Zahra Ali Padhani

Zahra Ali Padhani

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences


I am a Public Health Researcher, with Bachelors in Pharm-D and Masters’ in Health Policy and Management from Aga Khan University, Pakistan. I am a PhD student at University of Adelaide and my research work focuses preconception health risk factors and interventions among adolescent and young people and its impact on perinatal, maternal, and child health. I have published more than 25 peer-reviewed papers, two book chapters, and multiple WHO commissioned and technical reports. My papers have been published in international journals with good impact factor such as Cochrane, BMJ, Journal of Global Health, Nutrients, and Lancet Global Health. I have been invited as a speaker in various knowledge synthesis workshops in Pakistan.

I am also a member of Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA), Health in Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum (HiPP), Early- and Mid- Career Researcher Collective (EMCR) and Reproductive Health Australia.

  • Journals

    Year Citation
    2023 Chand, P., Sultan, T., Kulsoom, S., Jan, F., Ibrahim, S., Mukhtiar, K., . . . Wasay, M. (2023). Spectrum of Common Pediatric Neurological Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study From Three Tertiary Care Centres Across Pakistan. Pediatric Neurology, 138, 33-37.
    DOI Scopus1
    2023 Cichon, B., Das, J. K., Salam, R. A., Padhani, Z. A., Stobaugh, H. C., Mughal, M., . . . Black, R. E. (2023). Effectiveness of Dietary Management for Moderate Wasting among Children > 6 Months of Age—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Exploring Different Types, Quantities, and Durations. Nutrients, 15(5), 25 pages.
    DOI Scopus1
    2023 Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Siddiqui, F. A., Salam, R. A., Lassi, Z. S., Khan, D. S. A., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Optimal timing of introduction of complementary feeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis. NUTRITION REVIEWS, 24 pages.
    DOI WoS1 Europe PMC1
    2023 Das, J. K., Siddiqui, F., Padhani, Z. A., Khan, M. H., Jabeen, S., Mirani, M., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Health behaviors and care seeking practices for childhood diarrhea and pneumonia in a rural district of Pakistan: A qualitative study. PLOS ONE, 18(5), e0285868.
    DOI Scopus1 WoS1
    2023 Harrison, L., Padhani, Z., Salam, R., Oh, C., Rahim, K., Maqsood, M., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Dietary Strategies for Complementary Feeding between 6 and 24 Months of Age: The Evidence. Nutrients, 15(13), 25 pages.
    DOI
    2023 Padhani, Z. A., Cichon, B., Das, J. K., Salam, R. A., Stobaugh, H. C., Mughal, M., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Systematic Review of Management of Moderate Wasting in Children over 6 Months of Age. Nutrients, 15(17), 3781.
    DOI
    2023 Das, J. K., Khan, A., Tabassum, F., Padhani, Z. A., Habib, A., Mirani, M., . . . Bhutta, Z. (2023). The Last Mile-Community Engagement and Conditional Incentives to Accelerate Polio Eradication in Pakistan: Study Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Trial.. Methods and protocols, 6(5), 83.
    DOI
    2022 Parkash, O., Siddiqui, A. T. S., Jiwani, U., Rind, F., Padhani, Z. A., Rizvi, A., . . . Das, J. K. (2022). Diagnostic accuracy of artificial intelligence for detecting gastrointestinal luminal pathologies: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Medicine, 9.
    DOI
    2022 Das, J. K., & Padhani, Z. A. (2022). Alleviating hidden hunger: an infallible bridge to improved health and nutrition. The Lancet Global Health, 10(11), e1539-e1540.
    DOI
    2022 Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Akhtar, S., Ismail, T., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2022). Tackling Protein-Calorie Malnutrition during World Crises. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 78(Suppl. 1), 27-37.
    DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC5
    2022 Prem Chand., Zahra Ali Padhani., Rozmeen Akbar., & Fazal Arain. (2022). Hypermanganesaemia with dystonia polycythemia and cirrhosis. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(10), 4 pages.
    DOI Scopus1
    2022 Siddiqui, F. A., Padhani, Z. A., Salam, R. A., Aliani, R., Lassi, Z. S., Das, J. K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2022). Interventions to Improve Immunization Coverage Among Children and Adolescents: A Meta-analysis.. Pediatrics, 149(Suppl 5), 1-18.
    DOI Scopus8 WoS4 Europe PMC3
    2021 Kamani, L., Padhani, Z. A., & Das, J. K. (2021). Hepatitis E: Genotypes, strategies to prevent and manage, and the existing knowledge gaps. JGH Open, 5(10), 1127-1134.
    DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC4
    2021 Khaliq, A., Yousafzai, M. T., Haq, S., Yaseen, R., Qureshi, S., Rind, F., . . . Qamar, F. N. (2021). A Review of Toolkits and Case Definitions for Detecting Enteric Fever Outbreaks in asian and African Countries from 1965-2019. Journal of Global Health, 11, 1-12.
    DOI
    2021 Shah, S., Padhani, Z. A., Als, D., Munyuzangabo, M., Gaffey, M. F., Ahmed, W., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Delivering nutrition interventions to women and children in conflict settings: A systematic review. BMJ Global Health, 6(4), 16 pages.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS2 Europe PMC2
    2021 Lassi, Z. S., Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Salam, R. A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Antibiotic therapy versus no antibiotic therapy for children aged 2 to 59 months with WHO-defined non-severe pneumonia and wheeze. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(1), CD009576.
    DOI Scopus8 Europe PMC4
    2021 Lassi, Z. S., Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Salam, R. A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Antibiotic therapy versus no antibiotic therapy for children aged 2 to 59 months with WHO-defined non-severe pneumonia and wheeze. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1), CD009576-1-CD009576-36.
    DOI WoS3
    2021 Lassi, Z. S., Ana, A., Das, J. K., Salam, R. A., Padhani, Z. A., Irfan, O., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of data on pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19: Clinical presentation, and pregnancy and perinatal outcomes based on COVID-19 severity.. Journal of global health, 11, 1-13.
    DOI Scopus55 WoS25 Europe PMC39
    2021 Lassi, Z. S., Padhani, Z. A., Rabbani, A., Rind, F., Salam, R. A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Effects of nutritional interventions during pregnancy on birth, child health and development outcomes: A systematic review of evidence from low- and middle-income countries. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(2), 66 pages.
    DOI Scopus7 Europe PMC4
    2021 Hassan, M., Shoukat, A., Zubairi, A., Das, J. K., Kirmani, S., Padhani, Z. A., & Fatmi, Z. (2021). A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RISK OF IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS. CHEST, 160(4), 1262A.
    DOI
    2021 Padhani, Z. A., Moazzam, Z., Ashraf, A., Bilal, H., Salam, R. A., Das, J. K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Vitamin C supplementation for prevention and treatment of pneumonia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(11), CD013134.
    DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC2
    2020 Kamal, A., Khoja, A., Usmani, B., Magsi, S., Malani, A., Peera, Z., . . . Saleem, S. (2020). Effect of 5-minute movies shown via a mobile phone app on risk factors and mortality after stroke in a low- To middle-income country: Randomized controlled trial for the stroke caregiver dyad education intervention (MovIes4Stroke). JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 8(1), 23 pages.
    DOI Scopus13 WoS11 Europe PMC10
    2020 Lassi, Z. S., Padhani, Z. A., Rabbani, A., Rind, F., Abdus Salam, R. A., Das, J. K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Impact of Dietary Interventions during Pregnancy on Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.. Nutrients, 12(2), 16 pages.
    DOI Scopus27 WoS20 Europe PMC15
    2020 Salam, R. A., Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Shaikh, A. Y., Hoodbhoy, Z., Jeelani, S. M., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Effects of lifestyle modification interventions to prevent and manage child and adolescent obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(8), 1-23.
    DOI Scopus43 WoS39 Europe PMC21
    2020 Rabbani, A., Padhani, Z. A., A Siddiqui, F., Das, J. K., & Bhutta, Z. (2020). Systematic review of infant and young child feeding practices in conflict areas: What the evidence advocates. BMJ Open, 10(9), 20 pages.
    DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC4
    2020 Mirzazada, S., Padhani, Z. A., Jabeen, S., Fatima, M., Rizvi, A., Ansari, U., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Impact of conflict on maternal and child health service delivery: A country case study of Afghanistan. Conflict and Health, 14(1), 13 pages.
    DOI Scopus23 WoS20 Europe PMC13
    2020 Das, J. K., Padhani, Z. A., Jabeen, S., Rizvi, A., Ansari, U., Fatima, M., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Impact of conflict on maternal and child health service delivery - How and how not: A country case study of conflict affected areas of Pakistan. Conflict and Health, 14(1), 16 pages.
    DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC8
    2020 Padhani, Z. A., Moazzam, Z., Ashraf, A., Bilal, H., Salam, R. A., Das, J. K., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Vitamin C supplementation for prevention and treatment of pneumonia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(4), 39 pages.
    DOI Scopus19 WoS23 Europe PMC21
    2018 Das, J. K., Akseer, N., Mirzazada, S., Peera, Z., Noorzada, O., Armstrong, C. E., . . . Bhutta, Z. A. (2018). Scaling up primary health services for improving reproductive, maternal, and child health: a multisectoral collaboration in the conflict setting of Afghanistan. BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, 363, 9 pages.
    DOI WoS12 Europe PMC9
    - Kamal, A., Khoja, A., Usmani, B., Magsi, S., Malani, A., Peera, Z., . . . Saleem, S. (n.d.). Effect of 5-Minute Movies Shown via a Mobile Phone App on Risk Factors and Mortality After Stroke in a Low- to Middle-Income Country: Randomized Controlled Trial for the Stroke Caregiver Dyad Education Intervention (Movies4Stroke) (Preprint).
    DOI
    - Parkash, O., Saleha Siddiqui, A. T., Jiwani, U., Rind, F., Padhani, Z. A., Rizvi, A., . . . Das, J. (n.d.). Diagnostic Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence for Detecting Gastroenterological Pathologies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. SSRN Electronic Journal.
    DOI
  • Book Chapters

    Year Citation
    2022 Lassi, Z., Padhani, Z. A., Salam, R. A., & Bhutta, Z. (2022). Prenatal nutrition and nutrition in pregnancy: Effects on long-term growth and development. In M. R. Ball (Ed.), Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health (Second Edition) (2nd ed., pp. 397-417). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
    DOI Scopus2
    2022 Das, J. K., Padhani, Z. A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2022). Persistent Diarrhea in Children in Developing Countries. In Textbook of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (pp. 231-240). Springer International Publishing.
    DOI

“CRE HiPP EMCR Small Grant Scheme 2022”: “Preconception care interventions for Adolescents and Young Women – an Evidence Gap Map”. Duration: 1st November 2022 – 31st October 2023; AUD 10,000


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