Antiviral use among hepatitis B infected patients in a low resource setting in Africa: a case study of West Nile, Uganda.

Failure to access antiviral medications is a leading cause of hepatitis B (HBV)-associated morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite guideline availability, SSA is not on course to meet its elimination targets. We characterized factors associated with antiviral medication use and challenges to offering chronic care in a large Ugandan institution.

Feasibility and acceptability of integrating hepatitis B care into routine HIV services: a qualitative study among health care providers and patients in West Nile region, Uganda.

Background: Despite facing a dual burden of HBV and HIV, Africa lacks experience in offering integrated care for HIV and HBV. To contextualize individual and group-level feasibility and acceptability of an integrated HIV/HBV care model, we explored perspectives of health care providers and care recipients on feasibility and acceptability of integration.

Methods: In two regional hospitals of West Nile region, we performed a demonstration project to assess feasibility and acceptability of merging the care of HBV-monoinfected patients with existing HIV care system.

Predictors of Hepatitis B screening and vaccination status of young psychoactive substance users in informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda.

Background: Young psychoactive substance users exhibit high-risk behaviours such as unprotected sexual intercourse, and sharing needles and syringes, which increases their risk of Hepatitis B infection. However, there is limited evidence of screening, and vaccination status of this subgroup. The aim of this study was to establish the predictors of screening and completion of the hepatitis B vaccination schedule.

A training for health care workers to integrate hepatitis B care and treatment into routine HIV care in a high HBV burden, poorly resourced region of Uganda: the '2for1' project.

Introduction: The "2for1" project is a demonstration project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of HBV care integrated into an HIV clinic and service. An initial phase in implementation of this project was the development of a specific training program. Our objective was to describe key features of this integrated training curriculum and evaluation of its impact in the initial cohort of health care workers (HCWs).

Corrigendum to "Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination for newborns in Uganda: A qualitative inquiry on pregnant women's perceptions, barriers and preferences" [J Virus Eradic 7(2) (2021) 100039].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jve.

Hepatitis C in Uganda: Identification of infected blood donors for micro-elimination.

Background: The drive to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030 is underway. However, locally generated data on active infection is required to focus such efforts. We performed a regionally-inclusive survey to determine prevalence of active HCV, genotypes and related factors among Ugandan blood donors.

Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination for newborns in Uganda: A qualitative inquiry on pregnant women's perceptions, barriers and preferences.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa continues with very low hepatitis B (HBV) birth dose vaccination coverage. To guide policy on HBV vaccine for newborns, we explored perceptions, barriers and preferences of pregnant women regarding HBV and the HBV birth dose vaccination.

Methods: We conducted eight focus groups discussions (FGDs) among 70 pregnant women, stratified by rural-urban residence, age and education level, using a structured focus group discussion guide to explore birth dose awareness, perceptions, barriers and preferences.

Neighborhood greenness and burden of non-communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multi-country cross-sectional study.

Population growth, demographic transitions and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will increase non-communicable disease (NCD) burden. We studied the association between neighborhood greenness and NCDs in a multi-country cross-sectional study. Among 1178 participants, in adjusted models, a 0.

Hepatitis B screening and vaccination status of healthcare providers in Wakiso district, Uganda.

Background: Screening and vaccination against Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains the most effective intervention in curbing the disease. However, there is limited evidence on the factors associated with the uptake of these services in Uganda. This study determined the uptake of HBV screening and vaccination status, and associated factors among Healthcare Providers (HCPs) in Wakiso district, Uganda.

Herbal medicine use among patients with viral and non-viral Hepatitis in Uganda: prevalence, patterns and related factors.

Background: There is some evidence that patients with liver diseases commonly use complementary and alternative therapies to address general and liver-disease specific health concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess and describe prevalence, patterns and related factors of herbal medicine use among adults diagnosed with viral and non-viral hepatitis in Kampala, Uganda.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 310 adult patients attending the gastrointestinal clinic in Mulago hospital referral hospital in Kampala.

Correction to: Hepatitis B virus perceptions and health seeking behaviors among pregnant women in Uganda: implications for prevention and policy.

In the original publication of this article [1], some values are missing in the Figure 1, Figure 2 and Figure 3. These errors were introduced during typesetting; thus the publisher apologizes for this error. Additionally, the original manuscript has also been updated to amend this error.

Hepatitis B virus perceptions and health seeking behaviors among pregnant women in Uganda: implications for prevention and policy.

Background: With most countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) lagging behind schedule to implement a comprehensive viral hepatitis elimination strategy, several barriers to accurate information and hepatitis B virus (HBV) services still exist, that are unique to different regions. In an obstetric population of a high HBV burden SSA setting without antenatal HBV services, we systematically evaluated perceptions and prevention behavioral intentions in relation to HBV and liver cancer.

Methods: Eligible consenting pregnant women were recruited from public health care facilities in the central and northern regions of Uganda, between October 2016 and December 2017.

Correlates of hepatitis B awareness and disease-specific knowledge among pregnant women in Northern and Central Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a high hepatitis B burden also have limited resources to identify underlying drivers of disease among key at-risk populations. To improve prioritization and strengthen prevention of mother to child transmission of HBV, it is imperative to understand disease awareness, knowledge and related factors among pregnant women.

Objectives: This study assessed HBV disease awareness, knowledge and related factors among pregnant women in public health facilities in two regions with diverse HBV disease epidemiology.

Consumption of processed food dietary patterns in four African populations.

Objective: To identify predominant dietary patterns in four African populations and examine their association with obesity.

Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting/SubjectsWe used data from the Africa/Harvard School of Public Health Partnership for Cohort Research and Training (PaCT) pilot study established to investigate the feasibility of a multi-country longitudinal study of non-communicable chronic disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

Prevalence and risk factor for injury in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicountry study.

Introduction: Injury-related morbidity is a neglected health concern in many low-income and middle-income countries. Most injury data in Africa have been collected from hospital-based studies, and few studies have occurred across multiple countries. Using data from a novel cohort, we examined the prevalence and incidence of serious injuries and associated risk factors across five sites in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Urban-rural and geographic differences in overweight and obesity in four sub-Saharan African adult populations: a multi-country cross-sectional study.

Background: Overweight and obesity are on the rise in developing countries including sub-Saharan Africa. We undertook a four-country survey to show the collective burden of these health conditions as they occur currently in sub-Saharan Africa and to determine the differences between urban and rural populations and other socio-economic factors.

Methods: Participants were nurses in two hospitals in Nigeria (200), school teachers in South Africa (489) and Tanzania (229), and village residents in one peri-urban (297) and one rural location in Uganda (200) who completed a standardised questionnaire.

Does health-related quality of life among adults with pulmonary tuberculosis improve across the treatment period? A hospital-based cross sectional study in Mbale Region, Eastern Uganda.

Background: Most tuberculosis (TB) case management guidelines emphasize microbiological cure as treatment goal without highlighting quality of life outcomes. This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and related factors in the pre-treatment, intensive and continuation phases of anti-TB therapy among sputum smear positive pulmonary TB patients in Mbale region, Eastern Uganda.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2.

Urban and rural prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and risk factors associated with diabetes in Tanzania and Uganda.

Background: The increase in prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa underlines the importance of understanding its magnitude and causes in different population groups. We analyzed data from the Africa/Harvard Partnership for Cohort Research and Training (PaCT) studies to determine the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and risk factors associated with diabetes.

Methodology: Participants were randomly selected from peri-urban (n=297) and rural (n=200) communities in Uganda, and teachers were recruited from schools (n=229) in urban Tanzania.

The burden of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa: a four-country cross sectional study.

Background: Hypertension, the leading single cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, is a growing public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Few studies have estimated and compared the burden of hypertension across different SSA populations. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of blood pressure data collected through a cohort study in four SSA countries, to estimate the prevalence of pre-hypertension, the prevalence of hypertension, and to identify the factors associated with hypertension.

Feasibility of a large cohort study in sub-Saharan Africa assessed through a four-country study.

Background: Large prospective epidemiologic studies are vital in determining disease etiology and forming national health policy. Yet, such studies do not exist in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) notwithstanding the growing burden of chronic diseases.

Objective: We explored the feasibility of establishing a large-scale multicountry prospective study at five sites in four sub-Saharan countries.

Oropharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae among HIV-infected adults in Uganda: assessing prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Objectives: To evaluate characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae associated with oropharyngeal colonization in the Ugandan adult HIV population.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at the outpatient HIV clinic at the Joint Clinical Research Centre in Kampala, Uganda between July 2004 and February 2005. Six hundred HIV-infected individuals were interviewed and had oropharyngeal specimens collected.