationale for study design of community-based simplified antibiotic therapy trials in newborns and young infants with clinically diagnosed severe infections or fast breathing in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Newborns and young infants suffer high rates of infections in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Timely access to appropriate antibiotic therapy is essential for reducing mortality. In an effort to develop community case management guidelines for young infants, 0-59 days old, with clinically diagnosed severe infections, or with fast breathing, 4 trials of simplified antibiotic therapy delivered in primary care clinics (Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Nigeria) or at home (Bangladesh and Nigeria) are being conducted.