scholarly journals A systematic review of the association between perinatal depression and cognitive development in infancy in low and middle-income countries

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253790
Author(s):  
Matthew Bluett-Duncan ◽  
M. Thomas Kishore ◽  
Divya M. Patil ◽  
Veena A. Satyanarayana ◽  
Helen Sharp

The association between perinatal depression and infant cognitive development has been well documented in research based in high-income contexts, but the literature regarding the same relationship in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) is less developed. The aim of this study is to systematically review what is known in this area in order to inform priorities for early intervention and future research in LMICs. The review protocol was pre-registered on Prospero (CRD42018108589) and relevant electronic databases were searched using a consistent set of keywords and 1473 articles were screened against the eligibility criteria. Sixteen articles were included in the review, seven focusing on the antenatal period, eight on the postnatal period, and one which included both. Five out of eight studies found a significant association between antenatal depression (d = .21-.93) and infant cognitive development, while four out of nine studies found a significant association with postnatal depression (d = .17-.47). Although the evidence suggests that LMICs should prioritise antenatal mental health care, many of the studies did not adequately isolate the effects of depression in each period. Furthermore, very few studies explored more complex interactions that may exist between perinatal depression and other relevant factors. More high-quality studies are needed in LMIC settings, driven by current theory, that test main effects and examine moderating or mediating pathways to cognitive development.

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hernan O Bayona ◽  
Mayowa Owolabi ◽  
Wayne Feng ◽  
James R Sawers ◽  
Paul Olowoyo ◽  
...  

Introduction: Implementation of contextually appropriate, evidence-based, expert-recommended stroke prevention guideline is particularly important in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), which bear disproportional larger burden of stroke while possessing fewer resources. Focus therefore, should be on approaches enabling healthcare systems to improve control of vascular risk factors. Objective: We aimed to compare important features of stroke prevention guidelines between LMICs and High Income Countries (HICs). Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, AJOL, SciELO, and LILACS databases for stroke prevention guidelines published between January 2005 and December 2015 by country. Primary search items included: “Stroke” and “Guidelines”. We critically appraised the articles for evidence level, issuance frequency and implementation aspects to clinical practice. Results: Among 45 stroke prevention guidelines published, 28 (62%) met eligibility criteria: 7 from LMICs (25%) and 21 from HICs (75%). LMIC-issued guidelines were less likely to have conflict of interest declarations (57% vs. 100%, p=0.01), involve high quality systematic reviews (57% vs. 95%, p= 0.03), had good dissemination channels (14% vs 71%, p=0.02). The patient views and preferences were the most significant stakeholder considerations in HICs (43%, p=0.04) compared with LMICs. Conclusion: The quality and quantity of stroke prevention guidelines in LMICs are less than those of HICs and need to be significantly improved upon.


Author(s):  
Yasmin Sitabkhan ◽  
Linda M. Platas

This occasional paper examines common instructional strategies in early-grade mathematics interventions through a review of studies in classrooms in low- and middle-income countries. Twenty-four studies met the criteria for inclusion, and analyses reveal four sets of instructional strategies for which there is evidence from multiple contexts. Of the 24 studies, 16 involved the use of multiple representations, 10 involved the use of developmental progressions, 6 included supporting student use of explanation and justification, and 5 included integration of informal mathematics. Based on the review, we provide conclusions and recommendations for future research and policy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (03) ◽  
pp. 569-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCESCA BASTAGLI ◽  
JESSICA HAGEN-ZANKER ◽  
LUKE HARMAN ◽  
VALENTINA BARCA ◽  
GEORGINA STURGE ◽  
...  

AbstractThis article presents the findings of a review of the impact of non-contributory cash transfers on individuals and households in low- and middle-income countries, covering the literature of 15 years, from 2000 to 2015. Based on evidence extracted from 165 studies, retrieved through a systematic search and screening process, this article discusses the impact of cash transfers on 35 indicators covering six outcome areas: monetary poverty; education; health and nutrition; savings, investment and production; work; and empowerment. For most of the studies, cash transfers contributed to progress in the selected indicators in the direction intended by policymakers. Despite variations in the size and strength of the underlying evidence base by outcome and indicator, this finding is consistent across all outcome areas. The article also investigates unintended effects of cash transfer receipt, such as potential reductions in adult work effort and increased fertility, finding limited evidence for such unintended effects. Finally, the article highlights gaps in the evidence base and areas which would benefit from additional future research.


Author(s):  
Aliyah Dosani ◽  
Harshmeet Arora ◽  
Sahil Mazmudar

Women in low- and middle-income countries have high rates of perinatal depression. As smartphones become increasingly accessible around the world, there is an opportunity to explore innovative mHealth tools for the prevention, screening, and management of perinatal depression. We completed a scoping review of the literature pertaining to the use of mobile phone technologies for perinatal depression in low-and middle-income countries. PubMed CINHAL, and Google Scholar databases were searched, generating 423 results. 12 articles met our inclusion criteria. Two of the 12 articles reviewed mobile phone applications. The remaining 9 articles were study protocols or descriptive/intervention studies. Our results reveal that minimal literature is currently available on the use of mobile health for perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries. We found four articles that present the results of an intervention that were delivered through mobile phones for the treatment of perinatal depressive symptoms and an additional qualitative study describing the perceptions of mothers receiving cognitive behavioral therapy via telephones. These studies demonstrated that depressive symptoms improved after the interventions. There is potential to improve the quality of mHealth interventions, specifically mobile phone applications for perinatal depressive symptoms and depression, through meaningful collaborative work between healthcare professionals and application developers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si Chen ◽  
Sharon Wolf

Young children’s access to early childhood education (ECE) is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), though often without attention to service quality. Monitoring quality requires classroom observations, but most observation tools available were developed in high-income western countries. In this article, we examine key issues in measuring ECE quality in LMICs and consider challenges and opportunities in balancing theoretical grounding, cultural- and contextual-adaptation, and empirical rigor. We then review the literature on observed classroom quality in LMICs, focusing on process quality. We find limited evidence that the constructs identified in high-income countries replicate in LMICs. Further, the very limited evidence that ECE quality measures used in LMICs predict child outcomes is almost exclusively cross-sectional and associations are mixed. We conclude by discussing how future research can build a stronger knowledge base about ECE quality and child development globally.


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