Browsing by Author "Unicomb, Leanne"

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A survey of neonatal rotavirus infections in Bangladesh
(1994-04-05) Unicomb, Leanne; Glass, Roger; Sack, R. Bradley; Gentsch, Jon; Shahid, Nigar S.
Cellular and humoral immune responses to rotvirus infection in Bangladeshi infants and relevance to rotavirus vaccine studies
(1998-03) Azim, Tasnim; Salam, M. Abdus; Podder, Goutam; Wahed, M.A.; Faruque, S.M.; Albert, John; Unicomb, Leanne
Cluster-randomised controlled trials of individual and combined water, sanitation, hygiene and nutritional interventions in rural Bangladesh and Kenya: the WASH benefits study design and rationale
(© 2013 BMJ Open, 2013) F. Arnold, Benjamin; Null, Clair; P. Luby, Stephen; Unicomb, Leanne; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Ashraf, Sania; Christensen, Garret; Clasen, Thomas; Dentz, Holly N.; Fernald, Lia C H; Haque, Rashidul; Hubbard, Alan E.; Kariger, Patricia; Leontsini, Elli; Lin, Audrie; Njenga, Sammy M.; Pickering, Amy J.; Ram, Pavani K.; Stewart, Christine P.; Dewey, Kathryn G.; Tofail, Fahmida; Winch, Peter J; Jr, John M Colford
Introduction: Enteric infections are common during the first years of life in low-income countries and contribute to growth faltering with long-term impairment of health and development. Water quality, sanitation, handwashing and nutritional interventions can independently reduce enteric infections and growth faltering. There is little evidence that directly compares the effects of these individual and combined interventions on diarrhoea and growth when delivered to infants and young children. The objective of the WASH Benefits study is to help fill this knowledge gap. Methods and analysis: WASH Benefits includes two cluster-randomised trials to assess improvements in water quality, sanitation, handwashing and child nutrition-alone and in combination-to rural households with pregnant women in Kenya and Bangladesh. Geographically matched clusters (groups of household compounds in Bangladesh and villages in Kenya) will be randomised to one of six intervention arms or control. Intervention arms include water quality, sanitation, handwashing, nutrition, combined water+sanitation+handwashing (WSH) and WSH +nutrition. The studies will enrol newborn children (N=5760 in Bangladesh and N=8000 in Kenya) and measure outcomes at 12 and 24 months after intervention delivery. Primary outcomes include child length-for-age Z-scores and caregiver-reported diarrhoea. Secondary outcomes include stunting prevalence, markers of environmental enteropathy and child development scores (verbal, motor and personal/social). We will estimate unadjusted and adjusted intention-to-treat effects using semiparametric estimators and permutation tests. Ethics and dissemination: Study protocols have been reviewed and approved by human subjects review boards at the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Innovations for Poverty Action. Independent data safety monitoring boards in each country oversee the trials. This study is funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of California, Berkeley.
Cluster-randomised controlled trials of individual and combined water, sanitation, hygiene and nutritional interventions in rural Bangladesh and Kenya: the WASH benefits study design and rationale
(© 2013 BMJ Open, 2013) F. Arnold, Benjamin; Null, Clair; P. Luby, Stephen; Unicomb, Leanne; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Ashraf, Sania; Christensen, Garret; Clasen, Thomas; Dentz, Holly N.; Fernald, Lia C H; Haque, Rashidul; Hubbard, Alan E.; Kariger, Patricia; Leontsini, Elli; Lin, Audrie; Njenga, Sammy M.; Pickering, Amy J.; Ram, Pavani K.; Stewart, Christine P.; Dewey, Kathryn G.; Tofail, Fahmida; Winch, Peter J; Jr, John M Colford
Introduction: Enteric infections are common during the first years of life in low-income countries and contribute to growth faltering with long-term impairment of health and development. Water quality, sanitation, handwashing and nutritional interventions can independently reduce enteric infections and growth faltering. There is little evidence that directly compares the effects of these individual and combined interventions on diarrhoea and growth when delivered to infants and young children. The objective of the WASH Benefits study is to help fill this knowledge gap. Methods and analysis: WASH Benefits includes two cluster-randomised trials to assess improvements in water quality, sanitation, handwashing and child nutrition-alone and in combination-to rural households with pregnant women in Kenya and Bangladesh. Geographically matched clusters (groups of household compounds in Bangladesh and villages in Kenya) will be randomised to one of six intervention arms or control. Intervention arms include water quality, sanitation, handwashing, nutrition, combined water+sanitation+handwashing (WSH) and WSH +nutrition. The studies will enrol newborn children (N=5760 in Bangladesh and N=8000 in Kenya) and measure outcomes at 12 and 24 months after intervention delivery. Primary outcomes include child length-for-age Z-scores and caregiver-reported diarrhoea. Secondary outcomes include stunting prevalence, markers of environmental enteropathy and child development scores (verbal, motor and personal/social). We will estimate unadjusted and adjusted intention-to-treat effects using semiparametric estimators and permutation tests. Ethics and dissemination: Study protocols have been reviewed and approved by human subjects review boards at the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Innovations for Poverty Action. Independent data safety monitoring boards in each country oversee the trials. This study is funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of California, Berkeley.
Diarrhea associated with Cyclospora Sp. in Bangladesh
(1994-05) Albert, M. John; Kabir, Iqbal; Azim, Tasnim; Hossain, Anowar; Ansaruzzaman, Mohammed; Unicomb, Leanne
Effect of diarrhea on the humoral response to oral polio vaccination
(1996-03) Myaux, Jacques A.; Unicomb, Leanne; Besser, Richard E.; Modlin, John F.; Uzma, A.; Islam, Aminul M.; Santosham, Mathuram
Effect of vitamin A administration on response to oral polio vaccination
(1998) Rahman, Mohammad M.; Alvarez, Jose O.; Mahalanabis, Dilip; Wahed, Mohammad A.; Islam, Mohammad A.; Unicomb, Leanne; Habte, Demissie; Fuchs, George J.
Epidemiology of diarrhoea and ARI in a cohort of new borns in rural Bangladesh
(1993-01-13) Hasan, Kh. Zahid; Sack, R.B.; Aziz, K.M.A.; Pati, B.P.; Siddique, A.K.; Albert, John; Unicomb, Leanne; Haque, Rashidul
Explaining low rates of sustained use of siphon water filter: evidence from follow-up of a randomised controlled trial in Bangladesh
(© 2015 Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2015) Najnin, Nusrat; Arman, Shaila; Abedin, Jaynal; Unicomb, Leanne; Levine, David; Mahmud, Minhaj; Leder, Karin; Yeasmin, Farzana; E. Luoto, Jill; Albert, Jeff; P. Luby, Stephen
Objective: To assess sustained siphon filter usage among a low-income population in Bangladesh and study relevant motivators and barriers. Methods: After a randomised control trial in Bangladesh during 2009, 191 households received a siphon water filter along with educational messages. Researchers revisited households after 3 and 6 months to assess filter usage and determine relevant motivators and barriers. Regular users were defined as those who reported using the filter most of the time and were observed to be using the filter at follow-up visits. Integrated behavioural model for water, sanitation and hygiene (IBM-WASH) was used to explain factors associated with regular filter use. Results: Regular filter usage was 28% at the 3-month follow-up and 21% at the 6-month follow-up. Regular filter users had better quality water at the 6-month, but not at the 3-month visit. Positive predictors of regular filter usage explained through IBM-WASH at both times were willingness to pay >US$1 for filters, and positive attitude towards filter use (technology dimension at individual level); reporting boiling drinking water at baseline (psychosocial dimension at habitual level); and Bengali ethnicity (contextual dimension at individual level). Frequently reported barriers to regular filter use were as follows: considering filter use an additional task, filter breakage and time required for water filtering (technology dimension at individual level). Conclusion: The technological, psychosocial and contextual dimensions of IBM-WASH contributed to understanding the factors related to sustained use of siphon filter. Given the low regular usage rate and the hardware-related problems reported, the contribution of siphon filters to improving water quality in low-income urban communities in Bangladesh is likely to be minimal.
Explaining low rates of sustained use of siphon water filter: evidence from follow-up of a randomised controlled trial in Bangladesh
(© 2015 Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2015) Najnin, Nusrat; Arman, Shaila; Abedin, Jaynal; Unicomb, Leanne; Levine, David; Mahmud, Minhaj; Leder, Karin; Yeasmin, Farzana; E. Luoto, Jill; Albert, Jeff; P. Luby, Stephen
Objective: To assess sustained siphon filter usage among a low-income population in Bangladesh and study relevant motivators and barriers. Methods: After a randomised control trial in Bangladesh during 2009, 191 households received a siphon water filter along with educational messages. Researchers revisited households after 3 and 6 months to assess filter usage and determine relevant motivators and barriers. Regular users were defined as those who reported using the filter most of the time and were observed to be using the filter at follow-up visits. Integrated behavioural model for water, sanitation and hygiene (IBM-WASH) was used to explain factors associated with regular filter use. Results: Regular filter usage was 28% at the 3-month follow-up and 21% at the 6-month follow-up. Regular filter users had better quality water at the 6-month, but not at the 3-month visit. Positive predictors of regular filter usage explained through IBM-WASH at both times were willingness to pay >US$1 for filters, and positive attitude towards filter use (technology dimension at individual level); reporting boiling drinking water at baseline (psychosocial dimension at habitual level); and Bengali ethnicity (contextual dimension at individual level). Frequently reported barriers to regular filter use were as follows: considering filter use an additional task, filter breakage and time required for water filtering (technology dimension at individual level). Conclusion: The technological, psychosocial and contextual dimensions of IBM-WASH contributed to understanding the factors related to sustained use of siphon filter. Given the low regular usage rate and the hardware-related problems reported, the contribution of siphon filters to improving water quality in low-income urban communities in Bangladesh is likely to be minimal.
Fourth Annual Scientific Conference (ASCON IV) : "health policy challenges: population and cholera"/ M Shamsul Islam Khan, GH Rabbani, MA Rahim, Michael A Strong, Leanne Unicomb
(International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, 1995-01) Khan, M Shamsul Islam; Rabbani, GH; Rahim, MA; Strong, Michael A; Unicomb, Leanne
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) is supported by countries and agencies which share its concern for the health problems of developing countries. Current donors providing core support include:the aid agencies of the Governments of Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States; international organizations, including Arab Gulf Fund, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and World Health Organization(WHO); private foundations, including Child Health Foundation, Ford Foundation, Population Council, Rockfeller Foundation, and the Sasakawa Foundation; and private organization, including American Express Bank, Bayer A.G., CARE, Family Health International, Helen Keller International, the Johns Hopkins University, Procter Gamble, SANDOZ, Swiss Red Cross, University of California-Davis, and others.
Importance of astroviruses as agents of acute diarrhoea in Bangladeshi children
(1991-05-07) Moe, Christine; Unicomb, Leanne; Allen, Jim; Banu, N. Nahar; Glass, Roger; Hall, Andrew; Islam, M. Moyenul
Investigation of the importance of new viral agents of diarrhea
(1995-11-05) Unicomb, Leanne; Glass, Roger; Banu, Nurun Nahar; Hasan, K. Zahid; Albert, M.J.
Investigation of the importance of Norwalk-like viruses in childhood diarrhea in Bangladesh
(1998-01-22) Azim, Tasnim; Podder, Goutam; Hasan, Zahid; Salam, M.A.; Faruque, A.S.G.; Albert, M.John; Unicomb, Leanne; Glass, Roger
Molecular heterogeneity of human group A rotavirus in rural Bangladesh as determined by electrophoresis of genomic ribou\nucleic acid
(1993-06) Ali, Ayub; Unicomb, Leanne; Bingnan, Fu; Hossain, A.
Pathways of antibiotic use in Bangladesh: Qualitative protocol for the PAUSE study
(BMJ Open, 1/25/2019) Rousham, Emily K; Islam, Mohammad Aminul; Nahar, Papreen; Lucas, Patricia Jane; Naher, Nahitun; Ahmed, Syed Masud; Nizame, Fosiul Alam; Unicomb, Leanne
Introduction Global actions to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) include optimising the use of antimicrobial medicines in human and animal health. In countries with weak healthcare regulation, this requires a greater understanding of the drivers of antibiotic use from the perspective of providers and consumers. In Bangladesh, there is limited research on household decision-making and healthcare seeking in relation to antibiotic use and consumption for humans and livestock. Knowledge is similarly lacking on factors influencing the supply and demand for antibiotics among qualified and unqualified healthcare providers. The aim of this study is to conduct integrated research on household decision-making for healthcare and antibiotic use, as well as the awareness, behaviours and priorities of healthcare providers and sellers of antibiotics to translate into policy development and implementation. Methods and analysis In-depth interviews will be conducted with (1) household members responsible for decision-making about illness and antibiotic use for family and livestock; (2) qualified and unqualified private and government healthcare providers in human and animal medicine and (3) stakeholders and policy-makers as key informants on the development and implementation of policy around AMR. Participant observation within retail drug shops will also be carried out. Qualitative methods will include a thematic framework analysis. A holistic approach to understanding who makes decisions on the sale and use of antibiotics, and what drives healthcare seeking in Bangladesh will enable identification of routes to behavioural change and the development of effective interventions to reduce the health risks of AMR. Ethics and dissemination Approval for the study has been obtained from the Institutional Review Board at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh following review by the Research and Ethics Committees (PR-16100) and from Loughborough University (R17-P081). Information about the study will be provided in a participant information letter in Bangla (to be read verbally and given in writing to participants). A written informed consent form in Bangla will be obtained and participants will be informed of their right to withdraw from the study. Dissemination will take place through a 1 day dissemination workshop with key stakeholders in public health and policy, practitioners and scientists in Bangladesh, and through international conference presentations and peer-review publications. Anonymised transcripts of interviews will be made available through open access via institutional data repositories after an embargo period. This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made
Rotavirus diarrhea in Bangladeshi children: correlation of disease severity with serotypes
(1992) Bern, Caryn; Unicomb, Leanne; Gentsch, Jon R.; Banul, Nahar; Yunus, M.; Sack, R. Bradley; Glass, Roger I.
Rotavirus-associated diarrhea in rural Bangladesh: two-year study of incidence and serotype distribution
(1991-07) Fu, Bingnan; Unicomb, Leanne; Rahim, Zeaur; Banu, Nurun Nahar; Podder, G.; Clemens, John; Loon, F. P. L. Van; Rao, M. Raghava; Malek, A.; Tzipori, Saul
Studies on neonatal rotavirus infection in Bangladesh
(1990-01-01) Shahid, Nigar; Bingnan, Fu; Podder, G.; Unicomb, Leanne; Banu, Khaleda; Nahar, N.; Elahi, B.; Tzipori, S.
Study of immune disruption caused by measles and its association with clinical progress in Dhaka, Bangladesh
(1994-07-03) Unicomb, Leanne; Wahed, M.A.; Hossain, Anwar; Mahalanabis, Dilip