Health worker perspectives on barriers and facilitators of tuberculosis investigation coverage among index case contacts in rural Southwestern Uganda: a qualitative study.

Background: In 2012, the World Health Organization recommended screening and investigation of contacts of index tuberculosis patients as a strategy to accelerate detection of tuberculosis (TB) cases. Nine years after the adoption of this recommendation, coverage of TB contact investigations in Uganda remains low. The objective of this study was to examine health care providers' perceptions of factors influencing coverage of TB contact investigations in three selected rural health facilities in Mbarara district, southwestern Uganda.

Factors associated with ART adherence among HIV-positive adherence club members in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa: A cross-sectional study.

Background: HIV is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in South Africa that can be managed using antiretroviral therapy (ART). Adherence clubs are interventions that have been introduced to decentralize ART to improve ART adherence and provide social support for club members. However, ART adherence can be suboptimal even among adherence club members.

Validation of Parkinson's Disease-Related Questionnaires in South Africa.

Background: There are very few epidemiological studies investigating Parkinson's disease (PD) in Africa. The hundreds of local languages and dialects make traditional screening and clinical evaluation tools difficult to use.

Objective: The objective of the study was to validate two commonly used PD questionnaires in an African population.

Effects of commodity on the risk of emphysema in South African miners.

Purpose: To examine associations between mine commodity such as coal, platinum, or diamonds and emphysema among South African miners at autopsy.

Methods: We examined the association between mine commodity and emphysema using the Pathology Automation (PATHAUT) database, 1975-2014. Exposure was characterized as longest tenure in each commodity.

Occupational emphysema in South African miners at autopsy; 1975-2014.

Purpose: To determine the associations between exposure duration, measured by employment tenure, and emphysema presence and severity in black and white South African miners at autopsy.

Methods: We examined the association between mining tenure and emphysema presence or severity using the Pathology Automation (PATHAUT) database, 1975-2014. We used logistic regression models adjusted for age, tuberculosis, HIV status, and year of death.

Four decades of pulmonary tuberculosis in deceased South African miners: trends and determinants.

Objective: We investigated trends and determinants of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in deceased South African miners.

Methods: Statutory autopsies are performed on miners for occupational lung disease compensation, irrespective of cause of death. Data were extracted from the PATHAUT (Pathology Automation System) autopsy database.

Temporal trends in the epidemiology of cervical cancer in South Africa (1994-2012).

Cervical cancer (CC) is the leading cause of cancer death among female South Africans (SA). Improved access to reproductive health services following multi-ethnic democracy in 1994, HIV epidemic, and the initiation of CC population-based screening in early 2000s have influenced the epidemiology of CC in SA. We therefore evaluated the trends in CC age-standardised incidence (ASIR) (1994-2009) and mortality rates (ASMR) (2004-2012) using data from the South African National Cancer Registry and the Statistics South Africa, respectively.

Asbestos-related diseases in mineworkers: a clinicopathological study.

The accurate diagnosis of asbestos-related diseases is important because of past and current asbestos exposures. This study evaluated the reliability of clinical diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases in former mineworkers using autopsies as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated.

38 years of autopsy findings in South African mine workers.

Background: South African miners have a statutory right to autopsies for occupational lung disease compensation. These autopsies also provide information for research and surveillance.

Methods: Cardio-respiratory organs are removed where miners die and are examined at the National Institute for Occupational Health.

Compensation for environmental asbestos-related diseases in South Africa: a neglected issue.

Background: Environmentally acquired asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) are of concern globally. In South Africa, there is widespread contamination of the environment due to historical asbestos mining operations that were poorly regulated. Although the law makes provision for the compensation of occupationally acquired ARDs, compensation for environmentally acquired ARDs is only available through the Asbestos Relief Trust (ART) and Kgalagadi Relief Trust, both of which are administered by the ART.

Three decades of silicosis: disease trends at autopsy in South African gold miners.

Background: Eliminating silicosis is a priority of the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization. Prevalence is particularly high in developing countries.

Objectives: We describe trends in silicosis among South African gold miners who had had an autopsy between 1975 and 2007 and quantify the contributions of age at autopsy and employment duration to these trends.

Autopsy findings in Witwatersrand gold miners, 1907-1913.

This article reports autopsy findings in black Witwatersrand gold miners who originated mainly from Portuguese East Africa. These men died at the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association compound in Johannesburg between 1907 and 1913, just over 20 years after the discovery of gold in South Africa. At that time there were shockingly high levels of death and disease on the mines.

Damaged goods: return to sender. A review of the historical medical records of repatriated Chinese miners.

After the Anglo-Boer (South African) War (1899-1902), there was a shortage of unskilled labor on the South African gold mines. Chinese men were imported to make up for the deficit. This article reviews the records of indentured Chinese mine workers examined for repatriation in 1905.