Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis of malaria prevalence in children between 2 and 10 years of age in Gabon.

Background: Gabon still bears significant malaria burden despite numerous efforts. To reduce this burden, policy-makers need strategies to design effective interventions. Besides, malaria distribution is well known to be related to the meteorological conditions.

Predictors of Multimorbidity (Defined as Diabetes + Hypertension) Amongst Males Aged 15-54 in India: An Urban/Rural Split Analysis.

This study aimed to determine which sociodemographic and lifestyle factors may act as predictors of multimorbidity (defined as diabetes + hypertension) amongst men aged 15-54 within urban and rural areas of India. Data from the latest 2019-2021 India NFHS-5 survey were utilized. Presumed cases of multimorbidity were defined as men who had DM + HTN.

Determinants and spatial factors of anemia in women of reproductive age in Democratic Republic of Congo (drc): a Bayesian multilevel ordinal logistic regression model approach.

Background: As a global public health problem, anemia affects more than 400 million women of reproductive age worldwide, mostly in Africa and India. In the DRC, the prevalence of anemia has decreased slightly from 52.9% in 2007, to 46.

Analysis of predictors of malnutrition in adult hospitalized patients: social determinants and food security.

Background: Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is becoming a priority during the patient care process due to its implications for worsening health outcomes. It can be the result of numerous social factors beyond clinical ones. This study aimed to evaluate the link between these various risk factors considered social determinants of health, food security levels, and malnutrition and to identify potential predictors.

Prevalence of Malnutrition in Hospitalized Patients in Lebanon Using Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS-2002) and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) Criteria and Its Association with Length of Stay.

(1) Background: Prevalence studies on hospital malnutrition are still scarce in the Middle East region despite recent global recognition of clinical malnutrition as a healthcare priority. The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of malnutrition in adult hospitalized patients in Lebanon using the newly developed Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition tool (GLIM), and explore the association between malnutrition and the length of hospital stay (LOS) as a clinical outcome. (2) Methods: A representative cross-sectional sample of hospitalized patients was selected from a random sample of hospitals in the five districts in Lebanon.

Bayesian Hierarchical Framework from Expert Elicitation in the South African Coal Mining Industry for Compliance Testing.

Occupational exposure assessment is important in preventing occupational coal worker's diseases. Methods have been proposed to assess compliance with exposure limits which aim to protect workers from developing diseases. A Bayesian framework with informative prior distribution obtained from historical or expert judgements has been highly recommended for compliance testing.

Do dietary practices and household environmental quality mediate socio-economic inequalities in child undernutrition risk in West Africa?

Objective: We investigated the relationship between socio-economic status and child undernutrition in West Africa (WA), and further examined the mediating role of dietary practices (measured as minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum acceptable diet (MAD)) and household environmental quality (HEQ) in the observed relationship.

Design: Thirteen countries were included in the study. We leveraged the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys datasets ranging from 2010 to 2019.

Forecasting Malaria Morbidity to 2036 Based on Geo-Climatic Factors in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: Malaria is a global burden in terms of morbidity and mortality. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, malaria prevalence is increasing due to strong climatic variations. Reductions in malaria morbidity and mortality, the fight against climate change, good health and well-being constitute key development aims as set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Acupuncture for treating overactive bladder in adults.

Background: Overactive bladder is a common, long-term symptom complex, which includes frequency of micturition, urgency with or without associated incontinence and nocturia. Around 11% of the population have symptoms, with this figure increasing with age. Symptoms can be linked to social anxiety and adaptive behavioural change.

Prevalence of multimorbidity of cardiometabolic conditions and associated risk factors in a population-based sample of South Africans: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Ageing populations have led to a growing prevalence of multimorbidity. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM), the co-existence of two or more cardiometabolic disorders in the same person, is rapidly increasing We examined the prevalence and risk factors associated with CM in a population-based sample of South African adults.

Study Design: Data were analysed on individuals aged ≥15 years from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES), a cross sectional population-based survey conducted in 2011-2012.

Bayesian Hierarchical Modelling of Historical Data of the South African Coal Mining Industry for Compliance Testing.

Bayesian hierarchical framework for exposure data compliance testing is highly recommended in occupational hygiene. However, it has not been used for coal dust exposure compliance testing in South Africa (SA). The Bayesian analysis incorporates prior information, which increases solid decision making regarding risk management.

Geo-Climatic Factors of Malaria Morbidity in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2001 to 2019.

Background: Environmentally related morbidity and mortality still remain high worldwide, although they have decreased significantly in recent decades. This study aims to forecast malaria epidemics taking into account climatic and spatio-temporal variations and therefore identify geo-climatic factors predictive of malaria prevalence from 2001 to 2019 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: This is a retrospective longitudinal ecological study.

Secular trends in low birth weight and child undernutrition in West Africa: evidence from complex nationwide surveys, 1985-2019.

Objective: We present prevalence estimates and secular trends of stunting, wasting, underweight, and anaemia among children under 5 years of age and low birth weight (LBW) over the period 1985-2019 in West Africa (WA).

Design: Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and World Bank data. DerSimonian-Laird random effect model with the Knapp-Hartung adjustment to the standard error was used to derive overall prevalence estimates.

Correction: Mind the gap: What explains the poor-non-poor inequalities in severe wasting among under-five children in low- and middle-income countries? Compositional and structural characteristics.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Compliance Testing and Homogenous Exposure Group Assessment in the South African Coal Mining Industry.

Objectives: Globally, several strategies for compliance testing and within-group exposure variability have been suggested. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the South African Mining Industry Code of Practice (SAMI CoP) approach for grouping and compliance testing against international standards.

Methods: A total of 28 homogenous exposure groups (HEGs) with 728 underground coal mine workers' eight-hour time-weighted average coal dust concentration data were obtained.

Mapping the Burden of Hypertension in South Africa: A Comparative Analysis of the National 2012 SANHANES and the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey.

This study investigates the provincial variation in hypertension prevalence in South Africa in 2012 and 2016, adjusting for individual level demographic, behavioural and socio-economic variables, while allowing for spatial autocorrelation and adjusting simultaneously for the hierarchical data structure and risk factors. Data were analysed from participants aged ≥15 years from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES) 2012 and the South African Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2016. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg or self-reported health professional diagnosis or on antihypertensive medication.

Analysing Normative Influences on the Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting among 0-14 Years Old Girls in Senegal: A Spatial Bayesian Hierarchical Regression Approach.

Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful traditional practice affecting the health and rights of women and girls. This has raised global attention on the implementation of strategies to eliminate the practice in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A recent study on the trends of FGM/C among Senegalese women (aged 15-49) which examined how individual- and community-level factors affected the practice, found significant regional variations in the practice.

Evaluating changes in the prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting among 0-14 years old girls in Nigeria using data from multiple surveys: A novel Bayesian hierarchical spatio-temporal model.

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is considered a public health and human rights concern, mainly concentrated in Africa, and has been targeted for elimination under the sustainable development goals. Interventions aimed at ending the practice often rely on data from household surveys which employ complex designs leading to outcomes that are not totally independent, thus requiring advanced statistical techniques. Combining data from multiple surveys within robust statistical framework holds promise to provide more precise estimates due to increased sample size, and accurately identify 'hotspots' and allow for assessment of changes over time.

Developing excellence in biostatistics leadership, training and science in Africa: How the Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) training unites expertise to deliver excellence.

The increase in health research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has led to a high demand for biostatisticians to develop study designs, contribute and apply statistical methods in data analyses. Initiatives exist to address the dearth in statistical capacity and lack of local biostatisticians in SSA health projects. The Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) led by African institutions was initiated to improve biostatistical capacity according to the needs identified by African institutions, through collaborative masters and doctoral training in biostatistics.

Age at the onset of tobacco smoking in South Africa: a discrete-time survival analysis of the prognostic factors.

Background: While knowledge of onset of smoking tobacco, and associated risk factors can aid the formulation of evidence-based policy and interventions, such information is scarce in South Africa. We assessed age at onset of tobacco smoking in South Africa and identified its risk factors.

Methods: We analysed data of 15,316 respondents aged 15-98 years from the 2012 South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Embedded rehabilitation in major trauma: Retrospective pre-post observational study of service and patient outcomes.

Introduction: Major trauma describes serious and often multiple injuries where there is a strong possibility of death or residual disability. There is little robust evidence on the effects of embedded rehabilitation within the trauma care pathway. Trauma rehabilitation services therefore remain fragmented and poorly integrated.

Mind the gap: What explains the poor-non-poor inequalities in severe wasting among under-five children in low- and middle-income countries? Compositional and structural characteristics.

A good understanding of the poor-non-poor gap in childhood development of severe wasting (SW) is a must in tackling the age-long critical challenge to health outcomes of vulnerable children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is a dearth of information about the factors explaining differentials in wealth inequalities in the distribution of SW in LMICs. This study is aimed at quantifying the contributions of demographic, contextual and proximate factors in explaining the poor-non-poor gap in SW in LMICs.

Severe acute malnutrition among under-5 children in low- and middle-income countries: A hierarchical analysis of associated risk factors.

Objectives: Malnutrition is one of the main reasons for death among children <5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It accounts for about one-third of preventable deaths among children. Reduction of malnutrition, especially severe acute malnutrition (SAM), is critical, directly or indirectly, to a targeted decrease in child mortality and improvement in maternal health.