Research
August 3, 2022
Mobile WACh NEO randomized controlled trial achieves milestone to enroll 5,020 research participants
Categories: Family Planning, Research
Newborn care practices and interventions are available to support neonatal survival, but coverage remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where neonatal mortality is unacceptably high. Many newborns continue to die at home without health care services being sought. The reasons are multifactorial, at the societal, health system, and family levels. Delays recognizing illness and deciding to seek care contribute to up to 80% of neonatal and child deaths. (more…)
May 25, 2022
New publication on childhood mortality during and after acute illness in Africa and South Asia in the Lancet Global Health
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, Publication, Research
The April 2022 publication of the Lancet Global Health featured a new publication by CHAIN Network researchers at UW’s Global WACh Research Center and our international partners – “Childhood mortality during and after acute illness in Africa and South Asia” a prospective cohort study”. The study aimed to investigate the rates of and associations behind deaths in hospitalized children across nine hospitals in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The study included 3,101 children and their caregivers, and revealed that out of the 350 deaths recorded, 48% were within six months of discharge from the hospital. (more…)
November 29, 2021
Researchers present findings related to diarrhea and bacterial illness treatments at ASTMH 2021
Categories: Conferences, Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
This year, the 2021 American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene conference was held virtually from November 17th-21st. The annual meeting is the premier international forum for the exchange of scientific advances in tropical medicine, hygiene, and global health. Researchers from Global WACh’s Gut Health and Child Survival scientific priority group presented on data from studies focusing on diarrhea and bacterial illness treatments. (more…)
November 17, 2021
Collaborative research consortium aims to measure incidence of Shigella diarrhea and consequences to support future vaccine trial
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
In low- and middle-income countries, nearly one third of children experience at least one episode of Shigella-attributable diarrhea during their first 2 years of life. In addition to Shigella being a leading cause of diarrhea, this enteric bacterium is also associated with linear growth faltering, a precursor to stunting. Stunting is a marker of vulnerability to childhood infection, decreased vaccine efficacy and lifelong morbidity. Currently, several promising Shigella vaccines are in development. Eventual Phase 2b/3 Shigella vaccine trials will require a consortium of potential vaccine trial sites in settings with a high incidence of Shigella-attributed medically-attended diarrhea, high participant retention, and the laboratory capacity to confirm Shigella infection.
With this goal in mind, a research consortium funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting a new surveillance study titled, “Enterics for Global Health,” also known as “EFGH.” Over a two-year period, the EFGH study will enroll 9,800 children (1,400 per country site) between 6-35 months to establish the incidence and consequences of moderate-to-severe diarrhea caused by Shigella within seven country sites in Africa (The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali), Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan), and Latin America (Peru). The EFGH-Consortium is being co-led by EFGH Country Site Principal Investigators (PIs) and Dr. Patricia Pavlinac, Global WACh’s Gut Health & Child Survival Co-Director. and The EFGH Country Site PIs and their research teams bring years of experience leading and collaborating on epidemiological studies and clinical trials focused on disease control and elimination, vaccination, and maternal and child health.
Visit the newly launched website to learn more about the EFGH project and see a full list of EFGH team members here. Continue reading for highlights of the breadth of experience, expertise, and attributes gained from each site.
November 10, 2021
Researchers present latest findings to support adolescents living with HIV at Adherence 2021
Categories: HIV, Research, Youth
Adherence 2021, hosted by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care and held from November 7-9, 2021, focused on state-of-the-science evidence, best practices, and the real-world implementation of behavioral, clinical, structural, and other interventions to maximize the therapeutic and preventative effects of antiretroviral agents. The annual conference provides a forum for discussion and presentation of implementation science focused on closing evidence-to-practice gaps across the HIV prevention and care continua, as well as community engagement in planning, implementing, and monitoring HIV responses in affected communities.
Below are three abstracts by Global WACh researchers and collaborators that showcase the latest discoveries in interventions to improve outcomes in adolescents living with HIV in Kenya.
October 19, 2021
Joint Nairobi- and Seattle-Based Project Aims to Develop Universal Newborn and Early Childhood Hearing Screening in Kenya
Categories: Children, Research
Researchers from the University of Nairobi, Departments and of Surgery and of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, the University of Washington Department of Global Health and Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute, are working on the TUNE project: Toward Universal Newborn and Early Childhood Hearing Screening in Kenya. TUNE aims to generate evidence that could allow the development and scale-up of ear and hearing health assessment for newborns and young children in low- and middle-income countries. These goals are consistent with WHO’s recently released “World Report on Hearing”.
TUNE researchers and stakeholders convened in Kenya in September 2021.
August 16, 2021
Peripartum youth report pilot social media support group is acceptable and useful in supporting mental wellness
Categories: Research
The IMAGINE study team recruited research participants through popular social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram.
August 3, 2021
Researchers study text messaging to improve retention and viral suppression in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programs in Kenya
Categories: HIV, mHealth, Publication, Research
Credit: Ivan Samkov/Pexels
Over the years, Global WACh utilized the Mobile WACh mobile health (mHealth) system that allows for both automated sending of tailored health-related short message service (SMS) text messages and two-way SMS interaction between participants and a health care provider in low- to middle-income countries for an array of maternal-child health (MCH) research studies. The system sends messages through mobile phones, which have the potential to enhance access and reach of crucial health service interventions and to improve health outcomes.
Researchers of the Mobile Strategies for Women’s and Children’s Health: Optimizing Adherence and Efficacy of PMTCT/ART (Mobile WACh X) randomized clinical trial, funded by the National Institute of Health and led by Principal Investigator Grace John-Stewart, adapted Mobile WACh to reach pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV at six MCH clinics in Kenya. Previous research has shown that interactive SMS can improve early antiretroviral therapy (ART) retention in perinatal women, but it was unknown whether long-term interactive SMS systems can durably improve retention and viral suppression in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT).
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Global WACh Certificate student Michelle Bulterys leverages global estimates for international forums focused on the health and wellbeing of HIV-exposed-uninfected children
Categories: Certificate Program, Conferences, HIV, Research, students
Before Michelle Bulterys enrolled in the Epidemiology PhD program and the Global WACh Graduate Certificate, she interned with the Strategic Information and Evaluation Department of the Joint United Nations AIDS Programme (UNAIDS) in Geneva, Switzerland, where she learned about the complexities of gathering and validating country-level HIV estimates and synthesizing data into global reports to be used by clinicians, policy makers, and researchers around the world. She gained strong mentorship from Dr. Mary Mahy, who leads the Epidemiology Team at UNAIDS. Michelle and Dr. Mahy have continued to collaborate on various projects, including Michelle’s Certificate capstone—a 90-hour project designed for students to gain hands-on experience in the field of global health.
(more…)
August 2, 2021
Dr. Erica Lokken receives ‘First Prize Oral Presentation – Young Investigator’ Award at HIV & STI 2021 World Congress
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Dr. Erica Lokken, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Global Health, received the ‘First Prize Oral Presentation – Young Investigator’ Award at the STI & HIV 2021 World Congress for her talk titled, “Vaginal washing behavior and fecundability in Kenyan women planning pregnancies.”
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