Publications by authors named "C Desmond"

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for increased vaccine availability and uptake, with vaccine hesitancy posing a significant barrier, particularly among young adults. Evidence from various countries highlight high levels of hesitancy among young people, necessitating targeted interventions. Engaging young adults as key stakeholders in shaping public health strategies is crucial, as their perspectives can enhance vaccine acceptance.

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Background: Malnutrition remains a pressing public health concern for mothers and children in South Africa. Despite the government's multisectoral response, unaddressed social needs prevent some mothers getting full benefit from interventions, spanning financial planning, income stability, housing, access to government services, social support, and provision of affordable, nutritious foods. Engaging with mothers and prioritising their concerns is important if we wish to overcome obstacles to women benefiting from government nutrition interventions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The text discusses how poverty, HIV, and perinatal depression in sub-Saharan Africa negatively impact parenting and child development, leading to public health concerns.
  • It highlights a proposed intervention that combines mental health support and parenting assistance, delivered by lay counselors, to help depressed, HIV-positive pregnant women while optimizing healthcare resources.
  • A cost-effectiveness analysis will evaluate this intervention's economic viability compared to standard care, measuring costs against improvements in maternal depression and child cognitive development over set timeframes.
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Article Synopsis
  • People living with HIV (PLWH) experience stigma, leading to negative health outcomes like depression and violence.
  • The study investigates how caregivers’ perceptions of HIV stigma affect the mental health and behavior of adolescents they care for, using data from a cohort in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
  • Although caregiver HIV stigma impacts caregiver mental health, it did not significantly affect adolescent behavioral issues, suggesting a need for further research on the connections between stigma, mental health, and its broader effects on families.
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