Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26537247›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2015

Towards a strategy for malaria in pregnancy in Afghanistan: analysis of clinical realities and women's perceptions of malaria and anaemia.

Natasha Howard, Sayed Enayatullah, Nader Mohammad, Ismail Mayan, Zohra Shamszai, Mark Rowland, Toby Leslie

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Natasha HowardLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK. natasha.howard@lshtm.ac.uk.
Sayed EnayatullahHealthNet-TPO (HNTPO), Kabul, Afghanistan. sayedenayat@gmail.com.
Nader MohammadHealth Protection and Research Organization (HPRO), Kabul, Afghanistan. nader.mohammad@googlemail.com.
Ismail MayanHealth Protection and Research Organization (HPRO), Kabul, Afghanistan. drmayan2006@gmail.com.
Zohra ShamszaiCare International, Kabul, Afghanistan. zohrashamszai@yahoo.com.
Mark RowlandLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK. mark.rowland@lshtm.ac.uk.
Toby LeslieHealthNet-TPO (HNTPO), Kabul, Afghanistan. toby.leslie@lshtm.ac.uk.
HealthNet TPO · NLHealth Protection and Research Organisation · AFCare International · CHLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAfghanistan has some of the worst maternal and infant mortality indicators in the world and malaria is a significant public health concern. Study objectives were to assess prevalence of malaria and anaemia, related knowledge and practices, and malaria prevention barriers among pregnant women in eastern Afghanistan.

methodsThree studies were conducted: (1) a clinical survey of maternal malaria, maternal anaemia, and neonatal birthweight in a rural district hospital delivery-ward; (2) a case-control study of malaria risk among reproductive-age women attending primary-level clinics; and (3) community surveys of malaria and anaemia prevalence, socioeconomic status, malaria knowledge and reported behaviour among pregnant women.

resultsAmong 517 delivery-ward participants (1), one malaria case (prevalence 1.9/1000), 179 anaemia cases (prevalence 346/1000), and 59 low-birthweight deliveries (prevalence 107/1000) were detected. Anaemia was not associated with age, gravidity, intestinal parasite prevalence, or low-birthweight at delivery. Among 141 malaria cases and 1010 controls (2), no association was found between malaria infection and pregnancy (AOR 0.89; 95 % CI 0.57-1.39), parity (AOR 0.95; 95 % CI 0.85-1.05), age (AOR 1.02; 95 % CI 1.00-1.04), or anaemia (AOR 1.00; 95 % CI 0.65-1.54). Those reporting insecticide-treated net usage had 40 % reduced odds of malaria infection (AOR 0.60; 95 % CI 0.40-0.91). Among 530 community survey participants (3), malaria and anaemia prevalence were 3.9/1000 and 277/1000 respectively, with 34/1000 experiencing severe anaemia. Despite most women having no formal education, malaria knowledge was high. Most expressed reluctance to take malaria preventive medication during pregnancy, deeming it potentially unsafe.

conclusionsGiven the low malaria risk and reported avoidance of medication during pregnancy, intermittent preventive treatment is hard to justify or implement. Preventive strategy should instead focus on long-lasting insecticidal nets for all pregnant women.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeAdolescentAdultAfghanistanAnemiaCase-Control StudiesDisease Transmission, InfectiousEpidemiological MonitoringFemaleHospitals, DistrictHumansInfant, NewbornMalariaMiddle AgedPregnancyPregnancy Complications, Infectious

Identifiers

PMID26537247
PMCPMC4633046
OpenAlexW2153042216

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.