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PurposeThis study evaluated knowledge and practices of childbearing women on key childcare practices within the Safe Motherhood project, administered by the Ntcheu District Health Office in the Republic of Malawi. The study excluded men and elderly women.MethodsThe design was cross-sectional, and utilized quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis procedures. Data were also collected through review of participant health records.ResultsAlthough the findings showed that all participants (100%, n=400) had general knowledge on maternal and child health care, they did not have comprehensive information, and few mothers were practicing the recommended key child health care practices. Only 42.4% (n=170) knew the appropriate number of visits a woman should make to the antenatal clinic, and very few knew the appropriate time at which to access antenatal care. Only 55% (n=220) of participants breastfed their babies exclusively. Some participants introduced supplementary feeds as early as a month after birth, and not all women delivered at the health facility. Failure to actively involve men and elderly women in maternal and child health issues had a negative impact on women’s ability to fully implement key maternal and childcare practices.Conclusion and recommendationsThere is a need to actively involve men and elderly women in maternal and child health issues since, in the ideal Malawian context, a child is raised not just by the mother, but also by all who live in the village. Additionally, elderly women are the guardians of members of the childbearing group, and are a traditional reservoir of experience into which young women can tap. There is also a need to engage Community Nurse-Midwives in facilitating women’s groups that provide comprehensive antenatal information to mothers, who may then put knowledge into practice.

Introduction: There are significant disparities in medication adherence among underserved minority groups such as Latinos. Adherence to medication is a primary determinant of treatment success. Little is known about medication adherence among Latino children. This integrated review aims to describe what is known about medication adherence among Latino children and explore barriers and facilitators to medication adherence. Method: This review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl’s method of integrative review and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. Results: Of the 20 articles reviewed about medication adherence among Latino children, the analysis of these articles revealed four major themes: (1) low adherence, (2) low adherence associations, (3) child outcomes, and (4) effective interventions. Conclusion: Health practitioners should consider medication adherence associations and interventions when collaborating with the family caregiver to improve child outcomes.

A study was conducted to explore stigma and discrimination among people living with HIV and AIDS who were on home based care in the Lilongwe district of Malawi. The study design was descriptive through sectional and utilized qualitative data collection and analysis method. Fifteen people living with HIV and AIDS, aged between 15 and 60 years were purposively sampled from three organizations, which were: Light House, National Association for people living with HIV and AIDS in Malawi and Lilongwe Diocese. Qualitative data were collected using an open ended interview guide during in-depth face to face interviews with the participants. The data were analysed using ATLAS. ti 5.0. Results show that all the participants were facing stigma and discrimination because they were living with HIV and AIDS. Distant relatives were the main source of stigma and discrimination followed by friends and church members. Most participants indicated that they felt they were discriminated because HIV infection is associated with bad behaviours such as prostitution or promiscuity. However some of them complained that they contracted the virus from their married partners and hence they did not deserve to be stigmatized or discriminated against. Results show that there is a need for creation of awareness among community members on the transmission of HIV and the need for home based care for the chronically ill people living with HIV and AIDS.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depression spans age-groups, but it can be particularly destructive for older people with chronic illness. Among older Black women living with HIV (OBWLH), multiple social determinants have been associated with the prevalence and severity of depression. A greater understanding of the impact of the social determinants at the individual, interpersonal, and community levels is needed. AIMS: To explore social determinants of depression among OBWLH at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community levels. METHOD: Cross-sectional descriptive design. RESULTS: A total of 118 OBWLH were analyzed in the study. Depression was prevalent among the participants. Approximately 89.8% of the participants had moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Health status, exercise, and social support were significant predictors of depression in the sample. CONCLUSION: Social determinants at multiple levels play a significant role in the occurrence and management of depression among OBWLH. Implications for practice, education, and research can be drawn from these findings.