Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Over time, the ‘normal’ experience of pregnancy transitioned to the hospital setting, leading to a discourse steeped in the notions of risks and complications. Risks and complications refer to health problems expectant women may experience, causing them to have a high-risk pregnancy. High-risk pregnancy refers to a pregnancy that negatively affects the health of the mother, the baby, or both, and evoking a range of emotional and psychological experiences. Research on high-risk pregnancy is predominantly found in the medical arena. Such research usually concerns the disease, while women’s emotional/psychological experiences are not sufficiently documented. For this reason, the objectives of this study was to explore the emotional and psychological experiences of women in the reviewed articles throughout their high-risk pregnancies, and identify the medical conditions and complications in the same reviewed articles. Ethics clearance was obtained from the senate research committee at UWC. The systematic review examined qualitative studies, including the qualitative components of mixed method studies published between January 2006 and June 2017. The databases that were searched are EbscoHost, JSTOR, Sage Journals Online, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Sabinet, Scopus, Emerald eJournals Premier, Pubmed, as well as Taylor and Francis Open Access eJournals. The study evaluated the literature found on these databases for methodological quality by using three stages of review (i.e. abstract reading, title reading, and full-text reading) and applying a meta-synthesis to the current evidence on the research topic. The findings provide empirical evidence based on sound research that medical conditions and complications (i.e. HELLP syndrome, thrombophilia, gestational diabetes, maternal near-miss syndrome, foetal abnormality, preterm birth, hypertension, and uterine rupture) are associated with women’s emotional and psychological experiences (i.e. fear, shock, feeling frightened, sadness, worry, alienation, frustration, grief, guilt, anger, ambivalence, despair, upset, loneliness and isolation, anxiety, depression, and PTSD) throughout their high-risk pregnancies. As a result of this, survivors of severe pregnancy complications have subsequent psychological and emotional challenges. It is therefore recommended that future researchers consider including quantitative studies in a systematic review on the same topic.

Les femmes représentent un tiers des personnes vivant avec le VIH en France. Les trois parties de cette thèse visent à explorer les principaux aspects cliniques de la maladie (causes de décès, morbidité grave) ou de la vie des femmes (ménopause) afin d’identifier des recommandations spécifiques pour la prise en charge des femmes dans un contexte d’accès aux soins similaire à celui des hommes.Les causes de décès des femmes infectées par le VIH ont été décrites grâce à l’enquête nationale ANRS EN19, Mortalité 2005. Les femmes décédaient plus fréquemment que les hommes de causes liées au sida (43% vs. 34% chez les hommes). Elles décédaient moins souvent de causes hépatiques (13 % vs. 16%), de cancers non sida-non hépatiques (14% vs. 17%) et de maladies cardiovasculaires (6% vs. 9%). La morbidité grave des patients infectés par le VIH a été étudiée au sein de la Cohorte ANRS CO3-Aquitaine, entre 2000 et 2008. Le taux d’incidence annuelle d’hospitalisation a diminué de moitié entre 2000 et 2008 (146 à 69 pour 1000 PA). Globalement, ce taux ne différait pas entre les femmes et les hommes. Les causes les plus fréquentes de morbidité grave conduisant à une hospitalisation étaient : les infections bactériennes, les événements sida, psychiatriques, hépatiques, hématologiques, infections virales, événements digestifs, infections parasitaires et les événements cardiovasculaires. Toutes ces causes ont eu une baisse de leur incidence annuelle entre 2000 et 2008 chez les hommes et les femmes, exceptés les événements hématologiques (de 2,5 à 15,1 pour 1000 PA), hépatiques (2,5 à11,5) et cardiovasculaires (6,3 à 14,2) qui ont augmenté chez les femmes. L’âge de survenue de la ménopause étudié grâce à une enquête menée au sein de la Cohorte ANRS CO3-Aquitaine était de 49 ans en médiane et 12% des femmes ont eu une ménopause précoce, survenant avant l’âge de 40 ans. L’origine africaine (RR : 8,2) et l’antécédent de toxicomanie IV (RR : 2,5) étaient liés à la survenue plus précoce de la ménopause. En conclusion, les femmes infectées par le VIH en France décèdent plus souvent de sida, mais présentent une morbidité grave caractérisée par une prédominance de complications non classant sida. Dans un contexte d’accès aux soins similaires à celui des hommes infectés par le VIH, les femmes ont un profil de maladies associées traduisant à la fois leurs co-morbidités (co-infections par les hépatites) ou l’inflammation chronique du VIH (maladies cardio-vasculaires) qui nécessitent d’être détectées précocement et prises spécifiquement en charge. / Women represent one third of HIV-infected patients in France. The objective of this thesis was to study the clinical features (causes of death and severe morbidity) and the age and determinants of menopause of these patients in a context of equal access to care for all HIV-infected patients.Causes of death of HIV-infected women were identified in 2005, in a nation-wide survey (ANRS EN19, Mortalité 2005). Women died more often than men from AIDS-related causes (43% vs. 34%) and less frequently from hepatic (13% vs. 16%), non-AIDS non-hepatic cancers (14% vs. 17%) and cardiovascular diseases (6% vs. 9%). Severe morbidity was studied within the ANRS CO3-Aquitaine Cohort between 2000 and 2008. Annual incidence rates of hospitalization globally decreased for men and women from 146 per 1000 PY in 2000 to 69 in 2008. The most frequent causes of severe morbidity leading to hospitalization were: bacterial infections, AIDS events, psychiatric, hepatic, hematologic events, viral infections, digestive events, parasitical infections and cardiovascular events. All events had decreased between 2000 and 2008 in men and women excepted for hematologic (2.5 to 15.1 per 1000 PY), hepatic (2.5 to 11.5) and cardiovascular (6.3 à 14.2) events that increased overtime in women. Age at onset and associated factors of menopause were determined within the ANRS CO3-Aquitaine Cohort. Median age at menopause was 49 years and 12% reached menopause before 40 years (premature menopause). African origin (HR: 8.2) and history of injecting drug use (HR: 2.5) were associated with earlier menopause.In conclusion, HIV infected women in France, die more often from AIDS events but present with a predominantly non-AIDS severe morbidity. In a context of similar access to care than men, women’s health care should take into account their co-morbidities (hepatitis co-infections) and the cardiovascular complications of a long term HIV infection.

L’accès aux interventions de la prévention de la transmission mère-enfant (PTME) est limité en Afrique de l’Ouest et les mères infectées continuent de transmettre le virus à leurs enfants. D’importantes questions sur le diagnostic et traitement antirétroviral (TAR) précoce pour les enfants dans les pays à ressources-limitées restent sans réponses. La simulation est un outil utile qui permet d’intégrer toutes les données disponibles et de projeter à long terme les retombées cliniques et économiques de l’infection à VIH pédiatrique et informer les politiques de santé. Bien que les modèles de simulation soient mathématiquement sophistiqués, l’utilité des études basées sur la simulation dépend de la qualité des données de départ. L’objectif principal de ce travail était de fournir des données originales et récentes sur la mortalité, morbidité sévère et recours aux soins chez les enfants infectés par le VIH suivis dans des programmes de soins, avant et après initiation du TAR, dans le contexte du passage à l’échelle du TAR depuis 2004 en Afrique de l’Ouest. Nos résultats font ressortir un taux de mortalité comparable à d’autres études, atteignant 5.5% après 18 mois de suivi dans une cohorte d’enfants non traités par TAR, inclus à un âge médian de 5 ans. Les taux de morbidité sévère étaient élevés chez les enfants non traités mais aussi traités. Nous avons rapportés qu’une hospitalisation sur trois était provoquée par une morbidité infectieuse, évitable par une prophylaxie par cotrimoxazole, une intervention simple et efficace qui n’est toujours pas accessible à tous en Afrique de l’Ouest. Nous avons également observé un recours aux soins importants associé à la morbidité sévère. Cependant, parmi les enfants non traités, comme les traités, le recours aux soins était plus faible parmi les enfants les plus immunodéprimés. Le principal obstacle aux recours aux soins était le coût associé pour les familles. Enfin, les enfants qui initiaient un TAR l’initiaient trop tard, à un stade trop avancée de la maladie pour une restitution immunitaire pour âge ; la probabilité de rattraper une immunité normale était encore plus faible chez les enfants âgés > 5 ans comparé aux plus jeunes. Globalement, ce travail met en avant la nécessité de la mise en place de stratégies de diagnostic et traitement précoce. Optimiser le parcours de soins ainsi implique des interventions à de nombreux niveaux du système de soins et aucune approche unique ne pourra être efficace. De plus, les coûts liés à une prise en charge à vie devront être estimés dans un contexte où le VIH devient une maladie chronique engendrant un plus gros recours aux soins. Intégrer ces données dans un modèle de simulation permettra d’informer les politiques de santé et les soignants afin d’identifier les stratégies les plus efficaces et coût-efficaces pour le diagnostic, le traitement et le suivi à long terme de l’enfant infecté par le VIH dans les pays à ressources limitées. / Access to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions is limited in West Africa and mothers continue to transmit HIV disease to their children. Important questions on early HIV diagnosis and early antiretroviral therapy (ART) for children in resource-limited settings remain unanswered. Computer simulation models can provide helpful information to project long-term patient outcomes and inform health policy. Although simulation models are computationally sophisticated, the usefulness of the results of modelling studies depends on the quality and accuracy of the data on which they are based. The main objective of the following work was to provide accurate and up-to-date data on mortality, severe morbidity and healthcare resource utilisation in HIV-infected children enrolled in care, before and after ART initiation in the context of the access to ART roll-out since 2004 in West Africa. Our findings suggest mortality rates comparable to those of other studies, reaching 5.5% by 18 months of follow-up in children enrolled in cohorts at a median age of 5 years who had not yet initiated ART. Severe morbidity rates were high, in both ART-treated and untreated children. We found that one hospitalisation in three was caused by an infectious disease, avoidable by cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, a simple and efficient intervention that is still not accessible to all in West Africa. We also reported substantial rates of healthcare resource utilisations associated with this severe morbidity. However, in both untreated and ART-treated children, healthcare resource utilisation was lower in the sickest, most immunodeficient children. Access to healthcare remains limited and one of the explanations we put forward are the costs borne by the families. Finally, children on ART remain initiated at a too late stage to be able to restore normal immunity for age; this is even less likely in those who initiated ART after 5 years compared to younger children. Overall, this work underlines the need for an effective early HIV diagnosis and treatment. Optimising this requires interventions at multiple levels of the healthcare system and no single approach is likely to be effective. Furthermore, lifetime treatment costs will need to be assessed as HIV becomes a chronic disease leading to greater healthcare resource utilisation. Integrating these data in computer simulation models will assist healthcare providers and policy-makers to identify the most effective and cost-effective strategies for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of paediatric HIV in low income countries.

Magister Curationis - MCur / Background and Problem Statement: Maternal mortality is a global health issue, which mostly affects the developing countries. The United Nations (UN) member states have made a commitment to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. However, one of the biggest challenges in monitoring maternal deaths in Sub-Sahara Africa including Ghana, is the lack of adequate information for the accurate estimation of the maternal mortality rate (MMRate), and to identify causes of death. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed strategies and guidelines to assist countries to generate accurate information regarding maternal deaths. Maternal death review is one such strategy that was implemented in Ghana. Midwives are among the health workers who participate in the implementation of this strategy in different health facilities.However, what is not well understood is the role that midwives play in the implementation of Maternal Death Review (MDR).The purpose of the study: To explore and describe the roles that midwives play in the implementation of MDR in selected health facilities in Ghana‟s Ashanti Region.Methodology: A qualitative descriptive design was used to guide the research.Purposive sampling was conducted to select midwives who have been involved in maternal death review from the teaching, regional and district referral hospitals. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured individual interviews. Data saturation was reached after twenty interviews. Thematic Content Analysis was used to manage and analyse data. The Facility-based maternal death review model was used to assist the researcher to identify and organize the emerged themes. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University, as well as approval from the management of the health facilities prior to approaching the informants.Main findings: The results of this study indicate that midwives in Ghana‟s Ashanti Region are undertaking various activities and duties in all the stages of the Facilitybased maternal review model. The type of activities and duties undertaken by midwives varied according to their seniority and the level of the health facilities.Conclusion and recommendation: The findings of this study bring insight into the roles played by midwives in the implementation of the Facility-based maternal death review process in the health facilities in Ghana‟s Ashanti Region. These findings have a direct implication for the training and education of midwives. It is recommended that issues related to maternal death review methods and processes be included in the formal and continuing training and education of midwives. However, further research considering the training and practice development needs of midwives in respect of implementation of maternal death review is required.