Qualitative Evaluation of the Africa Malaria Task Force Symposia Effectiveness on African Partner Nations' Malaria Vector Management Capacity.

Introduction: Creating health alliances to build meaningful networks is critical to combating regional and global burdens of disease. These alliances work by uniting support for elimination efforts through cooperative engagement at the national and international levels. The reduction in malaria-related morbidity and mortality in Africa since 2001 is in part because of investments of international organizations and governments in national level malaria control and prevention-related programs and research.

Factors That Affect Emergency Responder Wellbeing: Considerations for Public Health Responders.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify key risk factors that could negatively affect public health emergency responders' health and wellbeing. We seek to use this information to provide recommendations and strategies to mitigate such risks.

Design/methodology/approach: A narrative review of the peer-reviewed literature on wellbeing of military personnel and other responders was conducted.

Violence en route: Eritrean women asylum-seekers experiences of sexual violence while migrating to Israel.

Migrating irregularly, without access to support, may increase female asylum-seekers' vulnerability to sexual violence. In this study, the authors applied a public health lens to explore the risk for sexual violence experienced by female asylum-seekers en route from Eritrea to Israel. The study team conducted 13 in-depth interviews and 8 focus groups with Eritreans in Israel between April and September of 2013.

Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel.

Background: Eritrean migrants in Israel, the majority of whom are seeking asylum, have limited access to institutional support. While the temporary group protection granted to Eritreans by Israel ensures that they are not deported, it does not confer permanent legal status, nor does it allow access to the formal work sector. This study qualitatively explores how political and economic marginalization increases the risk of sexual and other forms of violence as well as the exploitation of Eritrean women asylum seekers living in Israel.

Barriers to contraceptive careseeking: the experience of Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel.

In recent years, there has been a mass migration of Eritreans (many seeking political asylum) into Israel after precarious irregular movement across international borders. This study qualitatively explores the structural barriers to family planning (i.e.

Insights into the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria in Ghana: the role of caregivers and licensed chemical sellers in four regions.

Background: The Affordable Medicine Facility-malaria (AMFm) was an innovative global financing mechanism for the provision of quality-assured artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) across both the private and public health sectors in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluated the effectiveness of AMFm subsidies in increasing access to ACT in Ghana and documented malaria management practices at the household and community levels during the implementation of the AMFm.

Methods: This study, conducted in four regions in Ghana between January, 2011 to December, 2012, employed cross-sectional mixed-methods design that included qualitative and quantitative elements, specifically household surveys, focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews.

A qualitative study exploring barriers related to use of footwear in rural highland ethiopia: implications for neglected tropical disease control.

Background: The role of footwear in protection against a range of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) is gaining increasing attention. Better understanding of the behaviors that influence use of footwear will lead to improved ability to measure shoe use and will be important for those implementing footwear programs.

Methodology/principal Findings: Using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model we assessed social, behavioral, environmental, educational and ecological needs influencing whether and when children wear shoes in a rural highland Ethiopian community endemic for podoconiosis.

The association of beliefs about heredity with preventive and interpersonal behaviors in communities affected by podoconiosis in rural Ethiopia.

Little is known about how beliefs about heredity as a cause of health conditions might influence preventive and interpersonal behaviors among those individuals with low genetic and health literacy. We explored causal beliefs about podoconiosis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) endemic in Ethiopia. Podoconiosis clusters in families but can be prevented if individuals at genetically high risk wear shoes consistently.