Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and their risk factors in an informal settlement in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), especially hypertension and diabetes mellitus are on the increase in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Informal settlement dwellers exhibit a high prevalence of behavioural risk factors and are highly vulnerable to hypertension and diabetes. However, no study has assessed the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and NCDrisk factors among informal settlement dwellers in Sierra Leone.

Navigating the Tension between Fatherhood Ideals and Realities of a Post-Conflict Setting: A Phenomenological Study of Former Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone.

The concept of "fatherhood" in many African countries has traditionally been understood in terms of instrumental support to one's family, most notably, financial provision. However, in Sierra Leone and elsewhere, this narrow understanding of fatherhood is changing as a result of shifting demographic trends and responses to recent crises such as the Ebola pandemic and the aftermath of a civil war. Very little is understood about how male former children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) are navigating fatherhood and understanding their roles as fathers, particularly as many have grown up without fathers or parents themselves and experienced violence.

Do disempowered childbearing women give birth at home in Sierra Leone? A secondary analysis of the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic health survey.

Background: A nationwide assessment of the link between women's empowerment and homebirth has not been fully examined in Sierra Leone. Our study examined the association between women's empowerment and homebirth among childbearing women in Sierra Leone using the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (2019 SLDHS) data.

Method: We used the individual file (IR) of the 2019 SLDHS dataset for our analysis.

The use of traditional medicine practitioner services for childhood illnesses among childbearing women: a multilevel analysis of demographic and health surveys in 32 sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: Insights into the use of traditional medicine practitioners (TMP)-for common childhood diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory infections are important to understand the role of Traditional Medicine (TM) in reducing the increasing childhood morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, a comprehensive picture of TMP utilisation and its associated factors for childhood illness in SSA is lacking. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the use of traditional medicine practitioner services to treat childhood illnesses among women with children under five years old and to identify individual and community-level factors associated with TMP use in SSA.

Sexual risk behaviour among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia: a secondary analysis of the 2017 Global school-based student health surveys.

Background: Sierra Leone and Liberia have experienced civil wars and, recently, Ebola outbreaks that led to profound economic hardship, psychopathologies and family disruptions. These factors are associated with sexual risk behaviours among youths. However, there is very little information on sexual risk behaviour among Sierra Leonean and Liberian school-going adolescents.

The use of condoms and other birth control methods among sexually active school-going adolescents in nine sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa still face sexual and reproductive health challenges. Contraceptives have been used to address these challenges. Despite efforts at national and global levels, contraceptive uptake among young people in Africa remains a challenge due to personal, societal, and health systems-based barriers.

Achieving Minimum Standards for Infection Prevention and Control in Sierra Leone: Urgent Need for a Quantum Leap in Progress in the COVID-19 Era!

Introduction: Good Infection prevention and control (IPC) is vital for tackling antimicrobial resistance and limiting health care-associated infections. We compared IPC performance before (2019) and during the COVID-19 (2021) era at the national IPC unit and all regional (4) and district hospitals (8) in Sierra Leone.

Methods: Cross-sectional assessments using standardized World Health Organizations IPC checklists.

Prevalence and correlates of current tobacco use and non-user susceptibility to using tobacco products among school-going adolescents in 22 African countries: a secondary analysis of the 2013-2018 global youth tobacco surveys.

Background: Our study examined the prevalence and associated factors of tobacco product use and non-users' susceptibility to using tobacco products among school-going adolescents in 22 African countries.

Methods: We analyzed the cross-sectional 2013-2018 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data from 22 African countries. We conducted complex sampling descriptive and logistic regression analyses.

Inconsistent Country-Wide Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions to Antimicrobials in Sierra Leone (2017-2021): A Wake-Up Call to Improve Reporting.

Background: Monitoring of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to antimicrobials is important, as they can cause life-threatening illness, permanent disabilities, and death. We assessed country-wide ADR reporting on antimicrobials and their outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using individual case safety reports (ICSRs) entered into the national pharmacovigilance database (VigiFlow) during 2017−2021.

Supporting community health workers in fragile settings from a gender perspective: a qualitative study.

Objective: To explore how gender influences the way community health workers (CHWs) are managed and supported and the effects on their work experiences.

Setting: Two districts in three fragile countries. Sierra Leone-Kenema and Bonthe districts; Liberia-two districts in Grand Bassa county one with international support for CHW activities and one without: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)-Aru and Bunia districts in Ituri Province.

Health-related quality of life among Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone: the role of socio-demographic, health-related and psycho-social factors.

Background: Evidence of how social factors affect the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors is limited. Our study explores the association between socio-demographic, health-related and psycho-social (stigma) factors and EVD survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Sierra Leone.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study among 358 EVD survivors between January and August 2018.

Post-Ebola sequelae among Ebola child survivors in Sierra Leone.

Background: There are limited data regarding the long-term health effects of child survivors of the 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak. Here, we assess post-Ebola sequelae among EVD child survivors by comparing the self-reported symptoms between EVD child survivors and their close household contacts over one year after the end of the outbreak.

Methods: EVD child survivors(n=159) and their close contacts(n=303) were enrolled in Western and Eastern Sierra Leone.

The burden of mental disorder in Sierra Leone: a retrospective observational evaluation of programmatic data from the roll out of decentralised nurse-led mental health units.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa the treatment gap for mental disorders is high. In 2009, 98.0% of people with mental illness in Sierra Leone were not receiving treatment, partly due to the absence of public psychiatric facilities outside the capital.

Healthcare Workers' Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Perceived Health Facility Preparedness Regarding COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are known to spearhead the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, their knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered critical to the success of the current COVID-19 response efforts. This study aims to determine HCWs' KAP toward COVID-19 and assesses their perception of their healthcare facilities preparedness to respond appropriately to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone.

Patients satisfaction with free healthcare pharmaceutical services in Sierra Leone: a national cross-sectional study.

Background Patient satisfaction is a critical construct of quality of pharmaceutical care in that it reflects whether a given service is meeting patients' expectations and consistent with their values. The government of Sierra Leone in 2010 introduced a free healthcare policy, which includes free pharmaceutical services for under-five children, lactating mothers, and pregnant women at all governments hospitals nationawide. Objectives The main objective of this study is to evaluate patient's satisfaction with the pharmaceutical services received from public hospitals implementing the free healthcare policy.

Prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among Ebola survivors in northern Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There is limited data available on the long-term mental health impact of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on survivors despite the disease experience of survivors meeting the criteria of a traumatic event as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM IV). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictive factors of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among EVD survivors, approximately 2 years after discharge from the Ebola treatment centre (ETC).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between May and August 2017 among 197 adults Ebola survivors in Bombali district, Northern Sierra Leone.

How should community health workers in fragile contexts be supported: qualitative evidence from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are critical players in fragile settings, where staff shortages are particularly acute, health indicators are poor and progress towards Universal Health Coverage is slow. Like other health workers, CHWs need support to contribute effectively to health programmes and promote health equity. Yet the evidence base of what kind of support works best is weak.

A cross-sectional study on caregivers' perspective of the quality of life and adherence of paediatric HIV patients to highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Poor compliance to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can result in the poor quality of life in children living with Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) because of low plasma drug concentration and the possibility of drug resistance. This study evaluates the response of caregivers for determination of adherence and the four quality of life domains in children (aged 14 years and under) on HAART.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 188 children, each accompanied by their caregivers at Ola During Children's Hospital and Makeni Government Hospital between September and November 2016.

Providing healthcare to Ebola survivors: A qualitative exploratory investigation of healthcare providers' views and experiences in Sierra Leone.

Although the experiences of healthcare workers regarding caring for Ebola patients during the West African Ebola outbreak have been explored, little is known about healthcare workers' experiences in providing care to Ebola survivors. We employed a qualitative design to address this gap in the literature. Healthcare providers described the health complaints of Ebola survivors as similar to those of ordinary patients, but disproportionately frequent and severe.

Traditional and complementary medicine use among Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone: a qualitative exploratory study of the perspectives of healthcare workers providing care to Ebola survivors.

Background: Considerable number of patients, including Ebola survivors, in Sierra Leone, are using traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM). Healthcare providers' (HCPs) views about T&CM is crucial in addressing the increased need for T&CM among patients. However, healthcare providers' views about T&CM in Sierra Leone is unknown.

Mental health in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone is a West African country with a population of just over 7 million. Many Sierra Leoneans lived through the psychologically distressing events of the civil war (1991-2002), the 2014 Ebola outbreak and frequent floods. Traditionally, mental health services have been delivered at the oldest mental health hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, with no services available anywhere else in the country.

Impact of the free healthcare initiative on wealth-related inequity in the utilization of maternal & child health services in Sierra Leone.

Background: As a result of financial barriers to the utilization of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services, the Government of Sierra Leone launched the Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI) in 2010. This study aimed to examine the impact of the FHCI on wealth related inequity in the utilization of three MCH services.

Methods: We analysed data from 2008 to 2013 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Surveys (SLDHS) using 2008 SLDHS as a baseline.

Herbal medicine use during breastfeeding: a cross-sectional study among mothers visiting public health facilities in the Western area of Sierra Leone.

Background: The use of medications, including herbal medicines during breastfeeding is always a concern among women. Currently, there is no published evidence on whether Sierra Leonean women use herbal medicine during breastfeeding. This study investigates the prevalence, correlates and pattern of herbal medicine use during breastfeeding.

Prevalence and Correlates of Herbal Medicine Use among Women Seeking Care for Infertility in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

In resource-poor countries where access to infertility care is limited, women may turn to traditional medicine to achieve motherhood. It is unknown whether Sierra Leonean women with such condition use herbal medicine. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicine use among women seeking care for infertility.