Dataset Information

Cyclone Freddy and its impact on maternal health service utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a national maternal surveillance platform in Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Climate change poses a significant threat to women's health in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the impact of climate change on maternal health is rarely reported in the region. Using an existing Maternal Surveillance Platform (MATSurvey), we estimated the immediate impact of Cyclone Freddy on maternal health care service indicators in Malawi. We analysed facility-level data for pregnant women up to 42 weeks post-partum using the national MATSurvey database. We compared incidences of service utilisation before (1 January to 19 February 2023) and after (20 February to 30 March 2023) the cyclone using a negative binomial regression approach. Between 1 January and 30 March 2023, a total of 37,445 live births, 50,048 antenatal clinic attendances, 23,250 postnatal clinic attendances, 84 maternal deaths, and 1,166 neonatal deaths were recorded by 33 facilities in the MatSurvey database. There was an immediate reduction in service utilisation in the post-cyclone period, including the postnatal attendance per week (pre-cyclone median: 355.0 [IQR 279.0-552.0], post-cyclone median: 261.0 [IQR 154.3-305.5], RR 0.56 [95% CI 0.44-0.71, p <0.001]) and the antenatal attendance per week (pre-cyclone median: 860.0 [IQR 756.5-1060.0], post-cyclone median: 656.5 [IQR 486.5-803.3], RR 0.66 [95% CI 0.55-0.78, p <0.001]). Stratified analyses by geographical zones revealed a stronger reduction in postnatal clinic attendance in the Southwest (RR 0.50 [95% CI 0.29-0.85, p = 0.010]) and the North (RR 0.29 [95% CI 0.15-0.56, p <0.001]). Cyclone Freddy resulted in an immediate decline in utilisation of maternal health services in cyclone-affected regions in Malawi. We observe evidence of catastrophic climate events impacting on the healthcare of women and their babies. Policymakers, researchers, and health systems need to ensure that essential women's health services are maintained during these events and improve measures to support service resilience in the face of climate change.

SUBMITTER: Twabi HH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11356452 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cyclone Freddy and its impact on maternal health service utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a national maternal surveillance platform in Malawi.

Twabi Hussein H HH Jafali James J Mndala Leonard L Riches Jennifer J Monk Edward J M EJM Phiri Deborah D Makuluni Regina R Gadama Luis L Kachale Fannie F Bilesi Rosemary R Mbewe Malangizo M Likaka Andrew A Chapuma Chikondi C Kumwenda Moses M Maseko Bertha B Ndamala Chifundo C Kuyere Annie A Munthali Laura L Henrion Marc Y R MYR Msefula Chisomo C Lissauer David D Odland Maria Lisa ML

PLOS global public health 20240828 8

Climate change poses a significant threat to women's health in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the impact of climate change on maternal health is rarely reported in the region. Using an existing Maternal Surveillance Platform (MATSurvey), we estimated the immediate impact of Cyclone Freddy on maternal health care service indicators in Malawi. We analysed facility-level data for pregnant women up to 42 weeks post-partum using the national MATSurvey database. We compared incidences of service utilisation ...[more]

PMID: 39197033

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Project description:ObjectiveTo assess the level of maternal healthcare service utilisation and related factors to its frequency of care among mothers who gave birth in the previous 2 years before the survey in rural Wolaita, southern Ethiopia.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingThis study was undertaken in Kindo Didaye, rural Wolaita, southern Ethiopia, from February to March 2016.ParticipantsOut of 552 who gave birth, 544 (98.5%) mothers aged between 15 and 49 years, selected using two-stage random sampling, participated in the study.Outcome measuresMaternal healthcare service utilisation frequency and proportion and associated factors.ResultThe proportion of maternal healthcare service utilisation was 59.38% (95% CI: 55.11% to 63.53%), with 50.74% (95% CI: 46.45% to 55.01%), 16.18% (95% CI: 13.18% to 19.54%) and 31.80% (95% CI: 27.90% to 35.90%) prevalence of antenatal care (ANC), delivery care and postnatal care (PNC), respectively. The frequency of maternal healthcare service utilisation was positively related to having a favourable attitude towards maternal healthcare service utilisation, knowledge of mothers about maternal healthcare, walking distance to healthcare facilities in 30 and 30-60 min from residence and joint decision by mothers and their husbands on the place of delivery.ConclusionThe proportion of maternal healthcare service utilisation in the study area was low, exacerbated by lower ANC, delivery care and PNC. The frequency of maternal healthcare service utilisation increased with a favourable attitude towards maternal healthcare service utilisation, knowledge of mothers about maternal healthcare, short travel distance to healthcare facilities and joint decisions by mothers and their husbands on the place of delivery. Based on the findings of this study, we suggest promoting strategies by the local health department and other concerned bodies to maintain and improve the attitude and knowledge of mothers towards maternal healthcare service utilisation. We also recommend increasing the accessibility to healthcare facilities and promoting joint decision-making processes by the mothers and their husbands on the place of delivery in the study area and similar settings in the country.

Project description:ObjectivesTo assess the health utilisation status and associated factors among African migrants in China.DesignA national cross-sectional study was conducted among African migrants in China in 2019.SettingParticipants were recruited online and offline to participate in a self-report survey. Online participants were recruited through WeChat across China, and offline participants were recruited in Guangzhou.ParticipantsWe recruited participants who were from an African country; had spent at least 1 month cumulatively in China; were at least 18 years old; were willing to provide informed consent. A total of 1025 participants were recruited online and offline, 19 of them were excluded due to invalid response and 1006 people were finally included in the analysis.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome was health service utilisation and associated factors among African migrants during their stay in China in the past 12 months. The potential factors include the predisposing factors (demographic characteristics and social structure variables), enabling factors (annual income, health insurance in China) and need factors (non-communicable chronic and infectious diseases, depression) which determined by Anderson framework were measured.ResultsEight hundred and seven online and 218 offline participants completed the survey, including 624 males and 382 females, with an average age of 26.4±8.9 years. Around 28.5% reported health utilization in the past 12 months. Results showed that longer duration in China, migration to China for business (aOR=2.23, 95% CI:1.13-4.40) and study (aOR=5.00, 95% CI:2.74-9.11), living in apartment (aOR=2.59, 95% CI:1.62-4.14) or dormitory (aOR=3.22, 95% CI:2.17-4.80) in China, suffering from chronic diseases, communicable diseases, and greater depressive symptoms (aOR=1.91, 95% CI:1.42-2.56) facilitated health service utilization.ConclusionsThe healthcare service that African migrants received in China is low. The existing public health policies and intervention measures need to be improved to make health utilisation more accessible and feasible for African migrants.

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Dataset Information

Cyclone Freddy and its impact on maternal health service utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a national maternal surveillance platform in Malawi.

Publications

Cyclone Freddy and its impact on maternal health service utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a national maternal surveillance platform in Malawi.

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