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March 11, 2022

Disparities in early initiation of breast feeding and prelacteal feeding: A study of low- and middle-income countries

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) reduces the risk of neonatal death in both high- and low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, less than 50% of children are put to the breast within the first hour after birth in LMICs. Conversely, prelacteal feedings are widely used in many of these countries. We investigated inequalities in the prevalence of EIBF and prelacteal feeding by household wealth and place of delivery (institutional [private or public facilities] or in-home deliveries)

January 05, 2022

Identifying the women most vulnerable to intimate partner violence: A decision tree analysis from 48 low and middle-income countries

Using a technique called “decision-trees”, Carolina Coll and colleagues identified groups of women most vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV) and its markers across 48 low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The pooled analysis, which combines Demographic and Health surveys data from all countries, showed that women with lower levels of empowerment who witnessed IPV during childhood were the ones with the highest risk, accounting for 1 in every 4 women who experienced IPV

December 07, 2021

Ethnic inequalities in health intervention coverage among Mexican women at the individual and municipality levels

Indigenous peoples in Latin America are frequently economically and socially disadvantaged and have historically been among the poorest in most countries. Space or location is essential in population health because neither the quantity nor the quality of health services is distributed uniformly. The spatial distribution of ethnic groups creates inequalities in access to services, employment, and life opportunities. Using the case of Mexico, the country with the largest indigenous population i

November 22, 2021

Assessing the overlap between immunisation and other essential health interventions in 92 low- and middle-income countries using household surveys: opportunities for expanding immunisation and primary health care

Unvaccinated children may live in households with limited access to other primary health care (PHC) services, and routine vaccination services may provide the opportunity to bring caregivers into contact with the health system. We aimed to investigate the overlap between not being vaccinated and failing to receive other PHC services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Using survey data from 92 LMICs, we analysed vaccination indicators and their overlap with four other PHC indicators

November 15, 2021

Modern contraceptive use among women in need of family planning in India: an analysis of the inequalities related to the mix of methods used

In a recent paper led by ICEH’s researchers with collaboration with other international researchers, the mix of contraceptive methods available in India was studied. The main outcome analyzed was the demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods (DFPSmo). Although the national coverage of DFPSmo was quite high, reaching 72% of women of reproductive age (15-49 years old), 76% of those had their demand satisfied through sterilization methods. Even more alarming is that 65% of a

November 09, 2021

Social protection and the level and inequality of child mortality in 101 low- and middle-income countries: A statistical modelling analysis

National social protection programs are defined as the set of public actions to fight poverty, and initiatives to expand them are one of the most important Sustainable Development Goals. The article by Zhihui Li, Fernando Wehrmeister(from the Int’l Center for Equity in Health), and his collaborators shows that these programs play an important role in reducing child mortality. In this article, they analysed child mortality data in 379 surveys in 101 low- and middle-income countries (L

August 24, 2021

Updated Equity Profiles

Equity Profiles were updated this week: Algeria, Bolivia, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Kosovo, Liberia, Nepal, Peru, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and State of Palestine. In this update, more recent estimates were included, on national maternal and child health from Bolivia and Central African Republic (8 years update in each country); Algeria, Kosovo and Liberia (6 years); Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, and State of Palestine (5 years). Soon, the profiles f

July 27, 2021

Assessing Wealth-Related Inequalities in Demand for Family Planning Satisfied in 43 African Countries

Around 80% of the African population lives in urban areas, and a rapid urbanization is observed in almost all countries. Urban poverty has been linked to several sexual and reproductive health risks, including high levels of unintended pregnancies. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate wealth inequalities in demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods (mDFPS) among women living in urban areas from African countries. 43 national health surveys carried out since 2010 were used