Paternal Social Determinants of Childhood Mortality in Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, studies have mainly focused on child and maternal factors contributing to under‑5‑year mortality, and little has been published concerning the paternal social determinants, which are also important. The goal of this paper is to investigate the paternal social determinants of infant and childhood mortality in Zimbabwe. The study analyzed cross‑sectional secondary data from the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) 2015 to investigate paternal determinants of infant and child mortality.

Personal and Social Transformative Learning through Community‑Based Education: Insights from Training Socially Accountable Medical Doctors at a Historically Disadvantaged University in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

In 2014, the Faculty of Health Sciences at Walter Sisulu University introduced a 20‑week long integrated longitudinal clinical clerkship (ILCC) rotation block as part of its commitment to community‑based education and social responsiveness, with the goal of ensuring that the curriculum is updated to align with the contemporary health system challenges in South Africa. To explore whether medical student participants underwent social and personal transformative learning in understanding complex societal health needs during their integrated longitudinal community clerkship program. This was an exploratory qualitative research study conducted among 113 5 year medical students based at 8 selected hospitals during their 20‑week‑long community clerkship.

The Burden and Risk Factors Associated with Infectious Diseases among Refugees in a Camp for Migrants in Porto Alegre: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Refugees usually face a disproportionate burden of infectious diseases. Recently, Brazil has experienced an influx of refugees which demands the need for scaling up public health efforts to address the challenges. The research sought to study the burden and risk factors associated with infectious diseases among refugees received in the city of Porto Alegre.

Framework for Risk Communication and Community Engagement to Improve Vaccine Uptake for COVID-19 and other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).

A framework for guiding risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) during COVID-19 vaccination roll-out is worthwhile in order to guide interventions aimed at improving vaccine uptake. This requires setting up standardised early-warning indicators to predict or detect low uptake; coordination of response activities by all partners, real-time information exchange, innovativeness in designing strategies to deal with arising and anticipated challenges; flexibility to adapt quickly to changing demands and evolving circumstances; and documentation of progress and lessons learnt.

Key Considerations for Successful Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Programmes During COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergencies.

Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) is a key pillar in public health emergency response that ensures accurate health information sharing, adoption of protective behaviours by the affected people, and collaborative participation by all stakeholders, including of the local community structures. The success of RCCE programmes rely on strong partnerships and engagement among affiliated groups; clear programme plans and guidelines; establishment of well-laid down coordination structures; and clear measures for reporting and documentation of programme activities. RCCE activities during public health emergencies must put more emphasis on strengthening local structures and communities to ensure active participation of communities in interrupting disease transmission.

Prevalence, healthcare costs and management of non-communicable diseases in people living with human immunodeficiency virus: A scoping review.

Background: Coexistence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is an important public health issue of increasing concern. However, the prevalence, healthcare costs and management protocols for NCDs in people living with HIV (PLHIV) remain unclear in most settings.

Aim: To scope evidence on prevalence, healthcare costs and disease management protocols associated with NCDs in PLHIV from studies published before July 2019.

Capacity of antiretroviral therapy sites for managing NCDs in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Background: There are marked inconsistencies in prevalence data for human immunodeficiency virus and non-communicable disease (HIV-NCD) comorbidity in Zimbabwe.

Objectives: To explain these discrepancies, we investigated the capacity of antiretroviral therapy (ART) sites in managing hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in people living with HIV (PLWH) in Gweru district, Zimbabwe.

Method: This was a qualitative research design in which key informant interviews were conducted with eight health managers, and 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 72 PLWH concurrently diagnosed with HTN and/or DM.

Effects of HIV and non-communicable disease comorbidity on healthcare costs and health experiences in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Background: The effects of HIV and non-communicable disease (NCD) comorbidities on healthcare costs and health experiences have been documented in most high-income countries. However, little similar data are available for Zimbabwe and most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Untreated or under-treated NCDs can potentially negate the gains achieved from the control of HIV.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in people living with human immunodeficiency virus on antiretroviral therapy in Gweru district, Zimbabwe.

Background: While antiretroviral therapy (ART) has markedly increased survival in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), emerging trends of co-existence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and HIV could negate the gains already achieved in controlling HIV.

Aim: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in PLHIV on ART in Gweru district.

Setting: Six high-volume ART sites in Gweru district under Midlands province in Zimbabwe.

Determinants of Weaning Practices Among Mothers of Infants Aged Below 12 Months in Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Background: Poor weaning practices have been reported to contribute to high infant mortality and morbidity rates especially in developing countries.

Objectives: This study sought to determine factors related to weaning that predispose, reinforce and enable mothers of infants younger than age 12 months to comply or not to comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 guidelines on appropriate infant feeding.

Methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study.