BACKGROUND There are an estimated half-million children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. The predominant source of infection is presumed to be perinatal mother-to-child transmission, but general population data about paediatric HIV are sparse. We characterise the epidemiology of HIV in children in sub-Saharan Africa by describing the prevalence, possible source of infection, and effects o...

UNAIDS has set a goal of achieving the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (eMTCT) of HIV by 2015 and keeping HIV-positive (HIV+) mothers alive. In pursuit of this goal, in 2011, the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) adopted the Option B+ strategy, which entails lifelong antiretroviral treatment for all HIV+ mothers, irrespective of severity of HIV infection. Poor mother-child pair retent...

Purpose. The purpose of this paper was to explore how loss to followup (LFTU) has affected the successful implementation of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV-1 (PMTCT) programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. We conducted an electronic search from the following databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJs), and PyscINFO. Additional searches were made...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of severe physical punishment of children/adolescents in a low-income community, and to examine child mental health problems as a potential correlate. METHOD This study is a Brazilian cross-sectional pilot study of the World Studies of Abuse in Family Environments. A probabilistic sample of clusters including all eligible households (women aged 15-49 years...

In Brazil, syphilis and HIV infection are considered serious public health problems. However, in practice, epidemiological surveillance, prevention measures, and prenatal care seem to be more effective in the control of mother-to-child transmission of the HIV than in the control of transmission of the Treponema pallidum. Here we discuss the differences in surveillance, prenatal care, and care o...

background advocacy coalitions play an increasingly prominent role within the global health landscape, linking actors and institutions to attract political attention and resources. this paper examines how coalitions negotiate among themselves and exercise hidden forms of power to produce policy on the basis of their beliefs and strategic interests.   methods this paper examines the beliefs...

BACKGROUND The death of a mother is a tragedy in itself but it can also have devastating effects for the survival of her children. We aim to explore the impact of a mother's death on child survival in rural Gambia, West Africa. METHODS We used 25 years of prospective surveillance data from the Farafenni Health and Demographic surveillance system (FHDSS). Mortality rates per 1,000 child-years ...

Abstract: The differentials and determinants of breastfeeding (BF) were studied by a number of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of mother and child in Bagladesh. The data for this study were taken from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 1996-1997. Information on BF was taken from the mothers following the last birth (n=4972) (current status) and last but one birth (n= 185...

Adults who report having had high-quality relationships with their parents during childhood have better overall mental health and are at decreased risk for mental disorders compared with those who report low parental relationship quality. Researchers have predominantly focused on the relationship with the mother, often times excluding the unique role that fathers may play in the long-term devel...