A qualitative study to understand how Ebola Virus Disease affected nutrition in Sierra Leone-A food value-chain framework for improving future response strategies.

Background: This study sought understand how the 2014-2016 EVD Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak impacted the nutrition sector in Sierra Leone and use findings for improving nutrition responses during future outbreaks of this magnitude.

Methodology: This qualitative study was iterative and emergent. In-depth interviews (n = 42) were conducted over two phases by purposively sampling both key informants (n = 21; government stakeholders, management staff from United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGO)), as well as community informants (n = 21; EVD survivors, health workers, community leaders) until data saturation.

Household food insecurity is associated with low dietary diversity among pregnant and lactating women in rural Malawi.

Objective: To examine the association between household food insecurity and dietary diversity in the past 24h (dietary diversity score (DDS, range: 0-9); minimum dietary diversity (MDD, consumption of three or more food groups); consumption of nine separate food groups) among pregnant and lactating women in rural Malawi.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Two rural districts in Central Malawi.

Physical and sociocultural facilitators and barriers to access and utilization of a nutrition program in rural Malawi: a qualitative study.

Childhood stunting holds consequences for child development. A nutrition program delivering small-quantity lipid based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) to children 6-23 months and child feeding messages was implemented in Malawi to reduce stunting. This study sought to understand the facilitators and barriers to program participation using in-depth interviews, pile sorts, direct observations, and focus group discussions with caretakers, village leaders and program volunteers.