| 1. |
- Daniels, Karen, et al.
(author)
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Supervision of community peer counsellors for infant feeding in South Africa : an exploratory qualitative study
- 2010
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In: Human Resources for Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-4491. ; 8, s. 6-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Recent years have seen a re-emergence of community health worker (CHW) interventions, especially in relation to HIV care, and in increasing coverage of child health interventions. Such programmes can be particularly appealing in the face of human resource shortages and fragmented health systems. However, do we know enough about how these interventions function in order to support the investment? While research based on strong quantitative study designs such as randomised controlled trials increasingly document their impact, there has been less empirical analysis of the internal mechanisms through which CHW interventions succeed or fail. Qualitative process evaluations can help fill this gap. Methods: This qualitative paper reports on the experience of three CHW supervisors who were responsible for supporting infant feeding peer counsellors. The intervention took place in three diverse settings in South Africa. Each setting employed one CHW supervisor, each of whom was individually interviewed for this study. The study forms part of the process evaluation of a large-scale randomized controlled trial of infant feeding peer counselling support. Results: Our findings highlight the complexities of supervising and supporting CHWs. In order to facilitate effective infant feeding peer counselling, supervisors in this study had to move beyond mere technical management of the intervention to broader people management. While their capacity to achieve this was based on their own prior experience, it was enhanced through being supported themselves. In turn, resource limitations and concerns over safety and being in a rural setting were raised as some of the challenges to supervision. Adding to the complexity was the issue of HIV. Supervisors not only had to support CHWs in their attempts to offer peer counselling to mothers who were potentially HIV positive, but they also had to deal with supporting HIV-positive peer counsellors. Conclusions: This study highlights the need to pay attention to the experiences of supervisors so as to better understand the components of supervision in the field. Such understanding can enhance future policy making, planning and implementation of peer community health worker programmes.
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| 2. |
- Doherty, Tanya, et al.
(author)
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Early cessation of breastfeeding amongst women in South Africa : an area needing urgent attention to improve child health
- 2012
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In: BMC Pediatrics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2431. ; 12, s. 105-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Breastfeeding is a critical component of interventions to reduce child mortality. Exclusive breastfeeding practice is extremely low in South Africa and there has been no improvement in this over the past ten years largely due to fears of HIV transmission. Early cessation of breastfeeding has been found to have negative effects on child morbidity and survival in several studies in Africa. This paper reports on determinants of early breastfeeding cessation among women in South Africa.Methods: This is a sub group analysis of a community-based cluster-randomized trial (PROMISE EBF) promoting exclusive breastfeeding in three South African sites (Paarl in the Western Cape Province, and Umlazi and Rietvlei in KwaZulu-Natal) between 2006 and 2008 (ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT00397150). Infant feeding recall of 22 food and fluid items was collected at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks postpartum. Women's experiences of breast health problems were also collected at the same time points. 999 women who ever breastfed were included in the analysis. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for site, arm and cluster, was performed to determine predictors of stopping breastfeeding by 12 weeks postpartum.Results: By 12 weeks postpartum, 20% of HIV-negative women and 40% of HIV-positive women had stopped all breastfeeding. About a third of women introduced other fluids, most commonly formula milk, within the first 3 days after birth. Antenatal intention not to breastfeed and being undecided about how to feed were most strongly associated with stopping breastfeeding by 12 weeks (Adjusted odds ratio, AOR 5.6, 95% CI 3.4 - 9.5 and AOR 4.1, 95% CI 1.6 - 10.8, respectively). Also important was self-reported breast health problems associated with a 3-fold risk of stopping breastfeeding (AOR 3.1, 95% CI 1.7 - 5.7) and the mother having her own income doubled the risk of stopping breastfeeding (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 - 2.8).Conclusion: Early cessation of breastfeeding is common amongst both HIV-negative and positive women in South Africa. There is an urgent need to improve antenatal breastfeeding counselling taking into account the challenges faced by working women as well as early postnatal lactation support to prevent breast health problems.
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| 3. |
- Doherty, Tanya, et al.
(author)
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Severe events in the first 6 months of life in a cohort of HIV-unexposed infants from South Africa : effects of low birthweight and breastfeeding status
- 2014
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In: Tropical medicine & international health. - : Wiley. - 1360-2276 .- 1365-3156. ; 19:10, s. 1162-1169
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE:To report on risk factors for severe events (hospitalisation or infant death) within the first half of infancy amongst HIV-unexposed infants in South Africa.METHODS:South African data from the multisite community-based cluster-randomised trial PROMISE EBF promoting exclusive breastfeeding in three sub-Saharan countries from 2006 to 2008 were used. The South African sites were Paarl in the Western Cape Province, and Umlazi and Rietvlei in KwaZulu-Natal. This analysis included 964 HIV-negative mother-infant pairs. Data on severe events and infant feeding practices were collected at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks post-partum. We used a stratified extended Cox model to examine the association between the time to the severe event and covariates including birthweight, with breastfeeding status as a time-dependent covariate.RESULTS:Seventy infants (7%) experienced a severe event. The median age at first hospitalisation was 8 weeks, and the two main reasons for hospitalisation were cough and difficult breathing followed by diarrhoea. Stopping breastfeeding before 6 months (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-5.1) and low birthweight (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3-4.3) were found to increase the risk of a severe event, whilst maternal completion of high school education was protective (HR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1-0.7).CONCLUSIONS:A strengthened primary healthcare system incorporating promotion of breastfeeding and appropriate caring practices for low birthweight infants (such as kangaroo mother care) are critical. Given the leading reasons for hospitalisation, early administration of oral rehydration therapy and treatment of suspected pneumonia are key interventions needed to prevent hospitalisation in young infants.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Engebretsen, Ingunn Marie S, et al.
(author)
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Early infant feeding practices in three African countries : the PROMISE-EBF trial promoting exclusive breastfeeding by peer counsellors.
- 2014
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In: International Breastfeeding Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1746-4358. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Immediate and exclusive initiation of breastfeeding after delivery has been associated with better neonatal survival and child health and are recommended by the WHO. We report its impact on early infant feeding practices from the PROMISE-EBF trial.METHODS: PROMISE-EBF was a cluster randomised behaviour change intervention trial of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) promotion by peer counsellors in Burkina Faso, Uganda and South Africa implemented during 2006-2008 among 2579 mother-infant pairs. Counselling started in the last pregnancy trimester and mothers were offered at least five postnatal visits. Early infant feeding practices: use of prelacteal feeds (any foods or drinks other than breast milk given within the first 3 days), expressing and discarding colostrum, and timing of initiation of breastfeeding are presented by trial arm in each country. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) are given.RESULTS: The proportion of women who gave prelacteal feeds in the intervention and control arms were, respectively: 11% and 36%, PR 0.3 (95% CI 0.2, 0.6) in Burkina Faso, 13% and 44%, PR 0.3 (95% CI 0.2, 0.5) in Uganda and 30% and 33%, PR 0.9 (95% CI 0.6, 1.3) in South Africa. While the majority gave colostrum, the proportion of those who expressed and discarded it in the intervention and control arms were: 8% and 12%, PR 0.7 (95% CI 0.3, 1.6) in Burkina Faso, 3% and 10%, PR 0.3 (95% CI 0.1, 0.6) in Uganda and 17% and 16%, PR 1.1 (95% CI 0.6, 2.1) in South Africa. Only a minority in Burkina Faso (<4%) and roughly half in South Africa initiated breastfeeding within the first hour with no large or statistically significant differences between the trial arms, whilst in Uganda the proportion of early initiation of breastfeeding in the intervention and control arms were: 55% and 41%, PR 0.8 (95% CI 0.7, 0.9).CONCLUSIONS: The PROMISE-EBF trial showed that the intervention led to less prelacteal feeding in Burkina Faso and Uganda. More children received colostrum and started breastfeeding early in the intervention arm in Uganda. Late breastfeeding initiation continues to be a challenge. No clear behaviour change was seen in South Africa.TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00397150.
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| 6. |
- Engebretsen, Ingunn Marie Stadskleiv, et al.
(author)
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Growth effects of exclusive breastfeeding promotion by peer counsellors in sub-Saharan Africa : the cluster-randomised PROMISE EBF trial
- 2014
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In: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 14, s. 633-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: In this multi-country cluster-randomized behavioural intervention trial promoting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Africa, we compared growth of infants up to 6 months of age living in communities where peer counsellors promoted EBF with growth in those infants living in control communities. Methods: A total of 82 clusters in Burkina Faso, Uganda and South Africa were randomised to either the intervention or the control arm. Feeding data and anthropometric measurements were collected at visits scheduled 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks post-partum. We calculated weight-for-length (WLZ), length-for-age (LAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) z-scores. Country specific adjusted Least Squares Means with 95% confidence intervals (CI) based on a longitudinal analysis are reported. Prevalence ratios (PR) for the association between peer counselling for EBF and wasting (WLZ < -2), stunting (LAZ < -2) and underweight (WAZ < -2) were calculated at each data collection point. Results: The study included a total of 2,579 children. Adjusting for socio-economic status, the mean WLZ at 24 weeks were in Burkina Faso -0.20 (95% CI -0.39 to -0.01) and in Uganda -0.23 (95% CI -0.43 to -0.03) lower in the intervention than in the control arm. In South Africa the mean WLZ at 24 weeks was 0.23 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.43) greater in the intervention than in the control arm. Differences in LAZ between the study arms were small and not statistically significant. In Uganda, infants in the intervention arm were more likely to be wasted compared to those in the control arm at 24 weeks (PR 2.36; 95% CI 1.11 to 5.00). Differences in wasting in South Africa and Burkina Faso and stunting and underweight in all three countries were small and not significantly different. Conclusions: There were small differences in mean anthropometric indicators between the intervention and control arms in the study, but in Uganda and Burkina Faso, a tendency to slightly lower ponderal growth (weight-for-length z-scores) was found in the intervention arms.
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| 7. |
- Jangland, Eva, et al.
(author)
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The development of a Swedish Nurse Practitioner Program - a request from clinicians and a process supported by US experience
- 2013
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In: Journal of Nursing Education and Practice. - : Sciedu Press. - 1925-4040 .- 1925-4059. ; 4:2, s. 38-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High nursing turnover and a shortage of nurses in acute hospital settings in Sweden challenge health care systems to deliver and ensure safe care. Advanced nursing roles implemented in other countries have offered nurses new career opportunities and had positive effects on patient safety, effectiveness of care, and patient satisfaction. The advanced nursing position of Nurse Practitioner has existed for many years in the United States, while similar extended nursing roles and changes in the scope of nursing practice are being developed in many other countries. In line with this international trend, the role of Nurse Practitioner in surgical care has been proposed for Sweden, and a master’s programme for Acute Nurse Practitioners has been in development for many years. To optimize and facilitate the introduction of this new nursing role and its supporting programme, we elicited the experiences and support of the group who developed a Nurse Practitioner programme for a university in the US. This paper describes this collaboration and sharing of experiences during the process of developing a Swedish Nurse Practitioner programme. We also discuss the challenges of implement- ting any new nursing role in any national health care system. We would like to share our collaborative experiences and thoughts for the future and to open further national and international dialogue about how best to expand the scope of practice for nurses in acute hospital care, and thereby to improve patient care in Sweden and elsewhere.
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| 8. |
- Kehoe, Laura, et al.
(author)
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Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable
- 2019
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 364:6438, s. 341-
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 9. |
- Kundakci, Burak, et al.
(author)
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International, multidisciplinary Delphi consensus recommendations on non-pharmacological interventions for fibromyalgia
- 2022
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In: Seminars in Arthritis & Rheumatism. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-0172 .- 1532-866X. ; 57
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To develop evidence-based expert recommendations for non-pharmacological treatments for pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and depression in fibromyalgia.Methods: An international, multidisciplinary Delphi exercise was conducted. Authors of EULAR and the Canadian Fibromyalgia Guidelines Group, members of the American Pain Society and clinicians with expertise in fibromyalgia were invited. Participants were asked to select non-pharmacological interventions that could be offered for specific fibromyalgia symptoms and to classify them as either core or adjunctive treatments. An evidence summary was provided to aid the decision making. Items receiving >70% votes were accepted, those receiving <30% votes were rejected and those obtaining 30-70% votes were recirculated for up to two additional rounds.Results: Seventeen experts participated (Europe (n = 10), North America (n = 6), and Israel (n = 1)) in the Delphi exercise and completed all three rounds. Aerobic exercise, education, sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioural therapy were recommended as core treatments for all symptoms. Mind-body exercises were recommended as core interventions for pain, fatigue and sleep problems. Mindfulness was voted core treatment for depression, and adjunctive treatment for other symptoms. Other interventions, namely music, relaxation, hot bath, and local heat were voted as adjunctive treatments, varying between symptoms.Conclusions: This study provided evidence-based expert consensus recommendations on non-pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia that may be used to individualise treatments in clinical practice targeting the diverse symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
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