Leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize COVID-19 robust spread and vaccination roll-out strategies in Southern Africa.

The outbreak of coronavirus in the year 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prompted widespread illness, death, and extended economic devastation worldwide. In response, numerous countries, including Botswana and South Africa, instituted various clinical public health (CPH) strategies to mitigate and control the disease. However, the emergence of variants of concern (VOC), vaccine hesitancy, morbidity, inadequate and inequitable vaccine supply, and ineffective vaccine roll-out strategies caused continuous disruption of essential services.

Determinants of health-related quality of life in young adults living with perinatally acquired HIV infection in Botswana.

Background: Due to the successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme in Botswana, large numbers of perinatally HIV-infected adolescents are emerging into young adulthood. Young adulthood is a critical period of human development. However, there is lack of information on the factors affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of young adults living with perinatally acquired HIV (YALPH) in Botswana.

Assessing the reporting of categorised quantitative variables in observational epidemiological studies.

Background: One aspect to consider when reporting results of observational studies in epidemiology is how quantitative risk factors are analysed. The STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines recommend that researchers describe how they handle quantitative variables when analysing data. For categorised quantitative variables, the authors are required to provide reasons and justifications informing their practice.