Luchter
Biographic Data
| ID | 308677 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Luchter |
| FAMILY NAME | Luchter |
| SIGNATURE | LUCHTER |
| AFFILIATIONS | Burnet Institute |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5235-5629 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 53 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 53 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Coping with extreme heat in primary maternity care
Highlights: •Health workers deliver maternity care in conditions of extreme, escalating heat. •First empirical qualitative study in Africa to examine how staff navigate extreme heat in maternity wards. •First qualitative ethnography globally to apply Adaptive Thermal Comfort Theory to clinical labour. •Heat adaptation emerges as a collective, resource-dependent, institutional and material process. •Protecting frontline staff from extreme heat is …
Reducing extreme heat impacts on health in pregnant women and infants
High ambient temperatures affect maternal and newborn health outcomes and wellbeing. The Climate Heat and Maternal and Neonatal Health in Africa (CHAMNHA) consortium conducted formative qualitative research in rural Kilifi, Kenya, to examine perceptions of heat risks among women, household members, and community stakeholders. An intervention was co-designed together with community members. This paper presents the development, implementation, and …
Psychosocial and mental health challenges facing perinatally HIV-infected adolescents along the Kenyan coast
Background: The advent of antiretroviral therapy has led perinatally HIV-infected (PHI) adolescents to live long, fulfilling lives through lifelong treatment. However, there is limited knowledge about the lived experiences and psychosocial and mental health challenges faced by PHI adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where 80% of PHI adolescents reside. To address this gap, we adapted the socioecological model to investigate the challenges and live…
A WHO-led global strategy to control greenhouse gas emissions
Process and outputs from a community codesign workshop on reducing impact of heat exposure on pregnant and postpartum women and newborns in Kilifi, Kenya
Background: Ambient heat exposure is increasing due to climate change and is known to affect the health of pregnant and postpartum women, and their newborns. Evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to prevent heat health outcomes in east Africa is limited. Codesigning and integrating local-indigenous and conventional knowledge is essential to develop effective adaptation to climate change. Methods: Following qualitative research on heat i…
A qualitative inquiry of experiences of HIV-related stigma and its effects among people living with HIV on treatment in rural Kilifi, Kenya
Background: The pervasiveness of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and its consequences on HIV prevention and treatment, have been well documented. However, little is known about the lived experiences of HIV-related stigma and its effects among the general adult population living with HIV in rural African settings. This study set out to explore this knowledge gap. Methods: From April to June 2018, we conducted in-depth interviews with a conv…
Sex, Sexuality, and Intimate Relationships Among Afghan Women and Men of Refugee Background Living in Melbourne, Australia
Over the last two decades, Afghanistan has been a leading country of origin for asylum seekers and refugees arriving in Australia. It is widely recognized that humanitarian migrants experience poorer sexual and reproductive health than the broader population. In turn, a body of research has emerged exploring the sexual and reproductive health of the local Afghan community. However, this has predominantly focused on youth or perinatal experiences,…
Considering equity and cost-effectiveness in assessing a parenting intervention to promote early childhood development in rural Vietnam
Considering equity in early childhood development (ECD) is important to ensure healthy development for every child. Equity-informative cost-effectiveness analysis can further guide decision makers to maximize outcomes with limited resources while promoting equity. This cost-effectiveness study aimed to examine the equity impacts of a multicomponent ECD intervention in rural Vietnam. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of the intervention with a 3…
Reducing Barriers to Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake
Following the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, addressing vaccine hesitancy and optimizing uptake have emerged as critical challenges, emphasizing the importance of reducing barriers toward COVID-19 vaccination. This study investigates ideas on ways to reduce barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake. It explores methods that can overcome COVID-19 vaccination barriers through qualitative research: interviews and group discussions involving h…
Using social practice theory in measuring perceived stigma among female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya
The trial was registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616000852459
Trends and factors associated with declining lifetime fertility among married women in Kenya between 2003 and 2014
The lifetime fertility declined by one-tenth between 2003 and 2014; majorly as a result of the effects of characteristics of women in terms of level of education. These highlights a need to implement education policies that promotes women education focuses on gender equality and women empowerment. Continuous strengthening of the healthcare systems (access to quality antenatal care, skilled delivery, and postpartum care) to reduce child mortality …
"Mothers get really exhausted!" The lived experience of pregnancy in extreme heat
Heat exposure in pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse health and wellbeing outcomes, yet research on the lived experience of pregnancy in high temperatures is lacking. We conducted qualitative research in 2021 in two communities in rural Kilifi County, Kenya, a tropical savannah area currently experiencing severe drought. Pregnant and postpartum women, their male spouses and mothers-in-law, community health volunteers, and local health…
The economics of sex work and major sporting events
Risk-taking in sex work is related to financial gains from condom-protected and condomless-acts alongside vulnerabilities, including socio-economic factors, which influence the safety of sex workers. Large international sporting events have been shown to significantly impact the economies of host countries, but there is a dearth of studies that examine how major sporting events may affect the economics of sex work and the risks taken by sex worke…
Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among non-refugees and refugees in Kenya
Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (which we define as refusal to be vaccinated when asked, resulting in delayed or non- vaccination) are poorly studied in sub-Saharan Africa and among refugees, particularly in Kenya. Using survey data from wave five (March to June 2021) of the Kenya Rapid Response Phone Survey (RRPS), a household survey representative of the population of Kenya, we estimated the self-reported rates and factors as…
Engaging women and men in the gender-synchronised, community-based Mbereko+Men intervention to improve maternal mental health and perinatal care-seeking in Manicaland, Zimbabwe
Background: Maternal mental morbidity and low perinatal health service utilisation in resource-constrained settings contribute substantially to the global burden of poor maternal, newborn, and child health. The community-based Mbereko+Men program in rural Zimbabwe engaged women and men in complementary activities to improve men's support for women and babies, coparents' equitable, informed health decision-making, and ultimately, maternal mental h…
Past and projected climate change impacts on heat-related child mortality in Africa
Children (<5 years) are highly vulnerable during hot weather due to their reduced ability to thermoregulate. There has been limited quantification of the burden of climate change on health in sub-Saharan Africa, in part due to a lack of evidence on the impacts of weather extremes on mortality and morbidity. Using a linear threshold model of the relationship between daily temperature and child mortality, we estimated the impact of climate change o…
Pentavalent vaccination in Kenya
Increased travel time significantly affects immunization in this rural community. Improving road networks, establishing new health centres and/or stepping up health outreach activities that include vaccinations in hard-to-reach areas within the county could improve immunisation coverage. These data may be useful in guiding the local department of health on appropriate location of planned immunization centres
Increased condom use among key populations using oral PrEP in Kenya
Condom use increased substantially among both FSW and MSM. This may be because oral PrEP was provided as part of a combination prevention strategy that included counseling and condoms but could also be due to the low retention rates among those who initiated
A Qualitative Endline Evaluation Study of Male Engagement in Promoting Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Services in Rural Kenya
Background: Globally, male involvement in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) is associated with increased benefits for women, their children, and their communities. Between 2016 and 2020, the Aga Khan University implemented the Access to Quality of Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS), project funded by the Government of Canada and Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). A key component of the project…
Male Involvement in Reproductive and Maternal and New Child Health
Male involvement in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) is known to improve maternal and child health outcomes. However, there is sub-optimal adoption of male involvement strategies in several low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya. Aga Khan University implemented Access to Quality of Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS), a project funded by the Government of Canada and Aga Khan Foundation …
Prevalence of HIV, viral hepatitis B/C and tuberculosis and treatment outcomes among people who use drugs
Covid-19 in Africa
Medical staff caring for COVID-19 patients face mental stress, physical exhaustion, separation from families, stigma, and the pain of losing patients and colleagues. Many of them have acquired SARS-CoV-2 and some have died. In Africa, where the pandemic is escalating, there are major gaps in response capacity, especially in human resources and protective equipment. We examine these challenges and propose interventions to protect healthcare worker…
Direct assessment of mental health and metabolic syndrome amongst Indonesian adolescents
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with the burden largely borne by people living in low- and middle-income countries. Adolescents are central to NCD control through the potential to modify risks and alter the trajectory of these diseases across the life-course. However, an absence of epidemiological data has contributed to the relative exclusion of adolescents from policies and responses. …
Prevalence and risk factors associated with HIV/hepatitis B and HIV/hepatitis C co-infections among people who inject drugs in Mozambique
There is a high burden of HBV and HCV among HIV-infected PWID in Mozambique. Our results highlight the need for targeted harm reduction interventions that include needle exchange programs and integrated services for the diagnosis and treatment of HIV, HBV and HCV to address these epidemics among PWID. Efforts should be made to strengthen ART coverage in the population as an important treatment strategy for both viruses
Family planning and Afghan refugee women and men living in Melbourne, Australia
This research aimed to explore the family planning perspectives and experiences of Afghan women and men living in Melbourne. A total of 57 Afghan women and men participated in six focus groups and 20 semi-structured interviews. The majority of participants indicated a preference for two or three children and were open to using modern contraception. However, many women described experiencing negative side effects when using hormone-based contracep…
"Mothers get really exhausted!" The lived experience of pregnancy in extreme heat
Heat exposure in pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse health and wellbeing outcomes, yet research on the lived experience of pregnancy in high temperatures is lacking. We conducted qualitative research in 2021 in two communities in rural Kilifi County, Kenya, a tropical savannah area currently experiencing severe drought. Pregnant and postpartum women, their male spouses and mothers-in-law, community health volunteers, and local health…
We have a lot of home deliveries” A qualitative study on the impact of Covid-19 on access to and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health care among refugee women in urban Eastl…
The findings highlight the need to mitigate and lower barriers that prevent refugee women from seeking care at health facilities. One approach includes the development of refugee-inclusive public health policies, particularly during a pandemic, and the need to tailor health care services for refugees at facilities and in the communities
Impact of five years of peer-mediated interventions on sexual behavior and sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya
Peer-mediated interventions were associated with an increase in protected sex. Though peer-mediated interventions remain important, higher coverage is needed and more efficacious interventions to reduce overall vulnerability and risk
Secrecy, disclosure and accidental discovery
The diaphragm is receiving renewed attention as a promising female-controlled method of preventing HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections. It is anticipated that female-controlled technologies will reduce women's biological susceptibility and assist in counteracting their sociocultural vulnerability to HIV. Understanding the subjective experiences of diaphragm users in different settings has the potential to inform the development and prom…
Opportunities for targeted HIV prevention in Kenya
In 2007, an estimated 2.5 million persons became newly infected with HIV, most of these infections occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-populations that play an important role i.n fuelling the epidemic have been identified, and are among the most marginalized and discriminated people in society. Their behaviours put them at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV as well as spreading HIV to the population at large. Vulnerable groups include, …
Social context, sexual risk perceptions and stigma
Knowledge about sexual practices and life experiences of men having sex with men in Kenya, and indeed in East Africa, is limited. Although the impact of male same-sex HIV transmission in Africa is increasingly acknowledged, HIV prevention initiatives remain focused largely on heterosexual and mother-to-child transmission. Using data from ten in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions (36 men), this analysis explores social and behaviou…
Changes in sexual risk taking with antiretroviral treatment
In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 sexually-active adults receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Mombasa Kenya to understand changes in sexual behaviour after treatment initiation and factors influencing condom use. Advanced HIV disease had previously led to marked decreases in sexual desire and function. After HIV testing, numbers of partners reduced and monogamous relationships began to predominate. Receipt of ART strengthened thes…
Opportunities for targeted HIV prevention in Kenya
In 2007, an estimated 2.5 million [1.8 million - 4.1 million] persons became newly infected with HIV, most of these infections occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-populations that play an important role in fuelling the epidemic have been identified, and are among the most marginalized and discriminated people in society. Their behaviours put them at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV as well as spreading HIV to the population at large. …
Sex work and the 2010 Fifa World Cup
BACKGROUND: Sex work is receiving increased attention in southern Africa. In the context of South Africa's intense preparation for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, anxiety over HIV transmission in the context of sex work has sparked debate on the most appropriate legal response to this industry. DISCUSSION: Drawing on existing literature, the authors highlight the increased vulnerability of sex workers in the context of the HIV pandemic in southe…
Implementation of clinic-based modified-directly observed therapy (m-DOT) for ART; experiences in Mombasa, Kenya
The effectiveness of modified-directly observed therapy (m-DOT), an adherence support intervention adapted from TB DOTS programmes, has been documented. Describing the implementation process and acceptability of this intervention is important for scaling up, replication in other settings and future research. In a randomised trial in Mombasa, Kenya, patients were assigned to m-DOT or standard of care for 24 weeks. m-DOT entailed twice weekly visit…
Concurrent sexual and substance-use risk behaviours among female sex workers in Kenya's Coast Province
While many studies confirm the association between HIV, alcohol and injecting drug use by female sex workers (FSWs), little is known about their use of marijuana, khat and other substances and the association of these substances with HIV, risky sexual behaviour, and sexual violence. To better understand this association, data were analysed from a cross-sectional, behavioural survey of 297 FSWs in Mombasa, a well-known tourist destination and the …
Perceived stigma among patients receiving antiretroviral treatment
HIV and AIDS remain highly stigmatised. Modified directly observed therapy (m-DOT) supports antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence but little is known about its association with perceived stigma in resource-constrained settings. In 2003, 234 HIV-infected adults enrolled in a two-arm randomised trial comparing a health centre-based m-DOT strategy with standard self-administration of ART. Data on perceived stigma were collected using Berger's HIV…
Sexual and physical violence against female sex workers in Kenya
Few studies in Africa provide detailed descriptions of the vulnerabilities of female sex workers (FSW) to sexual and physical violence, and how this impacts on their HIV risk. This qualitative study documents FSW's experiences of violence in Mombasa and Naivasha, Kenya. Eighty-one FSW who obtained clients from the streets, transportation depots, taverns, discos and residential areas were recruited through local sex workers trained as peer counsel…
Use of Audit, and measures of drinking frequency and patterns to detect associations between alcohol and sexual behaviour in male sex workers in Kenya
Male sex workers have high levels of hazardous and harmful drinking, and require alcohol-reduction interventions. Compared with indicators of drinking frequency or pattern, the AUDIT measure has stronger associations with inconsistent condom use, STI symptoms and sexual violence. Increased use of the AUDIT tool in future studies may assist in delineating with greater precision the explanatory mechanisms which link alcohol use, drinking contexts, …
Same-sex sexual behaviour of men in Kenya – implications for HIV prevention, programs, and policy
From 2004 through 2008, we conducted the first large-scale behavioral surveys of MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) in Kenya; the first being a descriptive study ofMSM in Nairobi [1,2). Following the success of this initial assessment, a capture-recapture enumeration and an intervention study of male sex workers was conducted in Mombasa
Sexual and reproductive health risks among key populations vulnerable to HIV in Kenya
Sexual and reproductive health risks among key populations vulnerable to HIV in Kenya
In Kenya an estimated 1.5 million people are living with HIV; and in 2009 80,000 people died from AIDS related illnesses. Many people are still not being reached by HIV prevention and treatment services. Among the most affected are vulnerable populations who are hidden and are largely outside the net of prevention, care and treatment services. Such groups have an increased risk of HIV infection and onward transmission to the general population. E…
Migration Status, Work Conditions and Health Utilization of Female Sex Workers in Three South African Cities
Intersections between migration and sex work are underexplored in southern Africa, a region with high internal and cross-border population mobility, and HIV prevalence. Sex work often constitutes an important livelihood activity for migrant women. In 2010, sex workers trained as interviewers conducted cross-sectional surveys with 1,653 female sex workers in Johannesburg (Hillbrow and Sandton), Rustenburg and Cape Town. Most (85.3%) sex workers we…
Female sex work and international sport events - no major changes in demand or supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup
Contrary to public opinion, no major increases were detected in the demand or supply of paid sex during the World Cup. Although the study design employed was unable to select population-based samples, these findings do not support the public concern and media speculation prior to the event, but rather signal a missed opportunity for public health action. Given the media attention on sex work, future sporting events offer strategic opportunities t…
Effects of hazardous and harmful alcohol use on HIV incidence and sexual behaviour
AIMS: To investigate putative links between alcohol use, and unsafe sex and incident HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: A cohort of 400 HIV-negative female sex workers was established in Mombasa, Kenya. Associations between categories of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the incidence at one year of unsafe sex, HIV and pregnancy were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. Violence or STIs other than HIV…
Translation, cultural adaptation and field-testing of the Thinking Healthy Program for Vietnam
BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are prevalent among women in low- and lower-middle income countries who are pregnant or have recently given birth. There is promising evidence that culturally-adapted, evidence-informed, perinatal psycho-educational programs implemented in local communities are effective in reducing mental health problems. The Thinking Healthy Program (THP) has proved effective in Pakistan. The aims were to adapt the THP for rur…
Women at risk’
Needle and syringe sharing is common among people who inject drugs and so is unprotected sex, which consequently puts their sex partners at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and other blood-borne infections, like hepatitis. We undertook a nested study with the regular female partners of men who inject drugs participating in a longitudinal HIV incidence study in Delhi, India. In-depth interviews were conducted with femal…
Challenging gender inequity through male involvement in maternal and newborn health
Men's involvement in the health of women and children is considered an important avenue for addressing gender influences on maternal and newborn health. The impact of male involvement around the time of childbirth on maternal and newborn health outcomes was examined as one part of a systematic review of maternal health intervention studies published between 2000 and 2012. Of 33,888 articles screened, 13 eligible studies relating to male involveme…
Mapping of research on maternal health interventions in low- and middle-income countries
BACKGROUND: Progress in achieving maternal health goals and the rates of reductions in deaths from individual conditions have varied over time and across countries. Assessing whether research priorities in maternal health align with the main causes of mortality, and those factors responsible for inequitable health outcomes, such as health system performance, may help direct future research. The study thus investigated whether the research done in…
Impact of vision impairment and self-reported barriers to vision care
FGDs: focus group discussions; GBD: global burden of disease; NCDs: non-communicable diseases; VI: vision impairment
At the Heart of the Problem
Urban life in the twenty-first century is marked by numerous stresses and shocks, resulting from rapid urbanisation, frequent migration and crowding, massive unemployment, climate change, physical disasters, and disease outbreaks, among other challenges. This reality – according to the ‘100 Resilient Cities’ initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation – is why the concept of resilience is critical to a sustainable future: cities must learn to “survi…
Factors associated with social participation amongst elders in rural Sri Lanka
Elders likely to benefit most from greater social contact are those most likely to face barriers, including older women, the oldest old, those living alone and those in poor health. Understanding these barriers can inform strategies to overcome them. This might include opportunities for both informal and formal social contact close to elders' homes, consulting elders, providing childcare, improving physical access, advocating with elders' familie…
Medicine (50 works) · Environmental health (37 works) · Family medicine (26 works) · Population (22 works) · Sociology (21 works) · Demography (20 works) · Nursing (20 works) · Psychological intervention (20 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (19 works) · Psychiatry (19 works)