Patience A Afulani

Biographic Data

ID1736671
NAMEPatience A Afulani
GIVEN NAMESPatience A
FAMILY NAMEAfulani
SIGNATUREAFULANI P A
AFFILIATIONSUniversity of California, San Francisco
ORCID0000-0002-6739-234X
VERIFIEDYes
TOTAL WORKS29
TOTAL CITATIONS40
WORKS AS AUTHOR25
WORKS AS EDITOR4
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR2015
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR2026
H-INDEX4

  • Impact of a long-term mentorship program for childbirth providers on quality of care

    Open AccessLujia Zhang, Rajet Vatsa et al.EDITORARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2026

    Maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high in sub-Saharan Africa despite increased facility-based childbirth, reflecting persistent gaps in quality of care. We evaluated the impact of MENTORS, a facility based nurse mentorship and training program, on provider knowledge and childbirth care quality. In an unblinded parallel-arm cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between November 2021, 40 health facilities in Kenya were randomized…

  • Development and validation of the person-centered postnatal care scale for low- and middle-income countries

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Anthony Gerald Akanlu et al.ARTICLEReproductive Health2026

  • Well-being of health workers providing maternal and newborn care

    Open AccessAlya Hazfiarini, Martha Vazquez Corona et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2026

    Health workers providing maternal and newborn care can experience burnout and emotional distress, which harms their well-being and, consequently, their ability to deliver respectful care. The World Health Organization (WHO) Compendium on respectful maternal and newborn care identifies health workers’ well-being as a critical area for intervention, but no specific definition or domains of well-being exist for this group. We conducted a qualitative…

  • Towards dignified healthcare

    Open AccessBenjamin Abaidoo, Vera A Essuman et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2026

    Respectful and disrespectful care profoundly influence communication and collaboration between caregivers and patients, shaping outcomes across the continuum of care. Despite patients being the primary users of healthcare services, their experiences of respectful and disrespectful care remain underexplored in Ghanaian healthcare settings. To address these systemic inadequacies, this study explored patients’ understanding and experiences of respec…

  • Understanding women’s care experiences in public health facilities in a conflict-affected area of Nigeria

    Open AccessShatha Elnakib, Ayodeji Kazeem Olalekan et al.EDITORARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2025

    Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) is an essential aspect of quality maternal healthcare. However, limited research has been conducted on PCMC in Northeast Nigeria, where the Boko Haram insurgency has impacted healthcare delivery. We sought to assess the status of PCMC as well as women and providers’ perceptions of security drawing on cross-sectional data collected through 167 postpartum patient exit surveys and 32 surveys with maternity care …

  • Factors influencing healthcare workers’ and health system preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open AccessOsamuedeme J Odiase, Akua O Gyamerah et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2024

    Adequate preparedness of health systems, particularly healthcare workers (HCWs), to respond to COVID-19 is critical for the effective control of the virus, especially in low- and middle-income countries where health systems are overburdened. We examined Ghanaian HCWs’ perceived preparedness to respond to the pandemic and the factors that shaped their preparedness and that of the health system. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted wi…

  • A cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of the ‘Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience’ (CPIPE) intervention in Kenya and Ghana

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Monica Getahun et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2024

    ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06085105. Protocol version and date: v2-11-07-23

  • Examining the Impact of Integrated Obstetric Simulation Training on the Quality of Antenatal Care in Northern Ghana

    Open AccessNtemena Kapula, Osamuedeme J Odiase et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Health Journal2024

  • Sources of stress and coping mechanisms

    Open AccessMonica Getahun, Edwina N Oboke et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    The dynamic and complex nature of care provision predisposes healthcare workers to stress, including physical, emotional, or psychological fatigue due to individual, interpersonal, or organizational factors. We conducted a convergent mixed-methods study with maternity providers to understand their sources of stress and coping mechanisms they adopt. Data were collected in Migori County in western Kenya utilizing quantitative surveys with n = 101 m…

  • Pregnancy and pregnancy intention after experiencing infertility

    Open AccessM Bornstein, Alison Gemmill et al.EDITORARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Background Infertility is a common experience among individuals and couples. Infertility may resolve without intervention, but little is known about pregnancy intentions and incidence of pregnancy following infertility, particularly in low-resource settings. Methods Data come from UTHA, a longitudinal cohort study in Central Malawi, with baseline and follow up surveys conducted from 2014–2019 (N = 1,030 reproductive-aged women). We assessed bivar…

  • Strategies to improve interpersonal communication along the continuum of maternal and newborn care

    Open AccessKlaartje M Olde Loohuis, Bregje Christina De Kok et al.EDITORARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Effective interpersonal communication is essential to provide respectful and quality maternal and newborn care (MNC). This scoping review mapped, categorized, and analysed strategies implemented to improve interpersonal communication within MNC up to 42 days after birth. Twelve bibliographic databases were searched for quantitative and qualitative studies that evaluated interventions to improve interpersonal communication between health workers a…

  • A scoping review, mapping, and prioritisation process for emergency obstetric and neonatal quality of care indicators

    Open AccessDee Wang, Dee T Wang et al.ARTICLEJournal of Global Health2023

    Background: Globally, approximately 800 women and 6400 newborns die around the time of childbirth each day. Many of these deaths could be prevented with high-quality emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC). The Monitoring Emergency Obstetric Care: A handbook guides strengthening EmONC services. However, the handbook contains limited quality of care measures. Our study identified and prioritised quality of care indicators for potential inclus…

  • Caring for providers to improve patient experience (CPIPE)

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Edwina N Oboke et al.ARTICLEGlobal Health Action2023

    A growing body of research has documented disrespectful, abusive, and neglectful treatment of women in facilities during childbirth, as well as the drivers of such mistreatment. Yet, little research exists on effective interventions to improve Person-Centred Maternal Care (PCMC)—care that is respectful and responsive to individual women's preferences, needs, and values. We sought to extend knowledge on interventions to improve PCMC, with a focus …

  • Person‐centred sexual and reproductive health

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Michelle Kao Nakphong et al.ARTICLEHealth Expectations2023

  • Strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination in sexual and reproductive healthcare settings

    Open AccessMeghan A Bohren, Martha Vazquez Corona et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2022

    Stigma and discrimination are fundamental causes of health inequities, and reflect privilege, power, and disadvantage within society. Experiences and impacts of stigma and discrimination are well-documented, but a critical gap remains on effective strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination in sexual and reproductive healthcare settings. We aimed to address this gap by conducting a mixed-methods systematic review and narrative synthesis to des…

  • Adaptation of the Person-Centered Maternity Care Scale in the United States

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Molly R Altman et al.ARTICLEWomen s Health Issues2022

  • Self-reported provision of person-centred maternity care among providers in Kenya and Ghana

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Raymond A Aborigo et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2021

    INTRODUCTION: Person-centred maternity care (PCMC), which refers to care that is respectful and responsive to women's preferences needs, and values, is core to high-quality maternal and child health. Provider-reported PCMC provision is a potentially valid means of assessing the extent of PCMC and contributing factors. Our objectives are to assess the psychometric properties of a provider-reported PCMC scale, and to examine levels and factors asso…

  • Job satisfaction among healthcare workers in Ghana and Kenya during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Jerry John Nutor et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2021

    The COVID-19 pandemic has affected job satisfaction among healthcare workers; yet this has not been empirically examined in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We addressed this gap by examining job satisfaction and associated factors among healthcare workers in Ghana and Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional study with healthcare workers (N = 1012). The two phased data collection included: (1) survey data collected in Ghana fr…

  • Psychological and physiological stress and burnout among maternity providers in a rural county in Kenya

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Linnet Ongeri et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2021

    Most providers experienced moderate to high levels of stress and burnout. Individuals who were more driven to work excessively were particularly at risk for higher stress and burnout. Higher HRV of support staff and providers under age 30 suggest their more adaptive autonomic nervous system response to stress. Given its impact on provider wellbeing and quality of care, interventions to help providers manage stress are critical

  • Continuous Labor Support and Person-Centered Maternity Care

    Open AccessGift Kiti, Ndola Prata et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Health Journal2021

    Women who have continuous labor support during childbirth are more likely to have improved PCMC. Efforts to promote PCMC should thus include continuous labor support

  • Provider perceptions of lack of supportive care during childbirth

    Open AccessLaura Buback, Joyceline Kinyua et al.ARTICLEHealth Care For Women International2021

    Supportive care is a key component of person-centered maternity care (PCMC), and includes aspects such as timely and attentive care, pain control, and the health facility environment. Yet, few researchers have explored the degree of supportive care delivered or providers' perceptions on supportive care practices during childbirth. The researchers' aim is to evaluate the extent of supportive care provided to women during childbirth and to identify…

  • Understanding disparities in person-centred maternity care

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Beryl A Ogolla et al.ARTICLEHealth Policy and Planning2021

    Studies in low-resource settings have highlighted disparities in person-centred maternity care (PCMC)—respectful and responsive care during childbirth—based on women’s socioeconomic status (SES) and other characteristics. Yet few studies have explored factors that may underlie these disparities. In this study, we examined implicit and explicit SES bias in providers’ perceptions of women’s expectations and behaviours, as well as providers’ general…

  • Providers’ perceptions of disrespect and abuse during childbirth

    Open AccessPatience A Afulani, Ann Marie Kelly et al.ARTICLEHealth Policy and Planning2020Cited by: 1References: 45

    Disrespect and abuse during childbirth are violations of women’s human rights and an indicator of poor-quality care. Disrespect and abuse during childbirth are widespread, yet data on providers’ perspectives on the topic are limited. We examined providers’ perspectives on the frequency and drivers of disrespect and abuse during facility-based childbirth in a rural county in Kenya. We used data from a mixed-methods study in a rural county in Weste…

  • Providers and women’s perspectives on person-centered maternity care

    Open AccessMay Sudhinaraset, Katie Giessler et al.ARTICLEInternational Journal for Equity…2019

    Implications of this study suggests that providers should be trained on person-centered care approaches and women should be counseled on understanding patient rights and how to communicate with health professionals

  • Development of a Person‐Centered Family Planning Scale in India and Kenya

    Open AccessMay Sudhinaraset, Patience A Afulani et al.ARTICLEStudies in Family Planning2018Cited by: 11References: 38

    Despite recognition that person‐centered care is a critical component to providing high quality family planning services, there lacks consensus on how to operationalize and measure it. This paper describes the development and validation of a person‐centered family planning (PCFP) scale in India and Kenya. Cross‐sectional data were collected from 522 women in Kenya and 225 women in India who visited a health facility providing family planning serv…