Exploring attributions of causality for child undernutrition:qualitative analysis in Lusaka, Zambia

Child undernutrition is responsible for 45% of all under‐five deaths in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) and numerous morbidities. Although progress has been made, high levels of child undernutrition persist in Zambia. Existing studies have explored primary caretakers' (PCs) explanatory models of child undernutrition in LMICs, without comparison with those of health care providers (HCPs). This paper examines and compares the perceived causes of child undernutrition among PCs and HCPs in Zambia. We conducted a qualitative study, using semistructured one‐to‐one and group interviews, with 38 PCs and 10 HCPs to explore their perceptions of child undernutrition and its perceived causes in Lusaka district, Zambia. Interview data were analysed with thematic analysis. Our findings indicate that PCs and HCPs in Lusaka district have divergent explanatory models of child undernutrition and perceive parental agency differently. In divergently framing how they conceptualise undernutrition and who is able to prevent it, these models underpin different attributions of causality and different opportunities for intervention. PCs highlighted factors such as child food preferences, child health, and household finances. Contrarily, HCPs stressed factors such as ‘improper feeding’, only highlighting factors such as wider economic conditions when these impacted specifically on health care services. One factor, identified by both groups, was ‘inadequate mothering’. To accelerate the reduction of child undernutrition, interventions must address divergences between PCs and HCPs' explanatory models. Additionally, attention needs to be paid to how wider socio‐economic and cultural contexts not only impact childhood undernutrition but shape attributions of causality

The potential of micro- and nanoplastics to exacerbate the health impacts and global burden of non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) constitute one of the highest burdens of disease globally and are associated with inflammatory responses in target organs. There is increasing evidence of significant human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics (MnPs). This review of environmental MnP exposure and health impacts indicates that MnP particles, directly and indirectly through their leachates, may exacerbate inflammation. Meanwhile, persistent inflammation associated with NCDs in gastrointestinal and respiratory systems potentially increases MnP uptake, thus influencing MnP access to distal organs. Consequently, a future increase in MnP exposure potentially augments the risk and severity of NCDs. There is a critical need for an integrated one-health approach to human health and environmental research for assessing the drivers of human MnP exposure and their bidirectional links with NCDs. Assessing these risks requires interdisciplinary efforts to identify and link drivers of environmental MnP exposure and organismal uptake to studies of impacted disease mechanisms and health outcomes.</p

Exposure to household air pollution from solid cookfuels and childhood stunting: a population-based, cross-sectional study of half a million children in low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND: Household air pollution from the incomplete combustion of solid cookfuels in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been largely ignored as a potentially important correlate of stunting. Our objective was to examine the association between solid cookfuel use and stunting in children aged <5 y. METHODS: We used data from 59 LMICs' population-based cross-sectional demographic and health surveys; 557 098 children aged <5 y were included in our analytical sample. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the association between exposure to solid cookfuel use and childhood stunting, adjusting for child sex, age, maternal education and number of children living in the household. We explored the association across key subgroups. RESULTS: Solid cookfuel use was associated with child stunting (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.55 to 1.61). Children living in households using solid cookfuels were more likely to be stunted if they lived in rural areas, the poorest households, had a mother who smoked tobacco or were from the Americas. CONCLUSIONS: Focused strategies to reduce solid cookfuel exposure might contribute to reductions in childhood stunting in LMICs. Trial evidence to assess the effect of reducing solid cookfuel exposure on childhood stunting is urgently needed

Promoting hygienic weaning food handling practices through a community-based programme: intervention implementation and baseline characteristics for a cluster randomised controlled trial in rural Gambia.

OBJECTIVE: Contamination of weaning food leads to diarrhoea in children under 5 years. Public health interventions to improve practices in low-income and middle-income countries are rare and often not evaluated using a randomised method. We describe an intervention implementation and provide baseline data for such a trial. DESIGN: Clustered randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Rural Gambia. PARTICIPANTS: 15 villages/clusters each with 20 randomly selected mothers with children aged 6-24 months per arm. INTERVENTION: To develop the public health intervention, we used: (A) formative research findings to determine theoretically based critical control point corrective measures and motivational drives for behaviour change of mothers; (B) lessons from a community-based weaning food hygiene programme in Nepal and a handwashing intervention programme in India; and (C) culturally based performing arts, competitions and environmental clues. Four intensive intervention days per village involved the existing health systems and village/cultural structures that enabled per-protocol implementation and engagement of whole villager communities. RESULTS: Baseline village and mother's characteristics were balanced between the arms after randomisation. Most villages were farming villages accessing health centres within 10 miles, with no schools but numerous village committees and representing all Gambia's three main ethnic groups. Mothers were mainly illiterate (60%) and farmers (92%); 24% and 10% of children under 5 years were reported to have diarrhoea and respiratory symptoms, respectively, in the last 7 days (dry season). Intervention process engaged whole village members and provided lessons for future implementation; culturally adapted performing arts were an important element. CONCLUSION: This research has potential as a new low-cost and broadly available public health programme to reduce infection through weaning food. The theory-based intervention was widely consulted in the Gambia and with experts and was well accepted by the communities. Baseline analysis provides socioeconomic data and confirmation of Unicefs Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data on the prevalence of diarrhoea and respiratory symptoms in the dry season in the poorest region of Gambia. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PACTR201410000859336; Pre-results

Patient and healthcare provider knowledge, attitudes and barriers to handover and healthcare communication during chronic disease inpatient care in India:a qualitative exploratory study

Objectives 1. To investigate patient and healthcare provider knowledge (HCP), attitudes and barriers to handover communication during inpatient care. 2. To explore potential interventions for improving the storage and transfer of critical healthcare information. Methods Design: Qualitative study comprising 41 semi-structured, individual interviews. Thematic analysis using the Framework Method with analyst triangulation. Setting: Three hospitals in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, India. Participants: 20 male (n=10) and female (n=10) chronic NCD patients and 21 male (n=15) and female (n=6) HPCs. Purposive sampling was used to identify patients with chronic NCDs (Chronic Respiratory Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes or Hypertension) and HCPs working in the study hospitals. Results For chronic NCD patients, three themes emerged: (1) Public healthcare service characteristics; (2) HCP-patient communication; (3) Attitudes regarding medical information. For HCPs, three themes emerged: (1) System factors; (2) Information exchange practices; (3) Quality improvement strategies. Whilst some content within themes was unique to each participant group, there was substantial overlap. Both patients and HCPs recognised constraints affecting public healthcare; deficient primary care services placed increased pressure on hospitals, subsequently limiting HCP consultation times. HCP and IP reports also indicated an absence of structured referral formats, resulting in fragmented information transfer. Additionally, whilst patient-held documents were a key vehicle for information exchange between HCPs, not all patients transported them and HCPs stated that this hindered continuity of care. Inpatient descriptions of HCP communication indicated notable inconsistencies and a lack of patient-centeredness. HCPs reported systemic issues such as absence of formal handover communication systems and training. Conclusions Handover communication for chronic NCD patients visiting public hospitals in India is currently suboptimal. Structured information exchange systems are urgently required to improve quality, continuity and safety of care. Our findings indicate that well-designed patient-held record booklets may be an acceptable and effective part of the solution