Spatial Heterogeneity and association between the survey-based Women's Empowerment Index (SWPER) and unmet need for birth spacing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Unmet need for birth spacing can significantly impact maternal and child health outcomes, leading to unintended or mistimed births, neonatal mortality, pregnancy loss, induced abortions, small-sized births, and malnutrition. Considering the role of women empowerment in women's sexual and reproductive health, we examined the association between the survey-based women's empowerment index (SWPER) and unmet need for spacing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: We used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 21 in SSA conducted between 2015 and 2021.

Wealth-related inequalities in the utilisation of modern contraceptives in Papua New Guinea: evidence from the 2016-2018 Demographic and Health Survey data.

Objective: To examine the wealth-related disparities in modern contraceptives use among women in Papua New Guinea.

Design: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the 2016-2018 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey data. We included 11 618 women of reproductive age in our final analysis.

Association between women's empowerment and fertility preferences in Ghana.

As Ghana has embraced the concept of women's empowerment as a vital tool for sustainable development, it has become crucial to evaluate the role that women's empowerment plays in the fertility preferences of married and cohabiting women in the country. The study's objective was to examine the association between women's empowerment, the ideal number of children and women's ability to have their desired number of children. This cross-sectional study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Socioeconomic inequalities in uptake of HIV testing during antenatal care: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Measuring socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare usage represents a critical step towards promoting health equity, in alignment with the principles of universal health coverage and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. In this study, we assessed the socioeconomic inequalities in HIV testing during antenatal care (ANC) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Sub-Saharan Africa was the focus of this study.

Women's Sexual Autonomy and Short Birth Interval in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey Data.

Sexual autonomy is an inalienable human right to protect and maintain an informed decision over one's body, sexuality, and sexual experience. With the increased attention to women's empowerment and gender equality all over the world, it is surprising that previous research has overlooked the relationship between women's sexual autonomy and short birth intervals. This study examined the association between women's sexual autonomy and short birth intervals in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Socioeconomic inequalities in modern contraceptive use among women in Benin: a decomposition analysis.

Background: Contraceptive use is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3. Evidence of socioeconomic inequality in the use of modern contraceptives is essential to address the developing inequality in its utilisation given the low prevalence of contraceptive use among women in Benin. This study examined the socioeconomic inequalities in modern contraceptive use among women in Benin.

Prevalence and predictors of infant and young child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: This study assessed the prevalence and predictors of minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: A sample of 87 672 mother-child pairs from the 2010-2020 Demographic and Health Surveys of 32 countries in SSA was used. Multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the predictors of MDD, MMF, and MAD.

Women's household decision-making power and contraceptive use in Mali.

Background: Utilization of contraceptives remains low in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa despite evidence of its benefits. Several factors are associated with contraceptive use. However, little is known about the association between women's decision-making capacity and the utilization of contraceptives in Mali.

Contraceptive discontinuation among women of reproductive age in Papua New Guinea.

Background: Papua New Guinea has one of the lowest contraceptive prevalence rates among women of reproductive age in the Western Pacific Region and this makes contraceptive discontinuation in this country a critical public health issue worth studying. This study sought to assess the factors associated with contraceptive discontinuation among women of reproductive age in Papua New Guinea.

Methods: The data used for the analysis were obtained from the Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey which was conducted in 2016-2018.

Intimate Partner Violence and Pregnancy Termination Among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is predominant in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and has serious adverse effects on the physical, psychological, and reproductive health of those who experience it. For reproductive health outcomes, experiencing IPV has been linked to higher odds of unintended pregnancies that can result in abortion. Hence, we examined the association between IPV and pregnancy termination among women in SSA.

Intimate partner violence against married and cohabiting women in sub-Saharan Africa: does sexual autonomy matter?

Background: Literature shows that women's sexual autonomy, which refers to women's capacity to refuse sex and ask a partner to use condom, has significant implications on the sexual and reproductive health outcomes and sexual-and-gender based violence. Nevertheless, there is scarcity of empirical evidence to support the association between women's sexual autonomy and intimate partner violence (IPV) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Data for the study were extracted from the recent Demographic and Health Surveys in 24 countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2019.

Self-reported sexually transmitted infections among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect individuals of all ages, but adolescent girls and young women are disproportionately affected. We examined the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported STIs (SR-STIs) among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: Demographic and Health Survey data of 27 sub-Saharan African countries were used for the study.

Dietary Diversity and Undernutrition in Children Aged 6-23 Months in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dietary diversity plays a major role in the health status of children. However, evidence on its crucial role on children's health status remains inconclusive in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In this study, we examined the association between dietary diversity and undernutrition among children aged 6-23 months in SSA.

Women empowerment and minimum daily meal frequency among infants and young children in Ghana: analysis of Ghana demographic and health survey.

Background: The nutritional quality of food has an important impact on the health and well-being of families, especially children whose bodies need to grow, develop and reach their full physical and mental potential. Traditionally, women in Ghana provide care and nourishment for their children and families if they have the means to do so or if they are financially, legally and socially empowered. Women's empowerment is not only important for women's human rights, but also improves nutrition and health outcomes of both mothers and their children.

A multilevel analysis of individual and contextual factors associated with the practice of safe disposal of children's faeces in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Over the years, sanitation programs over the world have focused more on household sanitation, with limited attention towards the disposal of children's stools. This lack of attention could be due to the misconception that children's stools are harmless. The current study examined the individual and contextual predictors of safe disposal of children's faeces among women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Self-reported sexually transmitted infections among sexually active men in Ghana.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV are major public health problems. This study, therefore, sought to assess the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported STIsamong sexually active men in Ghana.

Methods: Data from the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey wereused to conduct the study.

Barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Ghana: a multilevel modelling.

Background: Women's health remains a global public health concern, as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals. This study, therefore, sought to assess the individual and contextual factors associated with barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Ghana.

Methods: The study was conducted among 9370 women aged 15-49, using data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Modern contraceptive utilization and associated factors among married and cohabiting women in Papua New Guinea: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Universal access to family planning has been emphasized by the international development agenda, as evident in the Sustainable Development Goal 3.7. This notwithstanding, the use of modern contraceptives has been minimal in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Papua New Guinea.

Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in Papua New Guinea: a population-based study using the 2016-2018 demographic and health survey data.

Background: Initiation of breastfeeding after birth comes with a wide range of benefits to the child. For example, it provides the child with all essential nutrients needed for survival within the first six months of birth. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding (EIB) in Papua New Guinea.

A multi-country cross-sectional study of self-reported sexually transmitted infections among sexually active men in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Despite the importance of self-reporting health in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) control, studies on self-reported sexually transmitted infections (SR-STIs) are scanty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with SR-STIs among sexually active men (SAM) in SSA.

Methods: Analysis was done based on the current Demographic and Health Survey of 27 countries in SSA conducted between 2010 and 2018.

Individual and contextual factors associated with barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Papua New Guinea: insights from a nationwide demographic and health survey.

Background: This study sought to assess the individual and contextual factors associated with barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Papua New Guinea.

Methods: The study was conducted among 14 653 women aged 15-49 y using data from the 2016-2018 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable was barriers to accessing healthcare.

Individual and contextual factors associated with disposal of children's stools in Papua New Guinea: evidence from the 2016-2018 demographic and health survey.

Background: Proper sanitation has been one of the topmost priorities on the global public health agenda. In the past few decades, sanitation programs targeting households have often paid little attention to the disposal of children's stools. We assessed the individual and contextual factors associated with disposal of children's faeces in Papua New Guinea.