Protocol of an individual participant data meta-analysis to quantify the impact of high ambient temperatures on maternal and child health in Africa (HE2AT IPD)
Prestige Tatenda Makanga,
Gloria Maimela,
Akbar K Waljee,
Stanley Luchters,
Matthew Francis Chersich,
Ji Zhu,
Kristie L Ebi,
Brama Kone,
Webster Mavhu,
Christopher Boyer,
Fortunate Machingura,
Guéladio Cissé,
Darshnika Pemi Lakhoo,
Chris Jack,
Ijeoma Solarin,
Kshama S Chande,
Cherlynn Dumbura,
Lisa van Aardenne,
Bonnie R Joubert,
Kimberly A McAllister,
Maliha Ilias,
Sibusisiwe Makhanya,
Craig Parker,
Zororo Mavindidze,
Pierre Kloppers,
Piotr Wolski,
Abdoulaye Tall,
Adja Ferdinand Vanga,
Euphemia Sibanda,
Reason Mlambo,
Gciniwe D Baloyi
Affiliations
Prestige Tatenda Makanga
12 Surveying and Geomatics Department, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Gloria Maimela
7 Climate and Health Directorate, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Hillbrow, Gauteng, South Africa
Akbar K Waljee
14 Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Stanley Luchters
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
Matthew Francis Chersich
Wits RHI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ji Zhu
Kristie L Ebi
13 University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Brama Kone
3 University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Korhogo, Côte d`Ivoire
Webster Mavhu
Christopher Boyer
Fortunate Machingura
Guéladio Cissé
3 University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Korhogo, Côte d`Ivoire
Darshnika Pemi Lakhoo
Wits RHI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Chris Jack
Climate System Analysis Group, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
Ijeoma Solarin
Wits RHI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Kshama S Chande
Wits RHI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Cherlynn Dumbura
Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research, Harare, Zimbabwe
Lisa van Aardenne
Climate System Analysis Group, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
Bonnie R Joubert
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Kimberly A McAllister
5 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Maliha Ilias
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Sibusisiwe Makhanya
9 IBM Research—Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Craig Parker
2 Wits Planetary Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Introduction Globally, recognition is growing of the harmful impacts of high ambient temperatures (heat) on health in pregnant women and children. There remain, however, major evidence gaps on the extent to which heat increases the risks for adverse health outcomes, and how this varies between settings. Evidence gaps are especially large in Africa. We will conduct an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis to quantify the impacts of heat on maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa. A detailed understanding and quantification of linkages between heat, and maternal and child health is essential for developing solutions to this critical research and policy area.Methods and analysis We will use IPD from existing, large, longitudinal trial and cohort studies, on pregnant women and children from sub-Saharan Africa. We will systematically identify eligible studies through a mapping review, searching data repositories, and suggestions from experts. IPD will be acquired from data repositories, or through collaboration with data providers. Existing satellite imagery, climate reanalysis data, and station-based weather observations will be used to quantify weather and environmental exposures. IPD will be recoded and harmonised before being linked with climate, environmental, and socioeconomic data by location and time. Adopting a one-stage and two-stage meta-analysis method, analytical models such as time-to-event analysis, generalised additive models, and machine learning approaches will be employed to quantify associations between exposure to heat and adverse maternal and child health outcomes.Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by ethics committees. There is minimal risk to study participants. Participant privacy is protected through the anonymisation of data for analysis, secure data transfer and restricted access. Findings will be disseminated through conferences, journal publications, related policy and research fora, and data may be shared in accordance with data sharing policies of the National Institutes of Health.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022346068.
