Traditional Birth Attendants and The Effect on The Maternal Mortality Rate in Sub Saharan Africa: A Modified Aystematic Review

Background: Maternal mortality is a topic of global importance and has been recognised at both a national and international level through the publication of the Crisp (2007) report and the Millennium Development Goals (WHO, 1990). It is widely recognised that there is a global shortage skilled health professionals and because of this the role of the Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) is prominent and many mothers choose to give birth with their assistance. Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of the TBA’s role throughout pregnancy, labour and the post natal period in lowering the maternal death rate in Sub Saharan Africa. Methods: A modified systematic review of the literature was undertaken exploring the use of TBAs and the care they provide with relevance to the maternal mortality rate. Five electronic databases were searched and primary research articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the review. The identified literature was critically appraised using an adapted tool and the literature was analysed thematically. Findings: This review produced seventeen papers which included both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Four main themes were indentified in the literature; the role of the TBA, the woman’s choice of where to give birth, effectiveness of TBA training programmes and suggestions for future practice. Findings were discussed in light of the current available literature and policy and further suggestions are offered towards future practice and resource use. Conclusions: The relationship between TBA use and the maternal death is complex and dependent on a range of factors. It was not possible to ascertain if TBAs had either a positive or negative impact on the maternal death rate within the limitations of this review. However, the opportunity to use TBAs as a resource to target the high maternal death rates of many countries seems extensive and the need for more empirical research into this area is acknowledged

Does the Cogito Have (a) Sex?

This thesis begins with a critique of Quentin Meillassoux’s Après la finitude. Chapter One argues against Meillassoux’s injunction to abandon the “transcendental,” while putting forth a Lacanian solution to the “correlationist” problem. Chapter Two expounds the meaning of the Cartesian subject, with a Lacanian twist. Under this view, the subject is split, and this split carries the name “sexual difference.” The cogito is “split” qua sexual difference, whereby sexual difference names the structural antagonism/impossibility that exists in language and bears on all speaking subjects. The second chapter focuses primarily on explaining how sexual difference marks the cogito, by expanding on Alenka Zupančič’s “What is Sex,” and Lacan’s Seminar XX. Finally, Chapter Three discusses the Cartesian phenomenon of love, in looking at Descartes’ most obscure text, The Passions of the Soul. The third chapter serves as a “testing site” for the theses of the first two chapters, such that the experience of love makes explicit the argument that the cogito is split

Future energy

Energy resources have been a major focus for BGS over our 175 year history. In the past, our geologists searched for coal to keep the UK supplied with energy crucial for economic development. Coal mining subsequently declined and by the 1980s we were studying abandoned mines to try and resolve problems of subsidence, flooding as the dewatering pumps were switched off, and contaminated water discharging into rivers. More recently we have returned to our geological maps and archives of coal mine plans with a new energy source in mind — geothermal energy

Defining Audience Segments for Extension Programming Using Reported Water Conservation Practices

A tool from social marketing can help Extension agents understand distinct audience segments among their constituents. Defining targeted audiences for Extension programming is a first step to influencing behavior change among the public. An online survey was conducted using an Extension email list for urban households receiving a monthly lawn and garden newsletter. The results describe particular constituent groups or segments, defined by their landscape conservation practices. Extension agents can use audience segmentation to design programming that targets the behaviors, expectations, and lifestyles of specific members of their community and identify emerging issues

Big Data Research at the University of Colorado Boulder

Background: Big data, defined as having high volume, complexity or velocity, have the potential to greatly accelerate research discovery. Such data can be challenging to work with and require research support and training to address technical and ethical challenges surrounding big data collection, analysis, and publication.&nbsp; &nbsp; Methods: The present study was conducted via a series of semi-structured interviews to assess big data methodologies employed by CU Boulder researchers across a broad sample of disciplines, with the goal of illuminating how they conduct their research; identifying challenges and needs; and providing recommendations for addressing them.&nbsp; &nbsp; Findings: Key results and conclusions from the study indicate: gaps in awareness of existing big data services provided by CU Boulder; open questions surrounding big data ethics, security and privacy issues; a need for clarity on how to attribute credit for big data research; and a preference for a variety of training options to support big data research.&nbsp; &nbsp; Recommendations: Evaluation of current access to existing research infrastructure at CU Boulder across departments and disciplines, including recommendations for how inequities could be addressed. Development of big data training curriculum, particularly for big data ethics, privacy and security, through a variety of channels (e.g., documentation and context-specific consultations for specific big data services, more general course-based curriculum).&nbsp; Consider how to address the complexity and dynamic nature of big data in the IRB process in a manner that fully and reasonably considers the ethical, security and privacy implications of a given big data research project. Creation of CU Boulder guidelines for attributing credit to the myriad contributors in big data research projects, and considering the sometimes unconventional contributions, with the goal of helping departments develop clear policies and incentives for researchers performing big data research. Development of marketing and outreach strategies to increase awareness of existing and forthcoming big data research support services at CU Boulder, in a manner that promotes equitable access to services across disciplines.&nbsp; Assessment of staffing gaps and staff-training needs in order to support big data curriculum and services. Periodic evaluation of emerging trends and needs in big data research, in order to adjust strategies and services appropriately to ensure CU Boulder is providing state-of-the-science support and infrastructure. An optimal way of addressing the complex questions above may be to establish a steering committee composed of a broad range of CU Boulder (and possibly external) stakeholders and decision makers. </p

The Brief Solastalgia Scale: A Psychometric Evaluation and Revision

Witnessing degradation and loss to one’s home environment can cause the negative emotional experience of solastalgia. We review the psychometric properties of the 9-item Solastalgia subscale from the Environmental Distress Scale (Higginbotham et al. (EcoHealth 3:245–254, 2006)). Using data collected from three large, independent, adult samples (N = 4229), who were surveyed soon after the 2019/20 Australian bushfires, factor analyses confirmed the scale’s unidimensionality, while analyses derived from Item Response Theory highlighted the poor psychometric performance and redundant content of specific items. Consequently, we recommend a short-form scale consisting of five items. This Brief Solastalgia Scale (BSS) yielded excellent model fit and internal consistency in both the initial and cross-validation samples. The BSS and its parent version provide very similar patterns of associations with demographic, health, life satisfaction, climate emotion, and nature connectedness variables. Finally, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated comparable construct architecture (i.e. configural, metric, and scalar invariance) across validation samples, gender categories, and age. As individuals and communities increasingly confront and cope with climate change and its consequences, understanding related emotional impacts is crucial. The BSS promises to aid researchers, decision makers, and practitioners to understand and support those affected by negative environmental change

Correlating Remote Sensing Data with the Abundance of Pupae of the Dengue Virus Mosquito Vector, Aedes aegypti, in Central Mexico

Using a geographic transect in Central Mexico, with an elevation/climate gradient, but uniformity in socio-economic conditions among study sites, this study evaluates the applicability of three widely-used remote sensing (RS) products to link weather conditions with the local abundance of the dengue virus mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti). Field-derived entomological measures included estimates for the percentage of premises with the presence of Ae. aegypti pupae and the abundance of Ae. aegypti pupae per premises. Data on mosquito abundance from field surveys were matched with RS data and analyzed for correlation. Daily daytime and nighttime land surface temperature (LST) values were obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Aqua cloud-free images within the four weeks preceding the field survey. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-estimated rainfall accumulation was calculated for the four weeks preceding the field survey. Elevation was estimated through a digital elevation model (DEM). Strong correlations were found between mosquito abundance and RS-derived night LST, elevation and rainfall along the elevation/climate gradient. These findings show that RS data can be used to predict Ae. aegypti abundance, but further studies are needed to define the climatic and socio-economic conditions under which the correlations observed herein can be assumed to apply

Measuring supply-side service disruption: a systematic review of the methods for measuring disruption in the context of maternal and newborn health services in low and middle-income settings.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, most essential services experienced some level of disruption. Disruption in LMICs was more severe than in HICs. Early reports suggested that services for maternal and newborn health were disproportionately affected, raising concerns about health equity. Most disruption indicators measure demand-side disruption, or they conflate demand-side and supply-side disruption. There is currently no published guidance on measuring supply-side disruption. The primary objective of this review was to identify methods and approaches used to measure supply-side service disruptions to maternal and newborn health services in the context of COVID-19. DESIGN: We carried out a systematic review and have created a typology of measurement methods and approaches using narrative synthesis. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health in January 2023. We also searched the grey literature. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included empirical studies describing the measurement of supply-side service disruption of maternal and newborn health services in LMICs in the context of COVID-19. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: We extracted the aim, method(s), setting, and study outcome(s) from included studies. We synthesised findings by type of measure (ie, provision or quality of services) and methodological approach (ie, qualitative or quantitative). RESULTS: We identified 28 studies describing 5 approaches to measuring supply-side disruption: (1) cross-sectional surveys of the nature and experience of supply-side disruption, (2) surveys to measure temporal changes in service provision or quality, (3) surveys to create composite disruption scores, (4) surveys of service users to measure receipt of services, and (5) clinical observation of the provision and quality of services. CONCLUSION: Our review identified methods and approaches for measuring supply-side service disruption of maternal and newborn health services. These indicators provide important information about the causes and extent of supply-side disruption and provide a useful starting point for developing specific guidance on the measurement of service disruption in LMICs

Strengthening Health Systems in Humanitarian Settings: Multi-Stakeholder Insights on Contraception and Postabortion Care Programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

Background: In humanitarian settings, strengthening health systems while responding to the health needs of crisis-affected populations is challenging and marked with evidence gaps. Drawing from a decade of family planning and postabortion care programming in humanitarian settings, this paper aims to identify strategic components that contribute to health system strengthening in such contexts. Materials and Methods: A diverse range of key informants from North Kivu (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) and Puntland (Somalia), including female and male community members, adolescents and adults, healthcare providers, government and community leaders, participated in qualitative interviews, which applied the World Health Organization health system building blocks framework. Data were thematically analyzed according to this framework. Results: Findings from the focus group discussions (11 in DRC, 7 in Somalia) and key informant interviews (seven in DRC, four in Somalia) involving in total 54 female and 72 male participants across both countries indicate that health programs in humanitarian settings, such as Save the Children's initiative on family planning and postabortion care, could contribute to strengthening health systems by positively influencing national policies and guidance, strengthening local coordination mechanisms, capacitating the healthcare workforce with competency-based training and supportive supervision (benefiting facilities supported by the project and beyond), developing the capacity of Ministry of Health staff in the effective management of the supply chain, actively and creatively mobilizing the community to raise awareness and create demand, and providing quality and affordable services. Financial sustainability is challenged by the chronically limited healthcare expenditure experienced in both humanitarian contexts. Conclusions: In humanitarian settings, carefully designed healthcare interventions, such as those that address the family planning and postabortion care needs of crisis-affected populations, have the potential not only to increase access to essential services but also contribute to strengthening several components of the health system while increasing the government capacity, ownership, and accountability