Azizi, Steven Chifundo
Chongwe, Gershom
Chipukuma, Helen
Jacobs, Choolwe
Zgambo, Jessy
Michelo, Charles
Article History
Received: 20 November 2017
Accepted: 12 April 2018
First Online: 20 April 2018
Authors’ information
: SCA and HC are master’s degree candidates and recipients of TDR scholarship under the Postgraduate Training Scheme in Implementation Research at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Health Policy and Management respectively, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. GC, CJ and JZ are lecturers at Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. CM is Dean of School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
: Ethics approval was obtained from National Health Sciences Research Committee in Malawi (issued September 12, 2016, protocol number 1656) and University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee in Zambia (issued August 3, 2016, reference number 017–06-16). Written permission to conduct the study in the health facilities was obtained from Zomba District Health Office and clinic-in-charge of each health facility. The research team informed prospective participants about the purpose of the study, procedures required of them if recruited, risks and benefits, and that they had the right to volunteer whether or not to participate in the study. Informed consent was obtained from each participants before administering the questionnaire. For women aged below 18 years, informed assent was obtained from parents or parents in-law, or their husbands if the husbands were above 18 years. The respondents were informed that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any time and without adverse consequences. The respondents were assured of privacy, confidentiality and that no names would appear on the questionnaire. Willingness to participate in the study and parental permission was confirmed by signing (finger print for illiterates) on the informed consent/assent sheet.
: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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