Pub Date : 2024-04-02DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15190.1
W. W. Yallew, Rediet Fasil, Della Berhanu, Konjit Wolde, Dedefo Teshite, Reena Sethi, G. Yenokyan, Y. Woldemariam, S. Suhowatsky, A. Hyre, Lisa M. Noguchi, Alemayehu Worku
Background Adequate antenatal care (ANC) and facility-based delivery are linked to improved maternal and neonatal outcomes. Adequate antenatal care attendance and facility birth rates are increasing in Ethiopia but remain well below national goals and global recommendations. Group ANC (G-ANC), when implemented at higher level facilities, is associated with improved quality and experience of ANC, and increased ANC retention and facility-based delivery. The objectives of the study are to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of G-ANC implemented at lower-level facilities (health posts) on ANC continuation and facility-based delivery. Methods G-ANC will first be piloted in five purposively selected health posts. The study will then use a stepped-wedge design in 36 health posts under six health centers, with randomization of the order of the start of the intervention done at the health center level (clusters). The design will include three time periods: first is a six-month control period with no G-ANC implementation, followed by another six months period where G-ANC will be introduced in half (n=18) of the study health posts, then final six months where G-ANC will be implemented in the remaining 18 health posts. Quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches will be used. The study has “pause and reflect” points designed to iterate on the intervention before rolling out to the next set of sites. Qualitative research will be conducted using in-depth interviews with pregnant women, health care workers, facility managers, and regional health managers. 770 women will be enrolled across all phases. Conclusions The study will inform decision makers locally and globally on whether G-ANC is a feasible service delivery model at the health post level. Effectiveness of G-ANC at increasing ANC retention and facility-based delivery will be reported, as well as its acceptability to pregnant women and Health Extension Workers. Registration NCT05054491, ClinicalTrials.gov (September 23rd 2021).
{"title":"Evaluation of the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of Group Antenatal Care at the health post level on continuation in antenatal care and facility based delivery in Ethiopia using a cluster randomized stepped-wedge design: Study protocol","authors":"W. W. Yallew, Rediet Fasil, Della Berhanu, Konjit Wolde, Dedefo Teshite, Reena Sethi, G. Yenokyan, Y. Woldemariam, S. Suhowatsky, A. Hyre, Lisa M. Noguchi, Alemayehu Worku","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15190.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15190.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background Adequate antenatal care (ANC) and facility-based delivery are linked to improved maternal and neonatal outcomes. Adequate antenatal care attendance and facility birth rates are increasing in Ethiopia but remain well below national goals and global recommendations. Group ANC (G-ANC), when implemented at higher level facilities, is associated with improved quality and experience of ANC, and increased ANC retention and facility-based delivery. The objectives of the study are to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of G-ANC implemented at lower-level facilities (health posts) on ANC continuation and facility-based delivery. Methods G-ANC will first be piloted in five purposively selected health posts. The study will then use a stepped-wedge design in 36 health posts under six health centers, with randomization of the order of the start of the intervention done at the health center level (clusters). The design will include three time periods: first is a six-month control period with no G-ANC implementation, followed by another six months period where G-ANC will be introduced in half (n=18) of the study health posts, then final six months where G-ANC will be implemented in the remaining 18 health posts. Quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches will be used. The study has “pause and reflect” points designed to iterate on the intervention before rolling out to the next set of sites. Qualitative research will be conducted using in-depth interviews with pregnant women, health care workers, facility managers, and regional health managers. 770 women will be enrolled across all phases. Conclusions The study will inform decision makers locally and globally on whether G-ANC is a feasible service delivery model at the health post level. Effectiveness of G-ANC at increasing ANC retention and facility-based delivery will be reported, as well as its acceptability to pregnant women and Health Extension Workers. Registration NCT05054491, ClinicalTrials.gov (September 23rd 2021).","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"152 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140751843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-27DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15268.1
A. Kena, Ebenezer Ogoe, Clara Cruet-Burgos, Richard Agyare, Naomi Adoma, Benjamin Annor, Rubi Raymundo, Geoffrey Morris
The advent of modern tools in agricultural experiments, digital data collection, and high-throughput phenotyping have necessitated field plot labels that are both machine- and human-readable. Such labels are usually made with commercial software, which are often inaccessible to under-funded research programs in developing countries. The availability of free fit-for-purpose label design software to under-funded research programs in developing countries would address one of the main roadblocks to modernizing agricultural research. The goal was to develop a new open-source software with design features well-suited for field trials and other agricultural experiments. We report here qrlabelr, a new software for creating print-ready plot labels that builds on the foundation of an existing open-source program. The qrlabelr software offers more flexibility in the label design steps, guarantees true string fidelity after QR encoding, and provides faster label generation to users. The new software is available as an R package and offers customizable functions for generating plot labels. For non-R users or beginners in R programming, the package provides an interactive Shiny app version that can be launched from R locally or accessed online at https://bit.ly/3Sud4xy. The design philosophy of this new program emphasizes the adoption of best practices in plot label design to enhance reproducibility, tracking, and accurate data curation in agricultural research and development studies.
农业试验、数字数据收集和高通量表型分析等现代工具的出现，要求田间小块标签既能由机器读取，也能由人工读取。这些标签通常使用商业软件制作，而发展中国家资金不足的研究项目往往无法使用这些软件。向发展中国家资金不足的研究项目提供免费的适用标签设计软件，将解决农业研究现代化的主要障碍之一。我们的目标是开发一种新的开放源码软件，其设计功能非常适合田间试验和其他农业试验。我们在此报告的 qrlabelr 是一款用于创建可打印的地块标签的新软件，它建立在现有开源程序的基础之上。qrlabelr 软件在标签设计步骤中提供了更大的灵活性，保证了 QR 编码后字符串的真实性，并为用户提供了更快的标签生成速度。新软件以 R 软件包的形式提供，并为生成绘图标签提供可定制的功能。对于非 R 用户或 R 编程初学者，该软件包提供了一个交互式 Shiny 应用程序版本，可从本地 R 启动或从 https://bit.ly/3Sud4xy 在线访问。这一新程序的设计理念强调采用地块标签设计的最佳实践，以提高农业研发研究的可重复性、可追踪性和数据整理的准确性。
{"title":"Introducing qrlabelr: Fast user-friendly software for machine- and human-readable labels in agricultural research and development","authors":"A. Kena, Ebenezer Ogoe, Clara Cruet-Burgos, Richard Agyare, Naomi Adoma, Benjamin Annor, Rubi Raymundo, Geoffrey Morris","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15268.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15268.1","url":null,"abstract":"The advent of modern tools in agricultural experiments, digital data collection, and high-throughput phenotyping have necessitated field plot labels that are both machine- and human-readable. Such labels are usually made with commercial software, which are often inaccessible to under-funded research programs in developing countries. The availability of free fit-for-purpose label design software to under-funded research programs in developing countries would address one of the main roadblocks to modernizing agricultural research. The goal was to develop a new open-source software with design features well-suited for field trials and other agricultural experiments. We report here qrlabelr, a new software for creating print-ready plot labels that builds on the foundation of an existing open-source program. The qrlabelr software offers more flexibility in the label design steps, guarantees true string fidelity after QR encoding, and provides faster label generation to users. The new software is available as an R package and offers customizable functions for generating plot labels. For non-R users or beginners in R programming, the package provides an interactive Shiny app version that can be launched from R locally or accessed online at https://bit.ly/3Sud4xy. The design philosophy of this new program emphasizes the adoption of best practices in plot label design to enhance reproducibility, tracking, and accurate data curation in agricultural research and development studies.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"86 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140376065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-21DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15399.1
Katherine Gleave, R. Lees
This article addresses the evolving challenges in evaluating insecticide-based tools for vector control. In response to the emergence of insecticide resistance in major malaria vectors, novel chemistries and products are coming to market, and there is a need to review the available testing methodologies. Commonly used methods for evaluating insecticides, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) cone bioassay, are inadequate for the diverse range of tools now available. Innovation to Impact (I2I) has studied the variability in laboratory methods, with the aim of identifying key factors that contribute to variation and providing recommendations to tighten up protocols. The I2I Methods Landscape is a living document which presents a review of existing methods for evaluating vector control tools, with the scope currently extending to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual sprays (IRS). The review reveals a lack of validation for many commonly used vector control methods, highlighting the need for improved protocols to enhance reliability and robustness of the data that is generated to make decisions in product development, evaluation, and implementation. A critical aspect highlighted by this work is the need for tailored methods to measure endpoints relevant to the diverse modes of action of novel insecticides. I2I envisage that the Methods Landscape will serve as a decision-making tool for researchers and product manufacturers in selecting appropriate methods, and a means to prioritise research and development. We call for collective efforts in the pro-active development, validation, and consistent implementation of suitable methods in vector control to produce the data needed to make robust decisions.
{"title":"Better methods, better data: landscaping the priorities for improving methodologies in vector control","authors":"Katherine Gleave, R. Lees","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15399.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15399.1","url":null,"abstract":"This article addresses the evolving challenges in evaluating insecticide-based tools for vector control. In response to the emergence of insecticide resistance in major malaria vectors, novel chemistries and products are coming to market, and there is a need to review the available testing methodologies. Commonly used methods for evaluating insecticides, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) cone bioassay, are inadequate for the diverse range of tools now available. Innovation to Impact (I2I) has studied the variability in laboratory methods, with the aim of identifying key factors that contribute to variation and providing recommendations to tighten up protocols. The I2I Methods Landscape is a living document which presents a review of existing methods for evaluating vector control tools, with the scope currently extending to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual sprays (IRS). The review reveals a lack of validation for many commonly used vector control methods, highlighting the need for improved protocols to enhance reliability and robustness of the data that is generated to make decisions in product development, evaluation, and implementation. A critical aspect highlighted by this work is the need for tailored methods to measure endpoints relevant to the diverse modes of action of novel insecticides. I2I envisage that the Methods Landscape will serve as a decision-making tool for researchers and product manufacturers in selecting appropriate methods, and a means to prioritise research and development. We call for collective efforts in the pro-active development, validation, and consistent implementation of suitable methods in vector control to produce the data needed to make robust decisions.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"213 S699","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140222976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-08DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15120.1
Shamim Ahmed, M. I. Hasan, A. M. Q. Rahman, Mohammad Saiful Alam Bhuiyan, S. M. M. Tipu, Sabine Braat, Alistair R D McLean, S. Arifeen, J. Hamadani, S. Pasricha, Eliza M Davidson
Background Anaemia in pregnancy remains a critical global health problem and has long-term adverse health outcomes for both the mother and child. In developing countries like Bangladesh, there has been limited progress in reducing the burden of anaemia in pregnancy. This community-based survey will provide insight into the prevalence and determinants of anaemia during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods This cross-sectional survey will be conducted in three Upazilas (sub-districts) in rural Bangladesh. A total of 1,500 pregnant women will be recruited in second and third trimester, calculated from last menstrual period. The primary outcome is to determine the prevalence of anaemia (Hb<11 g/dL); haemoglobin will be measured in venous blood by HemoCue. The association between iron deficiency and anaemia will be determined, and the role of drinking water iron level in anaemia aetiology will be explored. Key secondary outcomes include the prevalence of moderate (Hb <10 g/dL) and severe anaemia (Hb <7 g/dL), iron deficiency (ferritin <15 mg/L), and iron deficiency anaemia (concurrent iron deficiency and anaemia). Detailed information on socioeconomic status, current and past pregnancies, knowledge on nutrition and anaemia, water-sanitation-hygiene and maternal mental health status will be collected. Conclusions This study will provide comprehensive information on the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in second and third trimester of pregnancy, and inform anaemia intervention strategies to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Ethical Review Committee of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), Melbourne, Australia. The results will be actively disseminated through reports and presentations to stakeholders, symposiums and scientific publications. Registration The protocol is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000982819; 26/07/2021).
{"title":"Prevalence and determinants of anaemia during the second or third trimester of pregnancy in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study protocol","authors":"Shamim Ahmed, M. I. Hasan, A. M. Q. Rahman, Mohammad Saiful Alam Bhuiyan, S. M. M. Tipu, Sabine Braat, Alistair R D McLean, S. Arifeen, J. Hamadani, S. Pasricha, Eliza M Davidson","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15120.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15120.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background Anaemia in pregnancy remains a critical global health problem and has long-term adverse health outcomes for both the mother and child. In developing countries like Bangladesh, there has been limited progress in reducing the burden of anaemia in pregnancy. This community-based survey will provide insight into the prevalence and determinants of anaemia during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods This cross-sectional survey will be conducted in three Upazilas (sub-districts) in rural Bangladesh. A total of 1,500 pregnant women will be recruited in second and third trimester, calculated from last menstrual period. The primary outcome is to determine the prevalence of anaemia (Hb<11 g/dL); haemoglobin will be measured in venous blood by HemoCue. The association between iron deficiency and anaemia will be determined, and the role of drinking water iron level in anaemia aetiology will be explored. Key secondary outcomes include the prevalence of moderate (Hb <10 g/dL) and severe anaemia (Hb <7 g/dL), iron deficiency (ferritin <15 mg/L), and iron deficiency anaemia (concurrent iron deficiency and anaemia). Detailed information on socioeconomic status, current and past pregnancies, knowledge on nutrition and anaemia, water-sanitation-hygiene and maternal mental health status will be collected. Conclusions This study will provide comprehensive information on the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in second and third trimester of pregnancy, and inform anaemia intervention strategies to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Ethical Review Committee of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), Melbourne, Australia. The results will be actively disseminated through reports and presentations to stakeholders, symposiums and scientific publications. Registration The protocol is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000982819; 26/07/2021).","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"49 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140257138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-07DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15127.1
S. Gregson, Louisa Moorhouse, Rufurwokuda Maswera, Tawanda Dadirai, Phyllis Mandizvidza, M. Skovdal, C. Nyamukapa
Background Gender norms against adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)’s having pre-marital sex and using condoms in marriage are included as barriers to motivation to use condoms in HIV prevention cascades. Representative survey data on gender norms are needed to test this assumption. Methods General-population survey participants in Manicaland, Zimbabwe (ages≥15, N=9803) were asked if they agreed/disagreed with statements on gender norms. AGYW at risk of HIV infection were asked whether community views discouraged condom use. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure variations in community members’ views and associations between AGYW’s perceiving negative gender norms and condom HIV prevention cascades. Results 57% of men and 70% of women disagreed that ‘If I have a teenage daughter and she has sex before marriage, I would be ok with this’; and 41% of men and 57% of women disagreed that ‘If I have a teenage daughter, I would tell her about condoms’. 32% and 69% of sexually-active HIV-negative unmarried AGYW, respectively, said negative community views were important in decisions to use condoms and their friends were not using condoms. In each case, those who agreed had lower motivation to use condoms. Fewer of those with friends not using condoms reported using condoms themselves (39% vs. 68%; p<0.001). 21% of men and 32.5% of women found condom use in marriage acceptable. 74% and 93% of married AGYW at risk, respectively, said negative community views influenced their decisions to use condoms and their friends did not use condoms. Fewer married AGYW reporting friends not using condoms were motivated to use condoms but there was no difference in reported condom use (4.1% vs. 6.9%; p=0.48). Conclusions Negative gender norms can form a barrier to motivation to use condoms in unmarried and married AGYW at risk of HIV infection, and, for unmarried AGYW, to condom use.
{"title":"Gender Norms and Structural Barriers to Use of HIV Prevention in Unmarried and Married Young Women in Manicaland, Zimbabwe: An HIV Prevention Cascade Analysis","authors":"S. Gregson, Louisa Moorhouse, Rufurwokuda Maswera, Tawanda Dadirai, Phyllis Mandizvidza, M. Skovdal, C. Nyamukapa","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15127.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15127.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background Gender norms against adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)’s having pre-marital sex and using condoms in marriage are included as barriers to motivation to use condoms in HIV prevention cascades. Representative survey data on gender norms are needed to test this assumption. Methods General-population survey participants in Manicaland, Zimbabwe (ages≥15, N=9803) were asked if they agreed/disagreed with statements on gender norms. AGYW at risk of HIV infection were asked whether community views discouraged condom use. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure variations in community members’ views and associations between AGYW’s perceiving negative gender norms and condom HIV prevention cascades. Results 57% of men and 70% of women disagreed that ‘If I have a teenage daughter and she has sex before marriage, I would be ok with this’; and 41% of men and 57% of women disagreed that ‘If I have a teenage daughter, I would tell her about condoms’. 32% and 69% of sexually-active HIV-negative unmarried AGYW, respectively, said negative community views were important in decisions to use condoms and their friends were not using condoms. In each case, those who agreed had lower motivation to use condoms. Fewer of those with friends not using condoms reported using condoms themselves (39% vs. 68%; p<0.001). 21% of men and 32.5% of women found condom use in marriage acceptable. 74% and 93% of married AGYW at risk, respectively, said negative community views influenced their decisions to use condoms and their friends did not use condoms. Fewer married AGYW reporting friends not using condoms were motivated to use condoms but there was no difference in reported condom use (4.1% vs. 6.9%; p=0.48). Conclusions Negative gender norms can form a barrier to motivation to use condoms in unmarried and married AGYW at risk of HIV infection, and, for unmarried AGYW, to condom use.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"39 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140077120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-01DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15270.1
Md Shajib Hossain, Asma Ali, Caitlin B. Clary, Gretchen M. Cooley, Muhammad Farid, Sue K. Gerber, N. Hoff, Abdulrazak Ibrahim, Bernardo A. Mainou, Dr Sk Md Mamunur Rahman Malik, Hélène Martin, R. Mdodo, K. Mengistu, Ali Abdilahi Ali Obsie, Zachary Reynolds, D. Rhoda, M. Shube, Cyrus Sinai, M. K. Trimner, Jenna M. Webeck
This paper describes the design and methods of a serosurvey conducted in Somalia in 2021. The study had several concurrent aims: a) to estimate seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, b) to obtain age-specific data on susceptibility to poliovirus, measles, rubella, diphtheria, and tetanus; and c) to estimate seroprevalence of pathogens causing malaria and neglected tropical diseases. Participants were recruited from persons seeking care at government health facilities as well as friends and family members who accompanied those seeking care. Respondents answered interview questions to establish their demographic profile, their COVID-19 exposure and experience, and, for children, their routine immunization status. Each participant contributed a sample of blood for serum or dried blood spots. Serum samples were analyzed in Somalia for SARS-CoV-2 and dried blood spots were analyzed at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) for the other diseases and antigens of interest. This manuscript describes the study design, logistics, laboratory methods, and data management steps used to compile the study dataset. Study results will be reported in a series of manuscripts to follow.
{"title":"Methods employed in a 2021 population-based serosurvey in Somalia","authors":"Md Shajib Hossain, Asma Ali, Caitlin B. Clary, Gretchen M. Cooley, Muhammad Farid, Sue K. Gerber, N. Hoff, Abdulrazak Ibrahim, Bernardo A. Mainou, Dr Sk Md Mamunur Rahman Malik, Hélène Martin, R. Mdodo, K. Mengistu, Ali Abdilahi Ali Obsie, Zachary Reynolds, D. Rhoda, M. Shube, Cyrus Sinai, M. K. Trimner, Jenna M. Webeck","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15270.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15270.1","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes the design and methods of a serosurvey conducted in Somalia in 2021. The study had several concurrent aims: a) to estimate seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, b) to obtain age-specific data on susceptibility to poliovirus, measles, rubella, diphtheria, and tetanus; and c) to estimate seroprevalence of pathogens causing malaria and neglected tropical diseases. Participants were recruited from persons seeking care at government health facilities as well as friends and family members who accompanied those seeking care. Respondents answered interview questions to establish their demographic profile, their COVID-19 exposure and experience, and, for children, their routine immunization status. Each participant contributed a sample of blood for serum or dried blood spots. Serum samples were analyzed in Somalia for SARS-CoV-2 and dried blood spots were analyzed at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) for the other diseases and antigens of interest. This manuscript describes the study design, logistics, laboratory methods, and data management steps used to compile the study dataset. Study results will be reported in a series of manuscripts to follow.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"116 49","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140088294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-01DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15189.1
Nishan Gantayat, James Baer, Alok Gangaramany, Steve Kretschmer, Rasi Surana, Alick Samona, Njekwa Mukambe, Bright Jere, Tina Chinsenga, Ram Prasad, Stephen Goetschius, Saransh Sharma
Faced with declining donor funding for HIV, low- and middle-income countries must identify efficient and cost-effective ways to integrate HIV prevention programs into public health systems for long-term sustainability. In Zambia, donor support to the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) program, which previously funded non-governmental organizations as implementing partners, is increasingly being directed through government structures instead. We developed a framework to understand how the behaviors of individual decision-makers within the government could be barriers to this transition. We interviewed key stakeholders from the national, provincial, and district levels of the Ministry of Health, and from donors and partners funding and implementing Zambia’s VMMC program, exploring the decisions required to attain a sustainable VMMC program and the behavioral dynamics involved at personal and institutional levels. Using pattern identification and theme matching to analyze the content of the responses, we derived three core decision-making phases in the transition to a sustainable VMMC program: 1) developing an alternative funding strategy, 2) developing a policy for early-infant (0-2 months) and early-adolescent (15-17 years) male circumcision, which is crucial to sustainable HIV prevention; and 3) identifying integrated and efficient implementation models. We formulated a framework showing how, in each phase, a range of behavioral dynamics can form barriers that hinder effective decision-making among stakeholders at the same level (e.g., national ministries and donors) or across levels (e.g., national, provincial and district). Our research methodology and the resulting framework offer a systematic approach for in-depth investigations into organizational decision-making in public health programs, as well as development programs beyond VMMC and HIV prevention. It provides the insights necessary to map organizational development and policy-making transition plans to sustainability, by explaining tangible factors such as organizational processes and systems, as well as intangibles such as the behaviors of policymakers and institutional actors.
面对艾滋病捐助资金的不断减少，中低收入国家必须找到高效且具有成本效益的方法，将艾滋病预防项目纳入公共卫生系统，以实现长期可持续性。在赞比亚，捐助方对自愿包皮环切术（VMMC）项目的支持以前是资助非政府组织作为实施伙伴，现在则越来越多地通过政府机构进行引导。我们制定了一个框架，以了解政府内部决策者的个人行为会如何阻碍这一转变。我们采访了卫生部在国家、省和地区层面的主要利益相关者，以及资助和实施赞比亚自愿监测和评价计划的捐助者和合作伙伴，探讨了实现可持续自愿监测和评价计划所需的决策，以及个人和机构层面的行为动态。利用模式识别和主题匹配来分析答复内容，我们得出了向可持续的自愿监测、评价和管理计划过渡的三个核心决策阶段：1）制定替代性筹资战略；2）制定婴儿早期（0-2 个月）和青少年早期（15-17 岁）包皮环切手术政策，这对可持续预防艾滋病至关重要；3）确定综合高效的实施模式。我们制定了一个框架，显示在每个阶段，一系列行为动态如何形成障碍，阻碍同一级别（如国家部委和捐助者）或跨级别（如国家、省和地区）利益相关者之间的有效决策。我们的研究方法和由此产生的框架为深入调查公共卫生项目中的组织决策提供了一种系统方法，也为 VMMC 和 HIV 预防以外的发展项目提供了一种系统方法。它通过解释组织流程和系统等有形因素以及决策者和机构参与者的行为等无形因素，为绘制组织发展和决策过渡计划的可持续性提供了必要的见解。
{"title":"Developing a framework for understanding policy decision-making behaviors in the transition of a HIV prevention program towards sustainability: a case study from Zambia’s voluntary medical male circumcision program","authors":"Nishan Gantayat, James Baer, Alok Gangaramany, Steve Kretschmer, Rasi Surana, Alick Samona, Njekwa Mukambe, Bright Jere, Tina Chinsenga, Ram Prasad, Stephen Goetschius, Saransh Sharma","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15189.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15189.1","url":null,"abstract":"Faced with declining donor funding for HIV, low- and middle-income countries must identify efficient and cost-effective ways to integrate HIV prevention programs into public health systems for long-term sustainability. In Zambia, donor support to the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) program, which previously funded non-governmental organizations as implementing partners, is increasingly being directed through government structures instead. We developed a framework to understand how the behaviors of individual decision-makers within the government could be barriers to this transition. We interviewed key stakeholders from the national, provincial, and district levels of the Ministry of Health, and from donors and partners funding and implementing Zambia’s VMMC program, exploring the decisions required to attain a sustainable VMMC program and the behavioral dynamics involved at personal and institutional levels. Using pattern identification and theme matching to analyze the content of the responses, we derived three core decision-making phases in the transition to a sustainable VMMC program: 1) developing an alternative funding strategy, 2) developing a policy for early-infant (0-2 months) and early-adolescent (15-17 years) male circumcision, which is crucial to sustainable HIV prevention; and 3) identifying integrated and efficient implementation models. We formulated a framework showing how, in each phase, a range of behavioral dynamics can form barriers that hinder effective decision-making among stakeholders at the same level (e.g., national ministries and donors) or across levels (e.g., national, provincial and district). Our research methodology and the resulting framework offer a systematic approach for in-depth investigations into organizational decision-making in public health programs, as well as development programs beyond VMMC and HIV prevention. It provides the insights necessary to map organizational development and policy-making transition plans to sustainability, by explaining tangible factors such as organizational processes and systems, as well as intangibles such as the behaviors of policymakers and institutional actors.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"118 42","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140088354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-01DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15299.1
Daniel Lapidus, Kirsten Franzen, Caleb Milliken, Tyler Ovington, Jenny Frankel-Reed
Background Agricultural producers in developing countries are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and have the least ability to adapt. While there is a growing consensus that more financing and resources are needed to address these impacts, information on how to direct funding and support adaptation is dispersed and difficult to find. Agricultural development stakeholders and investors can leverage increasingly available data from a range of online sources to inform their climate smart agriculture investments, but it is not always clear which data tools are easily accessible and which can support different aspects of their programs. Methods This analysis aims to inform stakeholders how different tools can inform their climate smart investments. Hundreds of interactive tools were reviewed from multiple sources and a set of criteria was developed to simplify and elucidate the landscape of resources available that support adaptation and GHG mitigation for agricultural producers in low-income countries. The search strategy included a literature review, discussions with key stakeholders, and a review of existing databases of tools (e.g., NDC Partnership Toolbox). Results Ultimately 29 tools were identified and compared in terms of how they address both climate risk, adaptation, and mitigation. The data sources behind the tools were also compared, and illustrative user groups were identified. Many valuable, easy-to-use tools exist offering non-climate experts’ opportunities to gain insights into the relationship between climate and small-scale farming systems. However, the tools available are insufficient and should not be relied upon exclusively for informing investments. Conclusions This review provides a valuable resource for those looking to inform investments and programming in small-scale agriculture. This set of tools can provide insights that can be leveraged in various ways for a wide range of users, but they also have considerable limitations. This review can help users understand how these tools can be useful and the types of additional context-specific and local information that should be sought.
{"title":"Informing climate-smart agriculture in low resource settings for practitioners: A review and analysis of interactive tools","authors":"Daniel Lapidus, Kirsten Franzen, Caleb Milliken, Tyler Ovington, Jenny Frankel-Reed","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15299.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15299.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background Agricultural producers in developing countries are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and have the least ability to adapt. While there is a growing consensus that more financing and resources are needed to address these impacts, information on how to direct funding and support adaptation is dispersed and difficult to find. Agricultural development stakeholders and investors can leverage increasingly available data from a range of online sources to inform their climate smart agriculture investments, but it is not always clear which data tools are easily accessible and which can support different aspects of their programs. Methods This analysis aims to inform stakeholders how different tools can inform their climate smart investments. Hundreds of interactive tools were reviewed from multiple sources and a set of criteria was developed to simplify and elucidate the landscape of resources available that support adaptation and GHG mitigation for agricultural producers in low-income countries. The search strategy included a literature review, discussions with key stakeholders, and a review of existing databases of tools (e.g., NDC Partnership Toolbox). Results Ultimately 29 tools were identified and compared in terms of how they address both climate risk, adaptation, and mitigation. The data sources behind the tools were also compared, and illustrative user groups were identified. Many valuable, easy-to-use tools exist offering non-climate experts’ opportunities to gain insights into the relationship between climate and small-scale farming systems. However, the tools available are insufficient and should not be relied upon exclusively for informing investments. Conclusions This review provides a valuable resource for those looking to inform investments and programming in small-scale agriculture. This set of tools can provide insights that can be leveraged in various ways for a wide range of users, but they also have considerable limitations. This review can help users understand how these tools can be useful and the types of additional context-specific and local information that should be sought.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":" 535","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140092365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-30DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.15184.1
Natalia Matamoros, M. Puchulu, Jorge E Coleman, Eduard Maury-Sintjago, Jorge L López, Verónica Sosio, J. Belizán, Andrés Porta, G. Cormick
Background Calcium intake is below recommendations in several parts of the world. Improving calcium intake has benefits not only for bone health but also helps to prevent pregnancy hypertension disorders. Calcium concentration of tap water is usually low The aim of the present study was to determine the maximum amount of calcium that can be added to tap water while complying with drinking water local regulations. Methods Tap water samples were collected from the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Physicochemical properties and saturation index were measured. Different incremental concentrations of calcium chloride were added to the experimental aliquots. Results Baseline water had a mean calcium concentration of 22.00 ± 2.54 mg/L, water hardness of 89.9 ± 6.4 mg/L CaCO3, and a saturation index of -1.50 ± 0.11. After the addition of 0.4554 ± 0.0071 g of salt, water hard-ness reached 355.0 ± 7.1 mg/L CaCO3, a calcium concentration of 140.50 ± 2.12 mg/L, and a saturation index -0.53 ± 0.02. Conclusions This study shows that at laboratory level it is feasible to increase calcium concentration of drinking water by adding calcium chloride while complying with national standards. Calcium concentration of drinking tap water could be evaluated and minimum calcium concentration of tap water regulated so as to improve calcium intake in populations with low calcium intake.
{"title":"Feasibility of increasing calcium content of drinking tap water following quality regulations to improve calcium intake at population level","authors":"Natalia Matamoros, M. Puchulu, Jorge E Coleman, Eduard Maury-Sintjago, Jorge L López, Verónica Sosio, J. Belizán, Andrés Porta, G. Cormick","doi":"10.12688/gatesopenres.15184.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.15184.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background Calcium intake is below recommendations in several parts of the world. Improving calcium intake has benefits not only for bone health but also helps to prevent pregnancy hypertension disorders. Calcium concentration of tap water is usually low The aim of the present study was to determine the maximum amount of calcium that can be added to tap water while complying with drinking water local regulations. Methods Tap water samples were collected from the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Physicochemical properties and saturation index were measured. Different incremental concentrations of calcium chloride were added to the experimental aliquots. Results Baseline water had a mean calcium concentration of 22.00 ± 2.54 mg/L, water hardness of 89.9 ± 6.4 mg/L CaCO3, and a saturation index of -1.50 ± 0.11. After the addition of 0.4554 ± 0.0071 g of salt, water hard-ness reached 355.0 ± 7.1 mg/L CaCO3, a calcium concentration of 140.50 ± 2.12 mg/L, and a saturation index -0.53 ± 0.02. Conclusions This study shows that at laboratory level it is feasible to increase calcium concentration of drinking water by adding calcium chloride while complying with national standards. Calcium concentration of drinking tap water could be evaluated and minimum calcium concentration of tap water regulated so as to improve calcium intake in populations with low calcium intake.","PeriodicalId":504483,"journal":{"name":"Gates Open Research","volume":"128 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140484889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：