Stretching the Boundaries: Tanzanian Pharmacy Workers' Views and Experiences of Providing STI Services for Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Objective: To explore the views and experiences of providing assistance and treatment of sexually transmitted infections to same-sex practicing male clients among service providers at pharmacies and drugstores in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Previous research suggests that sexually transmitted infections are an increasing concern for this population. Due to stigma and discrimination, men who have sex with men face limited access to treatment, which might contribute to increased self-medication.

Learning the ABCs of pregnancy and newborn care through mobile technology.

Background: The diffusion of mobile phones in low- and middle-income countries has taken place faster than any other infrastructural development. Mobile Midwife, a mobile application implemented in Ghana in 2010, sends timely messages in local languages to registered expectant mothers and new parents. The field of mobile health (mHealth) is severely underresearched, yet it can be an alternative for improving health systems and the ways in which health services are delivered.

Magnitude and trends of inequalities in antenatal care and delivery under skilled care among different socio-demographic groups in Ghana from 1988 - 2008.

Background: Improving maternal and reproductive health still remains a major challenge in most low-income countries especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The growing inequality in access to maternal health interventions is an issue of great concern. In Ghana, inadequate attention has been given to the inequality gap that exists amongst women when accessing antenatal care during pregnancy and skilled attendance at birth.

Experiencing challenges when implementing active management of third stage of labor (AMTSL): a qualitative study with midwives in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) is the major cause of maternal mortality in Ghana and worldwide. Active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL) is a globally recommended three-step method that in clinical trials has been proven effective in prevention of PPH. The AMTSL guidelines were introduced in 2003, modified in 2006, and has been part of the national guidelines in Ghana since 2008.

Inadequate knowledge of neonatal danger signs among recently delivered women in southwestern rural Uganda: a community survey.

Background: Early detection of neonatal illness is an important step towards improving newborn survival. Every year an estimated 3.07 million children die during their first month of life and about one-third of these deaths occur during the first 24 hours.

The association between HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy and cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in South Western Nigerian women.

Introduction: Findings from studies that evaluated the effect of antiretroviral drug use on the development of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion differed in their conclusions. This study investigated the association between HIV infection, antiretroviral drug use and cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion in a high HIV and cervical cancer burden setting- Nigeria.

Methods: A cross sectional study among 1140 women of known HIV status enrolled in a randomised study to determine the test characteristics of visual inspection in detecting cytology diagnosed squamous intraepithelial lesion.

Associations between mass media exposure and birth preparedness among women in southwestern Uganda: a community-based survey.

Background: Exposure to mass media provides increased awareness and knowledge, as well as changes in attitudes, social norms and behaviors that may lead to positive public health outcomes. Birth preparedness (i.e.

The burden, distribution and risk factors for cervical oncogenic human papilloma virus infection in HIV positive Nigerian women.

Background: The expected reduction in cervical cancer incidence as a result of increased access to antiretroviral therapy is yet to be seen. In this study we investigated the effect of HIV infection and treatment on high-risk (hr) human papilloma virus (HPV) prevalence and distribution.

Methods: Cervical cells from 515 (220 HIV positive and 295 HIV negative) women, recruited during community cervical cancer screening programme in states of Ogun and Lagos and at the cervical cancer screen clinic, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Lagos were evaluated for the presence of 13 hr HPV genotypes by polymerase chain reaction based assay.

Willingness and acceptability of cervical cancer screening among HIV positive Nigerian women.

Background: The proven benefit of integrating cervical cancer screening programme into HIV care has led to its adoption as a standard of care. However this is not operational in most HIV clinics in Nigeria. Of the various reasons given for non-implementation, none is backed by scientific evidence.

Influence of birth preparedness, decision-making on location of birth and assistance by skilled birth attendants among women in south-western Uganda.

Introduction: Assistance by skilled birth attendants (SBAs) during childbirth is one of the strategies aimed at reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in low-income countries. However, the relationship between birth preparedness and decision-making on location of birth and assistance by skilled birth attendants in this context is not well studied. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of birth preparedness practices and decision-making and assistance by SBAs among women in south-western Uganda.

The pathway of obstructed labour as perceived by communities in south-western Uganda: a grounded theory study.

Background: Obstructed labour is still a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in Uganda, where many women give birth at home alone or assisted by non-skilled birth attendants. Little is known of how the community view obstructed labour, and what actions they take in cases where this complication occurs.

Objective: The objective of the study was to explore community members' understanding of and actions taken in cases of obstructed labour in south-western Uganda.

Individual and health facility factors and the risk for obstructed labour and its adverse outcomes in south-western Uganda.

Background: Obstructed labour is still a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality and of adverse outcome for newborns in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of individual and health facility factors and the risk for obstructed labour and its adverse outcomes in south-western Uganda.

Methods: A review was performed on 12,463 obstetric records for the year 2006 from six hospitals located in south-western Uganda and 11,180 women records were analysed.

Experience of sexual coercion and risky sexual behavior among Ugandan university students.

Background: Growing worldwide evidence shows that the experience of sexual coercion is fairly prevalent among young people and is associated with risky sexual behavior thereafter. The causal mechanisms behind this are unclear but may be dependent on specific contextual determinants. Little is known about factors that could buffer the negative effects of coercion.

Endurance of aloneness among Tibetan indigenous women in Western China: application of repeat focus group discussions as a tool for empowerment and for data collection.

In this article we describe Tibetan indigenous women's perceptions and experiences of their own health and life situation in Shichuan Province, China. Fifteen focus group discussions (FGDs) and 10 interviews were conducted. Repeat FGDs were used to empower the women and as a tool to collect data.

Swedish women's experiences of seeking care and being admitted during the latent phase of labour: a grounded theory study.

Objective: to gain a deeper understanding of how women who seek care at an early stage experience the latent phase of labour.

Design: a qualitative interview study using the grounded theory approach.

Setting: the study was conducted at a hospital in the southwestern part of Sweden with a range of 1600-1700 deliveries per year.

Strategies applied by women in coping with ad-hoc demands for unauthorized user fees during pregnancy and childbirth. A focus group study from Angola.

Our aim in this study was to explore women's responses to reported ad-hoc demands for unauthorized user fees during pregnancy and childbirth in Luanda, Angola. Ten focus group discussions were conducted and data were analysed using grounded theory. Women were found to apply six strategies as they "endeavored to cope with demands for unauthorized user fees" (core category): (i) blowing the whistle, (ii) searching for comprehension, (iii) manipulating the system, (iv) bargaining, (v) extending the limits, and (vi) balancing.

The challenge of improving perinatal care in settings with limited resources. Observations of midwifery practices in Mozambique.

The aim of this study was to observe and analyse midwifery care routines related to asphyxia and hypothermia during the perinatal period and to investigate the effect of an in-service education program. A direct non-participant pre- and post-intervention observation study of midwifery a performance during childbirth was conducted at a labour ward in Maputo. The observed groups consisted of 702 and 616 midwifery-attended deliveries.

Mozambican midwives' views on barriers to quality perinatal care.

Our purpose in this study was to explore the midwives' perception of factors obstructing or facilitating their ability to provide quality perinatal care at a central labor ward in Maputo. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 16 midwives and were analyzed according to grounded theory technique. Barriers to provision of quality perinatal care were identified as follows: (i) the unsupportive environment, (ii) nonempowering and limited interaction with women in labor, (iii) a sense of professional inadequacy and inferiority, and (iv) nonappliance of best caring practices.

Adaptation of health care seeking behavior during childbirth: focus group discussions with women living in the suburban areas of Luanda, Angola.

The aim of this study was to explore how various factors influenced women's decisions regarding place of confinement in Luanda, Angola. Ten focus group discussions were conducted with pregnant and nonpregnant women residing in suburban areas of Luanda and the data were analyzed using the grounded theory technique. Four patterns of action of the main theme, "the molding of women's care-seeking behavior during childbirth," were identified: (I) the "labor process 'on-course' avoiding pattern"; (II) the "labor process 'off-course' avoiding pattern"; (III) the "labor process 'on-course' approaching pattern"; and (IV) the "labor process 'off-course' approaching pattern.