Teen motherhood and women's later life outcomes: evidence from South Africa

Background: The pathway from teen motherhood to later life outcomes has received considerable attention in both research and political agenda due to its fundamental and pivotal link to life-course and inter-generational development of mothers and their progenies. Very few studies have however, looked beyond educational and economic outcomes.Data source and methods: This paper uses pooled data from four waves of National Income Dynamic Study (NIDS) survey collected from 2008-2014 in South Africa to investigate the impacts of early motherhood on mothers' later life outcomes using propensity score matching and endogenous treatment techniques which controls for endogeneity. A total of 11203 mothers who have given birth at least once were selected to form the sample with information on their life outcomes, childhood poverty and other background precursors included. The study reveals that teen motherhood has significan negative effects on women's educational attainment (by -5.2years at 0.1% significance level), economic well-being (-19.99% at 0.1% significance level), psychological well-being (by increasing depression score by 5.2 at 0.1% significance level) and life satisfaction (by -1.24 at 0.1% significance level).Results: Based on the results of the study; proactice, reactive and post-active policy interventions, which require the complementary role of policy-makers, government, parents, service prodividers and adolescents, are recommended.Conclusions: The insignificant impact on health related outcomes is arguably because of the sample selection bias casued by the high rates of teenage maternal mortality

Assessment of wasting and associated factors among under five children of Wukro town, Tigray regional, North Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Introduction: globally, 50 million children under 5 were wasted; of which 16 million were severely wasted. A severely wasted child is at a nine times higher risk of dying. To prevent this problem, it is necessary to determine the magnitude and factors associated with childhood wasting. In Ethiopia specifically Wukro town, Tigray regional state there is no clear information regarding under five wasting. Therefore, the study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of wasting among under five children in wukro town,North Ethiopia. Objective: to assess the prevalence of wasting and associated factors among under five children of Wukro town, Tigray, North Ethiopia, 2017/2018.Methods: community based cross-sectional study design with a single population proportion formula was used with a total sample size of 400 children. Wukro town has three kebele, two kebelle were included in the study through simple random sampling method. There was proportional allocation of subjects to each kebelle and final study subject was selected using systematic method. In case there were more than one child in the household one child was selected randomly. The data were collected by face to face interview and measuring of weight and height after the instrument was pre-tested. The anthropometric results were entered in to Emergency nutritional assessment (ENA) to calculate Z-Score. The collected data and result of Z-score were entered in to Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. Finally, results were presented in texts, graphs and tables. Results: a total of 394 under five children were participated in this study, which gave a response rate of 98.5%. The respondents were females 222(56.3%) and 106(26.95%) were in the age group of 12-23 month. The overall prevalence of wasting was 28(7.2%). Out of this 14(3.6%) were wasted and 14(3.6%) were severely wasted. Under five children those, whose family does not live together were 3.086 times more likely to be wasted compared to under five children those, whose family live together (P=.038, OR=3.086, & 95% CI= (1.061, 8.970)). Under five children those, whose mother did not taken family planning were 2.530 times more likely to be wasted compared to under five children those, whose mother take family planning (P=.038, OR=2.530, & 95% CI= (1.054, 6.074)).Conclusion: significant numbers of mothers were not taken extra food during pregnancy and lactation. There was significant prevalence of wasting of under five children in the study area. Living condition of family and usage of family planning were associated with increased risk of wasting

Cryoglobuline et facteurs associés chez le patient porteur de l'anticorps du virus de l'hépatite C dans un pays à ressources limitées

Introduction: le virus de l'hépatite C (VHC) a plusieurs manifestations extra hépatiques parmi lesquelles la cryoglubulinémie. La cryoglobulinémie se définit par la présence anormale dans le sang d'une ou plusieurs protéines (cryoglobuline) pouvant précipiter au froid. Méthodes: nous avons mené une étude transversale et analytique dans le service du laboratoire de biologie et l'unité d'hépatologie de l'Hôpital Général de Douala (HGD) pendant une durée de 6 mois. Etaient inclus dans le travail tous les patients acceptant de participer et porteurs d'un anticorps anti VHC avec ou sans traitement. Les cryoglobulines étaient recherchés par la méthode de Biuret et la classification était réalisée par une immunoélectrophorèse de Brouet. Une analyse multivariée a été réalisée, des facteurs de confusion tels que l'âge, le sexe et la durée après dépistage du VHC ont été ajustés.Résultats: nous avons inclus 116 patients. L'âge moyen était de 58,47 ± 9,95 ans. Le sexe masculin représentait 50,86% des cas. L'arthralgie était présente dans 69,80% des cas. La cryoglubiline était présente chez 63,80% des cas. Apres ajustement, le sexe féminin (ORa =2,18; IC à 95% [0,97-4, 90]; p= 0,059), l'asthénie seule (ORa =2,45; IC à 95% [1,04-5,80]; p= 0,041), l'asthénie couplée à l'arthralgie (ORa =2,84; IC à 95% [1,13-7, 10]; p= 0,026) et la présence de l'ARN du VHC (ORa =2,84; IC à 95% [1,13-7, 10]; p= 0,028) étaient des facteurs indépendamment associés à la présence de cryoglobuline.Conclusion: la prévalence de la cryoglobubine est élevée chez les patients porteurs de l'Ac anti VHC à l'HGD. Elle est recherchée par les méthodes biologiques simples. La recherche de cryoglobuline chez les patients porteurs du VHC est essentielle dans un pays à ressource limité