Publications by authors named "A W Van de Laar"

Diet quality is influenced by multiple individual factors, but their relative strength and importance remain unclear. We investigate the associations between five domains of individual factors (economic, cognitive, aspirational, situational and consumer behaviour) and diet intake of adolescents in Accra, Ghana. A cross-sectional survey among Junior High School (JHS) students (n = 409, mean age 14.

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Background: In Ghana, several qualitative studies have explored users' perspectives on conventional sources of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and factors which influence provision of and access in rural settings. However, there is a dearth of qualitative studies on healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on factors that deter access to conventional sources of SRH information among young people in rural Ghana and innovative ways for addressing barriers. This study explored perspectives on barriers to traditional sources of SRH information and services and innovative ways of using mHealth technologies for addressing provision and access challenges among young people in rural Ghana.

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Article Synopsis
  • The review explored young people's experiences and perceptions of using mobile health (mHealth) platforms for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in rural areas.
  • It involved a qualitative synthesis of 26 studies published between 2000 and 2023, assessing the methodological quality using GRADE and CERQual frameworks, which favored texting and voice messaging for their convenience, privacy, and affordability.
  • Major challenges identified included limited network and electricity access, high costs of mobile devices and credit, and socio-cultural barriers affecting usage of these platforms.
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Background: Abdominal pain after bariatric surgery (BS) is not uncommon. A number of patients require reoperation. Limited studies have investigated the outcome of reoperations for abdominal pain after BS.

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