Responsiveness of emergency obstetric care systems in low- and middle-income countries: a critical review of the "third delay".

We reviewed the evidence on the duration, causes and effects of delays in providing emergency obstetric care to women attending health facilities (the third delay) in low- and middle-income countries. We performed a critical literature review using terms related to obstetric care, birth outcome, delays and developing countries. A manual search of reference lists of key articles was also performed.

Household demand for insecticide-treated bednets in Tanzania and policy options for increasing uptake.

There has been considerable controversy about the most appropriate means of delivering insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to prevent malaria. Household demand for ITNs is a key factor influencing the choice of delivery strategy, but evidence to date about price and income elasticities comes either from studies of hypothetical willingness to pay or small-scale policy experiments. This study estimates the price and income elasticities of demand for ITNs using nationally representative household survey data and actual consumer choices, in the context of a national scheme to provide vouchers for subsidized nets to pregnant women in Tanzania.

Risk factors for child mortality in rural Tanzania.

We conducted a community-based nested case-control study of post-neonatal deaths in children under 5 years, with frequency-matched controls chosen from a full sampling frame provided by a demographic surveillance system. Using a questionnaire, we studied treatment-seeking behaviour in fatal illness. In cases and controls we investigated demographic and socio-economic factors, health-seeking behaviour, the household environment including accessibility of health care, and individual child care factors.