Computation of Socio-Economic Status in the AWI-Gen Project.

Socio-economic status of participants in many public health, epidemiological, and genome-wide association studies is an important trait of interest. It is often used in these studies as a measure of direct interest or as a covariate. The Africa Wits INDEPTH Partnership for Genomic and Environmental Research (AWI-Gen) explores genomic and environmental factors in non-communicable diseases, particularly cardio-metabolic disease.

Expanding the human gut microbiome atlas of Africa.

Population studies are crucial in understanding the complex interplay between the gut microbiome and geographical, lifestyle, genetic, and environmental factors. However, populations from low- and middle-income countries, which represent ~84% of the world population, have been excluded from large-scale gut microbiome research. Here, we present the AWI-Gen 2 Microbiome Project, a cross-sectional gut microbiome study sampling 1,803 women from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa.

Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of blood pressure traits and hypertension in sub-Saharan African populations: an AWI-Gen study.

Most hypertension-related genome-wide association studies (GWASs) focus on non-African populations, despite hypertension (a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease) being highly prevalent in Africa. The AWI-Gen study GWAS meta-analysis for blood pressure (BP)-related traits (systolic and diastolic BP, pulse pressure, mean-arterial pressure and hypertension) from three sub-Saharan African geographic regions (N = 10,775), identifies two novel genome-wide significant signals (p < 5E-08): systolic BP near P2RY1 (rs77846204; intergenic variant, p = 4.95E-08) and pulse pressure near LINC01256 (rs80141533; intergenic variant, p = 1.

What works in engaging communities? Prioritising nutrition interventions in Burkina Faso, Ghana and South Africa.

Background: "Choosing All Together" (CHAT), is a community engagement tool designed to give the public a voice in how best to allocate limited resources to improve population health. This process evaluation explored the mechanisms through which CHAT generates community engagement.

Method: The CHAT tool was adapted and implemented for use in two rural communities (Nanoro, Burkina Faso, and Navrongo, Ghana) and one urban township (Soweto, South Africa) to prioritize maternal and child nutrition interventions.

Characterization of CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 Pharmacogenetic Variation in Sub-Saharan African Populations.

Genetic variation in CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 is known to impact interindividual response to antiretrovirals, nicotine, and bupropion, among other drugs. However, the full catalogue of clinically relevant pharmacogenetic variants in these genes is yet to be established, especially across African populations. This study therefore aimed to characterize the star allele (haplotype) distribution in CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 across diverse and understudied sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations.

Undernutrition in children aged 0-59 months by region and over time: secondary analysis of the Burkina Faso 2012-2018 National Nutrition Surveys.

Unlabelled: The global burden of undernutrition remains high, responsible for significant under-five mortality in resource-limited settings. Numerous sustainable development goals (SDGs) are linked to nutrition, and nationally representative nutrition surveillance is a key activity to track progress towards SDGs and guide efficient programmes.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to look at spatial and temporal trends in undernutrition in children under 5 years age in Burkina Faso.

Men's motivations, barriers to and aspirations for their families' health in the first 1000 days in sub-Saharan Africa: a secondary qualitative analysis.

Introduction: The first 1000 days of life are a critical period of growth and development that have lasting implications for health, cognitive, educational and economic outcomes. In sub-Saharan Africa, gender and social norms are such that many men have little engagement with maternal and child health and nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood. This study explores how men perceive their role in three sites in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cardiometabolic disease risk factors in pre- and postmenopausal women from four sub-Saharan African countries: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To compare the risk factors for cardiometabolic disease between pre- and postmenopausal women from four sub-Saharan African countries.

Study Design: This cross-sectional study included 3609 women (1740 premenopausal and 1869 postmenopausal) from sites in Ghana (Navrongo), Burkina Faso (Nanoro), Kenya (Nairobi), and South Africa (Soweto and Dikgale). Demographic, anthropometric and cardiometabolic variables were compared between pre- and postmenopausal women, within and across sites using multivariable regression analyses.

Diabetes care cascade and associated factors in 10 700 middle-aged adults in four sub-Saharan African countries: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: We investigated progression through the care cascade and associated factors for people with diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa to identify attrition stages that may be most appropriate for targeted intervention.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community-based study in four sub-Saharan African countries.

Investing in human development and building state resilience in fragile contexts: A case study of early nutrition investments in Burkina Faso.

Maternal and early malnutrition have negative health and developmental impacts over the life-course. Consequently, early nutrition support can provide significant benefits into later life, provided the later life contexts allow. This study examines the limits of siloed investments in nutrition and illustrates how ignoring life-course contextual constraints limits human development benefits and exacerbates inequality, particularly in fragile contexts.

Identifying the prevalence and correlates of multimorbidity in middle-aged men and women: a cross-sectional population-based study in four African countries.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of multimorbidity, to identify which chronic conditions cluster together and to identify factors associated with a greater risk for multimorbidity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design: Cross-sectional, multicentre, population-based study.

Setting: Six urban and rural communities in four sub-Saharan African countries.

Physical Activity and Its Association With Body Mass Index: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in Middle-Aged Adults From 4 Sub-Saharan African Countries.

Background: This study aimed to explore association of self-reported physical activity domains of work, leisure, and transport-related physical activity and body mass index (BMI) in 9388 adult men and women from the Africa-Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic (AWI-Gen) study in Africa. Africa-Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic is a large, population-based cross-sectional cohort with participants from 6 sites from rural and urban areas in 4 sub-Saharan African countries.

Methods: A sex-stratified meta-analysis of cross-sectional data from men and women aged 29-82 years was used to assess the association of physical activity with BMI.

Characterization of CYP2D6 Pharmacogenetic Variation in Sub-Saharan African Populations.

Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is a key enzyme in drug response owing to its involvement in the metabolism of ~ 25% of clinically prescribed medications. The encoding CYP2D6 gene is highly polymorphic, and many pharmacogenetics studies have been performed worldwide to investigate the distribution of CYP2D6 star alleles (haplotypes); however, African populations have been relatively understudied to date. In this study, the distributions of CYP2D6 star alleles and predicted drug metabolizer phenotypes-derived from activity scores-were examined across multiple sub-Saharan African populations based on bioinformatics analysis of 961 high-depth whole genome sequences.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Association Between Classical Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

Background The major risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease differ by race or ethnicity but have largely been defined using populations of European ancestry. Despite the rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Africa there are few related data from African populations. Therefore, we compared the association of established cardiovascular risk factors with carotid-intima media thickness (CIMT), a subclinical marker of atherosclerosis, between African, African American, Asian, European, and Hispanic populations.

Apolipoprotein L1 High-Risk Genotypes and Albuminuria in Sub-Saharan African Populations.

Background And Objectives: Recessive inheritance of African-specific kidney risk variants is associated with higher risk of nondiabetic kidney disease, progression to kidney failure, and early-onset albuminuria that precedes eGFR decline. The effect of risk variants on kidney disease in continental Africans is understudied. Objectives of this study were to determine risk allele prevalence and associations between genotypes and kidney disease in West, East, and South Africa.

Carotid Atherosclerosis, Microalbuminuria, and Estimated 10-Year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Importance: Carotid atherosclerosis and microalbuminuria are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) but are understudied in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To evaluate the association of carotid atherosclerosis and microalbuminuria with 10-year ASCVD risk in middle-aged sub-Saharan African individuals.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study conducted analyses of baseline data from the African-Wits-INDEPTH (International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries) genomic study (AWI-Gen).

Patterns of child mortality in rural area of Burkina Faso: evidence from the Nanoro health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS).

Background: Half of global child deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding child mortality patterns and risk factors will help inform interventions to reduce this heavy toll. The Nanoro Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), Burkina Faso was described previously, but patterns and potential drivers of heterogeneity in child mortality in the district had not been studied.