Background: Annually, about 60 infant deaths occur per 1000 live births in Benin; nearly one-half of these deaths occur during the neonatal period. Homeand health facility-based newborn care practices are essential for reducing neonatal death. The aim of this study was to explore relationships between location of childbirth and essential newborn care practices in the Republic of Benin, West Africa. Methods:We used cross-sectional data from the 2017 Benin Demographic and Health Survey. The study included 6831 women who had a recent live birth. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between location of birth and early initiation of breastfeeding, breastfeeding support, and cord examination while adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results: There was no significant difference in early initiation of breastfeeding by birth location. Compared to women with home births, those who gave birth in public hospitals, public health centers/clinics, and private health facilities had significantly higher odds of receiving breastfeeding support (public hospitals:

BackgroundThere are important racial and geographic disparities linked with obesity and diabetes in the USA. Latinx residing in rural areas face a unique combination of factors that can exacerbate existing healthcare disparities, increasing the prevalence of diabetes. MethodsQualitative study using focus groups was carried out between November 2014 and February 2015. The six focus groups were evenly split between Miami (Miami-Dade) and Pensacola (Escambia County) both in Florida. A total of 57 Latinx, 40 years and older, were recruited for a 60-minute session. Baseline demographic and clinical information were collected using a questionnaire before starting the focus group. Open-ended questions recorded participants' perceptions about obesity and diabetes and barriers to health care. Theme analysis was conducted for each question and across the groups. ResultsWhile most Hispanics understood that diabetes is a serious disease, neither those in Miami nor Escambia understood the difference between type 1 and 2 diabetes. Those in Miami had more knowledge about its long-term effects and expressed less language, communication and cultural barriers compared to those in Escambia. ConclusionsThere is a need to promote culture-appropriate health education programs geared towards raising awareness about diabetes in both communities but especially in rural communities.

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