Research Focus:

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT)

Past Projects:

1. Effect of a congregation-based intervention on uptake of HIV testing and linkage to care in pregnant women in Nigeria (Baby Shower): a cluster randomized trial. Ezeanolue EE et al. 2015; Lancet Glob Health; doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(15)00195-3.
2. Why are Children Still Being Infected with HIV? Impact of an Integrated Public Health and Clinical Practice Intervention on Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission in Las Vegas, Nevada, 2007-2012. Ezeanolue EE et al. 2015; Ann Med Health Sci Res; 253-259. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.160189.
3. Linkage to Care, Early Infant Diagnosis, and Perinatal Transmission Among Infants Born to HIV-Infected Nigerian Mothers: Evidence From the Healthy Beginning Initiative. Pharr JR et al. 2016; J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000001051.

Current Projects:

Missed opportunities in preventing perinatal transmission of HIV

Future Directions:

Male partner linkage to care and viral suppression in PMTCT

Research Focus:

Child and Adolescent HIV care

Past Projects:

Seeking wider access to HIV testing for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Sam-Agudu NA. 2016; Pediatr Res; doi: 10.1038/pr.2016.28.

Adolescent Coordinated Transition (ACT) to improve health outcomes among young people living with HIV in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. (Sam-Agudu NA et al. 2017; Trials; doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-2347-z.)

Pediatric to adult healthcare transitioning for adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria: A national survey. Badejo OA et al. 2018; PLoS One; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198802)

Current Projects:

Multi-site description of clinical outcomes of children and adolescents receiving ART in Nigeria

Future Directions:

Intersection of adolescent HIV and non-communicable diseases

Research Focus:

Screening and early detection of sickle cell disease

Past Projects:

1. Knowledge and awareness of personal sickle cell genotype among parents of children with sickle cell disease in southeast Nigeria Ezenwosu OU et al. 2015; J Community Genet; doi: 10.1007/s12687-015-0225-5)
2. Prevalence of sickle cell trait and reliability of self-reported status among expectant parents in Nigeria: Implications for targeted newborn screening Burnham-Marusich AR et al. 2016; Public Health Genomics; doi: 10.1159/000448914)
3. Knowledge and awareness of individual sickle cell genotype among adolescents in unity school in southeast Nigeria Ezenwosu OU et al. 2020. Int J Adolesc Med Health; doi: 10.1515/ijamh-2019-0149)
4. Ezenwosu OU, Itanyi IU, Nnodu OE, Ogidi AG, Mgbeahurike F, Ezeanolue EE. Community based screening for sickle haemoglobin among pregnant women in Benue State, Nigeria: I-Care-to-Know, a Healthy Beginning Initiative. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021 Jul 8;21(1):498. doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-03974-4. PMID: 34238241; PMCID: PMC8268197.

Current Project:

Intervention to establish and increase uptake and sustainability of newborn screening for sickle cell disease

Future Directions:

Targeted newborn screening for sickle cell disease in LMICs

Research Focus:

1. Epidemiology of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases

Past Projects:

1. Banigbe BF, Itanyi IU, Ofili EO, Ogidi AG, Patel D, Ezeanolue EE. High prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension among men in North Central Nigeria: Results from the Healthy Beginning Initiative. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 30;15(11):e0242870. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242870. PMID: 33253296; PMCID: PMC7703905.

Current Project:

1. Cardiovascular risk factors among HIV-infected women

Future Directions:

1. Interventions for secondary prevention of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases
2. Integrating NCD services into primary health care in LMICs
3. Integrating NCD services with existing HIV programs in LMICs
4. Intervention to reduce chronic diabetes following gestational diabetes

Research Focus:

1. Mental health in low-resource settings

Past Projects:

1. Integrating mental health screening into routine community maternal and child health activity: experience from Prevention of Mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) trial in Nigeria (Iheanacho T et al. 2015; Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol; doi: 10.1007/s00127-014-0952-7.)
2. Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among church-based lay health workers: experience from a prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission trial in Nigeria (Iheanacho T et al. 2016; Int J Cult Ment Health; doi: 10.1080/17542863.2015.1074260.)
3. Ezeanolue EE, Iheanacho T, Adedeji IA, Itanyi IU, Olakunde B, Patel D, et al; Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance. Opportunities and challenges to integrating mental health into HIV programs in a low- and middle-income country: insights from the Nigeria implementation science Alliance. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Sep 29;20(1):904. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05750-0. PMID: 32993621; PMCID: PMC7526407.
4. Iheanacho T, Nduanya UC, Slinkard S, Ogidi AG, Patel D, Itanyi IU, Naeem F, Spiegelman D, Ezeanolue EE. Utilizing a church-based platform for mental health interventions: exploring the role of the clergy and the treatment preference of women with depression. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2021 Feb 19;8:e5. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2021.4. PMID: 34026236; PMCID: PMC8127631.

Current Project:

1. Feasibility and development of curricula to train priests on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for perinatal depression

Future Directions:

1. Impact of training of priests on mental health screening and treatment

Research Focus:

1. Low-cost mhealth interventions for improved health outcomes in low-resource settings

Past Projects:

1. An mHealth Framework to Improve Birth Outcomes in Benue State, Nigeria: A Study Protocol. Ezeanolue EE et al. 2017; JMIR Res Protoc; doi: 10.2196/resprot.7743.
2. A Patient-Held Smartcard With a Unique Identifier and an mHealth Platform to Improve the Availability of Prenatal Test Results in Rural Nigeria: Demonstration Study. Gbadamosi S et al. 2018; J Med Internet Res; doi: 10.2196/jmir.8716.

Current Project:

1. Use of mhealth for birth registration of newborns

Future Directions:

1. Use of mhealth for HIV retention in care in LMICs
2. Use of mhealth for enhanced patient management and improved patient outcomes especially in NCD care

Research Focus:

1. Digital technologies and quality of health services

Past Projects:

1. Diagnostic and clinical decision support systems for quality maternal care in low-resource settings.
2. Abejirinde et al 2019. J Glob Health  doi: 10.7189/jogh.09.010420
3. Abejirinde et al 2018. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-1853-7
4. Abejirinde et al 2018. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth doi: 10.2196/11468.

Current Projects:

Future Directions:

1. Investigating and overcoming barriers to sustainability and scale-up of digital health innovations in LMICs

Research Focus:

1. Adolescent and adult tobacco use

Past Projects:

1. Disparities in tobacco use by adolescents in southeast, Nigeria using Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) approach (Itanyi IU etal 2018; BMC Public Health; doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5231-1.)
2. Predictors of current tobacco smoking by adolescents in Nigeria: Interaction between school location and socioeconomic status (Itanyi IU etal 2020; Tob Induc Dis.; doi: 10.18332/tid/117959.)

Current Project:

1. Determinants of tobacco use disparities in Nigeria

Future Directions:

1. Interventions to prevent initiation of tobacco use by adolescents
2. Smoking cessation interventions
3. Tobacco use and HIV

Research Focus:

1. Research Capacity building for investigators in LMICs

Past Projects:

1. Building Sustainable Local Capacity for Global Health Research in West Africa. (Sam-Agudu NA et al. 2016; Ann Glob Health; doi: 10.1016/j.aogh.2016.10.011.)
2. Gaps and strategies in developing health research capacity: experience from the Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance (Ezeanolue EE et al. 2018; Health Res Policy Syst; doi: 10.1186/s12961-018-0289-x.)
3. Challenges and Strategies for Improving Training of Mid-Level Research Personnel in Nigeria (Ezeanolue EE et al. 2019; Ann Glob Health; doi: 10.5334/aogh.2405.)

Current Project:

1. Strengthening research administration infrastructure for HIV in Nigeria

Future Directions:

1. Strengthening research capacity to conduct HIV and NCD research in LMICs

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