Maternal and health care workers' perspectives on exclusive breastfeeding in the context of maternal HIV infection, in Busia county, western Kenya: a mixed methods cross-sectional survey.

Background: World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for 6 months with maternal active antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. However, EBF in low resource settings remains low. We explored perspectives of EBF by HIV-infected mothers and health care workers in Busia County with a high prevalence of HIV to understand factors influencing the practice.

Building the capacity to solve complex health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa: CARTA's multidisciplinary PhD training.

Objectives: To develop a curriculum (Joint Advanced Seminars [JASs]) that produced PhD fellows who understood that health is an outcome of multiple determinants within complex environments and that approaches from a range of disciplines is required to address health and development within the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA). We sought to attract PhD fellows, supervisors and teaching faculty from a range of disciplines into the program.

Methods: Multidisciplinary teams developed the JAS curriculum.

Influences on participant reporting in the World Health Organisation drugs exposure pregnancy registry; a qualitative study.

Background: The World Health Organisation has designed a pregnancy registry to investigate the effect of maternal drug use on pregnancy outcomes in resource-limited settings. In this sentinel surveillance system, detailed health and drug use data are prospectively collected from the first antenatal clinic visit until delivery. Over and above other clinical records, the registry relies on accurate participant reports about the drugs they use.

Male circumcision for HIV prevention: a prospective study of complications in clinical and traditional settings in Bungoma, Kenya.

Objective: Male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV acquisition by approximately 60%. Male circumcision services are now being introduced in selected populations in sub-Saharan Africa and further interventions are being planned. A serious concern is whether male circumcision can be provided safely to large numbers of adult males in developing countries.

Sexual behavior is more risky in rural than in urban areas among young women in Nyanza province, Kenya.

Background: HIV/sexually transmitted disease interventions in sub-Saharan Africa have largely been focused on urban areas, where sexual behavior is supposed to be more risky than in rural areas.

Goal: The goal of this study was to measure sexual risk behavior among young adults in Nyanza province in Kenya and to compare rural and urban areas.

Study: In a cross-sectional study, 584 household members aged 15 to 29 years in Kisumu town and the rural districts Siaya and Bondo were selected by multistage random sampling and were administered a face-to-face questionnaire.

Clients of female sex workers in Nyanza province, Kenya: a core group in STD/HIV transmission.

Background: Commercial sex plays an important role in the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa, especially in beginning epidemics.

Goal: The goal was to study the sociodemographic characteristics and sexual risk behavior of clients of female sex workers (FSWs) in Nyanza province, Kenya.

Study Design: In the town of Kisumu and the rural districts Siaya and Bondo, male clients of FSWs were identified in bars, nightclubs, and lodges.