Nutrition transition necessitates low and middle-income countries (LAMICs) to scale up their efforts in addressing the burdens of undernutrition and overweight/obesity. Magnitudes of undernutrition and overweight are high in LAMICs, but no study has reviewed the existence of nutrition policies to address it. No evidence is also available on the effect of nutrition policies and governance on the undernutrition and overweight/obesity patterns in such countries. We conducted a policy review to examine the presence and associations of nutrition policies and governance with the children’s nutrition statuses in LAMICs.

Background: Breast cancer burden is increasing in low-income countries (LICs). Increasing incidence and delayed presentation of breast cancer are mainly responsible for this burden. Many women do not participate in breast cancer screening despite its effectiveness. Moreover, studies are limited on the barriers associated with low utilization of breast cancer screening in LICs. This study identified breast cancer screening behavior and factors associated with breast cancer screening intention among women in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 500 women living in five municipalities of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Data were collected from July to September 2018, using a structured questionnaire. Interviews were conducted among women selected through proportionate random household sampling. This study was conceptualized using the theory of planned behavior, fatalism, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity. The outcome variables included: the intention to have mammography (MMG) biennially, the intention to have clinical breast examination (CBE) annually, and the intention to perform breast self-examination (BSE) monthly. Analysis was conducted separately for each outcome variable using partial proportional odds model. Results: Out of 500 women, 3.4% had undergone MMG biennially, 7.2% CBE annually, and 14.4% BSE monthly. Women with a positive attitude, high subjective norms, and high perceived behavioral control were more likely to have the intention to undergo all three screening methods. Similarly, women were more likely to have intention to undergo CBE and MMG when they perceived themselves susceptible to breast cancer. Conversely, women were less likely to have intention to undergo CBE when they had high fatalistic beliefs towards breast cancer. Conclusion: Women in this study had poor screening behavior. The practice of breast self-examination was comparatively higher than clinical breast examination and mammography. Multidimensional culturally sensitive interventions are needed to enhance screening intentions. Efforts should be directed to improve attitude, family support, and fatalistic belief towards cancer. Furthermore, the proper availability of screening methods should be ensured while encouraging women to screen before the appearance of symptoms.

Introduction: To achieve malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) by 2030, proper case management is necessary. 8-aminoquinolines, such as primaquine, are the only available medicines effective in preventing relapse of the hypnozoite stage of Plasmodium vivax, as well as the onward transmission of Plasmodium falciparum. However, primaquine can cause haemolysis in individuals who have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd). We conducted a systematic review on the reported clinical manifestations of G6PDd to provide a comprehensive overview of the situation in the GMS. Methods: The protocol for this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42016043146). We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for published articles describing the clinical manifestations of G6PDd in the GMS. We included articles of all study designs from inception until 31 July 2016, reporting the clinical manifestations of G6PDd. We then performed a narrative synthesis of these articles. Results: We included 56 articles in this review, 45 of which were from Thailand. Haemolysis in G6PD-deficient individuals was caused not only by primaquine but also by other medicines and infections. Other clinical manifestations of G6PDd that were found were favism, neonatal jaundice and chronic non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia. G6PDd also influenced the clinical presentations of genetic disorders and infections, such as thalassemia and typhoid fever. Conclusion: As G6PDd also affects the clinical presentations of other infections, the benefits of G6PD testing and proper record keeping transcend those of malaria case management. Therefore, healthcare workers at the community level should be made familiar with complications resulting from G6PDd as these complications extend beyond the scope of malaria.

Introduction: International migration is increasing rapidly around the world mostly to obtain a job. International migrant workers usually leave their children back in their country of origin, and among family members, adolescents may experience greater psychological distress from parental separation. However, limited evidence is available on the relationship between parental international migration and psychological well-being of left-behind adolescents. Nepal has a relatively higher and increasing number of international migrants, and this study was conducted to examine the association between parental international migration and the psychological well-being of left-behind adolescents in Nepal. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 626 adolescents in two districts of Western Nepal, where international migration is common. Adolescents were recruited through random sampling. Pre-tested “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire” was used to measure their psychological well-being and simple and multiple linear regression were used to examine the association between parental international migration and the psychological well-being of left-behind adolescents. Results: Adolescents with none of the parents living abroad were more likely to have higher total difficulties score compared to those with one of the parents living abroad (B: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.18, 1.86; p = 0.017). Adolescents with the following factors were more likely to have higher total difficulties score in comparison to their counterparts: adolescents in their late adolescence period, female adolescents, adolescents from ethnicities other than Brahmin and adolescents studying in private schools. Conclusion: In rural districts of Nepal, where international migration is common, adolescents living with the parents were more likely to have poorer psychological well-being compared to those with one of the parents living abroad. Adolescents’ adaptation mechanism for the absence of parents for international migration might be explored in the future studies.

Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) infection is one of the foodborne trematodiases, which is highly endemic in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). The infection occurs especially when people eat raw fish containing Ov metacercariae. As eating raw fish is a traditional culture in Lao PDR, changing this behavior is difficult. A new approach is necessary to control Ov infection because people easily get re-infected even after taking praziquantel unless they change their behaviors. This study aimed to explore factors associated with Ov infection among children and to identify the existing behaviors and perception that might contribute to the control of Ov infection in Lao PDR. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Yommalath district, Khammouane province, in Lao PDR in August and September 2015. In this cross-sectional study, we used a semi-structured questionnaire and interviewed 348 mothers who had a child aged 5–15 years. We also collected the fecal samples from each mother-child pair and used the Kato-Katz method (three slides/sample) to detect Ov eggs. Of 284 children, 82.8% were infected with Ov. The children were more likely to be infected with Ov when their mothers were infected with Ov (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 10.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.13–34.86) or when their mothers liked raw fish dishes (AOR 2.47, 95% CI 1.07–5.69). Even though most mothers are primarily in charge of cooking family meals, fathers were also involved in the preparation of raw fish dishes. This study suggests that a new approach to control Ov infection should target families or communities, rather than children only. Cooking or food preparation behaviors should be investigated in more depth.

Compared to general children, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are more exposed to negative outcomes in life such as abuse and neglect. Consequently, OVC are more susceptible to depression. This paper investigated factors associated with depressive symptoms among OVC in Cambodia. In this cross-sectional study, data of 606 OVC from the Sustainable Action against HIV and AIDS in Communities (SAHACOM) project were analyzed. The data were collected from five provinces and analyzed separately for boys and girls. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with levels of depressive symptoms. Both boys and girls who reported having been too sick making them unable to attend school or go to work in the past six months (boys: B = 3.5; 95 % CI = 0.7, 6.2; girls: B = 5.7; 95 % CI = 2.9, 8.5) and who had witnessed violence in the family (boys: B = 5.6; 95 % CI = 1.6, 9.6; girls: B = 5.8; 95 % CI = 1.7, 9.9) had a higher level of depressive symptoms. Girls who were older (B = 8.5; 95 % CI = 3.0, 14.0), who did not have enough food in the past six months (B = −8.7; 95 % CI = −13.7, −3.7) and whose parents were separated, divorced or dead (B = 3.9; 95 % CI = 0.5, 7.2) had a higher level of depressive symptoms. Higher level of school attachment was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in both genders (boys: B = −1.4; 95 % CI = −2.0, −0.9; girls: B = −1.4; 95 % CI = −2.0,-0.9). Factors such as physical health and exposure to violence may affect mental health of OVC in Cambodia. As health is of utmost importance, better healthcare services should be made easily accessible for OVC. Schools have the potential to act as a buffer against depressive symptoms. Therefore, efforts should be made to keep OVC in school and to improve the roles of school in Cambodia.