"…considered 'essential workers', so we report to work and serve the community": experiences of community health workers during COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) played an essential part in providing health services to the communities they served prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they had some positive impact on community/household health service promotion and delivery. Nonetheless, restricted movement and social isolation made it challenging for community members to access CHW services, which are normally provided in person. We explore community health workers' opinions on the impact of COVID-19 on their responsibilities, clients, and communities in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

The Challenges of Implementing a Health Referral System in South Africa: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Health system strengthening efforts also entails streamlining an existing referral system in a particular context to improve quality of health care offered to people. Conceptually, the referral system in South Africa, is seemingly sound. Nevertheless, gaps exist in its implementation.

Pregnancy-induced hypertension awareness, knowledge and its risk factors: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Objective: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) has severe implications for maternal morbidity and mortality; thus, boosting pregnant women's awareness and knowledge of this medical condition is crucial for improving the mother's and foetus's health. This study assessed the awareness and knowledge of PIH and its risk factors among pregnant women in Mdantsane, South Africa.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 249 conveniently selected and consenting pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Mdantsane, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa.

Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors Among People Living with HIV/AIDS and Undergoing Antiretroviral Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Amathole District, South Africa.

Background And Aim: People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are susceptible to depressive symptoms. Consequently, we examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among PLWHA and on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 150 PLWHA on ART in primary health facilities in Amathole District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Barriers to Exclusive Breastfeeding for Mothers in Tswelopele Municipality, Free State Province, South Africa: A Qualitative Study.

Despite the numerous advantages of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), the practice remains infrequently adopted in certain countries and is also associated with context-specific obstacles. Consequently, this study explores the experiences and opinions of mothers about the barriers and support systems of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), in a bid to promote this practice in the Tswelopele Municipality of the Free State Province of South Africa. In-depth individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mothers, using an audio recorder after receiving their permission to record the interviews.

Perception of Women's Knowledge of and Attitudes towards Cervical Cancer and Papanicolaou Smear Screenings: A Qualitative Study in South Africa.

Cervical cancer is the most common form of cancer worldwide. Consequently, it is crucial that women are encouraged to undergo interventions early via Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screenings to improve their health. In light of this, this study explored the knowledge of and attitudes towards cervical cancer and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screenings among women in the Caleb Motshabi district, South Africa.

Efficacy and positive outcome of physical activity in pregnant women.

Background & Objective: Evidence has shown the innumerable benefits of prenatal physical activity practice; therefore, the knowledge pregnant women have, and efforts to sustain the knowledge and encourage them to engage in prenatal physical activity, are desirable. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes concerning prenatal physical activity of pregnant women attending primary health antenatal care clinics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1082 pregnant in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape province, South Africa were sampled from July to October 2019.

Uncovering Barriers to Prenatal Physical Activity and Exercise Among South African Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional, Mixed-Method Analysis.

Background: The barriers to prenatal physical activity and exercise have been widely reported in the literature, highlighting context-specific challenges. However, generally, research on prenatal physical activity and exercise among pregnant women in South Africa is rare; and particularly concerning the barriers to their prenatal physical activity practice. This study assessed the barriers to physical activity participation among pregnant women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Development and Validation of Prenatal Physical Activity Intervention Strategy for Women in Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa.

Women rarely participate in physical activity during pregnancy, despite scientific evidence emphasising its importance. This study sought to develop an intervention strategy to promote prenatal physical activity in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A multi-stage approach was utilised.

Perceptions of women of reproductive age towards maternal death in Qaukeni sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A qualitative study.

Maternal mortality is a global problem, particularly in developing countries. This study explored perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of women of reproductive age concerning maternal deaths in Qaukeni Sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This was a community-based qualitative study using using in-depth interviews among women of reproductive age.

A comparative analysis of teenagers and older pregnant women concerning maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes in Raymond Mhlaba sub-District, South Africa.

Teenage pregnancy has become a common global public health issue, associated with increased risk of obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Teenagers are more prone to obstetric complications compared to older women. This study examined the maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes among teenagers, and compared them with older pregnant women.

Physical Activity Advice and Counselling by Healthcare Providers: A Scoping Review.

Despite scientific evidence on prenatal physical activity and exercise, synthesized evidence is lacking on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers. The scoping review seeks to fill this gap by synthesizing available literature on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers to women during antenatal visits. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) search framework for scoping reviews was applied to retrieve original research articles on the prenatal physical activity and exercise practices of healthcare providers with pregnant women, published between 2010-2020, and available in English.

Physical Activity in Pregnancy: Beliefs, Benefits, and Information-Seeking Practices of Pregnant Women in South Africa.

Background: Notwithstanding the benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy, anecdotal evidence suggests ignorance, unscientific beliefs, and lack of awareness about PA among pregnant South African women.

Aim: This study examined the beliefs, perceived benefits, and sources of information on PA during pregnancy.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was employed between June and September 2019 using an interviewer-administered questionnaire with 1,082 pregnant women.

Applying the Ecological Model to understand pregnant women's perspectives on the modifiable constraints to physical activity during pregnancy: A qualitative research study.

The benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy are widely reported; however, PA practice is seemingly not a valued habit among pregnant women attending public antenatal health centres in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Guided by the ecological model, we sought to explore modifiable barriers to PA among pregnant women.Semi-structured interviews involved a purposive sample of 15 pregnant women.

Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy in Africa: a review of the literature.

Background: Pregnancy is an important phase in a woman's life, with health status at this stage affecting both the woman and her child's life. Global evidence suggests that many women engage in low levels of physical activity (PA) and exercise during pregnancy despite its beneficial effects. This is particularly the case in Africa.

Physical Activity Level during Pregnancy in South Africa: A Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Physical activity participation during pregnancy confers many maternal and foetal health benefits to the woman and her infant and is recommended by various health bodies and institutions. However, in South Africa, scant information exists about the physical activity status and its determinants among pregnant women. The aim of this study was to assess the physical activity level and associated factors among pregnant women.

Developing a Physical Activity Intervention Strategy for Pregnant Women in Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa: A Study Protocol.

Despite global awareness about the importance and health benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy, several studies have reported a low prevalence of PA participation among pregnant women in both developed and developing countries. This means that most pregnant women do not meet the current PA recommended guideline of 150 min of moderate intensity PA per week. The global call to prioritise PA participation levels in the general population necessitates evaluating the factors affecting PA practice.