Infectious Diseases
- Income Inequalities in Hepatitis B Vaccination and Willingness to Pay Among Women of Reproductive Age in Hanoi, Vietnam
Many countries use a fee-for-service model for hepatitis B vaccination, which amplifies health disparities across socioeconomic statuses and contributes to inequalities in HBV vaccination rates. We examined the role of household income on women’s willingness to pay and the amount they are willing to pay for HBV vaccination to identify a more optimized payment scheme and equitable access across all income groups.
- A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation: Integrating Depression Treatment Into HIV Care in Malawi
Effectively integrating depression treatment into HIV care in low-resource settings will require substantially investing in program supervision, building and maintaining the capacity of providers, integrating into existing electronic medical records systems, and ensuring the availability of psychotherapy counselors.
- Qualitative Review of Organizational Responses to Rumors in the 2014–2016 Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone
Rumors and misinformation were a challenge in the 2014–2016 Ebola Virus Disease response and continue to be so in the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to understand previous organizational approaches to identifying and addressing rumors to refine and improve these approaches.
- Implementation of GeneXpert for TB Testing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review
This review highlights a commonality of implementation barriers across geographically dispersed GeneXpert interventions for TB testing. This indicates the importance of using implementation frameworks to report findings that can improve public health outcomes across low- and middle-income countries.
- COVID-19 Pandemic in India: Through the Lens of Modeling
We reflect on and review India's COVID-19 pandemic response through the lens of modeling and data. The lessons learned from the Indian context may be beneficial for other countries.
- Social Distancing in the Era of COVID-19: A Call for Maintaining Social Support for the Maternal Population
In the era of COVID-19, pregnant and postpartum women, an already vulnerable group, are facing unforeseen and compounding stressful events with reduced social protections. We argue that to prevent harmful consequences that may surpass the effects of the crisis itself for pregnant women and their families, it is imperative to prioritize maintaining formal and informal sources of social support for mothers in proposed infection control policies.
- The COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Another Commercial Determinant of Health: The Global Firearm Industry
Firearm violence is a public health crisis worsened by lobbying, marketing, and supply chain tactics from the private industry. During the heightened burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health practitioners should use a commercial determinant of health lens to combat this threat.
- STEPS: A Solution for Ensuring Standards of TB Care for Patients Reaching Private Hospitals in India
A low-cost model for engaging the private sector to address gaps in TB care and ensuring that patients in the private sector receive the standards of care in India was feasible. The pilot project showed improvements in standards of care, which benefits the patient, government, private hospitals, and society.
- Differentiated Service Delivery Models for HIV Treatment in Malawi, South Africa, and Zambia: A Landscape Analysis
Observing the diversity of differentiated service delivery models for HIV treatment in use in sub-Saharan Africa can help policy makers and program planners to improve decision making for treatment delivery in the future. This effort can inform decisions about how to optimize the distribution of models across facilities and regions and how to plan for budget and resource allocation.
- New Mixed Methods Approach for Monitoring Community Perceptions of Ebola and Response Efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Red Cross community feedback system enabled rapid collection and analysis of extensive verbal feedback during an Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC. Using this information, Ebola response leaders adapted strategies to address community concerns. In an epidemic, community feedback is critical to ensure that response strategies are accepted and appropriate.