Publications by authors named "J R Piper"
Background: Few trials have explored long-term effects of interventions designed to reduce child stunting. We evaluated school-age outcomes in rural Zimbabwean children who received cluster-randomised water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and/or infant and young child feeding (IYCF) interventions from pregnancy up to 18 months of age.
Methods: The Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial enrolled pregnant women from two rural Zimbabwean districts (Chirumanzu and Shurugwi) between 2012 and 2015, and cluster-randomised them using a 2 × 2 factorial design to standard-of-care, WASH, IYCF, or combined WASH & IYCF, with a co-primary outcome of height-for-age Z-score and haemoglobin at 18 months (clinicaltrials.
Article Synopsis
- - Over 16 million children were born HIV-free despite exposure during pregnancy by 2022, but those who are HIV-free exhibit worse health and development outcomes, leading to the need for further research on their long-term effects compared to unexposed children.
- - The SHINE trial in rural Zimbabwe tracked growth and cognitive development in children born HIV-free compared to unexposed children, evaluating participants at age 7 using a variety of assessments that included measurements of height, haemoglobin, cognitive abilities, and physical fitness.
- - The study aimed to understand the differences in health outcomes between the two groups and utilized advanced statistical methods to analyze the collected data, considering various demographic and socioeconomic factors affecting the children's development.
Objective: To describe the adoption of international travel measures during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: To comprehensively analyze the measures adopted, we constructed a dataset based on the WHO's Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM) database, which covered 252 countries, territories, or other areas (CTAs), including all 194 WHO Member States, from December 31, 2019, to December 31, 2020. We examined the adoption of measures by type, over time, and by the implementing and targeted CTA, including their levels of income.
Article Synopsis
- Low birthweight (LBW) affects 1 in 7 infants in low- and middle-income countries, significantly increasing morbidity and mortality risks, as well as long-term health issues.
- The study reviewed literature on inflammatory, microbial, and infective factors linked to LBW, finding that local and systemic infections in mothers, like vaginitis and HIV, significantly contribute to the condition.
- Although antimicrobial treatments during pregnancy have shown limited overall benefits for birthweight, they may help in high-infection settings; thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms of LBW is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Pregnant and lactating persons in sub-Saharan Africa face a heightened risk of HIV acquisition, due to biological and behavioral factors, combined with limited access to prevention and treatment services. Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the dapivirine vaginal ring are promising tools for HIV prevention, and the ring's recent approval in multiple African countries represents a significant advancement in expanding access to HIV prevention. In a nested qualitative study within the MTN-042 trial, we explored the acceptability of study products among pregnant persons in the second and early third trimesters.
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