Viral load non-suppression among adolescents and youth living with HIV in South Africa.

Background: Despite the increased initiation and uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa, some people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are on ART still have non-suppressed viral load (VL).

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of VL non-suppression among adolescents and youth (aged 12 years - 24 years) living with HIV and on ART in South Africa, as well as the factors associated with it.

Method: Data from the 2017 South African national HIV prevalence, incidence, behaviour, and communication survey were analysed.

Double burden of malnutrition among women and children in Zimbabwe: a pooled logistic regression and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis.

Background: The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a public health issue characterised by the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition within the same population, household, or individual. Undernutrition, manifesting as stunting, wasting, or being underweight, results from insufficient nutrient intake while overnutrition, manifesting as overweight or obesity, results from excessive caloric intake, poor diet quality, and sedentary lifestyles. This dual burden poses significant challenges for health systems due to lost productivity and increased healthcare expenditure.

When assisted reproductive technology (ART) opens the door for inclusivity in a highly charged cultural milieu: an exploration of news articles on the establishment of ART clinics in Zimbabwe.

The study focuses on how infertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART) have been portrayed in the Zimbabwean print news media, specifically looking at articles related to the country's two private fertility clinics established in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Through thematic analysis of 35 news articles, seven prominent themes were developed: infertility as an undesirable and stigmatised condition; stress and the feminisation of infertility; the impact of societal and familial pressure to have children; ART as a ray of hope for infertile couples; growing acceptance of ART; availability, accessibility and affordability of ART; and the use of alternative medicines to cure infertility. The research highlights the coexistence of traditional medicine and ART in Zimbabwe, as well as the impact of stigma, pressure, and gender dynamics on infertile couples.

Factors Associated With Willingness to Pay for Primary Health Care Services in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical Schemes Members.

The cost of healthcare is an issue of concern for both consumers and funders of healthcare in South Africa. The country spends approximately 8% of GDP on health care. Health care is financed through the public sector which covers 86% of the population and the private sector which covers 14% of the population.

"I Have to Stand Up on My Own and Do the Best I Can for My Kids": Work (Re-)entry Among New Mothers Living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in treatment access for women living with HIV (WLHIV). For example, option B+, which requires that all pregnant persons who test positive for HIV start on antiretroviral treatment, has been instrumental in reducing the risk of vertical transmission. For birthing individuals who have a low HIV viral load, there is a minimized risk of vertical transmission during breastfeeding.

Acceptance and uptake of vaccines against tetanus, influenza, pertussis, and COVID-19 among pregnant and postpartum women in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Background: Pregnant women, fetuses, and neonates are particularly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). These VPDs are associated with high morbidity and mortality among expectant mothers and their fetuses and neonates. Vaccination during pregnancy can protect the expectant mother from VPDs to which she may be especially vulnerable while pregnant.

Transition to dolutegravir-based ART in 35 low- and middle-income countries: a global survey of HIV care clinics.

Objective: We studied the transition to dolutegravir-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) at HIV treatment clinics within the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA).

Design: Site-level survey conducted in 2020-2021 among HIV clinics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: We assessed the status of dolutegravir rollout and viral load and drug resistance testing practices for persons on ART switching to dolutegravir-based regimens.

Knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of e-cigarettes among young adults in Cape Town, South Africa: Insights from focus groups to inform regulations and prevention strategies.

Introduction: E-cigarettes have rapidly gained a market share in South Africa and globally. Concerns have been raised over the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people, who are frequently drawn to these novel products and are especially targeted by marketers. Using a qualitative method, this study aimed to gain insight into young adults' knowledge, experiences, and perceptions of e-cigarette use in Cape Town, South Africa.

Innovate! Accelerate! Evaluate! Harnessing the RE-AIM framework to examine the global dissemination of parenting resources during COVID-19 to more than 210 million people.

Background: Parents were at the forefront of responding to the needs of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used the RE-AIM framework to examine the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of a global inter-agency initiative that adapted evidence-based parenting programs to provide immediate support to parents.

Methods: Data were collected via short surveys sent via email, online surveys, and analysis of social media metrics and Google Analytics.

Outcomes Following Neonatal Cardiac Surgery in Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: Neonatal Cardiac Surgery has developed significantly since its advent, with improved outcomes, survival, and physiological repair. Limited programs offer neonatal cardiac surgery in emerging economies. We report our experience with neonates undergoing cardiac surgery in our cardiac surgery program.

A review of climate change and cardiovascular diseases in the Indian policy context.

There is growing evidence that climate change adversely affects human health. Multiple diseases are sensitive to climate change, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are also the leading cause of death globally. Countries such as India face a compounded challenge, with a growing burden of CVDs and a high vulnerability to climate change, requiring a co-ordinated, multi-sectoral response.

Factors Influencing the Institutionalization of Health Technology Assessment: A Scoping Literature Review.

There is global interest in institutionalizing Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to inform resource allocation decisions. However, institutionalization of HTA remains limited particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries. We conducted this scoping review to synthesize evidence on factors that influence the institutionalization of HTA at the macro (national)-level across countries globally.

Deciphering the sex gap in global life expectancy: the impact of female-specific cancers 1990-2019.

Background: Females live longer than males, which results in a sex gap in life expectancy. This study examines the contribution of female cancers to this differential by world region and country over the period 1990-2019 with special focus to the 15-69 years age group.

Methods: Cause-specific mortality data for 30 cancers, including 4 female-specific cancers from 238 countries and territories, were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Why Was the Policy Idea on the Health Benefits Package Advisory Panel Gazetted in Kenya? A Retrospective Policy Analysis.

Background: In 2018, Kenya's Ministry of Health (MoH) gazetted the Health Benefits Package Advisory Panel (HBPAP) to develop a benefits package for its universal health coverage (UHC) programme. In this study, we examine the political process that led to the gazettement of the HBPAP.

Methods: We conducted a case study based on semi-structured interviews with 20 national-level participants and, reviews of documents such as organizational and media reports.

Women's Empowerment and Associated Factors in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Performance Monitoring Assessment Survey.

Empowering women and promoting gender equality is crucial for accelerating sustainable development in fragile countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, there is scarce existing knowledge or understanding of the factors determining women's empowerment in these contexts. We aimed to assess women's empowerment and determine its associated factors in Kinshasa, DRC.

Burden and Predictors of Depression in Populations With Coronary Heart Disease.

Introduction: Depression significantly impacts the quality of life and medical care in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). This study assesses the burden of depression in adults aged 40 years and above with CHD and evaluates predictors of depression in this population. It has been reported that approximately 17-44% of persons with CHD have a major depression diagnosis and that nearly 27% of individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass graft operation suffer depression following the procedure.

Reaching for 90:90:90 in Correctional Facilities in South Africa and Zambia: Virtual Cross-Section of Coverage of HIV Testing and Antiretroviral Therapy During Universal Test and Treat Implementation.

Background: People in correctional settings are a key population for HIV epidemic control. We sought to demonstrate scale-up of universal test and treat in correctional facilities in South Africa and Zambia through a virtual cross-sectional analysis.

Methods: We used routine data on 2 dates: At the start of universal test and treat implementation (time 1, T1) and 1 year later (time 2, T2).