Adaption and pilot testing of a lay HIV supporter program for traditional healers: a mixed methods study in rural Uganda.

Background: Half of people living with HIV (PLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa default from care within two years. In Uganda, and across sub-Saharan Africa, traditional healers (TH) are ubiquitous and often serve as the first line of health care. We hypothesized that with lay support training, TH could support relinkage to HIV care and ART adherence among rural Ugandan PLWH who have defaulted from HIV care.

Understanding traditional healer utilisation for hypertension care using the Andersen model: A qualitative study in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Hypertension disproportionately affects people living in African countries, where there are many challenges to appropriate diagnosis and treatment, and many people with hypertension utilise traditional healers as their primary source of healthcare. In this study, we sought to understand factors driving healer utilisation among people with hypertension. We conducted 52 semi-structured interviews with traditional healers, patients and healthcare providers in the Mwanza region of Tanzania.

Linear brain atrophy measures in multiple sclerosis and clinically isolated syndromes: a 30-year follow-up.

Objective: To determine 30-year brain atrophy rates following clinically isolated syndromes and the relationship of atrophy in the first 5 years and clinical outcomes 25 years later.

Methods: A cohort of 132 people who presented with a clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) were recruited between 1984-1987. Clinical and MRI data were collected prospectively over 30 years.