Assessing knowledge and skills of laypersons bringing victims of road traffic collisions to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

In Malawi, pre-hospital care assistance is mainly provided by laypersons who witnessed the event. The aim of our study was to determine the knowledge and skills of such persons who bring victims of road traffic crashes to hospital. The study was conducted at Adult Emergency and Trauma Centre at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

Informing prevention of stillbirth and preterm birth in Malawi: development of a minimum dataset for health facilities participating in the DIPLOMATIC collaboration.

Objective: The global research group, DIPLOMATIC (Using eviDence, Implementation science, and a clinical trial PLatform to Optimise MATernal and newborn health in low Income Countries), aims to reduce stillbirths and preterm births and optimise outcomes for babies born preterm. Minimum datasets for routine data collection in healthcare facilities participating in DIPLOMATIC (initially in Malawi) were designed to assist understanding of baseline maternal and neonatal care processes and outcomes, and facilitate evaluation of improvement interventions and pragmatic clinical trials.

Design: Published and grey literature was reviewed alongside extensive in-country consultation to define relevant clinical best practice guidance, and the existing local data and reporting infrastructure, to identify requirements for the minimum datasets.

Knowledge deficit on health promotion activities during pregnancy: the case for adolescent pregnant women at Chiladzulu District, Malawi.

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a public health concern in Malawi as it is associated with high risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Almost 29% of adolescent women aged 15-19 years are already mothers and adolescent fertility rate is also high estimated at 136 per 1000 women. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore knowledge of pregnant adolescents on importance of antenatal care and health promotion during pregnancy.

Relationship between role stressors, job tasks and job satisfaction among health surveillance assistants in Malawi: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the role stressors, sociodemographic characteristics and job tasks of health surveillance assistants (HSAs) and to explore major predictors of role stressors and job satisfaction of HSAs in Malawi.

Setting: Data were collected from health centres and hospitals of three Malawi districts of Mangochi, Lilongwe and Mzimba.

Participants: Respondents were 430 HSAs.

Impact of group prenatal care on key prenatal services and educational topics in Malawi and Tanzania.

Objective: To examine whether group prenatal care (PNC) increased key services and educational topics women reported receiving, compared with individual PNC in Malawi and Tanzania.

Methods: Data come from a previously published randomized trial (n=218) and were collected using self-report surveys. Late pregnancy surveys asked whether women received all seven services and all 13 topics during PNC.

Exploring how and why Care Groups work to improve infant feeding practices in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review protocol.

Background: Within our inquiry into the implementation of breastfeeding policy in Malawi, Care Groups have been mentioned as a means to improve maternal and child health and nutrition outcomes. The 'Care Group model' is an approach primarily used in international development settings, whereby social and behaviour changes are promoted through supported peer-to-peer (mostly mother-to-mother) knowledge sharing. The aim of most Care Groups is to promote improved infant nutrition, improve hygiene and increase the number of children who are fully vaccinated and exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months.

Effectiveness of an integrated breastfeeding education program to improve self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding rate: A single-blind, randomised controlled study.

Background: Low self-efficacy affects new mothers' ability to sustain breastfeeding. Interventions that increase self-efficacy could improve sustained breastfeeding.

Objectives: To develop an integrated breastfeeding education program based on self-efficacy theory, and evaluate the effect of the intervention on first-time mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy and attitudes.

A qualitative study of childbirth fear and preparation among primigravid women: The blind spot of antenatal care in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore childbirth fear and childbirth preparation among primigravid women in the late pregnancy from 36 to 40 weeks gestation

Methods: We purposively recruited 18 primigravid women into in-depth interviews, 21 birth companions, and 13 health workers into focus group discussions. Participants were recruited from two community hospitals' maternity waiting homes in Lilongwe, Malawi. Semi-structured interview guides were used to collect data that were analyzed using content analysis.

Assessing the quality of postnatal care offered to mothers and babies by midwives in Lilongwe District.

Background: The quality of care received by mothers and newborns in low-resource settings is often poor. This may partly explain the high rates of maternal deaths (60%) that occur during the postpartum period in Malawi. However, the quality of care provided to mothers and newborns in the country has not been adequately assessed.

Midwives' and Medical professionals' perspectives of collaborative practice at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Maternity Unit, Malawi: The discovery phase of an appreciative inquiry project.

Background: This paper reports on part of a larger study, the aim of which was to develop an intervention to collaboratively develop innovative strategies to promote effective collaborative practices among midwives and medical professionals working in intrapartum care unit. Collaborative practice is a critical marker for success in improving quality of maternity care. To date, there has been limited exploration of collaborative practices between midwives and medical professionals working in intrapartum care from the African perspective.

Effectiveness of theory-based educational interventions on breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Enhancing breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention is crucial for successful breastfeeding. Educational interventions highlighting breastfeeding self-efficacy and breastfeeding plans have been developed to help mothers initiate and sustain breastfeeding practices.

Research Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the use of theory-based educational interventions, i.

Midwife Led Units: Transforming Maternity Care Globally.

Background: Midwifery-led care is a high-certainty, evidence-based strategy to improve maternity care. Midwife-led units (MLUs) are one example of how the midwifery model of care is being integrated into existing health systems to transform maternal health around the world.

Purpose: To promote global investment in MLUs by describing the benefits, current advances and future directions of this model of care.

Intended and unintended effects: community perspectives on a performance-based financing programme in Malawi.

Background: Several performance-based financing (PBF) evaluations have been undertaken in low-income countries, yet few have examined community perspectives of care amid PBF programme implementation. We assessed community members' perspectives of Support for Service Delivery Integration - Performance-Based Incentives ('SSDI-PBI'), a PBF intervention in Malawi, and explored some of the unintended effects that emerged amid implementation.

Methods: We conducted 30 focus group discussions: 17 with community leaders and 13 with mothers within catchment areas of SSDI-PBI implementing facilities.

Perception of Midwives Towards Magnesium Sulfate Use at Chatinkha Maternity Wing in Blantyre, Malawi: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Globally, magnesium sulfate (MgSO) has been recognized as the drug of choice for preventing and controlling fits among women with severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, respectively. Improper use of magnesium sulfate has been reported globally. Therefore, actionable findings for improving magnesium sulfate use are needed.

An effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 1 trial assessing the impact of group versus individual antenatal care on maternal and infant outcomes in Malawi.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has the world's highest rates of maternal and perinatal mortality and accounts for two-thirds of new HIV infections and 25% of preterm births. Antenatal care, as the entry point into the health system for many women, offers an opportunity to provide life-saving monitoring, health promotion, and health system linkages. Change is urgently needed, because potential benefits of antenatal care are not realized when pregnant women experience long wait times and short visits with inconsistent provisioning of essential services and minimal health promotion, especially for HIV prevention.

Efficacy of companion-integrated childbirth preparation for childbirth fear, self-efficacy, and maternal support in primigravid women in Malawi.

Background: In resource-limited settings, childbirth remains a matter of life and death. High levels of childbirth fear in primigravid women are inevitable. To date, few studies have explored interventions to reduce childbirth fear in primigravid women.

Developing Action Plans in Youth Photovoice to Address Community-Level HIV Risk in Rural Malawi.

Youth-driven approaches to HIV prevention can engage youth and improve health outcomes. Photovoice has been used to engage youth in identifying the assets and challenges in their communities. In sub-Saharan Africa, youth remain vulnerable to HIV infection.

African midwifery students' self-assessed confidence in antenatal care: a multi-country study.

: Evidence-based antenatal care is one cornerstone in Safe Motherhood and educated and confident midwives remain to be optimal caregivers in Africa. Confidence in antenatal midwifery skills is important and could differ depending on the provision of education among the training institutions across Africa.: The aim of the study was to describe and compare midwifery students' confidence in basic antenatal skills, in relation to age, sex, program type and level of program.

An evidence-based policy brief: improving the quality of postnatal care in mothers 48 hours after childbirth.

Introduction: Malawi is experiencing slow progress in postnatal care of mothers within the first 48 hours after childbirth. Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2015-16 reported a slow progress in postnatal care of mothers in the first 48 hours at 42% from 41% in 2010 despite a high number of institutional births. This is a critical period as a large proportion of maternal deaths occur during this period, currently at 439 per 100,000 live births.

Contextual issues that influence preparedness of nurses for critical care nursing practice in Malawi.

Background: There are no critical care nurse training programs in Malawi despite the high burden of diseases which culminate in critical illness. This paper presents contextual issues that influence preparedness of nurses for critical care nursing practice in Malawi. The qualitative findings presented are part of a larger mixed methods study which explored learning needs of critical care nurses as a way of informing the development of a training program for the critical care nurses in Malawi.

The examination of nurses' adherence to the 'five rights' of antibiotic administration and factors influencing their practices: a mixed methods case study at a tertiary hospital, Malawi.

Background: Adherence to 'Five Rights' of medication administration guidelines namely the right drug, the right patient, the right dose, the right time and the right route is the basic nursing standard and a crucial component in medication safety. Specifically for antibiotics, this helps to minimize resistance and reduce hospital costs. There is a dearth in literature on how nurses apply this standard when administering antibiotics to inpatients.

Health researchers and policy makers involvement in knowledge translation activities in Malawi.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore health researchers' involvement of policy or decision makers in knowledge translation activities in Malawi.

Design/methodology/approach: The case study collected quantitative through questionnaire from health researchers from the University of Malawi. The study used inferential statistics for the analysis of the quantitative data.

"Passing through difficult times": Perceptions of perinatal depression and treatment needs in Malawi - A qualitative study to inform the development of a culturally sensitive intervention.

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the perceptions of perinatal women and key maternal care health workers about perinatal depression and the health service needs required to inform development of a culturally sensitive and acceptable psychosocial intervention.

Methods: This qualitative study used a descriptive exploratory design; it is the first phase of a larger mixed methods study aimed at adapting a psychosocial intervention for perinatal depression. We conducted in-depth interviews with 22 women who screened positive for depression using a locally validated Chichewa version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at antenatal and postnatal clinics in 1 rural and 1 urban health care setting in Lilongwe District, Malawi.