Assessing the Impact of a Handwashing Knowledge and Practices Program among Poor Households in Rural Bangladesh: A Cluster-Randomized Pre-Post Study.

Improvement in hand hygiene has been strongly associated with positive outcomes in maternal and child health. Although Bangladesh has a high level of awareness of key hygiene messages, the practice of handwashing, the most effective hygiene behavior, is low. Suchana, a multisectoral nutrition program, aims to increase knowledge and practices around various water, sanitation, and hygiene settings in Sylhet region, the northeast of rural Bangladesh.

Influence of the Suchana intervention on exclusive breastfeeding and stunting among children aged under 6 months in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) provides significant health benefits to children. However, mothers may find it difficult to continue EBF for 6 months. The present analysis aimed to examine the influence of the Suchana intervention-a large-scale programme implemented with the aim of improving the health and nutritional status of mothers and children from poor households in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh-on EBF and stunting among children under 6 months.

A predictive modelling approach to illustrate factors correlating with stunting among children aged 12-23 months: a cluster randomised pre-post study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to construct a predictive model in order to develop an intervention study to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children aged 12-23 months.

Design: The study followed a cluster randomised pre-post design and measured the impacts on various indicators of livelihood, health and nutrition. The study was based on a large dataset collected from two cross-sectional studies (baseline and endline).

Factors associated with low and medium household dietary diversity compared with high dietary diversity among marginalised households in rural Bangladesh: Findings from a Suchana baseline survey.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the associated factors of low and medium household (HH) dietary diversity (DD) compared with high DD among marginalised households in rural Bangladesh.

Methods: Through the Suchana baseline survey, data on 5440 households from Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts of Bangladesh was collected between November 2016 and February 2017. Household DD was categorised as low, medium or high based on number of food groups consumed during the last 24 hours.

Food security status of -participating households in north-eastern rural Bangladesh.

Despite achieving remarkable progress, food insecurity remains a major public health challenge in Bangladesh, and severe food insecurity status has not been reduced in susceptible areas and vulnerable regions in Bangladesh. Wetlands that are susceptible to flooding can be found in Bangladesh's north-eastern Sylhet division. , a large-scale nutrition programme, implemented nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions in poor and very poor households in Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh.

Effects of leaves on hemoglobin and serum retinol levels and underweight status among adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh.

Objectives: has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. The plant has antifungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to evaluate the effect of consumption of Moringa leaves, along with a regular diet on serum hemoglobin and retinol and underweight status among rural Bangladeshi adolescent girls.

Enhanced women's decision-making power after the intervention in north-eastern Bangladesh: a cluster randomised pre-post study.

Objectives: Women's decision-making power is a dimension of empowerment and is crucial for better physical and psychosocial outcomes of mothers. , a large-scale development programme in Bangladesh, actively provided social interventions on behaviour change communication to empower women belonging to the poorest social segment. This paper aims to assess the impact of the intervention on various indicators related to women's decision-making power.

Does a child's mid-upper arm circumference-for-age z-score represent another nutritional indicator of childhood malnutrition status?

Child wasting is defined as a weight-for-height/length z-score (WLZ/WHZ) < -2, and this indicator of nutritional status is used worldwide. However, a precise measurement is required for the assessment of a child's nutritional status, which may not always be possible due to expensive instruments, especially in poor resource settings. In some instances, mid-upper arm circumference-for-age z-score (MUACZ) is also being used for screening purposes, which is a simple and useful nutritional indicator.

Stunting Status of Ever-Married Adolescent Mothers and Its Association with Childhood Stunting with a Comparison by Geographical Region in Bangladesh.

The adolescence period is considered a life stage worthy of strategic health investments since it is a critical period of physical and neuro-maturational development. Adolescent girls face different health difficulties in that phase of life. Children born to adolescent mothers are at a higher risk of undernutrition.

Type of terrain and infant and young child feeding practices: cross-sectional study findings on children below 2 years of age from northern Bangladesh.

Introduction: Optimal feeding practices are vital for the subsistence, adequate nutrition, physical growth and mental development of infants and young children. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of core infant and young child feeding (IYCF) indicators and their associations with the type of terrain, that is, geographical area or zone among the beneficiaries of a large-scale nutrition programme, , being carried out in the northern part of rural Bangladesh.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to February 2017 in Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts of Sylhet Division, Bangladesh.

Evaluation of SIMESON, a training program to improve access to quality health care for pregnant women and newborn in different healthcare facilities of northern Bangladesh.

Aim: The study aims to explore the current knowledge and skills of healthcare providers already trained by SIMESON (simulation for essential skills for obstetrical and neonatal care), in reviewing perinatal health situations including current status of healthcare facilities and cost estimation.

Design: It was an observational study.

Methods: Cost estimation following both quantitative and qualitative approaches was also attempted.

The large-scale community-based programme 'Suchana' improved maternal healthcare practices in north-eastern Bangladesh: Findings from a cluster randomized pre-post study.

Adequate maternal healthcare practices are crucial to both maternal and infant nutrition outcomes. The Sylhet region of Bangladesh is vulnerable and performs poorly, as maternal and child health indicators are falling behind compared to other areas. Suchana, a large-scale intervention programme aims to improve the health and nutritional status of mothers and children in this region.

Determinants of maternal low mid-upper arm circumference and its association with child nutritional status among poor and very poor households in rural Bangladesh.

Malnutrition among women is a long-standing public health concern that has significant adverse consequences on the survival and healthy development of children. Maternal mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) could potentially represent a simpler alternative to traditional nutritional indicators. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with low maternal MUAC (as an indicator of being underweight) and address the research question of whether maternal MUAC is significantly associated with children's nutritional status among poor and very poor households in rural Bangladesh.

Factors associated with moderate wasting among marginalized 6 to 23-month aged children in Bangladesh: Findings of the Suchana program baseline survey data.

Suchana-a large-scale, 7-year nutrition program that started in 2015-is being implemented in 250,000 households in the marginalized segment in north-east Bangladesh, with the aim of improving childhood nutrition status. Untreated childhood moderate wasting may develop to severe wasting, which is associated with a 10-fold higher risk of mortality compared to children of normal weight relative to height/length. Identifying the diverse, age-specific risk factors for moderate wasting may help such programs to formulate tailored interventions to prevent and treat childhood malnutrition in rural communities.

Factors Associated with Domestic Violence in Rural Bangladesh.

Women's experience of domestic violence has adverse consequences on women's health globally and is itself affected by several factors. This study aims to determine the factors that are associated with experience of any form of domestic violence in rural Bangladesh. Data were derived from the baseline survey database of , a large-scale nutrition program in Bangladesh.

Feeding during the first 3 days after birth other than breast milk is associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has significant effect on morbidity and mortality. EBF is established when breastmilk alone is exclusively fed from birth until 6 months of age. However, feeding during the first 3 days after birth is often ignored for various reasons.

Coping strategies related to food insecurity at the household level in Bangladesh.

Introduction: In connection to food insecurity, adaptation of new techniques or alteration of regular behavior is executed that translates to coping strategies. This paper has used data from food security and nutrition surveillance project (FSNSP), which collects information from a nationally representative sample in Bangladesh on coping behaviors associated with household food insecurity. To complement the current understanding of different coping strategies implemented by the Bangladeshi households, the objective of this paper has been set to examine the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the food insecure households which define their propensity towards adaptation of different types of coping strategies.

Impact of fortified biscuits on micronutrient deficiencies among primary school children in Bangladesh.

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies can compromise the development potential of school-aged children, and their later health and productivity as adults. School feeding and school-based fortification approaches have been utilized globally to redress nutritional deficiencies in this age group.

Objective: We explored the acceptability and micronutrient impact of a Bangladesh Government supported school-based micronutrient fortification program for children attending rural primary schools in 10 disadvantaged sub-districts.

Examining the relationship between socio-economic status, WASH practices and wasting.

Childhood wasting is a global problem and is significantly more pronounced in low and middle income countries like Bangladesh. Socio Economic Status (SES) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices may be significantly associated with wasting. Most previous research is consistent about the role of SES, but the significance of WASH in the context of wasting remains ambiguous.

Factors associated with child hunger among food insecure households in Bangladesh.

Background: Hunger is associated with food insecurity at the household level and is considered as a global public health problem with long term adverse consequences on children's health. This study aims to determine the factors associated with child hunger from a nationally representative sample in Bangladesh among food insecure households.

Methods: Data was derived from the Food Security and Nutritional Surveillance Project; 14,712 children aged 6-59 months belonging to food insecure households contributed to the analysis.

Determinants of age-specific undernutrition in children aged less than 2 years-the Bangladesh context.

Globally, undernutrition affects nearly half of all children aged less than 5 years. It is more prominent in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the age-specific risk factors for different categories of undernutrition among Bangladeshi children aged less than 2 years.

Diarrhoea and smoking: an analysis of decades of observational data from Bangladesh.

Background: Although cigarette smoking affects all biological systems of the human body including the gastrointestinal tract, there is a lack of evidence regarding its effect on the severity of diarrhoeal disease and whether a dose-response relationship exists. We therefore tested for the presence of specific causative pathogens for infectious diarrhoea, assessed the independent effect of smoking on its severity and tested whether any dose-response relationship existed while controlling for subjects' age, sociodemographic characteristics and presence of causative pathogens in an urban setting in Bangladesh.

Methods: A total of 20,757 patients aged 15 years and above with diarrhoea were enrolled into the Diarrhoeal Disease Surveillance System, managed by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, from 1993 to 2012.

Gastroenteritis due to typhoidal Salmonella: a decade of observation at an urban and a rural diarrheal disease hospital in Bangladesh.

Background: The study aimed to compare the socio-demographic, host and clinical characteristics, seasonality and antimicrobial susceptibility of Typhoidal Salmonella (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Paratyphi) (TS) with diarrhea between urban and rural Bangladesh.

Methods: Relevant information of 77/25,767 (0.30%) and 290/17,622 (1.

Diarrhoea in slum children: observation from a large diarrhoeal disease hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Objectives: To determine and compare socio-demographic, nutritional and clinical characteristics of children under five with diarrhoea living in slums with those of children who do not live in slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods: From 1993 to 2012, a total of 28 948 under fives children with diarrhoea attended the Dhaka Hospital of icddr,b. Data were extracted from the hospital-based Diarrhoea Disease Surveillance System, which comprised 17 548 under fives children from slum and non-slum areas of the city.