Distance to HIV and Antenatal Care: A Geospatial Analysis in Siaya County, Kenya.

As maternal child health (MCH) programs expand in the setting of HIV, health systems are challenged to reach those most vulnerable and at the greatest need. Cross-sectional surveys of MCH clinics and recent mothers in the Siaya Health Demographic Surveillance System were conducted to assess correlates of accessing antenatal care and facility delivery. Of 376 recent mothers, 93.

Higher likelihood of 6-months exclusive breastfeeding among HIV infected than uninfected mothers: a household survey in Kenya.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) (breast milk feeding without additional food or drink, except medicine) is associated with deceased risk of postnatal transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Methods: This analysis used data from a household survey in Western Kenya in 2011. Participants were mothers with HIV and uninfected mothers, aged ≥14 years who gave birth in the prior year (ever breastfed) within the Kenya Medical Research Institute/US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KEMRI/CDC) Health and Demographic Surveillance System.

A community-based assessment of correlates of facility delivery among HIV-infected women in western Kenya.

Background: Childbirth at health facilities is an important strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, improve fetal outcomes, and reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Although access to antenatal care in Kenya is high (>90%), less than half of births occur at health facilities. This analysis aims to assess correlates of facility delivery among recently pregnant HIV-infected women participating in a community-based survey, and to determine whether these correlates were unique when compared to HIV-uninfected women from the same region.

Exclusive breastfeeding among women taking HAART for PMTCT of HIV-1 in the Kisumu Breastfeeding Study.

Background: One of the most effective ways to promote the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV-1 in resource-limited settings is to encourage HIV-positive mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months post-partum while they receive antiretroviral therapy (ARV). Although EBF reduces mortality in this context, its practice has been low. We studied the rate of adherence to EBF and assessed associated maternal and infant characteristics using data from a phase II PMTCT clinical trial conducted in Western Kenya which included a counseling intervention to encourage EBF by all participants.

Shame, guilt, and stress: Community perceptions of barriers to engaging in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs in western Kenya.

While global scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services has been expansive, only half of HIV-infected pregnant women receive antiretroviral regimens for PMTCT in sub-Saharan Africa. To evaluate social factors influencing uptake of PMTCT in rural Kenya, we conducted a community-based, cross-sectional survey of mothers residing in the KEMRI/CDC Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) area. Factors included referrals and acceptability, HIV-related stigma, observed discrimination, and knowledge of violence.

Community-based evaluation of PMTCT uptake in Nyanza Province, Kenya.

Introduction: Facility-based assessments of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programs may overestimate population coverage. There are few community-based studies that evaluate PMTCT coverage and uptake.

Methods: During 2011, a cross-sectional community survey among women who gave birth in the prior year was performed using the KEMRI-CDC Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Western Kenya.

Geographic distribution of HIV stigma among women of childbearing age in rural Kenya.

Objective(s): HIV stigma is considered to be a major driver of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, yet there is a limited understanding of its occurrence. We describe the geographic patterns of two forms of HIV stigma in a cross-sectional sample of women of childbearing age from western Kenya: internalized stigma (associated with shame) and externalized stigma (associated with blame).

Design: Geographic studies of HIV stigma provide a first step in generating hypotheses regarding potential community-level causes of stigma and may lead to more effective community-level interventions.

Effect of a point-of-use water treatment and safe water storage intervention on diarrhea in infants of HIV-infected mothers.

To reduce mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in resource-poor settings, the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months, followed by rapid weaning if replacement feeding is affordable, feasible, available, safe, and sustainable. In the Kisumu Breastfeeding Study (trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00146380), infants of HIV-infected mothers who received antiretroviral therapy experienced high rates of diarrhea at weaning.