Coverage of malaria protection in pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a synthesis and analysis of national survey data

Africa is a continent of considerable cultural diversity. This diversity does not necessarily run in parallel to the national boundaries that were created in Africa in the colonial period. However, decades of nation building in Africa must have made their mark. Is it possible nowadays to distinguish national cultures in Africa, or are the traditional ethnolinguistic distinctions more important? This article uses an approach developed in cross-cultural psychology to examine these questions. In 2012, Minkov and Hofstede published an article in this journal analyzing World Values Survey data from seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa at the level of subnational administrative regions. They argued that national culture is also a meaningful concept in this region. This study reexamines the matter. It uses an innovative approach, looking at ethnolinguistic groups instead of at administrative regions and using the much more extensive Afrobarometer survey data set. It finds that although the Minkov/Hofstede study still has merit, the picture is more nuanced in several important ways. There is not one pattern that adequately describes the situation in the whole of Africa.1

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Malarial Infection in HIV Infected Pregnant Women Attending a Rural Antenatal Clinic in Nigeria

Advances in Epidemiology ◽

10.1155/2014/694213 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. S. Houmsou ◽

B. E. Wama ◽

S. O. Elkanah ◽

L. C. Garba ◽

T. D. Hile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Haemoglobin Level ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Rural Areas ◽

First Trimester ◽

Antenatal Clinic ◽

Severe Anaemia ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Malarial Infection ◽

Sub Saharan

Malaria still remains a challenging infection affecting the lives of several HIV infected pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was undertaken to determine malarial infection in HIV infected pregnant women in relation to sociodemographic and obstetrical factors. The study also assessed relationship between malarial infection and haemoglobin level, CD4+ counts, and ART regimen, as well as predisposing risk factors that influenced occurrence of malarial infection in the women. Thick and thin blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa. Haemoglobin level was determined using a hematology analyzer, while the flow cytometry was used to measure CD4+ counts. Sociodemographic and obstetrical parameters were obtained through the administration of questionnaires. Of the 159 HIV infected pregnant women examined, 33.3% (59/159) had malarial infection. Malarial infection was significantly higher in pregnant women who were divorced, 40.24% (33/82) (χ2=5.72; P=0.05), were at their first trimester (4–12 weeks), 54.8% (17/31) (χ2=14.85; P=0.01), had CD4+ = [201–500 cells/μL], 42.42% (42/99) (χ2=10.13; P=0.00), and those that had severe anaemia (<8 dg/L), 100.00% (χ2= 45.75; P=0.00). However, risk factors that influenced the occurrence of malarial infection in the pregnant women were occupation (farming) (AOR=0.226; P=0.03), marital status (divorced) (AOR=2.80; P=0.02), gestation (first trimester) (AOR=0.33; P=0.00), haemoglobin level (Hb < 8 dg/L) (AOR=0.02; P=0.00), and CD4+ counts (low CD4+) (OR=0.40; P=0.05). The study reported endemicity of malaria in HIV infected pregnant women living in rural areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Malarial infection was higher in women that were divorced, and at their first trimester, had low CD4+ count, and had severe anaemia. Farming, divorce, gestation, severe anaemia, and low CD4+ counts were predisposing risk factors that influenced malaria occurrence in the HIV infected pregnant women. It is advocated that HIV infected pregnant women should be properly and thoroughly educated on malaria preventive measures in rural areas so as to avoid unpleasant effect of malaria during their pregnancies.

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HIV Counseling and Testing of Pregnant Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes ◽

10.1097/00126334-200112150-00009 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 458-462

Author(s):

Charles Kilewo ◽

Augustine Massawe ◽

Eligius Lyamuya ◽

Innocent Semali ◽

Festus Kalokola ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Hiv Counseling And Testing ◽

Hiv Counseling ◽

Counseling And Testing ◽

Sub Saharan

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Untreated highly viraemic pregnant women from Asia or sub-Saharan Africa often transmit hepatitis B virus despite serovaccination to newborns

Liver International ◽

10.1111/liv.12561 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 409-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Pierre Sellier ◽

Sarah Maylin ◽

Rishma Amarsy ◽

Marie-Christine Mazeron ◽

Lucile Larrouy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

B Virus ◽

Sub Saharan

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Individual, community and societal correlates of insecticide treated net use among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-level analysis

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11635-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edward Kwabena Ameyaw

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

Health Concern ◽

Maternal And Newborn Health ◽

African Countries ◽

The World ◽

Itn Use ◽

Multi Level ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Malaria in pregnancy is a crucial public health concern due to the enormous risk it poses to maternal and newborn health. The World Health Organisation therefore recommends insecticide-treated net (ITN) for pregnant women. The world over, sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest prevalence of malaria and its associated complications. This study investigated the individual, community and society level factors associated with ITN use among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods The study was conducted with Demographic and Health Survey data of 21 sub-Saharan African countries. A total of 17,731 pregnant women who possessed ITN participated in the study. Descriptive computation of ITN use by survey country and socio-demographic characteristics was conducted. Further, five multi-level binary logistic regression models were fitted with MLwiN 3.05 package in STATA. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation procedure was used in estimating the parameters whilst the Bayesian Deviance Information Criterion was used for the model fitness test. Results On average, 74.2% pregnant women in SSA used ITN. The highest prevalence of ITN use occurred in Mali (83.7%) whilst the least usage occurred in Namibia (7%). Women aged 30–34 were more likely to use ITN compared with those aged 45–49 [aOR = 1.14; Crl = 1.07–1.50]. Poorest women were less probable to use ITN relative to richest women [aOR = 0.79; Crl = 0.70–0.89]. Compared to women who did not want their pregnancies at all, women who wanted their pregnancies [aOR = 1.06; Crl = 1.04–1.19] were more probable to use ITN. Women in male-headed households had higher likelihood of ITN use compared to those from female-headed households [aOR = 1.28; Crl = 1.19–1.39]. On the whole, 38.1% variation in ITN use was attributable to societal level factors whilst 20.9% variation was attributable to community level factors. Conclusion The study has revealed that in addition to individual level factors, community and society level factors affect ITN use in SSA. In as much as the study points towards the need to incorporate community and societal variations in ITN interventions, active involvement of men can yield better outcome for ITN utilisation interventions in SSA.

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