Most read article(s)
- Palm Oil in Myanmar: A Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Effects of Industrial Farming on Biodiversity Loss
Satellite imagery analysis reveals a progressive shift from smallholder farming to industrial oil palm plantations in rural Myanmar, concomitant with biodiversity loss. Although industrial palm oil cultivation may help the local economy flourish, rural communities assume the dual burden of ecosystem instability from deforestation and potential health risks from increased palm oil consumption.
- Meeting Postpartum Women’s Family Planning Needs Through Integrated Family Planning and Immunization Services: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Rwanda
Integrating contraceptive services into infant immunization services was effective, acceptable, and feasible without negatively affecting immunization uptake. Yet unmet need for contraception remained high, including among a substantial number of women who were waiting for menses to return even though, at 6 months or more postpartum, they were at risk of an unintended pregnancy. More effort is needed to educate women about postpartum return to fertility and to encourage those desiring to space or limit pregnancy to use effective contraception.
- Effective Collaboration for Scaling Up Health Technologies: A Case Study of the Chlorhexidine for Umbilical Cord Care Experience
Facilitating factors for the Chlorhexidine Working Group: (1) strong, transparent leadership by a neutral broker, promoting shared ownership among all members; (2) reliable internal and external communication; (3) well-defined terms of reference building on common interest around a simple, effective health intervention; (4) clear benefits of participation, including access to evidence and technical assistance; and (5) adequate resources to support the secretariat functions.
- A False Dichotomy: RCTs and Their Contributions to Evidence-Based Public Health
Global public health should rely on those research methods that best answer the pressing questions at hand. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other rigorous impact evaluation methods have a critical role to play in public health.
- Predictors of Essential Health and Nutrition Service Delivery in Bihar, India: Results From Household and Frontline Worker Surveys
Only about 35% of sample households reported receiving immunization, food supplements, pregnancy care information, or nutrition information. Monetary incentives for such product-oriented services as immunization improved performance and may have spillover effects for information-oriented services. Immunization day events and good frontline worker recordkeeping also improved service delivery.
- Universal Health Coverage in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessment of Global Health Experts' Confidence in Policy Options
Even within the fairly homogenous context of francophone Africa, among 18 options presented to experts on how to proceed toward universal health coverage (UHC), consensus was reached on only 1 with respect to effectiveness and another with respect to feasibility. The complexity and challenges of UHC as well as the weak evidence base likely contribute to this uncertainty.
- mHealth for Tuberculosis Treatment Adherence: A Framework to Guide Ethical Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
Promising mHealth approaches for TB treatment adherence include:
Video observation
Patient- or device-facilitated indirect monitoring
Direct monitoring through embedded sensors or metabolite testing
To mitigate ethical concerns, our framework considers accuracy of monitoring technologies, stigmatization and intrusiveness of the technologies, use of incentives, and the balance of individual and public good.
- Development and use of a master health facility list: Haiti's experience during the 2010 earthquake response
Collaboration between the Haitian government and NGOs after the 2010 earthquake contributed to a more accurate and complete master health facility list, which helped coordinate emergency response operations as well as strengthen the routine health information system. Open data and social networks facilitated the collection and sharing of health facility information and in maintenance of the list over time.
- A Dedicated Postpartum Intrauterine Device Inserter: Pilot Experience and Proof of Concept
Use of the inserter was found to be safe, with high fundal placement in 82% of cases. Complete expulsion occurred in 7.5% of cases and partial expulsion was detected in 10%, comparable with rates in other studies using standard IUD insertion techniques. Further study and use of the dedicated inserter may reveal increased convenience and reduced risk of infection among users and could improve acceptability of postpartum IUD provision among providers.
- What Does It Take to Be an Effective National Steward of Digital Health Integration for Health Systems Strengthening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries?
A purposeful literature review of peer-reviewed and gray literature identified 4 broad thematic areas of digital health stewardship—strategic direction, policies and procedures, roles and responsibilities, and health service delivery—that need further research and development in order for digital health to be better positioned to positively impact low- and middle-income country health systems.