Sex-related inequalities in current cigarette smoking among adolescents in Africa.

Introduction: Risky behaviours, including tobacco use, are highly prevalent among adolescents worldwide. Although these behaviours are largely influenced by various sociodemographic factors, including sex, there is a paucity of regionally representative literature on the sex-related inequalities in cigarette smoking among adolescents in Africa. This study examined the sex-based disparities in current cigarette smoking among adolescents aged 13-15 years in Africa.

Socioeconomic and residence-based inequalities in adolescent fertility in 39 African countries.

Introduction: Despite the advancement in sexual and reproductive healthcare services and several public health measures aimed at controlling fertility rates, countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) still experience higher adolescent fertility rates than other low-and middle-income countries. This study examined the disparities in adolescent fertility in 39 countries in SSA, focusing on socioeconomic and residence-based dimensions.

Methods: This study involved a secondary analysis of data obtained from 39 recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in SSA.

Prevalence and predictors of workplace sexual harassment of nurses in the Central Region of Ghana: a cross-sectional online survey.

Objective: We investigated the prevalence and predictors of workplace sexual harassment against nurses in the Central Region of Ghana.

Design: A cross-sectional online survey.

Setting: Central Region of Ghana.

Access to quality contraceptive counselling among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Improving women's access to and use of modern contraceptives is a key global strategy for improving the sexual and reproductive health of women. However, the use of modern contraceptives among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains relatively low, despite the numerous interventions to increase patronage. This study examined adolescent girls and young women's receipt of quality contraceptive counselling and its associated factors in SSA.

Residence-based inequalities in overweight/obesity in sub-Saharan Africa: a multivariate non-linear decomposition analysis.

Background: Overweight/obesity remains a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases and their associated morbidities and mortalities. Yet, limited studies have comprehensively examined factors contributing to the rural-urban disparities in overweight/obesity among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, our study sought to decompose the rural-urban disparities in overweight/obesity among women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using nationally representative datasets.

Assessing the combined effect of household cooking fuel and urbanicity on acute respiratory symptoms among under-five years in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: This study sought to investigate the association between urbanicity (rural-urban residency), the use of solid biomass cooking fuels and the risk of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) among children under the age of 5 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: Cross-sectional data from the most recent surveys of the Demographic and Health Survey Program conducted in 31 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled for the analysis. The outcome variables, cough and rapid short breath were derived from questions that asked mothers if their children under the age of 5 suffered from cough and short rapid breath in the past two weeks preceding the survey.

HIV testing and counselling among women in Benin: a cross-sectional analysis of prevalence and predictors from demographic and health survey data.

Objective: To examine the uptake of HIV testing and counselling (HTC) and its associated factors among women in Benin.

Design: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2017-2018 Benin Demographic and Health Survey. A weighted sample of 5517 women was included in the study.

Sexual harassment as experienced by nurses from selected healthcare facilities in Ghana.

Background: Workplace Sexual Harassment (WSH) remains a major occupational health hazard to many nurses globally. Despite the negative impact of WSH on health and safety of nurses, there are limited studies exploring sexual harassment experiences of nurses in the line of duty in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Ghana.

Aim: This study aimed at exploring the lived sexual harassment experiences among nurses working in healthcare facilities in the Central Region of Ghana.

Predictors of young maternal age at first birth among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.

Background: Adverse obstetric outcomes have been commonly associated with early childbearing in many low-and middle-income countries. Despite this evidence, scholarly information on early childbearing in the sub-Saharan African region, especially Nigeria, is limited. This study examines the predictors of young maternal age at first birth among women of reproductive age in Nigeria using multi-level analysis.

Barriers to healthcare access and healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses among childbearing women in Burundi.

Introduction: Poor health seeking behaviour continues to be major challenge in accessing healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa despite the availability of effective treatment for most childhood illnesses. The current study investigated the barriers to healthcare access and health seeking for childhood illnesses in Burundi.

Methods: The study utilized data from the 2016-17 Burundi Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS).

Rural-urban disparities in caesarean deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa: a multivariate non-linear decomposition modelling of Demographic and Health Survey data.

Introduction: Globally, the rate of caesarean deliveries increased from approximately 16.0 million in 2000 to 29.7 million in 2015.

Estimating the effects of physical violence and serious injury on health-related quality of life: Evidence from 19 waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of physical violence and serious injury on health-related quality of life in the Australian adult population.

Methods: This study utilised panel data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. HRQoL was measured through the physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and short-form six-dimension utility index (SF-6D) of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Disability, physical activity, and health-related quality of life in Australian adults: An investigation using 19 waves of a longitudinal cohort.

Background: Any form of long-term physical or mental impairment might negatively influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL, as an independent concept, covers a wide range of characteristics that includes physical, mental, social, and spiritual functions. People with disabilities are continuously exposed to multiple barriers that deteriorate their HRQoL.

Sexual autonomy and self-reported sexually transmitted infections among women in sexual unions.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major public health challenges worldwide. Despite the importance of sexual autonomy in the prevention and control of sexual and reproductive health disorders such as STIs, there are limited studies on the possible relationship between women's sexual autonomy and self-reported STIs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study, therefore, examined the association between sexual autonomy and self-reported STIs among women in sexual unions in SSA.

Safer sex negotiation and parity among women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Women's ability to negotiate for safer sex has effects on their sexual and reproductive health. This study investigated the association between safer sex negotiation and parity among women in sub-Saharan Africa. The data were sourced from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 28 sub-Saharan African countries conducted from 2010 to 2019.

Early age at first childbirth and skilled birth attendance during delivery among young women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Despite the numerous policy interventions targeted at preventing early age at first childbirth globally, the prevalence of adolescent childbirth remains high. Meanwhile, skilled birth attendance is considered essential in preventing childbirth-related complications and deaths among adolescent mothers. Therefore, we estimated the prevalence of early age at first childbirth and skilled birth attendance among young women in sub-Saharan Africa and investigated the association between them.

Association between place of delivery, assistance during delivery and fistula occurrence in Afghanistan.

Background: Obstetric fistula is one of themost serious and devastating childbirth-related injuries women suffer worldwide. This study investigated the association between delivery characteristics and the occurrence of obstetric fistula in Afghanistan.

Methods: The study analysed data from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey.

Comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and HIV testing among men in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel modelling.

This study investigated the association between comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and HIV testing among men in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Data were taken from the most recent (2010-2019) Demographic and Health Survey men's recode files of 29 countries in SSA. A total of 104,398 men who had complete information on all the variables of interest were included in the study.

Maternal and child factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding in Chad: evidence from nationally representative cross-sectional data.

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIB) is an inexpensive practice but has a substantial potential to reduce neonatal morbidity. Therefore, this study investigated the maternal and child-related factors associated with EIB and makes recommendations that could help improve the practice in Chad.

Methods: We used data from the children's recode file of the 2014-2015 Chad Demographic and Health Survey.

Comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and safer sex negotiation among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, HIV/AIDS remains a public health issue, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the increased advocacy and dissemination of comprehensive HIV/AIDS information in SSA, it appears that little progress has been made to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the sub-region. This study, therefore, examined the association between comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge and safer sex negotiation among adolescent girls and young women in SSA.

What has comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge got to do with HIV testing among men in Kenya and Mozambique? Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys.

People living with undiagnosed HIV are big contributors to the transmission of the virus. Although measures have been made to scale up HIV prevention and voluntary counselling and testing in sub-Saharan Africa, testing coverage remains low in many sub-Saharan African countries, including Mozambique and Kenya, where most people live with HIV/AIDS. Studies have shown that, in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, men are less likely to test for HIV compared with women.

Factors associated with the number and timing of antenatal care visits among married women in Cameroon: evidence from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey.

Utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services, as part of reproductive health care, presents a lifesaving chance for health promotion and the early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses throughout pregnancy. This study examines the factors associated with the number and timing of ANC visits among married women in Cameroon using data from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variables were number of ANC visits, categorized as <8 visits or ≥8 visits, and the timing of first ANC visit, categorized as ≤3 months (early) or >3 months (late) (as per the new 2016 WHO recommendations).