Vulnerable newborn types: analysis of subnational, population-based birth cohorts for 541 285 live births in 23 countries, 2000-2021.

Objective: To examine prevalence of novel newborn types among 541 285 live births in 23 countries from 2000 to 2021.

Design: Descriptive multi-country secondary data analysis.

Setting: Subnational, population-based birth cohort studies (n = 45) in 23 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) spanning 2000-2021.

Neonatal mortality risk of vulnerable newborns: A descriptive analysis of subnational, population-based birth cohorts for 238 203 live births in low- and middle-income settings from 2000 to 2017.

Objective: We aimed to understand the mortality risks of vulnerable newborns (defined as preterm and/or born weighing smaller or larger compared to a standard population), in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Design: Descriptive multi-country, secondary analysis of individual-level study data of babies born since 2000.

Setting: Sixteen subnational, population-based studies from nine LMICs in sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Eastern Asia, and Latin America.

Assessing the inclusion of children's surgical care in National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plans: a policy content analysis.

Objective: While National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) have emerged as a strategy to strengthen and scale up surgical healthcare systems in low/middle-income countries (LMICs), the degree to which children's surgery is addressed is not well-known. This study aims to assess the inclusion of children's surgical care among existing NSOAPs, identify practice examples and provide recommendations to guide inclusion of children's surgical care in future policies.

Design: We performed two qualitative content analyses to assess the inclusion of children's surgical care among NSOAPs.

Body composition among Malawian young adolescents: Cross-validating predictive equations for bioelectric impedance analysis using deuterium dilution method.

Background: Body composition can be measured by several methods, each with specific benefits and disadvantages. Bioelectric impedance offers a favorable balance between accuracy, cost and ease of measurement in a range of settings. In this method, bioelectric measurements are converted to body composition measurements by prediction equations specific to age, population and bioimpedance device.

Civil war and death in Yemen: Analysis of SMART survey and ACLED data, 2012-2019.

Conflict in Yemen has displaced millions and destroyed health infrastructure, resulting in the world's largest humanitarian disaster. The objective of this paper is to examine mortality in Yemen to determine whether it has increased significantly since the conflict began in 2015 compared to the preceding period. We analysed 91 household surveys using the Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions methodology, covering 2,864 clusters undertaken from 2012-2019, and deaths from Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project database covering the conflict period 2015-2019.

Effectiveness of community case management of malaria on severe malaria and inpatient malaria deaths in Zambia: a dose-response study using routine health information system data.

Background: Community case management of malaria (CCM) has been expanded in many settings, but there are limited data describing the impact of these services in routine implementation settings or at large scale. Zambia has intensively expanded CCM since 2013, whereby trained volunteer community health workers (CHW) use rapid diagnostic tests and artemether-lumefantrine to diagnose and treat uncomplicated malaria.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study explored associations between changing malaria service point (health facility or CHW) density per 1000 people and severe malaria admissions or malaria inpatient deaths by district and month in a dose-response approach, using existing routine and programmatic data.

"Provider discretionary power practices to support implementation of patient-centered HIV care in Lusaka, Zambia".

Introduction: Traditional patient-provider relationships privilege the providers, as they possess the formal authority and clinical knowledge applied to address illness, but providers also have discretion over how they exercise their power to influence patients' services, benefits, and sanctions. In this study, we assessed providers' exercise of discretionary power in implementing patient-centered care (PCC) practices in Lusaka, Zambia.

Methods: HIV clinical encounters between patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and providers across 24 public health facilities in Lusaka Province were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Development and external validation of machine learning algorithms for postnatal gestational age estimation using clinical data and metabolomic markers.

Background: Accurate estimates of gestational age (GA) at birth are important for preterm birth surveillance but can be challenging to obtain in low income countries. Our objective was to develop machine learning models to accurately estimate GA shortly after birth using clinical and metabolomic data.

Methods: We derived three GA estimation models using ELASTIC NET multivariable linear regression using metabolomic markers from heel-prick blood samples and clinical data from a retrospective cohort of newborns from Ontario, Canada.

Trajectories of re-engagement: factors and mechanisms enabling patient return to HIV care in Zambia.

Introduction: While disengagement from HIV care threatens the health of persons living with HIV (PLWH) and incidence-reduction targets, re-engagement is a critical step towards positive outcomes. Studies that establish a deeper understanding of successful return to clinical care among previously disengaged PLWH and the factors supporting re-engagement are essential to facilitate long-term care continuity.

Methods: We conducted narrative, patient-centred, in-depth interviews between January and June 2019 with 20 PLWH in Lusaka, Zambia, who had disengaged and then re-engaged in HIV care, identified through electronic medical records (EMRs).

Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) disease diagnostic error in low-resource health care: Observations from a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Although the global burden of ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases is high, data relating to ENT disease epidemiology and diagnostic error in resource-limited settings remain scarce. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional review of ENT patients' clinical records at a resource-limited tertiary hospital. We determined the diagnostic accuracy and appropriateness of patient referrals for ENT specialist care using descriptive statistics.

High-fat diet-induced resistance to helminth infection via alternative induction of type 2 immunity.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections cause morbidity and socioeconomic loss in the most deprived communities. The shift in the context of obesity has led to spatial overlap with endemic gastrointestinal nematode regions resulting in the emergence of a novel comorbidity. Despite this, the impact of a high-fat diet (HFD) on immune-regulated protection against gastrointestinal infections remains largely unknown.

Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact and timely initiation of breastfeeding in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact (SSC) plays a key role in breastfeeding practices of mothers. In this study, we examined the association between mother and newborn SSC and timely initiation of breastfeeding in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized nationally representative data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 17 countries in SSA from 2015 to 2020.

Associations between social media use and loneliness in a cross-national population: do motives for social media use matter?

Background: We aimed to examine the association between social media use and loneliness two years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Methods: Participants were 1649 adults who completed a cross-sectional online survey disseminated openly in Norway, United Kingdom, USA, and Australia between November 2021 and January 2022. Linear regressions examined time spent on social media and participants' characteristics on loneliness, and interactions by motives for social media use.

What is the prevalence of COVID-19 detection by PCR among deceased individuals in Lusaka, Zambia? A postmortem surveillance study.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of COVID-19 postmortem setting in Lusaka, Zambia.

Design: A systematic, postmortem prevalence study.

Setting: A busy, inner-city morgue in Lusaka.

Placing the values and preferences of people most affected by TB at the center of screening and testing: an approach for reaching the unreached.

To reach the millions of people with tuberculosis (TB) undiagnosed each year, there is an important need to provide people-centered screening and testing services. Despite people-centered care being a key pillar of the WHO END-TB Strategy, there have been few attempts to formally characterize and integrate the preferences of people affected by TB - including those who have increased exposure to TB, limited access to services, and/or are at increased risk for TB - into new tools and strategies to improve screening and diagnosis. This perspective emphasizes the importance of preference research among people affected by TB, provides an overview of qualitative preference exploration and quantitative preference elicitation research methods, and outlines how preferences can be applied to improve the acceptability, accessibility, and appropriateness of TB screening and testing services via four key opportunities.

Building sustainable clinical trial sites in Sub-Saharan Africa through networking, infrastructure improvement, training and conducting clinical studies: The PanACEA approach.

Introduction: The Pan-African Consortium for the Evaluation of Anti-Tuberculosis Antibiotics (PanACEA) was designed to build tuberculosis (TB) trial capacity whilst conducting clinical trials on novel and existing agents to shorten and simplify TB treatment. PanACEA has now established a dynamic network of 11 sub-Saharan clinical trial sites and four European research institutions.

Objectives: In 2011, a capacity development program, funded by the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), was launched with four objectives, aiming at strengthening collaborating TB research sites to reach the ultimate goal of becoming self-sustainable institutions: networking; training; conducting clinical trials; and infrastructure scaling-up of sites.

RETRACTED: Gradual emergence followed by exponential spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Africa.

The geographic and evolutionary origins of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (BA.1), which was first detected mid-November 2021 in Southern Africa, remain unknown. We tested 13,097 COVID-19 patients sampled between mid-2021 to early 2022 from 22 African countries for BA.

Nonpharmaceutical interventions reduce the incidence and mortality of COVID-19: A study based on the survey from the International COVID-19 Research Network (ICRN).

The recently emerged novel coronavirus, "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)," caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has severely damaged the world's most developed countries and has turned into a major threat for low- and middle-income countries. Since its emergence in late 2019, medical interventions have been substantial, and most countries relied on public health measures collectively known as nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).

Patient outcomes following interval and delayed cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer: protocol for a multicenter, international, cohort study (Global Gynaecological Oncology Surgical Outcomes Collaborative).

Background: The Global Gynecological Oncology Surgical Outcomes Collaborative (GO SOAR) has developed a network of gynecological oncology surgeons, surgical departments, and other interested parties that have the long-term ability to collaborate on outcome studies. Presented is the protocol for the GO SOAR2 study.

Primary Objectives: To compare survival following interval and delayed cytoreductive surgery, between delayed cytoreductive surgery and no surgery (chemotherapy alone); and international variations in access to cytoreductive surgery for women with stage III-IV epithelial ovarian cancer.

Latent class analysis: an innovative approach for identification of clinical and laboratory markers of disease severity among COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify clinical and laboratory phenotype distribution patterns and their usefulness as prognostic markers in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town.

Methods And Results: A latent class analysis (LCA) model was applied in a prospective, observational cohort study. Data from 343 COVID-19 patients were analysed.

Strategies for Using Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Tests to Reduce Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Mathematical Modelling Study Applied to Zambia.

Background: Increasing the availability of antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is key to alleviating global SARS-CoV-2 testing inequity (median testing rate in December 2021-March 2022 when the Omicron variant was spreading in multiple countries: high-income countries = 600 tests/100 000 people/day; LMICs = 14 tests/100 000 people/day). However, target testing levels and effectiveness of asymptomatic community screening to impact SARS-CoV-2 transmission in LMICs are unclear.

Methods: We used Propelling Action for Testing and Treating (PATAT), an LMIC-focused agent-based model to simulate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemics, varying the amount of Ag-RDTs available for symptomatic testing at healthcare facilities and asymptomatic community testing in different social settings.

Developing High-Resolution Population and Settlement Data for Impactful Malaria Interventions in Zambia.

Foundational high-resolution geospatial data products for population, settlements, infrastructure, and boundaries may greatly enhance the efficient planning of resource allocation during health sector interventions. To ensure the relevance and sustainability of such products, government partners must be involved from the beginning in their creation, improvement, and/or management, so they can be successfully applied to public health campaigns, such as malaria control and prevention. As an example, Zambia had an ambitious strategy of reaching the entire population with malaria vector control campaigns by late 2020 or early 2021, but they lacked the requisite accurate and up-to-date data on infrastructure and population distribution.