Kirsten A Donald
Biographic Data
| ID | 5714324 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kirsten A Donald |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kirsten A |
| FAMILY NAME | Donald |
| SIGNATURE | DONALD K A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Cape Town |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0276-9660 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Severe, primary, and incidental Covid-19 in hospitalised children, South Africa
Background: Knowledge gaps persist regarding paediatric COVID-19 clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes in high HIV prevalence settings, with low COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Methods: An ambi-directional cohort study was conducted in 13 South African public sector hospitals. Hospitalised children with SARS-CoV-2 infection or post-infection syndrome were included. Main outcomes measures included severe disease and primary COVID-19 (hospitalis…
Violence Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes Among Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
This article examines how exposure to violence in childhood is linked to impaired cognitive functioning and academic performance. Children who reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are more likely to be exposed to violence yet their representation in published studies is often limited. Here, we conducted a systematic review to examine the evidence regarding the association between childhood violence exposure and cognitive outcomes as…
Key Components of Parenting Education Interventions for Preterm Infant–Parent Dyads Admitted to the Nicu
NICU educational interventions positively influence parental knowledge, confidence, and parent-infant interaction; however, substantial variation and limited conceptual grounding hinder their comparability and scalability. The evidence base remains dominated by high-income settings, which limits its global applicability. Future research must prioritise theory-informed design, transparent reporting, and context-sensitive adaptation, particularly i…
Parental Educational Needs During the Nicu Stay
Participants recognised educational content needs that align with existing literature. However, they also emphasised the importance of addressing basic physical and emotional needs while receiving educational content, ensuring that parents feel empowered and capable of engaging with the information
Associations between maternal capabilities for care and nurturing care behaviours among mother-child dyads in Malawi and South Africa
Adequate nurturing care behaviours, including feeding practices, health-seeking and psychosocial stimulation, are crucial for the optimal health, growth and development of young children. However, several factors, recognised as maternal ‘capabilities for care’, can influence a mother’s capability to provide adequate care, namely knowledge/beliefs, physical health and nutritional status, mental health, autonomy, reasonable workload/time availabili…
Socio-medical factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders on the Kenyan coast
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of conditions with their onset during the early developmental period and include conditions such as autism and intellectual disability. Occurrence of NDDs is thought to be determined by both genetic and environmental factors, but data on the role of environmental factors for NDD in Africa is limited. This study investigates environmental influences on NDDs in children from Kenya. This case-control s…
Iron deficiency anaemia in mothers and infants with high inflammatory burden
The scarcity of epidemiological data on anaemia in low- and middle-income countries, coupled with contrasting approaches to the assessment of iron status with inflammation, represent critical research gaps. This study characterised the prevalence and profile of iron deficiency anaemia, including adjustment for inflammation, in mothers and infants from South Africa. Mother-child dyads ( n = 394) were recruited (2021–2022) for the Khula birth cohor…
Content Validity, Feasibility, and Acceptability of the Neurosense PremmieEd Programme, a South African Premature Parenting Education Intervention for the Nicu Parent
The hybrid FGD approach enabled input from diverse and geographically dispersed stakeholders. The NeuroSense PremmieEd programme was found to be feasible and acceptable by both mothers and healthcare professionals, supporting its suitability for broader implementation in resource-constrained settings
Pilot Implementation of the NeuroSense PremmieEd Parenting Educational Programme for Parents with Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Introduction: Preterm birth and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission may elevate parental stress and impair early parent-infant interaction. In low-resource settings, where staff and resources are limited, parental education programmes are often also limited, further complicating care engagement. This study piloted the NeuroSense PremmieEd parenting educational programme to assess its preliminary impact on maternal stress and knowledge i…
Psychosocial Predictors of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices Among Mother‐Child Dyads in Malawi and South Africa
Maternal capacity to adhere to recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices may be influenced by psychosocial factors. However, research examining associations between psychosocial factors and IYCF practices, and in particular complementary feeding indicators, is limited. As part of the Khula birth cohort study, we aimed to investigate associations between maternal depression, exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), social sup…
The Dynamics of Caregiver Unpredictability Shape Moment-To-Moment Infant Looking During Dyadic Interaction
Cognitive development is associated with how predictable caregivers are, but the mechanisms driving this are unclear. One possibility is caregiver predictability initially shapes how infants gather information for learning. Here, caregiver-infant dyads (N = 222, 2-6-months-old, all female caregivers; data collected 2022–2023) in South Africa and Malawi engaged in naturalistic play before their interactions were hand-annotated to measure caregiver…
Paediatric cerebral palsy in South Africa
This study provides longitudinal evidence to confirm that CP in a South African setting is associated with a high burden of potentially preventable causes
Longitudinal effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on visual neurodevelopment over infancy
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects neurodevelopment in over 59 million individuals globally. Prior studies using dichotomous categorization of alcohol use and comorbid substance exposures provide limited knowledge of how prenatal alcohol specifically impacts early human neurodevelopment. In this longitudinal cohort study from Cape Town, South Africa, PAE is measured continuously-characterizing timing, dose, and drinking patterns (i.e., binge…
Experiences of identifying pre-school children with disabilities in resource limited settings – an account from Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda
Although access to effective medical care for acutely sick children has improved globally, the number of children surviving but who may not be thriving due to disability, is increasing. This study aimed to understand the views of health professionals, educators and caregivers of pre-school children with disabilities in Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda regarding early identification, referral and support. Using applied thematic analysis, we identified …
Pupillary and Attentional Responses to Infant Facial Expressions in Mothers Across Socioeconomic Variations
Maternal responses to infant facial expressions were examined in two socioeconomically diverse samples of South African mothers (Study I, N = 111; and Study II, N = 214; age: 17–44 years) using pupil and gaze tracking. Study I showed increased pupil response to infant distress expressions in groups recruited from private as compared to public maternity clinics, possibly reflecting underlying differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across the gr…
Intimate partner violence and growth outcomes through infancy
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to poor fetal and infant growth. However, factors underlying this relationship are not well understood, particularly in the postnatal time period. In a South African cohort, we investigated (1) associations between IPV in pregnancy and growth at birth as well as postnatal IPV and child growth at 12 months and (2) whether maternal depression, tobacco or alcohol use or infant hospitalizations mediated…
Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder and infant developmental outcomes in a South African birth cohort study
Maternal PTSD may be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Further work in low- and middle-income populations may improve early childhood development in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record
Experiences of identifying pre-school children with disabilities in resource limited settings – an account from Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda
Although access to effective medical care for acutely sick children has improved globally, the number of children surviving but who may not be thriving due to disability, is increasing. This study aimed to understand the views of health professionals, educators and caregivers of pre-school children with disabilities in Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda regarding early identification, referral and support. Using applied thematic analysis, we identified …
Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder and infant developmental outcomes in a South African birth cohort study
Maternal PTSD may be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Further work in low- and middle-income populations may improve early childhood development in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record
Pupillary and Attentional Responses to Infant Facial Expressions in Mothers Across Socioeconomic Variations
Maternal responses to infant facial expressions were examined in two socioeconomically diverse samples of South African mothers (Study I, N = 111; and Study II, N = 214; age: 17–44 years) using pupil and gaze tracking. Study I showed increased pupil response to infant distress expressions in groups recruited from private as compared to public maternity clinics, possibly reflecting underlying differences in socioeconomic status (SES) across the gr…
Intimate partner violence and growth outcomes through infancy
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to poor fetal and infant growth. However, factors underlying this relationship are not well understood, particularly in the postnatal time period. In a South African cohort, we investigated (1) associations between IPV in pregnancy and growth at birth as well as postnatal IPV and child growth at 12 months and (2) whether maternal depression, tobacco or alcohol use or infant hospitalizations mediated…
Experiences of identifying pre-school children with disabilities in resource limited settings – an account from Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda
Although access to effective medical care for acutely sick children has improved globally, the number of children surviving but who may not be thriving due to disability, is increasing. This study aimed to understand the views of health professionals, educators and caregivers of pre-school children with disabilities in Malawi, Pakistan and Uganda regarding early identification, referral and support. Using applied thematic analysis, we identified …
Paediatric cerebral palsy in South Africa
This study provides longitudinal evidence to confirm that CP in a South African setting is associated with a high burden of potentially preventable causes
Longitudinal effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on visual neurodevelopment over infancy
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects neurodevelopment in over 59 million individuals globally. Prior studies using dichotomous categorization of alcohol use and comorbid substance exposures provide limited knowledge of how prenatal alcohol specifically impacts early human neurodevelopment. In this longitudinal cohort study from Cape Town, South Africa, PAE is measured continuously-characterizing timing, dose, and drinking patterns (i.e., binge…
Associations between maternal capabilities for care and nurturing care behaviours among mother-child dyads in Malawi and South Africa
Adequate nurturing care behaviours, including feeding practices, health-seeking and psychosocial stimulation, are crucial for the optimal health, growth and development of young children. However, several factors, recognised as maternal ‘capabilities for care’, can influence a mother’s capability to provide adequate care, namely knowledge/beliefs, physical health and nutritional status, mental health, autonomy, reasonable workload/time availabili…
Socio-medical factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders on the Kenyan coast
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of conditions with their onset during the early developmental period and include conditions such as autism and intellectual disability. Occurrence of NDDs is thought to be determined by both genetic and environmental factors, but data on the role of environmental factors for NDD in Africa is limited. This study investigates environmental influences on NDDs in children from Kenya. This case-control s…
Iron deficiency anaemia in mothers and infants with high inflammatory burden
The scarcity of epidemiological data on anaemia in low- and middle-income countries, coupled with contrasting approaches to the assessment of iron status with inflammation, represent critical research gaps. This study characterised the prevalence and profile of iron deficiency anaemia, including adjustment for inflammation, in mothers and infants from South Africa. Mother-child dyads ( n = 394) were recruited (2021–2022) for the Khula birth cohor…
Content Validity, Feasibility, and Acceptability of the Neurosense PremmieEd Programme, a South African Premature Parenting Education Intervention for the Nicu Parent
The hybrid FGD approach enabled input from diverse and geographically dispersed stakeholders. The NeuroSense PremmieEd programme was found to be feasible and acceptable by both mothers and healthcare professionals, supporting its suitability for broader implementation in resource-constrained settings
Pilot Implementation of the NeuroSense PremmieEd Parenting Educational Programme for Parents with Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Introduction: Preterm birth and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission may elevate parental stress and impair early parent-infant interaction. In low-resource settings, where staff and resources are limited, parental education programmes are often also limited, further complicating care engagement. This study piloted the NeuroSense PremmieEd parenting educational programme to assess its preliminary impact on maternal stress and knowledge i…
Psychosocial Predictors of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices Among Mother‐Child Dyads in Malawi and South Africa
Maternal capacity to adhere to recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices may be influenced by psychosocial factors. However, research examining associations between psychosocial factors and IYCF practices, and in particular complementary feeding indicators, is limited. As part of the Khula birth cohort study, we aimed to investigate associations between maternal depression, exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), social sup…
The Dynamics of Caregiver Unpredictability Shape Moment-To-Moment Infant Looking During Dyadic Interaction
Cognitive development is associated with how predictable caregivers are, but the mechanisms driving this are unclear. One possibility is caregiver predictability initially shapes how infants gather information for learning. Here, caregiver-infant dyads (N = 222, 2-6-months-old, all female caregivers; data collected 2022–2023) in South Africa and Malawi engaged in naturalistic play before their interactions were hand-annotated to measure caregiver…
Severe, primary, and incidental Covid-19 in hospitalised children, South Africa
Background: Knowledge gaps persist regarding paediatric COVID-19 clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes in high HIV prevalence settings, with low COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Methods: An ambi-directional cohort study was conducted in 13 South African public sector hospitals. Hospitalised children with SARS-CoV-2 infection or post-infection syndrome were included. Main outcomes measures included severe disease and primary COVID-19 (hospitalis…
Violence Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes Among Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
This article examines how exposure to violence in childhood is linked to impaired cognitive functioning and academic performance. Children who reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are more likely to be exposed to violence yet their representation in published studies is often limited. Here, we conducted a systematic review to examine the evidence regarding the association between childhood violence exposure and cognitive outcomes as…
Key Components of Parenting Education Interventions for Preterm Infant–Parent Dyads Admitted to the Nicu
NICU educational interventions positively influence parental knowledge, confidence, and parent-infant interaction; however, substantial variation and limited conceptual grounding hinder their comparability and scalability. The evidence base remains dominated by high-income settings, which limits its global applicability. Future research must prioritise theory-informed design, transparent reporting, and context-sensitive adaptation, particularly i…
Parental Educational Needs During the Nicu Stay
Participants recognised educational content needs that align with existing literature. However, they also emphasised the importance of addressing basic physical and emotional needs while receiving educational content, ensuring that parents feel empowered and capable of engaging with the information
Medicine (8 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Cohort (6 works) · Cohort study (5 works) · Developmental psychology (5 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (4 works) · Environmental health (4 works) · Infant Development and Preterm Care (4 works) · Internal Medicine (4 works) · Population (4 works)