Factors associated with induction of labour and pregnancy outcomes in 14 healthcare facilities in Sri Lanka

Background: Mothers living with HIV are at risk for mental health problems, which may have a negative impact on the management of their HIV condition and care of their children. Although South Africa has a high prevalence of HIV, there is a dearth of studies on sociodemographic predictors of postnatal depression (PND) among HIV-positive women in South Africa, even in KwaZulu Natal, a province with the highest prevalence of HIV in the country. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine sociodemographic factors associated with the prevalence of postnatal depression symptoms among a sample of HIV-positive women attending health services from primary healthcare facilities in Umhlathuze District, KwaZulu Natal. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 386 HIV-positive women who had infants aged between 1 and 12 weeks. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPNDS), to which sociodemographic questions were added, was used to collect data. Results: The prevalence of PND symptoms among this sample of 386 HIV-positive women was 42.5%. The age of the mothers ranged from 16 to 42 years, with a mean of 29 years. The majority of the mothers were single or never married (85.5%; n = 330), living in a rural setting (81.9%; n = 316%), with a household income of less than R 2000 (estimated 125 USD) per month (64.9%; n = 120). The government child support grant was the main source of income for most of the mothers (53%; n = 183). PND symptoms were significantly associated with the participant’s partner having other sexual partners (p-value < 0.001), adverse life events (p-value = 0.001), low monthly income (p-value = 0.015), and being financially dependent on others (p-value = 0.023). Conclusion: The prevalence of PND symptoms among the sample is high, with a number of social and demographic factors found to be significantly associated with PND. This requires the consideration of sociodemographic information in the overall management of both HIV and postnatal depression. Addressing the impact of these factors can positively influence the health outcomes of both the mother and the baby.

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Factors associated with sub-microscopic placental malaria and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes among HIV-negative women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a cohort study

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-020-05521-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aneth Vedastus Kalinjuma ◽

Anne Marie Darling ◽

Ferdinand M. Mugusi ◽

Ajibola Ibraheem Abioye ◽

Fredros O. Okumu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Malaria Infection ◽

Placental Malaria ◽

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Placental Infection ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Adverse Pregnancy ◽

Prevention Methods ◽

Dna Pcr

Abstract Background Malaria infection during pregnancy has negative health consequences for both mothers and offspring. Sub-microscopic malaria infection during pregnancy is common in most African countries. We sought to identify factors associated with sub-microscopic placental malaria, and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes among HIV-negative pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods We recruited a cohort of pregnant women during their first trimester and assessed for the occurrence of placental malaria and pregnancy outcomes. The follow-up was done monthly from recruitment until delivery. Histopathology placental malaria positive results were defined as the presence of malaria pigment or parasitized erythrocytes on the slide (histology-positive (HP)), and the sub-microscopic placental infection was defined as positive Plasmodium falciparum DNA by polymerase chain reaction (DNA PCR) amplification in a negative histopathology test. Adverse pregnancy outcomes investigated included low birth weight (birth weight below 2.5 kg), prematurity (live birth below 37 weeks), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) (live born with a birth weight below 10th percentile for gestational age and sex). Weighted baseline category logit, log-binomial, and log-Poisson models were used to assess factors associated with placental malaria, and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Results Among 1115 women who had histopathology and DNA PCR performed, 93 (8%) had HP placental infection, and 136 (12%) had the sub-microscopic placental infection. The risk of sub-microscopic placental malaria was greater in women who did not use mosquito prevention methods such as bed nets, fumigation, or mosquito coils (odds ratio (OR) = 1.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–2.92; P = 0.03) and in women who were anemic (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.20–2.11; P = 0.001). Women who were underweight had reduced odds of sub-microscopic placental malaria infection (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.17–0.62; P = 0.001). Women who were overweight/obese had 1.48 times higher the odds of HP placental malaria compared to normal weight (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03–2.11; P = 0.03). HP placental malaria infection was associated with an increased risk of SGA births (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 0.98–1.72, P = 0.07). In contrast, the sub-microscopic infection was associated with a reduced risk of SGA births (RR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43–0.88, P = 0.01). Placental malaria was not associated with low birth weight or prematurity. Conclusion Malaria prevention methods and maternal nutrition status during early pregnancy were important predictors of sub-microscopic placental malaria. More research is needed to understand sub-microscopic placental malaria and the possible mechanisms mediating the association between placental malaria and SGA.

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Factors associated with social participation amongst elders in rural Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional mixed methods analysis

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-018-5482-x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Celeste Marsh ◽

Paul A. Agius ◽

Gamini Jayakody ◽

Roshan Shajehan ◽

Chandima Abeywickrema ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Social Participation ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated

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Prevalence and factors associated with metabolic syndrome among Tamils aged over 18 years in Jaffna district, Sri Lanka

Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders ◽

10.1186/s40200-015-0190-x ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sivarathy Amarasinghe ◽

Sandrasegarampillai Balakumar ◽

Vasanthy Arasaratnam

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Factors Associated

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Cataract among elderly in Sri Lanka

10.1101/540518 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

A.A. Nilanga Nishad ◽

S.A. Hewage ◽

K. Arulmoly ◽

M.S. Amaratunge ◽

J de Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Screening Programme ◽

National Level ◽

Age Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Future Studies ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Younger Age

AbstractOut of 39 billion people who are blind around the world, 20 billion (51.3%) is due to cataract, which is preventable. This study intended to assess the prevalence and factors associated with cataract among elderly in a divisional secretariat area in Sri Lanka. This community based cross sectional study assessed randomly selected470 adults over 60 years of age. Diagnosis of cataract was made by a slit lamp examination by medical officers, and classified according to Oxford Lens Opacity Classification system (LOCS III). Majority was between 60-69 age groups and 71% was females. The prevalence of cataract was estimated to be 80.6% including operated eye and 73.6% excluding the operated eye, with a female preponderance in lower age categories. Commonest type of cataract was the nuclear type (n=422; 44.9%), with a majority in grade 2 (218; 23.2%). The prevalence of cataract surgery in the diseased population was as low as 7%. Cataract leading to blindness is very prevalent among adults over 60 years of age in the studied area. Females tend to develop the disease at an early age than males. These findings warrant screening programme for elderly at community level, targeting females at a younger age than males. Future studies are recommended to assess the coverage and barriers for cataract surgeries at national level, which would be immensely useful in planning and improving health services.

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Using geospatial models to map zero-dose children: factors associated with zero-dose vaccination status before and after a mass measles and rubella vaccination campaign

10.1101/2021.09.16.21263705 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rohan Arambepola ◽

Yangyupei Yang ◽

Kyle Hutchinson ◽

Francis D Mwansa ◽

Julie Ann Doherty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vaccination Campaign ◽

Fine Scale ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Catchment Areas ◽

Before And After ◽

Childhood Vaccines ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

Vaccination Campaigns ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Despite gains in global coverage of childhood vaccines, many children remain undervaccinated. Vaccination campaigns also known as Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA) are commonly conducted to reach those who are undervaccinated. However, reaching these children even during an SIA is challenging. We evaluated the effectiveness of an SIA in reaching zero dose children. Methods: We conducted a prospective study in 10 health center catchment areas in Southern province, Zambia in November 2020. About 2 months before the measles and rubella SIA we developed aerial satellite maps which were then used to enumerate and survey households. Zero dose children were identified during this exercise. After the SIA, households with zero dose children identified before the SIA were targeted for mop up vaccination and to assess if they were vaccinated during the SIA. A Bayesian geospatial model was used to identify factors associated with zero-dose status before the campaign and produce fine-scale prevalence maps. Models were used to identify factors associated with measles zero-dose children reached in the campaign and identify optimal locations for additional vaccination sites. Results: Before the vaccination campaign, 4% of children under 9 months were DTP zero-dose and 17% of children 9-60 months were measles zero-dose. Of the 461 measles zero-dose children identified before the vaccination campaign, 338 (73.3%) were vaccinated during the campaign, 118 (25.6%) were reached by a targeted mop-up activity. The presence of other children in the household, younger age, greater travel time to health facilities, and living between health facility catchment areas were associated with zero-dose status. Mapping zero-dose prevalence revealed substantial heterogeneity, both within and between catchment areas. Several potential locations were identified for additional vaccination sites. Conclusion: Fine-scale variation in zero-dose prevalence and the impact of accessibility to healthcare facilities on vaccination coverage were identified. Geospatial modeling can aid targeted vaccination activities.

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