Overlooked impact of less severe physical violence on antenatal care visits: Findings from South Asia.

Background: In South Asia, women often experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and have limited access to maternal health services (MHS). However, the effects of IPV on antenatal care (ANC) visits remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the impact of IPV of different forms and severities on ANC visits in South Asia. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the latest available data from demographic and health surveys conducted in Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Maldives, and Pakistan. The study sampled 4467 women who had given birth within the past 12 months and were interviewed for IPV. IPV was measured by binary variables indicating the presence of physical violence (PV), categorised into less severe (LSPV) and severe physical violence (SPV), emotional violence (EV), and sexual violence (SV). ANC utilization was measured using binary variables indicating whether respondents had any, at least four, or at least eight ANC visits, as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Logistic regressions adjusted for survey weights were used to assess associations between ANC utilization and exposure to IPV during pregnancy and lifetime. Results: The prevalence of LSPV, SPV, EV, and SV during pregnancy were 14.5%, 4.4%, 11.6%, and 4.1%. LSPV experience during pregnancy was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (odds ratio (OR) = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40-0.76) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.31-0.90). Results of lifetime exposure to IPV followed similar patterns. Lifetime exposure to LSPV was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.41-0.74) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.29-0.77). Conclusion: This study highlights the negativities of LSPV on the frequency of women seeking ANC visits. Policies are necessary to identify women at risk of the often-overlooked LSPV early and provide protective interventions to promote maternal health in South Asia.

Strengthening urban primary healthcare service delivery using electronic health technologies: A qualitative study in urban Nepal.

Background: Nepal is a South Asian country with a high burden of non-communicable diseases. Electronic health technologies are a promising strategy to mitigate the rising burden of non-communicable diseases by strengthening primary healthcare center service delivery. However, electronic health implementation in Nepal is limited. Furthermore, electronic health use at the primary healthcare center level is chronically understudied. This qualitative study seeks to understand the perceived awareness, benefits, and determinants of electronic health uptake in Nepal, focusing on primary healthcare center-level non-communicable disease management. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 27 participants including policymakers, health experts, facility administrators, providers, and non-communicable diseases patients in 2019. We selected six urban primary healthcare center facilities via cluster convenience sampling for recruiting facility administrators, providers, and patients, and used convenience sampling to recruit policymakers and experts. We conducted thematic data analysis inductively and deductively using the electronic health readiness assessment framework to understand perceived barriers and facilitators of electronic health implementation. Results: While there was general awareness and acceptance of electronic health, multiple barriers impede readiness for implementation. These include policy making gaps, language barriers, low user technical literacy, concerns of overreliance on technology, and inadequate training for administrators and providers. Stakeholder suggestions include creating electronic health interfaces that meet the needs of end users (providers and patients), providing training to enable end users to effectively use electronic health technologies, and strong policy support at the national level. Conclusion: We identify several determinants for effectively promoting the use of electronic health for non-communicable diseases service delivery at the primary healthcare center level in Nepal.

Prevalence assessment of sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women visiting an antenatal care center of Nepal: Pilot of the World Health Organization's standard protocol for conducting STI prevalence surveys among pregnant women.

INTRODUCTION: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common during pregnancy and can result in adverse delivery and birth outcomes. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of STIs; Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Treponema pallidum (syphilis), Trichomonas vaginalis (trichomoniasis), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among pregnant women visiting an antenatal care center in Nepal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We adapted and piloted the WHO standard protocol for conducting a prevalence survey of STIs among pregnant women visiting antenatal care center of Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal. Patient recruitment, data collection, and specimen testing took place between November 2019-March 2020. First catch urine sample was collected from each eligible woman. GeneXpert platform was used for CT and NG testing. Wet-mount microscopy of urine sample was used for detection of trichomoniasis. Serological test for HIV was done by rapid and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. Serological test for syphilis was done using "nonspecific non-treponemal" and "specific treponemal" antibody tests. Tests for CT, NG and trichomoniasis were done as part of the prevalence study while tests for syphilis and HIV were done as part of the routine antenatal testing. RESULTS: 672 women were approached to participate in the study, out of which 591 (87.9%) met the eligibility criteria and consented to participate. The overall prevalence of any STIs was 8.6% (51/591, 95% CI: 6.3-10.8); 1.5% (95% CI: 0.5-2.5) for CT and 7.1% (95% CI: 5.0-9.2) for trichomoniasis infection. None of the samples tested positive for NG, HIV or syphilis. Prevalence of any STI was not significantly different among women, age ≤ 24 years (10%, 25/229) compared to women age ≥25 years (7.1%, 26/362) (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of trichomoniasis among pregnant women in this sub-urban population of Nepal was high compared to few cases of CT and no cases of NG, syphilis, and HIV. The WHO standard protocol provided a valuable framework for conducting STI surveillance that can be adapted for other countries and populations.

Hypertension Care Coordination and Feasibility of Involving Female Community Health Volunteers in Hypertension Management in Kavre District, Nepal: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Hypertension and related complications are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in Nepal. Community health workers have been proposed as promising health cadres to meet the growing healthcare demand for non-communicable disease management in other developing countries. Objective: We aimed to explore existing workflows, needs and challenges for hypertension care coordination and to assess the feasibility of establishing a Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV)-based hypertension management program in Kavre, Nepal. Design: We conducted one focus group discussion with eight FCHVs and twenty-three in-depth interviews with four FCHVs not attending FGD, nine individuals with hypertension, six health workers, and four health officials in two village development committees of Kavre District, Nepal. Applied thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 12. Results: Health literacy related to hypertension was low among both community members and FCHVs. Delay in treatment initiation and loss to follow-up were common patterns despite anti-hypertensive medication compliance. Major health system-related barriers included underutilization of primary healthcare institutions, communication gaps and lack of grass-roots level educational campaigns. Community pharmacies, monthly health camps and increasing governmental attention to NCDs were favorable for improving hypertension management. This study also supports that FCHVs should be provided with adequate training and financial incentives to promote hypertension education, screening and referral in their catchments. Conclusions: Barriers and facilitators identified in this study provide important implications for future hypertension management in Nepal. We recommend hypertension education and screening across Nepal at a grass-root level through FCHVs. Providing professional training and proper financial incentives for FCHVs are warranted. Highlights: Health literacy related to hypertension was low among both community members and Female Community Health Volunteers in Nepal.Delay in treatment initiation and loss to follow-up were common despite relatively high anti-hypertensive medication compliance.Health system-related barriers in research sites included underutilization of primary healthcare institutions, communication gaps, and lack of grass-roots level educational campaigns.Female Community Health Volunteers should be provided with adequate training and financial incentives to promote hypertension management.

Correction: Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Health-Based Female Community Health Volunteer Program for Hypertension Control in Rural Nepal: Cross-Sectional Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/15419.].

Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Health-Based Female Community Health Volunteer Program for Hypertension Control in Rural Nepal: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death. The prevalence of hypertension is disproportionately higher in South Asian countries than in other regions of the world. Screening for hypertension in primary care settings remains a challenge in many South Asian countries, including Nepal. Nepal is located in the Himalayan Mountains region, posing significant geographical challenges for its rural citizens to access primary health care and service delivery. This barrier increases the costs and inconvenience for rural Nepalis to access hypertension screening and treatment. As a result, the prevalence of hypertension in Nepal tripled in the last 25 years to 22.4%-38.6%. Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population relies on female community health volunteers to link health centers and communities to provide basic health services. Over 50,000 of these volunteers in Nepal have received basic health care training and are assigned to take care of maternal and child health. Due to limited health care resources, adopting new methods to control hypertension is an urgent need in Nepal. Several recent studies in Nepal have recommended extending the role of female community health volunteers to include hypertension management through blood pressure monitoring and home-based education. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess if a mobile health-based female community health volunteer approach of combining the traditional community health volunteer program with digital technologies would be feasible and acceptable in rural Nepal. METHODS: In this study, we recruited 17 female community health volunteers and extended their role from maternal and child health to hypertension management through screening blood pressures. RESULTS: All 17 female community health volunteers successfully measured 1113 rural Nepalis' blood pressures, identified 169 hypertensive patients, and collected health behaviors data of the 169 hypertensive patients. Among the 169 patients, 70% of them had a mobile phone, and 92% were interested in receiving health-related information via a mobile phone. Among those who were interested in receiving information via a mobile phone, 84% preferred voice calls, and 7% and 1% preferred texting and apps, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that a digital health intervention that leverages feature-phones combined with female community health volunteers may be an acceptable and pragmatic way to implement an evidence-based program to reduce hypertension in rural Nepal.

The international medical elective in Nepal: perspectives from local patients, host physicians and visiting students.

OBJECTIVES: To understand the impact of the international medical elective (IME) on Nepali patients and physicians alongside visiting European and American medical students. METHODS: At a hospital in Nepal, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 patients and 15 physicians about positive and negative experiences with visiting medical students. Likert scale surveys about knowledge of Nepal, clinical competencies, and post-elective feedback were administered to 56 visiting medical students before and after their elective. Interviews were coded using conventional content analysis and surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. RESULTS: Emergent positive themes from interviews were that visiting students enhanced the reputation of the hospital, afforded financial benefits, improved international collaboration, and increased knowledge, culture and language exchange. However, negative themes were the language barrier and time expended to orient students. Before vs. after the elective, visiting students had increased knowledge of Nepal's healthcare system (M=1.9, SD=0.6 vs. M=3.2, SD=0.6, t(55)=-10.22, p<.001), ability to communicate with health professionals from different backgrounds (M=3.3, SD=0.7 vs. M=3.6, SD=0.7, t(55)=-3.11, p=0.003) and practice in resource constrained environments (M=2.4, SD=0.9 vs. M=2.8, SD=0.9, t(55)=-2.42, p=0.02). However, students had no change in history (M=4.0, SD=0.7 vs. M=3.9, SD=0.7, t(55)=0.84, p=0.40), physical exam (M=3.9, SD=0.6 vs. M=3.9, SD= 0.7, t(55)=0.22, p=0.82) or diagnostic (M=3.5, SD=0.7 vs. M=3.4, SD=0.8, t(55)=1.52, p=0.14) abilities. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a variety of benefits and harms of the IME. To improve the IME experience, medical educators should emphasize pre-departure orientation and fostering equitable partnerships between sending and receiving institutions.

Domestic violence and perinatal outcomes - a prospective cohort study from Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence is one of the most common forms of violence against women. Domestic violence during pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes. We aimed to assess whether domestic violence was associated with mode of delivery, low birthweight and preterm birth in two sites in Nepal. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study we consecutively recruited 2004 pregnant women during antenatal care at two hospitals between June 2015 and September 2016. The Abuse Assessment Screen (modified) was used to assess fear and violence. Having ever experienced either fear or violence was defined as any domestic violence. Obstetric outcomes were obtained from hospital records for 1381 (69%) women, selecting singleton pregnancies only. Mode of delivery was assessed as birth by cesarean section or not. A birthweight of less than 2500 g was defined as low birthweight and preterm birth as birth before completion of 37 weeks gestation. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess associations. RESULTS: Twenty percent of the women reported any domestic violence. Among all 1381 women, 37.6% gave birth by cesarean section. Of those women who delivered by cesarean section, 84.7% had an emergency cesarean section. Less than 10% of the babies were born prematurely and 13.5% were born with low birthweight. We found no significant association between exposure to any domestic violence during pregnancy and risk of a low birthweight baby or birth by cesarean section. However, having experienced both violence and fear was significantly associated with giving birth to a preterm infant [aOR 2.33 (95% CI;1.10-4.73)]. CONCLUSIONS: Domestic violence is common in Nepal. This is a potential risk factor for severe morbidity and mortality in newborns. We found that the risk of having a preterm baby was higher for pregnant women who experienced both fear and violence. This should be recognized by the health sector. In this study, no significant differences were found in the rate of cesarean section nor low birthweight for women who had experienced any domestic violence compared to those who did not.