Cluster analysis identifies long COVID subtypes in Belgian patients.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection presents complications known as long COVID, a multisystemic organ disease which allows multidimensional analysis. This study aims to uncover clusters of long COVID cases and establish their correlation with the clinical classification developed at the Clinical Research Unit of Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels. Such an endeavour is instrumental in customizing patient management strategies tailored to the unique needs of each distinct group.

Guardians under pressure, a spotlight on hypertension among healthcare workers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hypertension is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease impacting over a billion people worldwide. Work environment factors could adversely affect workers' cardiovascular health, including contributing to hypertension. Healthcare workers who treat patients are also affected.

The role of provincial health administration in supporting district health management teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo: eliciting an initial programme theory of a realist evaluation.

Background: In 2006, the Ministry of Health in the Democratic Republic of Congo designed a strategy to strengthen the health system by developing health districts. This strategy included a reform of the provincial health administration to provide effective technical support to district health management teams in terms of leadership and management. The provincial health teams were set up in 2014, but few studies have been done on how, for whom, and under what circumstances their support to the districts works.

Incidence of possible serious bacterial infection in young infants in the three high-burden countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Nigeria: A secondary analysis of a large, multi-country, multi-centre clinical trial.

Background: Neonatal infections are a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where most of the infection-related deaths in under-five children occur. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest mortality rates, but there is a lack of data on the incidence of sepsis from this region, hindering efforts to improve child survival. We aimed to determine the incidence of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in young infants in three high-burden countries in Africa.

Job stress, a source of hypertension among workers in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Background: Hypertension remains one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Contrasting with the high-income countries where the rates of hypertension decline, it increases in Sub-Saharan African countries. The age group most affected by hypertension is the working population.

Understanding the mix of services for mental health care in urban DR Congo: a qualitative descriptive study.

Background: Mental health workers (MHWs) are exposed to conflicts of competence daily when performing tasks related to the provision of mental health services. This may be linked to a lack of understanding of their tasks as caregivers and providers. Furthermore, in most low-income settings, it is unclear how the available services are organized and coordinated to provide mental health care.

Understanding the factors of road crash severity in Benin: a matched case-control study.

Background: In Benin, due to the unavailability of comprehensive data on road crashes, road safety policies are mainly based on partial statistics provided by the police. These remain unreliable in terms of injury severity and risk factors. This study aims to determine the factors influencing the severity of injuries after a road crash in Benin.

Mental health care in the city of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Analysis of demand, supply and operational response capacity of the health district of Tshamilemba.

Background: Integrating mental health care into the primary care system is an important policy option in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). From the perspective of the integration of mental health care in district health services, this study analyzed the existing demand and supply of mental health care in the health district of Tshamilemba, which is located in Lubumbashi, the second largest city of the DRC. We critically examined the district's operational response capacity to address mental health.

Participative epidemiology and prevention pathway of health risks associated with artisanal mines in Luhihi area, DR Congo.

Background: Health issues are associated with artisanal mining in the DR Congo. The scenario is worst when artisanal mining is done informally or with limited material and technical resources. This paper argues that the adoption of healthy practices by artisanal miners might be limited given that it involves unrealistic socio-economic, and administrative aspects and access to health risk prevention means.

National levels, changes and correlates of ideal cardiovascular health among Beninese adults: evidence from the 2008 to 2015 STEPS surveys.

Introduction: A higher number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular-related and all-cause mortality. However, the change in CVH metrics has rarely been studied in sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated the level and changes of CVH metrics and their correlates among Beninese adults between 2008 and 2015.

Helmet Use Among Two-Wheeler Riders' Road Accident Victims in Benin.

Background: In Benin, some riders of two-wheeled vehicles still do not wear helmets, the main protection against head injuries in road accidents. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of two-wheeled users, and to determine the factors influencing helmet use among this group.

Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional study of 977 two-wheeled road accident victims from a cohort.

Referral conditions for severe road traffic injuries and their influence on the occurrence of hospital deaths in Benin.

Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death by trauma. Delays in in first aid due, inter alia, to the long time to transfer traffic accident victims to hospital and the lack of pre-hospital emergency care, contribute to the increase in hospital mortality. This study aims to analyse the referral conditions for severe road traffic injuries and to assess their effect on the occurrence of hospital deaths in Benin.

Implementation of a model of awareness-raising for taxi motorcyclists in Benin in relation to helmet use: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: This study aims to test the effectiveness of an awareness-raising model designed based on the theory of planned behaviour regarding helmet use for motorcycle taxi drivers.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study took place in the cities of Parakou (intervention group) and Porto Novo (control group). Over a three-month period, a package of awareness-raising activities, based on the theory of planned behaviour, have been implemented in the intervention area.

Simplified antibiotic regimens for young infants with possible serious bacterial infection when the referral is not feasible in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: Neonates with serious bacterial infections should be treated with injectable antibiotics after hospitalization, which may not be feasible in many low resource settings. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a guideline for the management of young infants (0-59 days old) with possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) when referral for hospital treatment is not feasible. We evaluated the feasibility of the WHO guideline implementation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to achieve high coverage of PSBI treatment.

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Objective: The study aims to assess the level of implementation of road safety interventions in Benin.

Method: The research is based on an evaluative study of road safety aimed to analyze the implementation and logic of road safety interventions, conducted in Benin in 2019. It combined a review of the gray literature and a qualitative component.

Evolution in caesarean section practices in North Kivu: Impact of caregiver training.

Introduction: A caesarean section is a major obstetric procedure that can save the life of mother and child. Its purpose is to protect the mother's health from the complications of childbirth and to protect the baby's health. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there are major inequalities in access to caesarean sections and significant variations in practices to determine the indications for the procedure.

A realist evaluation of the continuum of HIV services for men who have sex with men.

Background: Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) represent the risk group that are disproportionately most affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and continue to drop-off from the steps of the continuum of HIV services that have been adopted to overcome poor engagement and retention in care. This realist evaluation aimed at: (1) describing the evaluation carried out in Haiti aiming to ascertain why, how and under which circumstances MSM are linked and retained along the continuum, (2) assessing the outcomes of this approach and (3) exploring the motivators and facilitators for the HIV continuum of services through mechanisms and pathways.

Methods: Guided by a realist approach, first, an initial program theory (IPT) was developed based on literature and frameworks review, participant observations and discussions with stakeholders.