African Immigrant Women's Maternal Health Experiences in Clarkston, Georgia: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: The maternal health experiences of African immigrant women, their utilization of health care services, and the effects on maternal health have received limited attention in research. This research explored the maternal health experiences of African immigrant women residing in Clarkston, Georgia, and their use of health services.

Methods: Fourteen African immigrant women responded to semistructured interviews.

Acceptability of mentor mother peer support for women living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria: a qualitative study.

Background: Mentor mothers provide psychosocial and other support to pregnant and post-partum women living with HIV (WLHIV), which has been shown to enhance maternal-infant outcomes in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Our objective was to assess the acceptability of mentor mothers as a PMTCT intervention, and to explore opinions on mentor mother program composition and delivery among stakeholders in North-Central Nigeria.

Methods: We conducted nine focus group discussions and 31 in-depth interviews with 118 participants, including WLHIV, pregnant women, male partners, health workers, traditional birth attendants, community leaders, PMTCT program implementers, and policymakers.

Access to maternal-child health and HIV services for women in North-Central Nigeria: A qualitative exploration of the male partner perspective.

Background: In much of sub-Saharan Africa, male partners play influential roles in women's access to maternal-child healthcare, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services. We explored male partner perspectives on women's access to maternal-child healthcare in North-Central Nigeria.

Methods: Three focus groups were conducted with 30 men, purposefully-selected on the basis of being married, and rural or urban residence.

A mixed-methods assessment of disclosure of HIV status among expert mothers living with HIV in rural Nigeria.

Background: Peer support provided by experienced and/or trained "expert" women living with HIV has been adopted by prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs across sub-Saharan Africa. While there is ample data on HIV status disclosure among non-expert women, there is little data on disclosure among such expert women, who support other women living with HIV.

Objective: This study compared HIV disclosure rates between expert and non-expert mothers living with HIV, and contextualized quantitative findings with qualitative data from expert women.

Why Are Community Stakeholders Pressing for a Call to Action to Curtail the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the South?

As the South is disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS compared to other U.S. regions, Southerners are more likely to contract HIV and, given barriers to care, are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality.

Exploring the acceptability of Option B plus among HIV-positive Nigerian women engaged and not engaged in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV cascade: a qualitative study.

The acceptability of lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive women in high-burden Nigeria, is not well-known. We explored readiness of users and providers of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services to accept lifelong ART -before Option B plus was implemented in Nigeria. We conducted 142 key informant interviews among 100 PMTCT users (25 pregnant-newly-diagnosed, 26 pregnant-in-care, 28 lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) and 21 postpartum women living with HIV) and 42 PMTCT providers in rural North-Central Nigeria.

"They do not see us as one of them": a qualitative exploration of mentor mothers' working relationships with healthcare workers in rural North-Central Nigeria.

Background: In HIV programs, mentor mothers (MMs) are women living with HIV who provide peer support for other women to navigate HIV care, especially in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Nigeria has significant PMTCT program gaps, and in this resource-constrained setting, lay health workers such as MMs serve as task shifting resources for formal healthcare workers and facility-community liaisons for their clients. However, challenging work conditions including tenuous working relationships with healthcare workers can reduce MMs' impact on PMTCT outcomes.

HIV status disclosure to male partners among rural Nigerian women along the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV cascade: a mixed methods study.

Background: HIV status disclosure to male partners is important for optimal outcomes in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Depending on timing of HIV diagnosis or pregnancy status, readiness to disclose and disclosure rates may differ among HIV-positive women. We sought to determine rates, patterns, and experiences of disclosure among Nigerian women along the PMTCT cascade.

Correction to: Adolescent Coordinated Transition (ACT) to improve health outcomes among young people living with HIV in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

In the original publication [1] the figure captions of Figs. 2 and 3 were reversed. The correct version can be found in this Erratum.

Adolescent Coordinated Transition (ACT) to improve health outcomes among young people living with HIV in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) have worse health outcomes than other populations of people living with HIV. Contributing factors include lack of standard and comprehensive procedures for ALHIV transitioning from pediatric to adult care. This has contributed to poor retention at, and following transition, which is problematic especially in high ALHIV-burden, resource-limited settings like Nigeria.

A Socio-Ecological Examination of Treatment Access, Uptake and Adherence Issues Encountered By HIV-Positive Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria.

Background: In spite of the global decline in HIV infections, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for a non-proportional majority of global new infections. While many studies have documented the importance of facilitating access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) as a means of reducing infections, the relationship between interpersonal, community, healthcare facility, and policy-level factors and treatment adherence in Africa have not been well-described. The authors examined these factors in the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in rural north-central Nigeria, where HIV burden is high and service coverage is low.

Implementing and evaluating an interprofessional minority health conference for social work and healthcare professionals.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is one strategy for addressing health inequities; however, little attention has been paid to continuing IPE for practicing social work and healthcare professionals. This article offers guidance to faculty in social work and health-related academic units on offering continuing IPE on the topic of minority health. An interprofessional group of faculty offered a day-long conference on minority health, ethics, and social justice.

Correlates of facility delivery for rural HIV-positive pregnant women enrolled in the MoMent Nigeria prospective cohort study.

Background: Low rates of maternal healthcare service utilization, including facility delivery, may impede progress in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and in reducing maternal and infant mortality. The MoMent (Mother Mentor) study investigated the impact of structured peer support on early infant diagnosis presentation and postpartum maternal retention in PMTCT care in rural Nigeria. This paper describes baseline characteristics and correlates of facility delivery among MoMent study participants.

The Roles of Expert Mothers Engaged in Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Programs: A Commentary on the INSPIRE Studies in Malawi, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.

Introduction: Several initiatives aiming to improve retention and adherence in Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs include "expert mothers" (EMs) as a central tenet of their interventions. This article compares the role of EMs in 3 implementation research studies examining approaches for improving retention in care among mothers living with HIV.

Methods: We compared and synthesized qualitative data and lessons learned from 3 studies (MoMent in Nigeria, PURE in Malawi, and EPAZ in Zimbabwe) with respect to the involvement of EMs in supporting PMTCT clients.

Building Sustainable Local Capacity for Global Health Research in West Africa.

Background: Global health research in resource-limited countries has been largely sponsored and led by foreign institutions. Thus, these countries' training capacity and productivity in global health research is limited. Local participation at all levels of global health knowledge generation promotes equitable access to evidence-based solutions.

Evaluating Religious Influences on the Utilization of Maternal Health Services among Muslim and Christian Women in North-Central Nigeria.

Introduction: Uptake of antenatal services is low in Nigeria; however, indicators in the Christian-dominated South have been better than in the Muslim-dominated North. This study evaluated religious influences on utilization of general and HIV-related maternal health services among women in rural and periurban North-Central Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: Targeted participants were HIV-positive, pregnant, or of reproductive age in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa.

Gender and Children as the Moderators of the Relationship between Social Support and Quality of Life: An Empirical Study of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

Although gender differences persist in the receipt of social support and the report of quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, the knowledge base on this topic is scant. For those living with HIV/AIDS, women tend to participate more than men in support group activities, but their gender predisposes them to lower quality of life. Therefore, this study seeks to determine what demographic factors moderate the relationship between social support and quality of life among those living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

Socio-Demographic Factors, Social Support, Quality of Life, and HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

The increase in the access to biomedical interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world has not been adequately matched with the requisite psychosocial treatments to help improve the effectiveness of biomedical interventions. Therefore, in this study the author seeks to determine whether socio-demographic characteristics and social support are associated with quality of life in individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Ghana. A convenience sample of 300 HIV/AIDS support group members was obtained via cross-sectional design survey.

The impact of mentor mother programs on PMTCT service uptake and retention-in-care at primary health care facilities in Nigeria: a prospective cohort study (MoMent Nigeria).

Background: Nigeria is a key target country in the global effort toward elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Low coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions, adherence, and retention-in-care rates in HIV-positive pregnant women are contributing factors to high mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) rates. In Nigeria, rural areas, served largely by primary health care facilities, have particularly poor indicators of PMTCT coverage.

Patient attitudes regarding consent for emergency department computed tomographies.

Introduction: Little is known about patient attitudes towards informed consent for computed tomography (CT) in the emergency department (ED). We set out to determine ED patient attitudes about providing informed consent for CTs.

Methods: In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey study, we evaluated a convenience sample of patients' attitudes about providing informed consent for having a CT at 2 institutional sites.

Eating as a cultural expression of caring among Afro-Caribbean and African American women: understanding the cultural dimensions of obesity.

Background: Previous studies focused on obesity and weight management have ignored the cultural uniqueness of Afro-Caribbean individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine the cultural context for notions of good health and health practices, and perception of obesity and weight management, among African American and Caribbean American women.

Methods: Four focus groups of Afro-Caribbean and African American women (age 40 and older) were conducted between May and July of 2007 to explore cultural factors related to physical activity, healthy eating and weight management.

Toothache pain: behavioral impact and self-care strategies.

A computer-assisted telephone interview in Maryland of adults who had low income and were Hispanic, Black, and White and who had experienced a toothache during the previous 12 months was conducted. Respondents reported a high prevalence of toothaches, with 44.3% having experienced more than five toothaches during the preceding 10 years.