Intra-household use and acceptability of Ready-to-Use-Supplementary-Foods distributed in Niger between July and December 2010.

Few studies have looked at consumption of Ready-to-Use-Supplementary-Foods (RUSFs) during a nutritional emergency. Here, we describe the use and acceptability of RUSF within households in four districts of the region of Maradi, Niger during large scale preventive distributions with RUSF in 2010 targeted at children 6-35months of age. Our study comprised both quantitative and qualitative components to collect detailed information and to allow in-depth interviews. We performed a cross-sectional survey in 16 villages between two monthly distributions of RUSF (October-November 2010). All households with at least one child who received RUSF were included and a total of 1842 caregivers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Focus groups and individual interviews of 128 caregivers were conducted in eight of the selected villages. On average, 24.7% of households reported any sharing of RUSF within the household. Sharing practices outside the household remained rare. Most of the sharing reported occurred among children under 5years of age living in the household. On average, 91% of caregivers in all districts rated the child's appreciation of the products as good or very good. Program planning may need to explicitly accounting for the sharing of products among children under 5 within household

Benin (2009): Evaluation de l'utilisation du condom chez les travailleuses de sexe de 15-29 ans des zones d'intervention des projets IMPACT et KfW au Benin. Deuxieme Passage.

Le but de cette etude est de fournir une evaluation des principaux comportement de sante, determinants, et de l'exposition aux activites de PSI/Benin au sein des travailleuses de sexe agees de 15-29 ans, en activite dans les zones de'intervention des projets KfW et IMPACT (USAID) au Benin. Au total 965 TS ont ete interviewees, contre 876 pour l'etude de base en 2007. Au niveau de l'analyse, les determinants d'opportunite, de capacite, et de motivation et les caracteristiques sociademographiques qui contribuent significativement a la variance expliquee de l'utilisation systematique du condom avec les partenaires non payants, ont ete identifies

(Benin 2010): Tableau de bord de FoQus for Qualitative Segmentation sur l'utilisation des contraceptifs de longue duree au Benin

PSI/Benin mene une etude FoQus on Segmentation pour mettre en lumiere les principaux determinants de l'utilisation des methodes contraceptives de longue duree afin d'etablir une base d'evidence pour concevoir une strategie marketing appropriee. Cette etude vise a recueillir des information sur l'utilisation et les perceptions d'implants (Jadelle) et DIU des femmes en age de procreer en besoin de contraceptif et des hommes maries. La methode des interviews individuels approfondis et des images publiques est utilisee pour collecter les donnees. Une population cible de l'etude est constituee des femmes de 18-45 ans non enceintes au moment de l'enquete, utilisatrices ou non des implants ou de DIU. La deuxieme population cible est constituee des hommes maries de 20-55 ans qui soutiennent ou ne soutiennent pas leurs femmes pour l'utilisation des implants ou de DIU

Correction: Mothers screening for malnutrition by mid-upper arm circumference is non-inferior to community health workers: results from a large-scale pragmatic trial in rural Niger (vol 74, 38, 2016)

In the original publication of this article [1], the author pointed out the affiliation of author Franck G.B. Ale should be: Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), ALIMA, Fann Residence, BP155530, Dakar, Senegal and University Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipan, Mostoles, Spain

Clinical profile and factors associated with COVID-19 in Yaounde, Cameroon: A prospective cohort study.

BackgroundA year after the COVID-19 pandemic started, there are still few scientific reports on COVID-19 in Africa. This study explores the clinical profiles and factors associated with COVID-19 in Cameroon.Materials and methodsIn this prospective cohort study, we followed patients admitted for suspicion of COVID-19 at Djoungolo Hospital between 01st April and 31st July 2020. Patients were categorised by age groups and disease severity: mild (symptomatic without clinical signs of pneumonia), moderate (with clinical signs of pneumonia without respiratory distress) and severe cases (clinical signs of pneumonia and respiratory distress not requiring invasive ventilation). Demographic information and clinical features were summarised. Multivariable analysis was performed to predict risk.FindingsA total of 313 patients were admitted during the study period; 259 were confirmed cases of COVID-19 by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Among the confirmed cases, the male group aged 40 to 49 years (13.9%) was predominant. Disease severity ranged from mild (26.2%; n = 68) to moderate (59%; n = 153) to severe (14.7%; n = 38); the case fatality rate was 1% (n = 4). Dysgusia (46%; n = 119) and hyposmia/anosmia (37.8%; n = 98) were common features of COVID-19. Nearly one-third of patients had comorbidities (29%; n = 53), of which hypertension was the most common (18.9%; n = 49). Participation in mass gatherings (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.37; P = 0.03) and dysgusia (OR = 2.09, P = 0.02) were predictive of diagnosis of COVID-19. Age groups 60 to 69 (OR = 7.41; P = 0.0001), 50 to 59 (OR = 4.09; P = 0.03), 40 to 49 (OR = 4.54; P = 0.01), male gender (OR = 2.53; P = 0.04), diabetes (OR = 4.05; P = 0.01), HIV infection (OR = 5.57; P = 0.03), lung disease (OR = 6.29; P = 0.01), dyspnoea (OR = 3.70; P = 0.008) and fatigue (OR = 3.35; P = 0.02) significantly predicted COVID-19 severity.ConclusionsMost COVID-19 cases in this study were benign with low fatality. Age (40-70), male gender, HIV infection, lung disease, dyspnoea and fatigue are associated with severe COVID-19. Such findings may guide public health decision-making