Physical trauma experience among school children in periurban Blantyre, Malawi.

Background: Physical trauma is an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in Africa. There are however, few community-based reports on the subject on the continent. The present study was conducted to explore school children's experience of physical trauma in a disadvantaged periurban area of Blantyre, in Malawi.

Socio-demographic characteristics associated with HIV and syphilis seroreactivity among pregnant women in Blantyre, Malawi, 2000-2004.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate socio-demographic factors associated with HIV and syphilis seroreactivity in pregnant Malawians presenting for antenatal care in late third trimester of pregnancy.

Methods: Between December 2000 and March 2004 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Blantyre, Malawi, we collected cross-sectional clinical and socioeconomic data from consenting women. HIV-1 status was determined using rapid HIV antibody tests and syphilis seroreactivity was determined using Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) and confirmed with Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA).

Pain management among medical in-patients in Blantyre, Malawi.

Background: Pain is a leading symptom which influences patients to seek medical attention. The management of pain among patients attending in-patient care in southern African countries has been little described. Information regarding the prevalence of pain and the quality of its management may be useful in guiding clinical decisions, training of health workers and health care quality improvements.

School children's accessibility to insecticide-treated bednets in peri-urban Blantyre, Malawi.

Malaria is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in Malawi. Use of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) could reduce the burden of malaria. The objective of the study was to determine the general health status, and factors that influence reported access to ITNs among school children in a peri-urban area of Blantyre, Malawi.

Why might clinicians in Malawi not offer HIV testing to their patients?

In order to identify reasons clinicians in Malawi might not offer HIV testing to patients, a cross-sectional descriptive postal census with telephone and fax follow-up was conducted. Proportions were calculated for each reason given for not offering HIV testing. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine whether responses differed by demographic characteristics.

Under-reporting of gravidity in a rural Malawian population.

Background: Mis-reporting of data by study participants in a questionnaire-based study is an important source of bias in studies.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors influencing mis-reporting of gravidity among rural women in Malawi.

Materials And Methods: Data from cross sectional study conducted in 2004 were analysed using logistic regression analysis and the logit modeling.

Access to continued professional education among health workers in Blantyre, Malawi.

Objective: To describe the current status of continued professional development (CPD) of healthcare personnel within the Ministry of Health (MoH) health centres in Blantyre, Malawi.

Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study utilizing an interviewer-administered questionnaire.

Subjects: Healthcare workers in public health centers in Blantyre District, Malawi.

Likely stakeholders in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Blantyre, Malawi.

Objectives: To determine potential partners for pregnant women in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and to determine pregnant women's perceptions towards selected potential HIV prevention efforts.

Design: Cross sectional, questionnaire-administered study.

Setting: Ante-natal clinics of eleven public health centers and the major referral and university teaching hospital of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi.

Are public antenatal clinics in Blantyre, Malawi, ready to offer services for the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV?

At least 100% of the adult population in Malawi is infected with HIV and vertical transmission is a major mode of transmission. Currently, there are plans to provide widespread antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV. This study was conducted to describe the perceptions of midwives towards selected issues regarding prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in eleven public health centres in Blantyre, Malawi.

Attitudes towards premarital testing on human immunodeficiency virus infection among Malawians.

Aim: To determine factors influencing voluntary counseling and premarital testing on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Malawi.

Method: We analyzed the data collected by the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2000 to determine the likelihood of Malawi population to accept HIV testing. The MDHS was a nationwide cross-sectional study where cluster sampling technique and an interviewer-administered questionnaire were used.