Publications by authors named "Kumbani L"

Background: Unskilled health professionals in healthcare systems are contributing to the high numbers of maternal mortality in Malawi. It is therefore essential that midwifery students acquire postpartum hemorrhage management clinical skills, especially in view of high maternal mortality, with postpartum hemorrhage being the leading cause. However, there is limited evidence on how the teaching is conducted with regard to students' learning of postpartum hemorrhage management clinical skills.

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Article Synopsis
  • The research focused on an HIV prevention program called Mzake ndi Mzake, which was adapted for community use in rural Malawi to boost condom use among sexually active individuals.
  • The program's effectiveness was assessed over a few years using a stepped wedge design, comparing communities that received the intervention against those that did not.
  • Results showed that the program, led by trained community volunteers, significantly increased both the frequency of condom use and the likelihood of condom use at last intercourse in the communities that participated.
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Background: HIV prevention remains a global priority, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Our research team previously developed an evidence-based peer group program for HIV prevention called (Friend to Friend). A community-engaged collaboration adapted the program for community ownership and implementation.

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Background: HIV prevention knowledge levels are low in sub-Saharan Africa. In our efficacy study, the Mzake ndi Mzake (Friend-to-Friend; hereafter Mzake) 6-session peer group intervention, delivered by health workers, improved HIV prevention knowledge and other outcomes in Malawi. To expand HIV prevention approaches, this implementation study tested whether the intervention remained effective when implemented by trained community volunteers.

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Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a public health concern in Malawi as it is associated with high risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Almost 29% of adolescent women aged 15-19 years are already mothers and adolescent fertility rate is also high estimated at 136 per 1000 women. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore knowledge of pregnant adolescents on importance of antenatal care and health promotion during pregnancy.

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Background: Scaling-up evidence-based behavior change interventions can make a major contribution to meeting the UNAIDS goal of no new HIV infections by 2030. We developed an evidence-based peer group intervention for HIV prevention and testing in Malawi that is ready for wider dissemination. Our innovative approach turns over ownership of implementation to rural communities.

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Background: Despite Malawi government's policy to support women to deliver in health facilities with the assistance of skilled attendants, some women do not access this care.

Objective: The study explores the reasons why women delivered at home without skilled attendance despite receiving antenatal care at a health centre and their perceptions of perinatal care.

Methods: A descriptive study design with qualitative data collection and analysis methods.

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Background: Malawi has a high perinatal mortality rate of 40 deaths per 1,000 births. To promote neonatal health, the Government of Malawi has identified essential health care packages for improving maternal and neonatal health in health care facilities. However, regardless of the availability of health services, women's perceptions of the care is important as it influences whether the women will or will not use the services.

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This paper reports the process evaluation of a peer group intervention for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention which had positive outcomes for three target groups in Malawi: rural adults, adolescents and urban hospital workers. The six-session intervention was delivered to small groups of 10-12 participants by 85 trained volunteer peer leaders working in pairs. A descriptive, observational mixed methods design was used with a convenience sample of 294 intervention sessions.

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Unlabelled: Pregnant women in Malawi receive information about pregnancy, labour and delivery during routine antenatal visits. This study aimed to explore knowledge of obstetric complications amongst primigravidae attending an urban health centre in Blantyre, Malawi. A descriptive study design was used.

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Unlabelled: An informed individual is better placed to make reasonable decisions. It is therefore of vital importance that women be knowledgeable about obstetric complications to enable them to respond appropriately to complications that may arise. This study aimed to explore primigravidae's knowledge of obstetric complications.

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