"…considered 'essential workers', so we report to work and serve the community": experiences of community health workers during COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) played an essential part in providing health services to the communities they served prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they had some positive impact on community/household health service promotion and delivery. Nonetheless, restricted movement and social isolation made it challenging for community members to access CHW services, which are normally provided in person. We explore community health workers' opinions on the impact of COVID-19 on their responsibilities, clients, and communities in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

Visceral adiposity index, fitness and clustered cardiovascular disease risk in adolescents.

Background:  Clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors have been observed in children and adolescents, but its association with visceral adiposity index (VAI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adolescents has rarely been studied.

Aim:  This study determines the independent associations of VAI and CRF with the clustering of cardiovascular disease risk (CVDr) among Nigerian adolescents.

Setting:  Adolescents from specific secondary schools in Kogi East, North Central Nigeria participated in the study.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Professional Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Organ Donation in Critical Care Units of Public and Private Hospitals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Globally, there is an overwhelming increase in the number of patients waiting for donated organs for transplantation, with a gross shortage of available organs. Lack of clear practice guidelines and the knowledge and attitudes of health care providers were hypothesized as possible reasons. We aimed to determine the attitudes, level of knowledge, and practices of professional nurses working in critical care units in public and private hospitals in Eastern Cape Province regarding organ donation.

Efficacy and positive outcome of physical activity in pregnant women.

Background & Objective: Evidence has shown the innumerable benefits of prenatal physical activity practice; therefore, the knowledge pregnant women have, and efforts to sustain the knowledge and encourage them to engage in prenatal physical activity, are desirable. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes concerning prenatal physical activity of pregnant women attending primary health antenatal care clinics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1082 pregnant in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape province, South Africa were sampled from July to October 2019.

Knowledge of diabetes and associated factors in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: A cross sectional study.

Background: Diabetes management is complex and requires several lifestyle modifications and engagement in self-management behaviours to prevent complications and to improve health outcomes. Adequate disease knowledge is required in order to engage in appropriate self-management behaviours. Yet, patients' knowledge of diabetes and associated factors are scarcely investigated.

Coverage of diabetes complications screening in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: There is a paucity of data on the coverage of diabetes mellitus (DM) complications screening in primary healthcare facilities in South Africa (SA). This study assesses the extent of screening for DM complications among individuals with type 2 DM attending primary health facilities in rural Eastern Cape (EC), SA.

Methods: The study adopted a descriptive, cross-sectional design and obtained data from 372 individuals with type 2 diabetes attending six selected primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in two EC districts.

Uncovering Barriers to Prenatal Physical Activity and Exercise Among South African Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional, Mixed-Method Analysis.

Background: The barriers to prenatal physical activity and exercise have been widely reported in the literature, highlighting context-specific challenges. However, generally, research on prenatal physical activity and exercise among pregnant women in South Africa is rare; and particularly concerning the barriers to their prenatal physical activity practice. This study assessed the barriers to physical activity participation among pregnant women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

β-cyclodextrin encapsulation of curcumin elicits an altered mode of angiogenin inhibition: In vitro and in vivo studies.

The interaction of curcumin (Cur) with human angiogenin (hAng), a potent blood vessel inducer responsible for angiogenesis is found to change following encapsulation within the β-cyclodextrin (βCD) cavity. The enhanced bioavailability and increase in the binding stoichiometry of hAng:Cur-βCD (1:2) leads to increased affinity, hence an increase in the association constant. The altered mode of hAng inhibition of Cur from a non-competitive (K = 23.

Exploring the views of academic staff on HIV/AIDS integration into the curricula: a case study of the University of Fort Hare.

As a clarion call by Higher Education HIV/AIDS programme (HEAIDS) to South African universities, entrenching, integration and infusing the teaching and learning of HIV/AIDS in the curriculum of universities prove to be a sustainable solution to changing risky behaviour and attitudes of university students towards HIV/AIDS. The majority of students in South African universities lack general awareness and education in HIV/AIDS. This raises the need to produce graduates who are knowledgeable and have a positive attitude regarding HIV/AIDS.

Development and Validation of Prenatal Physical Activity Intervention Strategy for Women in Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa.

Women rarely participate in physical activity during pregnancy, despite scientific evidence emphasising its importance. This study sought to develop an intervention strategy to promote prenatal physical activity in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A multi-stage approach was utilised.

Untargeted serum metabolites profiling in high-fat diet mice supplemented with enhanced palm tocotrienol-rich fraction using UHPLC-MS.

Excessive high fat dietary intake promotes risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and predisposed with oxidative stress. Palm based tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) has been reported able to ameliorate oxidative stress but exhibited poor bioavailability. Thus, we investigated whether an enhanced formulation of TRF in combination with palm kernel oil (medium-chain triglycerides) (ETRF) could ameliorate the effect of high-fat diet (HFD) on leptin-deficient male mice.

Perceptions of women of reproductive age towards maternal death in Qaukeni sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A qualitative study.

Maternal mortality is a global problem, particularly in developing countries. This study explored perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of women of reproductive age concerning maternal deaths in Qaukeni Sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This was a community-based qualitative study using using in-depth interviews among women of reproductive age.

A comparative analysis of teenagers and older pregnant women concerning maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes in Raymond Mhlaba sub-District, South Africa.

Teenage pregnancy has become a common global public health issue, associated with increased risk of obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Teenagers are more prone to obstetric complications compared to older women. This study examined the maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes among teenagers, and compared them with older pregnant women.

Physical Activity Advice and Counselling by Healthcare Providers: A Scoping Review.

Despite scientific evidence on prenatal physical activity and exercise, synthesized evidence is lacking on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers. The scoping review seeks to fill this gap by synthesizing available literature on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers to women during antenatal visits. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) search framework for scoping reviews was applied to retrieve original research articles on the prenatal physical activity and exercise practices of healthcare providers with pregnant women, published between 2010-2020, and available in English.

Providing physical activity education and counseling during pregnancy: A qualitative study of midwives' perspectives.

Background: Midwives have a strategic role to inform, educate, and encourage pregnant women to maintain an active lifestyle during pregnancy.

Aim: This study explored a cohort of midwives' perspectives on providing prenatal physical activity education and counseling during pregnancy.

Subjects And Methods: Seventeen midwives participated in semistructured interviews which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Physical Activity in Pregnancy: Beliefs, Benefits, and Information-Seeking Practices of Pregnant Women in South Africa.

Background: Notwithstanding the benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy, anecdotal evidence suggests ignorance, unscientific beliefs, and lack of awareness about PA among pregnant South African women.

Aim: This study examined the beliefs, perceived benefits, and sources of information on PA during pregnancy.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was employed between June and September 2019 using an interviewer-administered questionnaire with 1,082 pregnant women.

Socio-economic drivers of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Africa: a scoping review.

Background: Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) remains a public health concern due to the high morbidity and mortality rates from the disease. The DR-TB is a multifaceted illness with expensive treatment regimens, toxic medications and most often the long duration of treatment constitutes a substantial financial burden on both infected patients and the health system. Despite significant research advances in the diagnosis and treatment, there is a paucity of synthesized evidence on how socio-economic factors are associated with DR-TB.

Factors Associated With Peripartum Virologic Suppression in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: This study describes the characteristics of pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the rate of peripartum virologic suppression in a large prevention of mother-to-child transmission cohort who delivered in some selected maternity centers in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. In addition, the study examines the factors associated with virologic suppression in the cohort.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cross-sectional analysis included medical data of 1709 women with human immunodeficiency virus between September 2015 and May 2016 in Eastern Cape Province.

Sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers on antiretroviral therapy in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is associated with a reduction of postnatal HIV transmission and optimal infant growth. Given that the factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding are multi-factorial and context-specific, we examined the prevalence and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practice in the first 6 months among mothers on antiretroviral therapy in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between January to May 2018, on 469 parturient women enlisted in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission cohort study in the Eastern Cape.

Antibiotic sensitivity profile of isolated from HIV/AIDS patients presenting with pyoderma, at the Yaounde Central Hospital, Cameroon.

Introduction: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of several antibiotics against strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pyoderma in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), consulting at the day clinic of the Yaoundé Central Hospital.

Methods: this was a prospective, cross-sectional study which was carried out in five months (November 2013-March 2014). Fifty-three (53) pus specimens were collected; from which the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus was made using Chapman agar.

Reasons for the Early Introduction of Complementary Feeding to HIV-Exposed Infants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Exclusive breastfeeding has many health benefits for the baby and the mother. This study explored the reasons for the early introduction of supplementary feeding before six months, and the issues faced by parturient women in practicing exclusive breast feeding (EBF) for their HIV-exposed infants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Narratives from 319 parturient women with HIV (aged 18 years and above) were collected at three hospitals in the Eastern Cape through semi-structured interviews over a period of five months.

Epidemiology of multimorbidity among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicentre of the HIV pandemic, yet enormous knowledge gaps still exist to elicit a comprehensive portrait of multimorbidity and HIV linkage. This study aims to conduct a systematic meta-analysis of peer-reviewed literature to investigate the current status of multimorbidity epidemiology among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods And Analysis: Our review will assess observational studies (ie, cohort, case-control and cross-sectional) on multimorbidity associated with HIV/AIDS between 1 January 2005 and 31 October 2020 from sub-Saharan Africa.

Applying the Ecological Model to understand pregnant women's perspectives on the modifiable constraints to physical activity during pregnancy: A qualitative research study.

The benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy are widely reported; however, PA practice is seemingly not a valued habit among pregnant women attending public antenatal health centres in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Guided by the ecological model, we sought to explore modifiable barriers to PA among pregnant women.Semi-structured interviews involved a purposive sample of 15 pregnant women.