Breastfeeding - a survey of fathers' support needs and preferred sources of information.

Background: Fathers can be a critical source of breastfeeding support for their partner, but little is known about what fathers would like to learn about breastfeeding. Partner's support and encouragement enhances mother's breastfeeding confidence and boost the capacity to address breastfeeding difficulties effectively. The aims of this study were to explore what fathers regard as important to learn around breastfeeding, and their current and preferred sources of information.

Co-design and implementation of a mHealth intervention targeting fathers and mothers to improve breastfeeding.

Background: Evidence has shown that SMS text message-based health education is effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding. However, there is limited evidence on the development and design of SMS messaging intervention targeting fathers and mothers.

Method: This is the formative assessment and intervention design for a larger trial targeting both fathers and mothers for breastfeeding support in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Theory-based mHealth targeting fathers and mothers to improve exclusive breastfeeding: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding remains sub-optimal in low-income countries contributing to infant mortality. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions, delivered through personal mobile phones, to improve exclusive breastfeeding have shown promise, but very few include fathers or have been applied in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a SMS-based breastfeeding intervention targeting fathers and mothers in improving exclusive breastfeeding at three months in a low-income country.

The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems in Africa: a scoping review of preparedness, impact and response.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems in both developed and developing nations alike. Africa has one of the weakest health systems globally, but there is limited evidence on how the region is prepared for, impacted by and responded to the pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL to search peer-reviewed articles and Google, Google Scholar and preprint sites for grey literature.

Risk factors for COVID-19 infection, disease severity and related deaths in Africa: a systematic review.

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evidence on risk factors for transmission, disease severity and COVID-19 related deaths in Africa.

Design: A systematic review has been conducted to synthesise existing evidence on risk factors affecting COVID-19 outcomes across Africa.

Data Sources: Data were systematically searched from MEDLINE, Scopus, MedRxiv and BioRxiv.

COVID-19 in Ethiopia: a geospatial analysis of vulnerability to infection, case severity and death.

Background: COVID-19 has caused a global public health crisis affecting most countries, including Ethiopia, in various ways. This study maps the vulnerability to infection, case severity and likelihood of death from COVID-19 in Ethiopia.

Methods: Thirty-eight potential indicators of vulnerability to COVID-19 infection, case severity and likelihood of death, identified based on a literature review and the availability of nationally representative data at a low geographic scale, were assembled from multiple sources for geospatial analysis.

A cross-sectional comparison of breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and perceived partners' support among expectant couples in Mekelle, Ethiopia.

Background: Breastfeeding is considered the biological norm and essential to reduce infant morbidity and mortality. Mothers are responsible for breastfeeding but the support of others, including their partners is an influential determinant. The aim of this study was to compare antenatal breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and perceived breastfeeding support of expectant couples in Mekelle, Ethiopia.

Could mobile phone text messages be used for infant feeding education in Ethiopia? A formative qualitative study.

A majority of the world's population now live in areas with a mobile telephone network. This expansion of the network enables people to use more mobile phone functionalities such as short message service, multimedia, and the Internet. Mobile phone-based health (mHealth) interventions have been considered to have benefits in low-income countries.

Exploring the challenges and opportunities towards optimal breastfeeding in Ethiopia: a formative qualitative study.

Background: Breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, is essential to ensure the short- and long-term health of infants and mothers. Sub-optimal breastfeeding practices currently take place in low income countries contributing to morbidity and mortality. This research explored the challenges and opportunities around exclusive breastfeeding in a large city in Ethiopia to inform a larger breastfeeding intervention.

An explorative chemometric approach applied to hyperspectral images for the study of illuminated manuscripts.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a fast non-invasive imaging technology recently applied in the field of art conservation. With the help of chemometrics, important information about the spectral properties and spatial distribution of pigments can be extracted from HSI data. With the intent of expanding the applications of chemometrics to the interpretation of hyperspectral images of historical documents, and, at the same time, to study the colorants and their spatial distribution on ancient illuminated manuscripts, an explorative chemometric approach is here presented.