Exploring Adolescents' Contraceptive Preferences and Trade-Offs: Findings From a Discrete Choice Experiment in Kenya.

A focus on contraceptive preferences is essential to the provision of person-centered care. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the WHO African Region experience disparities in contraceptive access and use and reproductive health outcomes. Despite increasing recognition of AGYW needs as unique, their preferences are understudied, limiting strategies to improve contraceptive care access and quality among marginalized youth populations.

A blended learning approach for capacity strengthening to improve the quality of integrated HIV, TB, and malaria services during antenatal and postnatal care in LMICs: a feasibility study.

Background: The blended learning (BL) approach to training health care professionals is increasingly adopted in many countries because of high costs and disruption to service delivery in the light of severe human resource shortage in low resource settings. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the urgency to identify alternatives to traditional face-to-face (f2f) education approach. A four-day f2f antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) continuous professional development course (CPD) was repackaged into a 3-part BL course; (1) self-directed learning (16 h) (2) facilitated virtual sessions (2.

A prospective, longitudinal, comparative analysis of the World Health Organization / International Committee of the Red Cross Basic Emergency Care Course on emergency medicine knowledge and confidence among recent medical school graduates.

Background: The Basic Emergency Care (BEC) course was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) to train frontline providers in low-resource settings. This study aims to evaluate long-term retention and maintenance of emergency care knowledge and confidence among University of Nairobi School of Medicine graduates after completing the BEC course.

Methods: This longitudinal, prospective, comparative study was conducted with recent graduates of the University of Nairobi School of Medicine from October 2021 to May 2023.

Prevalence and demographic profile of keratoconus among high school students in Kenya.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and demographic profile of keratoconus (KC) among high school students in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Methods: In this population-based, prospective, cross-sectional study, multistage cluster sampling was used to select the participants. All students underwent visual acuity measurement, auto-refraction, retinoscopy and corneal topography.

Exploring intersectional determinants of, and interventions for, low uptake of human papillomavirus vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in 36 low- and middle-income countries, with the majority located in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), South America and Southeastern Asia. The highest regional incidence and mortality occur in SSA. Despite the high efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing cervical cancer, its uptake remains unacceptably low in SSA.

Assessing Root Causes and Solutions to Address Cross-Programmatic Inefficiencies in a Subnational Health System: A Case Study of Anambra State, Nigeria.

Cross-programmatic inefficiencies are duplications or misalignments that arise from undue fragmentation of health systems by vertical health programs. Identifying and addressing the root causes of cross-programmatic inefficiencies in a health system can ensure more efficient use of resources to make progress toward Universal Health Coverage. This paper examines the root causes of cross-programmatic inefficiencies related to governance and financing in the state health system of Anambra in southeast Nigeria.

Creative Aging: Unraveling the Psychosocial Benefits of Art Among Germany's Oldest Old. Findings From the Nationally Representative Study "Old Age in Germany (D80+)".

Objective: There is a dearth of studies examining the link between artistic activity and psychosocial outcomes exclusively among the oldest old. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between artistic activity and psychosocial outcomes among individuals aged 80 years and over in Germany.

Methods/design: Data for this analysis were taken from the "Old Age in Germany (D80+)" study, a nationwide sample encompassing both community-dwelling individuals aged 80 and above, as well as those residing in care facilities.

Meta-Analysis: Prevalence of Youth Mental Disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Youth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face limited access to professional mental health resources. A comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of mental disorders would build an understanding of the scope of the need. We conducted systematic searches in PsycInfo, Pubmed, AfriBib and Africa Journals Online to identify prevalence rates for five disorders (anxiety, depression, conduct disorder, attention problems and post-traumatic stress) among SSA youth with a mean age of less than 19 years.

Enhancing quality of care for older adults: The age-friendly health system (4Ms framework) and the role of general medicine physicians as system-based complexologists.

The aging population presents critical challenges to global healthcare systems, with Japan expected to have 35% of its population aged 65 or older by 2040. Older adults often experience multimorbidity, cognitive impairments, and physical frailties, increasing healthcare utilization and costs. Traditional medical approaches that focus on organ-specific diagnoses are insufficient for addressing these multifaceted needs.

Community pharmacies: Key players in point-of-care diagnostics for STI screening in Africa.

Background: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) rank in the top 5 disease categories for which adults in developing countries seek healthcare services. Community pharmacies offer clients convenience, proximity, extended opening hours, privacy, and efficiency, which could make them desirable locations for HIV and STI screening and treatment. We examined the feasibility of using point-of-care (POC) STI tests for screening HIV and other STIs at community pharmacies.

Performance of three diagnostic tests for tuberculosis among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients presenting to a health facility in an informal urban settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.

The absence of an accurate reference test complicates the evaluation of tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic tests among people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLWHIV). The objective of this study was to estimate (using Bayesian latent class models [BLCM]) the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and negative and positive predictive values (NPV and PPV) of sputum smear microscopy (SSM), Xpert Ultra and lipoarabinomannan antigen (LAM) tests for TB among PLWHIV in Nairobi, Kenya. This cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 190 patients aged ≥ 18 years with presumptive TB seeking treatment at the Kibra Community Health Center Comprehensive Care Centre (CCC) clinic between September 2022 and March 2023.

Repeatability of RRate measurements in children during triage in two Ugandan hospitals.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children globally. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) pneumonia diagnosis relies on accurate assessment of respiratory rate, which can be unreliable when completed by nurses with less-advanced training. To inform more accurate measurements, we investigate the repeatability of the RRate app used by nurses in Ugandan district hospitals.

Educate, Advocate, Act Now: a sustainable approach to combating antimicrobial resistance TODAY.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a great challenge to health systems all over the world. It is exacerbated by the abuse, misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, plants and the environment. This viewpoint emphasizes the critical need to address the challenges of AMR through an integrated, long-term approach that focuses on education, advocacy and collective action.

We are what we eat: Implications of host plant suitability on sustainable production of silkworm pupae as novel ingredient with dietary and health benefits.

Although, the impact of mulberry leaves on mortality of Bombyx mori [silkworm] and cocooning rates has been investigated, limited research has exploited the influence on the quality of B. mori pupae. This study evaluated the effects of four mulberry cultivars (Ichinose, Noi-EX-Thailand, Ex-Thika and Victory1) on the nutritional quality of B.

Negative effects by mineral accretion technique on the heat resilience, growth and recruitment of corals.

Restoration and artificial reefs can assist the recovery of degraded reefs but are limited in scalability and climate resilience. The Mineral Accretion Technique (MAT) subjects metal artificial reefs to a low-voltage electrical current, thereby creating a calcium-carbonate coating. It has been suggested that corals on MAT structures experience enhanced health and growth.

Educational interventions to improve pediatric emergency care: A qualitative assessment of the perspectives of African healthcare workers.

Pediatric emergency care (PEC) training for health care workers (HCWs) is commonly offered in the form of short courses. This study gathers the perspectives of HCWs from eight African countries on how to best deliver and implement short training courses in PEC. This is a qualitative study using semi-structured key informant (KI) interviews.

Preferences for and acceptability of long-acting HIV prevention products among pregnant and lactating women accessing health services in Kenya: a mixed method cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Increased risk of HIV acquisition during pregnancy and lactation among women is evident, necessitating their inclusion in the evaluation of new HIV prevention interventions. Pregnant and postpartum women specifically face challenges with oral PrEP associated with stigma, and the burden of using other tablets. Long-acting products may address challenges related to oral PrEP, however, there is limited data on product-specific preferences and acceptability among pregnant and lactating women.

Metagenomics reveals spatial variation in cyanobacterial composition, function, and biosynthetic potential in the Winam Gulf, Lake Victoria, Kenya.

The Winam Gulf in the Kenyan region of Lake Victoria experiences prolific, year-round cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) which pose threats to human, livestock, and ecosystem health. To our knowledge, there is limited molecular research on the gulf's cyanoHABs, and thus, the strategies employed for survival and proliferation by toxigenic cyanobacteria in this region remain largely unexplored. Here, we used metagenomics to analyze the Winam Gulf's cyanobacterial composition, function, and biosynthetic potential.

Serological Evidence of Cryptic Rift Valley Fever Virus Transmission Among Humans and Livestock in Central Highlands of Kenya.

Although the highlands of East Africa lack the geo-ecological landmarks of Rift Valley fever (RVF) disease hotspots to participate in cyclic RVF epidemics, they have recently reported growing numbers of small RVF clusters. Here, we investigated whether RVF cycling occurred among livestock and humans in the central highlands of Kenya during inter-epidemic periods. A 2-year prospective hospital-based study among febrile patients (March 2022-February 2024) in Murang'a County of Kenya was followed by a cross-sectional human-animal survey.

Exploring the Microbial Ecology of Water in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Potential of Bacteriophages in Water Quality Monitoring and Treatment to Improve Its Safety.

Access to safe water and food is a critical issue in sub-Saharan Africa, where microbial contamination poses significant health risks. Conventional water treatment and food preservation methods have limitations in addressing water safety, particularly for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms. This review explores the potential application of bacteriophages as an innovative solution for water treatment and food safety in the region.

Scoping Review of Current Costing Literature on Interventions to Reach Zero-Dose Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

A limited number of studies focus on estimating the costs of interventions to increase childhood immunization coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Existing reviews often compare estimated costs but lack information on the methods used. The objective of this review is to summarize the methods used in costing studies that assessed interventions to reach zero-dose (ZD) children.

Traditional Knowledge, Use, and Management of Among the Mijikenda Community in Kilifi, Kenya.

Although Lam. (Moringaceae) is a multipurpose tree with remarkable nutritional and therapeutic benefits, it is undervalued and neglected in Kenya, as the local people associate it with famine and poverty. The present study aims to assess and document the traditional knowledge on use and management as well as production constraints of the species among the Mijikenda community in Kilifi County, Kenya.

CRISPR-Cas-Based Pen-Side Diagnostic Tests for and .

and are tick-borne pathogens, posing significant threats to the health and productivity of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Currently, detection of and in infected animals relies primarily on microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood or organ smears, which has limited sensitivity. Molecular methods offer higher sensitivity but are costly and impractical in resource-limited settings.