Articles

Nearly half of preschool children are stunted in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study

Stunting has been the most pressing public health problem throughout the developing countries. It is the major causes of child mortality and global disease burden, where 80 % of this burden is found in develop...

Authors: Amare Tariku, Haile Woldie, Abel Fekadu, Akilew Awoke Adane, Ayanaw Tsega Ferede and Segenet Yitayew

The dangers to children from coconut tree trauma, in KiraKira, Solomon Islands: a retrospective clinical audit

Kirakira is small community of 3,000 people and is the capital of Makira-Ulawa province in Solomon Islands. Kirakira is an impoverished community with a small 30 bed hospital with limited resources. This audit...

Authors: Rajan Rehan, Peter D. Jones, Hashim Abdeen, Heddi Rowas and Jasryn Dhaliwal

Nutritional status of children 0–59 months in selected intervention communities in northern Ghana from the africa RISING project in 2012

Poor nutritional status during childhood and its long-term impact on economic growth and wellbeing is well known. This study assessed the nutritional status of children in selected communities in northern Ghan...

Authors: Mary Glover-Amengor, Isaac Agbemafle, Lynda Larmkie Hagan, Frank Peget Mboom, Gladys Gamor, Asamoah Larbi and Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon

Prevalence and associated factors of clinical manifestations of vitamin a deficiency among preschool children in asgede-tsimbla rural district, north Ethiopia, a community based cross sectional study

Vitamin A Deficiency is a common form of micronutrient deficiency, globally affecting 33.3 % of preschool-age children. An estimated of 44.4 % of preschool children in Africa were at risk for vitamin A deficie...

Authors: Tesfalem Abrha, Yonas Girma, Kebede Haile, Mezgebe Hailu and Mengistu Hailemariam

Vitamin A status and body pool size of infants before and after consuming fortified home-based complementary foods

Home fortification using sachets of micronutrient powder (e.g. “Sprinkles”) is a food-based approach offering an alternative to high dose vitamin A (VA) supplements for infants. The primary objective was to in...

Authors: Sam Newton, Seth Owusu-Agyei, Kwaku Poku Asante, Esi Amoaful, Emmanuel Mahama, Samuel Kofi Tchum, Martha Ali, Kwame Adjei, Christopher R. Davis and Sherry A. Tanumihardjo

Latrine access and utilization among people with limited mobility: A cross sectional study

Latrine access is one of the challenges faced by people with physical disabilities that limit their mobility (PPDs) in their home and working environments. Latrines should be designed, built and located such t...

Authors: Berhanu Asfaw, Muluken Azage and Gebremedhin Berhe Gebregergs

Assessment of iodine status among pregnant women in a rural community in ghana - a cross sectional study

Pregnancy is associated with parallel increase in both iodine, and thyroid hormone requirements suggesting that, there may be the need for additional iodine intake during this period to prevent potential iodin...

Authors: David L. Simpong, Patrick Adu, Rashid Bashiru, Martin T. Morna, Francis A. Yeboah, Kafui Akakpo and Richard K. D. Ephraim

Prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Hossana Town, Southern Ethiopia: facility based cross sectional study

The use of herbal medicine has been on increase in many developing and industrialized countries. More pregnant women use herbal remedies to treat pregnancy related problems due to cost-effectiveness of therapy...

Authors: Tariku Laelago, Tadele Yohannes and Fiseha Lemango

Validity of self-reported out-of-school physical activity among Finnish 11-year-old children

The aim of this study is to assess the repeatability and validity of the Finnish 11-year old children’s out-of-school physical activity (PA) questionnaire using accelerometer as reference method. A sub-sample ...

Authors: Suvi Määttä, Teija Nuutinen, Carola Ray, Johan G. Eriksson, Elisabete Weiderpass and Eva Roos

Individual and community-level factors associated with introduction of prelacteal feeding in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country with low optimal breast feeding practice, and prelacteal feeding is still a norm. Introduction of prelacteal feeding is a known barrier for optimal breast feeding practices. However, know...

Authors: Abate Bekele Belachew, Alemayehu Bayray Kahsay and Yemane Gabremariam Abebe

Factors associated to the use of insecticide treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment for malaria control during pregnancy in Cameroon

Malaria in pregnancy has been shown to cause both maternal and infant morbidity and mortality especially in sub Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization therefore recommends the use of insecticide treated...

Authors: Ngimuh Leonard, Fokam Bertrand Eric, Anchang-Kimbi K. Judith and Wanji Samuel

Dietary intake patterns and nutritional status of women of reproductive age in Nepal: findings from a health survey

Improper dietary intake pattern in women of reproductive age in Nepal has resulted in the deficiency of essential nutrients. Adequate nutritional status and proper dietary intake pattern of women improves mate...

Authors: Shiva Bhandari, Jamuna Tamrakar Sayami, Pukar Thapa, Matina Sayami, Bishnu Prasad Kandel and Megha Raj Banjara

Validity and reliability of a modified english version of the physical activity questionnaire for adolescents

Adaptation of physical activity self-report questionnaires is sometimes required to reflect the activity behaviours of diverse populations. The processes used to modify self-report questionnaires though are ty...

Authors: Daniel Aggio, Stuart Fairclough, Zoe Knowles and Lee Graves

Prevalence of using non prescribed medications in economically deprived rural population of Pakistan

Self medication is described as an act of procurement and consumption of medical drugs without the advice of medical physician for diagnosis, prescription and surveillance of treatment. There is a paucity of l...

Authors: Abdul Haseeb and Muhammad Bilal

Effectiveness of introducing point of care capillary testing and linking screening with routine appointments for increasing blood lead screening rates of young children: a before-after study

Lead has significant neuro-toxic effects, particularly for young children. Voluntary screening of pre-school aged children for elevated blood lead levels has been an important part of the lead management progr...

Authors: Frances Boreland, David Lyle, Anthony Brown and David Perkins

Health insurance and maternal, newborn services utilisation and under-five mortality

Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was introduced in 2005 as a demand side intervention to remove financial barriers to accessing health services. After almost a decade of implementation, this stu...

Authors: Samuel Bosomprah, Peter Luigi Ragno, Clemens Gros and Hari Banskota

Relationship between mid upper arm circumference and weight changes in children aged 6–59 months

The objectives of this study were to (i) describe the relationship between weight changes and MUAC changes in children aged between 6 and 59 months during treatment for SAM in CMAM programmes in three country ...

Authors: Paul Binns, Nancy Dale, Monsurul Hoq, Chrissy Banda and Mark Myatt

Well-being, gender, and psychological health in school-aged children

Despite being a well-documented phenomenon, gender differences in psychological health complaints in adolescence are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to test factors related to well-being as ex...

Authors: Isabelle Savoye, Nathalie Moreau, Marie-Christine Brault, Alain Levêque and Isabelle Godin

Prevalence and determinants of cigarette smoking among college students: a cross-sectional study in Douala, Cameroon

Tobacco is the most important avoidable risk for non communicable diseases. While tobacco consumption is stable or declining in developed countries, it is increasing in the developing world with a rate of 3.4 ...

Authors: Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane, Huguette Atangana Ekobo and Christopher Kuaban

Public health impact and cost-effectiveness of dairy products supplemented with vitamin D in prevention of osteoporotic fractures

Dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D are recommended as a first-line strategy in prevention of osteoporosis-related fractures but their public health and economic impact has never been studied.

Authors: Olivier Ethgen, Mickaël Hiligsmann, Nansa Burlet and Jean-Yves Reginster

Development of the European Health Interview Survey - Physical Activity Questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) to monitor physical activity in the European Union

A domain-specific physical activity questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) was developed in the framework of the second wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). This article presents the EHIS-PAQ and describes i...

Authors: Jonas D. Finger, Jean Tafforeau, Lydia Gisle, Leila Oja, Thomas Ziese, Juergen Thelen, Gert B. M. Mensink and Cornelia Lange

How well do physical activity questions perform? A European cognitive testing study

Only few studies have focused on the cognitive processes of the respondents that are involved when answering physical activity questionnaires (PAQs). This study aimed at examining whether two PAQs work as inte...

Authors: J. D. Finger, L. Gisle, H. Mimilidis, C. Santos-Hoevener, E. K. Kruusmaa, A. Matsi, L. Oja, M. Balarajan, M. Gray, A. L. Kratz and C. Lange

Prevalence and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life among women in Halaba special woreda, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region/SNNPR/, Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study

Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as feeding infants only breast milk, be it directly from breast or expressed, with no addition of any liquid or solids apart from drops or syrups consisting of vitamins, mine...

Authors: Asrat Sonko and Amare Worku

Reported incidence of fever for under-5 children in Zambia: a longitudinal study

Childhood fever is the most common clinical sign of Plasmodium falciparum infection. It is used as a measure of burden of the disease and the effectiveness of control programs for malaria. This study aimed to det...

Authors: Benson M. Hamooya, Gershom Chongwe, Lungowe Sitali and Hikabasa Halwindi

Wealth status and sex differential of household head: implication for source of drinking water in Nigeria

Source of potable water has implication on the population health. Availability of Improved Drinking Water Sources (IDWS) is a problem in developing countries, but variation exists across segments of the popula...

Authors: Oyewale Mayowa Morakinyo, Stephen Ayo Adebowale and Elizabeth Omoladun Oloruntoba

Poor quality in the reporting and use of statistical methods in public health – the case of unemployment and health

It has previously been reported that many research articles fail to fulfill important criteria for statistical analyses, but, to date, these reports have not focused on public health problems. The aim of this ...

Authors: Fredrik Norström

Are the public getting the message about antimicrobial resistance?

Raising public awareness of the need to use antibiotics appropriately is a major focus of the UK Government’s strategy to tackle antimicrobial resistance. To investigate the public’s views on antibiotic use an...

Authors: Laura J Shallcross, Michelle Berin, Jennifer Roe and Mahdad Noursadeghi

Factors associated with excessive polypharmacy in older people

Older people are a growing population. They live longer, but often have multiple chronic diseases. As a consequence, they are taking many different kind of medicines, while their vulnerability to pharmaceutica...

Authors: Denise Walckiers, Johan Van der Heyden and Jean Tafforeau

Using surveillance data to understand cancer trends: an overview in Morocco

The aim was to use the existing surveillance data sources of cancer in Morocco that could be used to better describe cancer mortality and incidence trends in Morocco.

Authors: M. Obtel, B. Lyoussi, N. Tachfouti, S. Mathoulin Pelissier and C. Nejjari

Prevalence and factors associated with stunting and thinness among adolescent students in Northern Ethiopia: a comparison to World Health Organization standards

Adolescence is last chance for curbing the consequences of malnutrition and breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition and poor health. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and the factors assoc...

Authors: Yohannes Adama Melaku, Gordon Alexander Zello, Tiffany K. Gill, Robert J. Adams and Zumin Shi

Factors associated with safe child feces disposal practices in Ethiopia: evidence from demographic and health survey

According to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for water supply and Sanitation definition, safe child feces disposal practices include: children defecation into a latrine, disposal of child stool...

Authors: Muluken Azage and Demewoz Haile

Erratum to: Review of the nutritional benefits and risks related to intense sweeteners

Authors: Olivier Bruyère, Serge H. Ahmed, Catherine Atlan, Jacques Belegaud, Murielle Bortolotti, Marie-Chantal Canivenc-Lavier, Sybil Charrière, Jean-Philippe Girardet, Sabine Houdart, Esther Kalonji, Perrine Nadaud, Fabienne Rajas, Gérard Slama and Irène Margaritis

Reflecting on ICN2: was it a game changer?

At the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), November 2014, 170 member states endorsed the Rome Declaration on Nutrition and a Framework for Action. The Rome Declaration committed to ending maln...

Authors: Hannah Brinsden and Tim Lang

Review of the nutritional benefits and risks related to intense sweeteners

The intense sweeteners currently authorised in Europe comprise ten compounds of various chemical natures. Their overall use has sharply risen in the last 20 years. These compounds are mainly used to formulate ...

Authors: Olivier Bruyère, Serge H. Ahmed, Catherine Atlan, Jacques Belegaud, Murielle Bortolotti, Marie-Chantal Canivenc-Lavier, Sybil Charrière, Jean-Philippe Girardet, Sabine Houdart, Esther Kalonji, Perrine Nadaud, Fabienne Rajas, Gérard Slama and Irène Margaritis

Differentials of modern contraceptive methods use by food security status among married women of reproductive age in Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia

In spite of the massive spending and extensive family-planning promotion, many poor people in the third world remain reluctant to use modern contraceptive method. Mostly when they use modern contraceptives, th...

Authors: Mohammed Feyisso, Tefera Belachew, Amanuel Tesfay and Yohannes Addisu

Correlation of fasting and postprandial plasma glucose with HbA1c in assessing glycemic control; systematic review and meta-analysis

Glycemic control in diabetes mellitus is a cornerstone in reducing morbidity and mortality of the disease. Achieving glycemic control or reducing hyperglycemia significantly decreases the microvascular and mac...

Authors: Ezra Belay Ketema and Kelemu Tilahun Kibret

Placental DNA methylation as a proxy for fetal neurodevelopment and sex-specific associations with in utero particulate air pollution

Authors: Nelly Saenen, Bram Janssen, Karen Vrijens, Harry Roels, Wim Vanden Berghe, Wilfried Gyselaers, Charlotte Vanpoucke, Patrick De Boever and Tim Nawrot

Perspectives and pitfalls of microbiome research through home based fecal sampling: the Flemish Gut Flora Project experience

Authors: Doris Vandeputte, Rianne Vanleeuwen, Gwen Falony, Marie Joossens and Jeroen Raes

Incorporating uncertainty measurement in the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas methodology for estimating global and national prevalence of diabetes in adults

Authors: Katherine Ogurtsova, Leonor Guariguata, David Whiting, Nigel Unwin, Clara Weil, Joao Da Rocha Fernandes, Ute Linnenkamp, Nam H Cho, David Cavan and Lydia Makaroff

Methodological considerations for combining wastewater-based epidemiology with survey research

Authors: Janelle Van Wel, Juliet Kinyua, Alexander Van Nuijs, Guido Van Hal and Adrian Covaci

Epidemiology of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections in Belgium: a retrospective dynamic cohort study, 2000-2014

Authors: Koen Blot, Naïma Hammami, Stijn Blot, Dirk Vogelaers and Marie-Laurence Lambert

Differences between sectors in workers' health

Authors: Lode Godderis, Godewina Mylle and Martijn Schouteden

Dairy cattle mortality as a sensitive warning system for the effects of high and low ambient temperature on human health

Authors: Bianca Cox, Antonio Gasparrini, Boudewijn Catry, Jaco Vangronsveld and Tim Nawrot

Changing places to study the medium-term effects of air pollution: carotid arterial stiffness

Authors: Hans Scheers, Lidia Casas, Tim Nawrot and Ben Nemery

Carbon loading in airway macrophages to traffic-derived particulate matter air pollution

Authors: Yang Bai, Sven Seys, Tim Nawrot and Benoit Nemery

Placental nitrosative stress and in utero exposure to particulate matter

Authors: Nelly Saenen, Karen Vrijens, Bram Janssen, Narjes Madhloum, Martien Peusens, Wilfried Gyselaers, Charlotte Vanpoucke, Wouter Lefebvre, Harry Roels and Tim Nawrot

Risk factors for predicting heart failure: a subject-level meta-analysis from the HOMAGE database

Authors: Ljupcho Efremov, Lotte Jacobs, Lutgarde Thijs, Faiez Zannad and Jan A Staessen

Survival among rectal cancer patients in Belgium receiving different preoperative and postoperative treatment: a population-based comparison

Authors: Geert Silversmit, Tamara Vandendael, Ines Joye, Annelies Debucquoy, Freddy Penninckx, Evelien Vaes and Karin Haustermans

Current and future Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) of Salmonella and Campylobacter in Belgium

Authors: Charline Maertens de Noordhout, Brecht Devleesschauwer, Diallo Lamarana, Juanita Haagsma, Arie Havelaar, Sophie Quoilin, Sophie Bertrand, Yves Dupont, Olivier Vandenberg, Patrick Brandt and Niko Speybroeck

Health benefits of smoke-free legislation in early and in later life

Authors: Bianca Cox, Evelyne Martens, Benoit Nemery, Jaco Vangronsveld and Tim Nawrot