Effectiveness of economic support, comprehensive sexuality education and community dialogue on early childbearing and sitting for grade nine exams among adolescent girls in rural Zambia: a cluster randomised trial.

Background: Adolescent pregnancies pose a risk to young mothers and their babies. In Zambia, one third of 18-year-old girls have given birth. Poverty, low secondary school enrolment, misinformation, and community norms contribute to early childbearing.

Examining the association between HIV prevalence and socioeconomic factors among young people in Zambia: Do neighbourhood contextual effects play a role?

Background: The study examined the association between HIV infection and individual and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic factors in Zambia.

Methods: We used multilevel mixed effects logistic regression to examine the association of individual and neighbourhood level variables on HIV prevalence based on data from the 2013-14 and 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Surveys, population-based cross-sectional surveys. The analysis was restricted to young people (15-24 years) with HIV serostatus results (n = 11,751 and n = 10,154).

The value of general health perception in health equity research: A community-based cohort study of long-term mortality risk (Finnmark cohort study 1987-2017).

Background: General health perception as measured by self-rated health (SRH) is an individual's synthesis of personal overall health and has value in its own right. In addition, this subjective perspective has a unique predictive power of subsequent mortality and adds valuable information not captured by objective measures. We studied the relationship between SRH and subsequent mortality to demonstrate how simple self-ratings can enhance our understanding of health inequities.

Contrasting HIV prevalence trends among young women and men in Zambia in the past 12 years: data from demographic and health surveys 2002-2014.

Background: The HIV epidemic remains a concern on the global health agenda, despite progress made in reducing incidence. Investigation of trends among young people is important for monitoring HIV incidence and informing programming. The study examined geographical and sub-population differences in HIV prevalence trends among young people aged 15-24 years in Zambia.

Effectiveness of a girls' empowerment programme on early childbearing, marriage and school dropout among adolescent girls in rural Zambia: study protocol for a cluster randomized trial.

Background: Adolescent pregnancies pose a risk to the young mothers and their babies. In Zambia, 35% of young girls in rural areas have given birth by the age of 18 years. Pregnancy rates are particularly high among out-of-school girls.