Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mary V. Kinney, Asha S. George, Natasha R. Rhoda, Robert C. Pattinson, Anne -Marie Bergh
Summary: This study explores the history and implementation process of a national perinatal audit program in South Africa. Despite being established in the early 1990s, the program was not integrated into national policy until 2012 and was subsequently excluded in 2021. The findings highlight the need for continuous efforts to strengthen implementation, even in regions with long histories of practice.
GLOBAL HEALTH-SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Hanna Wijk, Kristiina Heikkila, Sari Ponzer, Lars Kihlstrom, Jonas Nordquist
Summary: In the field of postgraduate medical education, successful change leadership involves characteristics such as belonging to a group, having a clear vision and meaning, holding a mandate for change, collaborating with colleagues and superiors, as well as maintaining a long-term perspective. Successful change management relies on a coalition based on a clear vision and a long-term strategy inclusive of key stakeholders.
BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION
(2021)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alexis Palfreyman, Ursula Gazeley
Summary: This review explores the potential vulnerabilities for perinatal mental health of adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries, identifying the prevalence, risk factors, interventions, and implications for future research.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mary Kinney, Anne-Marie Bergh, Natasha Rhoda, Robert Pattinson, Asha George
Summary: This study seeks to understand why and how a perinatal audit program has sustained practice in South Africa. The results show that integration into routine tasks, clear value-add, individual and collective commitment, and an enabling environment are key factors for sustainability. Additionally, individual and organizational factors that support sustainability, such as trust, credibility, facilitation, and hierarchies, were identified.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Poppy Hawkins, Wendy Geza, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Catherine Sutherland, Kevin Queenan, Alan Dangour, Pauline Scheelbeek
Summary: This study investigates the coping and adaptive strategies adopted by smallholder farming households in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to respond to drought impacts. The research reveals changes in local food systems and diets due to drought, with mainly short-term coping strategies implemented. The study highlights the importance of targeted policy solutions to support smallholder communities' short-term responses to drought and to build resilience through a strategic combination of short- and longer-term adaptation measures.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES
(2022)
Article
Nursing
Marie Berg, Ewa Carlsson Lalloo, Fatuma Kilongo Ngongo, Malin Bogren
Summary: This study investigates the contextual factors influencing the implementation of a midwifery education programme in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The facilitating factors include awareness of the benefits of higher education for midwives, motivation from women to seek care from well-educated midwives, an attractive programme, and a stable academic administration. The hindering factors include lack of prerequisites for study, objections to higher education for midwives, inadequate teaching resources, and poor working conditions for midwives.
NURSE EDUCATION IN PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jialu Qian, Shuyi Chen, Cecilia Jevitt, Shiwen Sun, Man Wang, Xiaoyan Yu
Summary: This qualitative study explored the experiences of obstetric nurses and midwifery professionals with the Perinatal Bereavement Care Training Programme (PBCTP) after implementation. The findings showed that the PBCTP met the learning and skills enhancement needs of nurses and midwives, and had a positive impact on their care for bereaved families. The optimized training programme should be widely applied in the future, and efforts from hospitals, managers, obstetric nurses, and midwives are needed to promote a supportive perinatal bereavement care practice.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Ndinda Makina-Zimalirana, Jackie Dunlop, Anele Jiyane, Sophia Marie Bartels, Helen Struthers, James McIntyre, Kate Rees
Summary: South Africa has challenges in retaining women in PMTCT programs postnatally. The PNC model provides integrated postnatal care and support. Lack of resources and stakeholder support were found to be major factors influencing the implementation of PNC.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Desmond Dzidzornu Otoo, Nana Nimo Appiah-Agyekum, Francis Anderson Adzei
Summary: This study assessed the determinants of successful implementation of the neglected tropical diseases programme in Ghana, including donor support, education and training, partnerships, reliability of the health structure, integrative nature of the programme, and management commitment. These determining factors cut across the inner settings of the implementing agency and the external environment.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Helen Schneider, Fidele Mukinda, Hanani Tabana, Asha George
Summary: This study analyzes the role of actor power in the implementation of an intervention to improve maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare in a rural district of South Africa. The findings suggest that different expressions of power shape the implementation process, with the intervention itself acting to change power relations. The study emphasizes the need for intervention designs to consider power relations and ensure sustainability.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Health Policy & Services
Fiona McHale, Kwok Ng, Dylan Scanlon, Jemima Cooper, Caera Grady, Catherine Norton, Donal O'Shea, Catherine Woods
Summary: This study aimed to identify perceived facilitators and barriers to implementing the ASF programme at secondary-level schools and recommend evidence-based implementation strategies. Through focus groups and interviews, three main themes surrounding implementation factors were identified: intervention design factors, organizational factors, and interpersonal factors. The findings assisted in recommending implementation support strategies, such as developing a shared leadership programme for student leaders and creating a more flexible timeline for completion.
HEALTH PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Clement Mensah, Abdulrazak Karriem
Summary: The study highlights the benefits of using local farmers as suppliers for the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. While rural schools are able to access fresh vegetables for meals through local sourcing, there is a lack of clear program to optimize the benefits of this approach.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shouro Dasgupta, Johannes Emmerling, Soheil Shayegh
Summary: This paper investigates the relationship between temperature and inequality in South Africa, revealing a significant U-shaped relationship where inequality is lowest at moderate temperatures and sharply increases as temperatures rise. The impact of warming on inequality is particularly noticeable for the poorer segments of the population, while the richer segments are less affected due to their greater adaptive capacity. Agricultural households are also more likely to experience increased inequality due to warming. These findings highlight the importance of studying the distributional effects of climate change at the micro-level, especially in low or middle-income countries where vulnerable populations are more susceptible to its impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Kerstin Erlandsson, Paridhi Jha, Bharati Sharma, Malin Bogren
Summary: This study aims to explore the contextual factors influencing the implementation of the national midwifery education programme in India. The findings show that the organizational and administrative processes are complex, and there is a need to expedite the development of midwifery educators and nurse practitioners in midwifery. Efforts to simplify the organizational and administration processes and implement innovative teaching and learning approaches are recommended to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Shelley Brown, Courtenay Sprague
Summary: Perinatal mental disorders are a significant issue in South Africa, where barriers to early identification and treatment include structural, socio-cultural, organisational, and individual factors. These barriers impact the quality of mental health promotion and care, necessitating integrated interventions across multiple levels to improve early identification and treatment for perinatal women in South Africa.
Article
Immunology
A. Fauzia Malik, Maria Belizan, Mariana Gutierrez, Alba Vilajeliu, Lauren N. Sanclemente, Ines Gonzalez Casanova, Daniel Jones, Saad Omer, Alba Maria Ropero, Juan Pedro Alonso
Summary: Maternal immunization rates and vaccine uptake vary in Latin America due to factors related to pregnant women, healthcare providers, and the health system. This study found that pregnant women in Latin America generally have positive attitudes towards maternal immunization but face barriers related to their clinical experience. Recommendations include prioritizing pregnant women for immunization and healthcare education, as well as training healthcare providers in health communication.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Veronica Pingray, Mercedes Bonet, Mabel Berrueta, Agustina Mazzoni, Maria Belizan, Netanya Keil, Joshua Vogel, Fernando Althabe, Olufemi T. Oladapo
Summary: The study explored the opinions of skilled health personnel on the first version of the WHO Labour Care Guide and found that the variables were considered clear, relevant and had the potential to positively impact clinical decision-making and respectful maternity care with minor improvements.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Malena Correa, Karen Klein, Paula Vasquez, Caitlin R. Williams, Luz Gibbons, Gabriela Cormick, Maria Belizan
Summary: The study found that nearly a quarter of birthing people experienced mistreatment, primarily verbal abuse, with 44.4% of surveyed individuals reporting mistreatment. Participants with lower educational attainment and those racialized as non-white were more likely to experience mistreatment. Health providers believe that respectful childbirth rights are currently widely implemented, with awareness on the importance of respectful childbirth among authorities and communities.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGY & OBSTETRICS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Fauzia A. Malik, Juan Pedro Alonso, Lauren N. Sanclemente, Alba Vilajeliu, Mariana Gutierrez, Ines Gonzalez-Casanova, Daniel Jones, Saad Omer, Alba-Maria Ropero, Maria Belizan
Summary: This study investigated the perspectives and experiences of healthcare providers in Latin America regarding maternal immunization programs implementation, identifying main themes related to practices, knowledge and training, resource availability, and interactions with pregnant women. Providers expressed a need for additional training, improvement in human resources and supplies, and encouraged women to be more proactive during health visits. Recommendations include additional trainings targeting obstetricians and midwives, coordinated with structural improvements.
Article
Oncology
Ariel Esteban Bardach, Andres Pichon-Riviere, Luz Gibbons, Juan Pedro Alonso, Sacha Alexis Virgilio, Maria Belizan, Mariana Comolli, Lucas Angel Gonzalez
Summary: A multifaceted workplace-based intervention in Argentina has been shown to be feasible and acceptable in increasing the uptake of colorectal cancer screening. During the intervention period, the participation rate for colorectal cancer screening was 16 times higher in the intervened population, particularly among women aged 50 to 59.
CANCER PREVENTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Economics
Tessa Peasgood, Clara Mukuria, John Brazier, Ole Marten, Simone Kreimeier, Nan Luo, Brendan Mulhern, Wolfgang Greiner, A. Simon Pickard, Federico Augustovski, Lidia Engel, Luz Gibbons, Zhihao Yang, Andrea L. Monteiro, Maja Kuharic, Maria Belizan, Jakob Bjorner
Summary: This study explored the psychometric performance of candidate items for the EQ-HWB measure. The results showed that the items had good discrimination ability in groups with known health conditions, but lower discrimination ability in carers. Factor analysis and IRT provided valuable insights for item selection.
Article
Economics
Federico Augustovski, Fernando Argento, Rocio B. Rodriguez, Luz Gibbons, Clara Mukuria, Maria Belizan
Summary: This study presents the face validity and psychometric stages performed in Argentina for the construction of EQ Health and Wellbeing (EQ-HWB), a measure for economic evaluation in health, social care, and public health. The study also explores the relationship among EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D-5L, and EQ-HWB. The results show that most items had adequate face validity and psychometric properties in an Argentinian context, laying the foundation for the development and international application of EQ-HWB.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
R. Rima Jolivet, Jewel Gausman, Richard Adanu, Delia Bandoh, Maria Belizan, Mabel Berrueta, Suchandrima Chakraborty, Ernest Kenu, Nizamuddin Khan, Magdalene Odikro, Veronica Pingray, Sowmya Ramesh, Niranjan Saggurti, Paula Vazquez, Ana Langer
Summary: This protocol describes a multicountry research aimed at validating 10 indicators from the monitoring framework for maternal health. The research will be conducted in Argentina, Ghana, and India, and will use seven validation exercises with mixed methods to explore the validity of the indicators. The protocol includes an ethical plan and a dissemination strategy for the research results.
Article
Economics
Jill Carlton, Tessa Peasgood, Clara Mukuria, Janice Connell, John Brazier, Kristina Ludwig, Ole Marten, Simone Kreimeier, Lidia Engel, Maria Belizan, Zhihao Yang, Andrea Monteiro, Maja Kuharic, Nan Luo, Brendan Mulhern, Wolfgang Greiner, Simon Pickard, Federico Augustovski
Summary: This article describes the generation and selection of items in stage 2 and face validation in stage 3 of a large international project to develop a new generic measure, EQ-HWB, for economic evaluation estimating QALYs. The study involved mapping items from existing quality of life measures, refining potential terms and items, seeking input from key stakeholder groups, and conducting qualitative interviews for face validation. The research resulted in the generation of 687 items, with 64 items selected after predetermined criteria and modification based on feedback from stakeholders.
Article
Economics
John Brazier, Tessa Peasgood, Clara Mukuria, Ole Marten, Simone Kreimeier, Nan Luo, Brendan Mulhern, A. Simon Pickard, Federico Augustovski, Wolfgang Greiner, Lidia Engel, Maria Belizan, Zhihao Yang, Andrea Monteiro, Maja Kuharic, Luz Gibbons, Kristina Ludwig, Jill Carlton, Janice Connell, Stacey Rand, Nancy Devlin, Karen Jones, Aki Tsuchiya, Rosemary Lovett, Bhash Naidoo, Donna Rowen, Juan Carlos Rejon-Parrilla
Summary: This article presents the development process of the EQ-HWB measure, which encompasses health and wellbeing. Through literature reviews and qualitative interviews, 32 subdomains and 97 items were identified. After psychometric testing and stakeholder consultation, a final selection of 25 items for the EQ-HWB and 9 items for the short version was made.
Article
Substance Abuse
December Mandlenkosi Mpanza, Pragashnie Govender, Anna Voce
Summary: The provision of aftercare services for individuals with substance use disorders in rural South Africa faces challenges such as unclear policies and limited resources. Service providers reflected on the successes and shortcomings of aftercare interventions, proposing recommendations for improvement. Strengthening the aftercare system in rural areas requires policies enforcing aftercare services and implementing a model that integrates existing services, focuses on families, considers the rural context, and encourages stakeholder collaboration.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PREVENTION AND POLICY
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Maria Belizan, Federico Rodriguez Cairoli, Agustina Mazzoni, Erin Goucher, Sabra Zaraa, Sarah Matthews, Veronica Pingray, Andy Stergachis, Xu Xiong, Mabel Berrueta, Pierre Buekens
Summary: This study developed an assessment tool and piloted it in six geographical sites using maternal and child health data collection systems. The findings identified four potential sites for active surveillance of vaccine safety during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2023)
Article
Primary Health Care
Karen Klein, Javier Roberti, Mariel Rouvier, Maria Belizan, Maria Luisa Cafferata, Amanda Mabel Berrueta, Juan Pedro Alonso
Summary: This study aimed to design an implementation strategy to improve the adherence to Chagas guidelines for women of childbearing age and children at primary healthcare level in Argentina. A pilot feasibility study was conducted, implementing a multifaceted strategy including training, flowcharts, reminders, and a register of cases, with results showing heterogeneous implementation levels and varying facilitators and barriers.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Juan Pedro Alonso, Maria Belizan, Mariana Comolli, Lucas Gonzalez, Javier Roberti, Andres Pichon-Riviere, Ariel Bardach
Summary: The formative study identified potential barriers and facilitators through qualitative methods, revealing challenges at both institutional and population levels, as well as highlighting the intervention's acceptability and availability of resources.
CADERNOS DE SAUDE PUBLICA
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Melissa M. Amyx, Fernando Althabe, Julie Rivo, Veronica Pingray, Nicole Minckas, Maria Belizan, Luz Gibbons, Gerardo T. Murga, Angel E. Fiorillo, Julio D. Malamud, Roberto A. Casale, Gabriela Cormick, Jose M. Belizan
Summary: The study found that few women and healthcare providers were willing to participate in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), but more were willing to participate in a preference trial (PCT) or partially randomized patient preference trial (PRPPT). Most women preferred vaginal delivery, and unwillingness to be randomly assigned was a major reason for non-participation. Common reasons for providers included reluctance to perform cesarean sections without medical indication and concerns about violating women's right to choose.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL
(2021)