A lack of awareness regarding obstetric danger signs (ODS) is one of the factors that delay a pregnant woman’s decision to seek emergency obstetric care. In developing countries, this delay can lead to high morbidity and mortality among pregnant women. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), very few studies have been conducted to assess the level of knowledge of pregnant women about ODS. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge of pregnant women about ODS in health facilities in eastern DRC. This quantitative cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted in 19 health facilities in the Kasongo health zone in the south Maniema Province of eastern DRC. A total of 624 pregnant women aged 12–49 years were interviewed in this study. Of these, 60.6% were secondary school graduates, >99% were married, 85.5% were cultivators, and 67.9% were Muslims. The knowledge of ODS among pregnant women was low (21.9%). The most cited danger signs during pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum included severe abdominal pain and severe vaginal bleeding. Additionally, pregnant women aged 30–39 years (p = 0.015) and those who had given birth once (p = 0.049), twice (p = 0.003), 3–5 times (p = 0.004), and >5 times (p = 0.009) were more likely to be aware of ODS than others. Our findings indicated that pregnant women have little knowledge of ODS, which makes it difficult for them to take prompt decisions to seek emergency obstetric care. Thus, strategies to increase the knowledge of pregnant women about obstetrical danger signs by healthcare providers during prenatal consultations (antenatal care) must be developed to improve their rapid decision-making skills during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to understand the influence of local media, religion and cultural beliefs on the therapeutic compliance of patients living with HIV. METHODS: This study was conducted in two rural hospitals in the Central Kongo province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Semi-directional interviews were conducted with patients on antiretroviral therapy using a phenomenological qualitative method. RESULTS: Our results indicated that patients living with HIV in the rural region of the Democratic Republic of Congo are in a constant state of tension between the messages for compliance to antiretroviral treatment advocated by caregivers, and those broadcasted by audiovisual media, religious leaders and local beliefs. This dissonance constitutes a real barrier to therapeutic compliance. CONCLUSION: Collaborative strategies between healthcare providers, patients, as well as religious, media and traditional organizations are urgently needed.

Introduction :L’utilisation des arts comme méthode de changement des comportements dans les soins est d’actualité. Cette revue systématique de la littérature vise à comprendre les effets des interventions théâtrales sur le changement de comportement en matière de santé.Méthode :La stratégie de recherche consistait à répertorier les articles traitant des interventions théâtrales dans le cadre de maladies chroniques dans sept bases de données bibliographiques (Medline, Cochrane, Cairn, Eric, Isidore, Base santé Psy et CINAHL) à partir de la combinaison de mots clés. La qualité des articles inclus a été évaluée à travers la double expertise, et une autoévaluation de la revue systématique a été réalisée en respectant les principes décrits dans la grille AMSTAR 2.Résultats :619 articles ont été identifiés sur l’ensemble des bases de données, parmi lesquels, 23 ont été retenus. Il s’agissait des études interventionnelles publiées en anglais entre 1988 et 2017 sur les maladies chroniques. Les résultats qualitatifs révèlent que l’utilisation du théâtre génère des effets positifs sur l’amélioration : des connaissances, des compétences, de l’interaction soignant-patient-famille, du rappel de souvenirs, de la prise de conscience de soi, de la qualité de vie et des déficits sociaux.Conclusion :Le théâtre reste une stratégie prometteuse dans le cadre de l’éducation thérapeutique des patients et peut être encouragée afin de favoriser le changement de comportement.