Publications by authors named "Christabel N Hikaambo"
Background And Aims: Despite a quick rollout of PrEP as a preventive method against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections in Zambia, adolescent and young adult populations have remained very vulnerable to HIV infection. This study assessed the awareness and willingness to use PrEP among University of Zambia (UNZA) students.
Methods: Three hundred forty-six students participated in this cross-sectional study at UNZA between March and June 2021.
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health problem affecting healthcare systems. Short-term antibiotic non-adherence is thought to be one of the factors contributing to antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge and practices towards short-term antibiotic use on self-reported adherence among patients visiting level-1 hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudent's perspectives, satisfaction and experiences with online and classroom learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings and implications on blended learning.
SAGE Open Med
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to gather information on university students' perspectives on online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on human health students at the University of Zambia.
- Conducted between October 2022 and April 2023, the research surveyed 737 students, revealing that while over half supported the continuation of blended learning, a significant majority preferred traditional classroom settings for group discussions and overall satisfaction.
- The findings highlight the necessity for educational stakeholders to consider blended learning strategies in the future while ensuring students have access to appropriate resources and tools.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the awareness and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among 326 pharmacy students in Zambia, finding that while 98.8% were aware of the vaccines, only 24.5% were willing to accept vaccination.
- Factors influencing vaccine acceptance included being male, single, and unemployed, with males significantly more likely to accept the vaccine compared to females, and unmarried individuals more likely than those who are married.
- Major barriers to vaccine acceptance reported by students included concerns about side effects (78.5%) and skepticism regarding the vaccine's effectiveness (10.2%).
Antimicrobial stewardship: knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antimicrobial use and resistance among non-healthcare students at the University of Zambia.
JAC Antimicrob Resist
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat, and a study at the University of Zambia evaluated non-healthcare students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR.
- The study, conducted with 443 students using a structured questionnaire, found that participants had moderate KAP scores and a high rate of self-medication with antibiotics (76.7%).
- Male students generally had poorer knowledge and attitudes towards AMR compared to females, while engineering and mining students showed better understanding than those in social sciences; fourth and fifth-year students had more positive attitudes compared to younger students.
Zoonotic and related infections pose an enormous health threat to the world's second-most populous continent. Despite the challenges faced by drug discovery scientists in Africa, recent progress toward identifying potential medicines across diverse disease areas is a cause for optimism and an indicator of progress in African-led scientific initiatives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The nexus between higher education and digital technology has been extensively studied in the past and recently during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to ascertain pharmacy students' attitudes towards using online learning during COVID-19.
Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the University of Zambia's (UNZA) pharmacy students' adaptive characteristics, such as attitude, perception, and barriers to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted the mental health of students across the globe. In Zambia, little is known about the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare students. This study assessed the psychological impact of COVID-19 on health professions students at the University of Zambia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study assessed the knowledge and practices regarding COVID-19 among 478 healthcare students at the University of Zambia, following the pandemic's disruption of physical classes globally.
- Results showed that the mean knowledge score was 87.9, with medical students scoring the highest, while the mean practice score was 60.0, significantly higher among nursing and physiotherapy students.
- Additionally, older students and those living in urban areas demonstrated better practices toward COVID-19, although the type of training program did not significantly affect knowledge or practices.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Community Pharmacy Professionals on Poultry Antibiotic Dispensing, Use, and Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance in Zambia: Implications on Antibiotic Stewardship and WHO AWaRe Classification of Antibiotics.
Antibiotics (Basel)
September 2022
Globally, the inappropriate dispensing and use of antibiotics in animals has contributed to the development of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Zambia, there is insufficient information among community pharmacy professionals on antibiotic use (ABU) and AMR in food-producing animals. This study assessed community pharmacy professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding poultry antibiotic dispensing, use, and bacterial AMR in the Lusaka district of Zambia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: vaccinations against COVID-19 have been instituted to contain the pandemic. However, information about the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines in Zambia is lacking. Therefore, the study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the general population in Zambia.
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