Publications by authors named "Niamh Darcy"

Article Synopsis
  • Oxytocin was found to be effective and safe for preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) when administered by community health officers during home births in rural Ghana.
  • A cluster-randomized trial enrolled 689 women who received oxytocin and 897 in a control group, showing significantly lower rates of PPH in the oxytocin group.
  • The study suggests that community health providers can safely administer oxytocin, potentially improving maternal health outcomes in underserved areas.
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Background: Hemorrhage is the leading direct cause of maternal death globally. While oxytocin is the drug of choice for postpartum hemorrhage prevention, its use has generally been limited to health facilities. This trial assesses the effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of expanding the use of prophylactic intramuscular oxytocin to peripheral health care providers at home births in four predominantly rural districts in central Ghana.

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Pediatric asthma is a multifactorial disease, requiring complex, interrelated interventions addressing children, families, schools, and communities. The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN) is a nonprofit organization that provides support to translate evidence-based interventions from research to practice.

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Partnerships have taken on added importance in recent years because of their critical role in addressing complex public health problems and translating evidence-based practices to real-world settings. The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. initiative recognized the importance of partnerships in achieving the program's goals.

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The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN) initiative selected five sites that had high asthma burden and established asthma programs but were ready for greater program integration across schools, health care systems, and communities. MCAN supported a community-based approach that was tailored to the needs of each program site.

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