Coping mechanisms for students with mental disorders: An exploratory qualitative study at Busitema University's Mbale and Busia Campuses.

In recent years, Ugandan universities have faced a rising incidence of mental health issues among students, with prevalence rates of mental disorders reaching up to 60% among undergraduates. These challenges significantly impact both academic performance and social interactions. This study aimed to investigate the coping mechanisms among students with mental disorders at Busitema University.

Improving Clerkship to Enhance Patients' Quality of care (ICEPACQ): a baseline study.

Background: Proper and complete clerkships for patients have long been shown to contribute to correct diagnosis and improved patient care. All sections for clerkship must be carefully and fully completed to guide the diagnosis and the plan of management; moreover, one section guides the next. Failure to perform a complete clerkship has been shown to lead to misdiagnosis due to its unpleasant outcomes, such as delayed recovery, prolonged inpatient stay, high cost of care and, at worst, death.

Ethnobotanical survey and phytochemistry of medicinal plants used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Uganda.

Currently, highly active antiretroviral therapy is unable to cure HIV/AIDS because of HIV latency. This study aimed at documenting medicinal plants used in the management of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Uganda so as to identify phytochemicals with HIV latency reversing potential. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across eight districts in Eastern Uganda.

Can an integrated intervention package including peer support increase the proportion of health facility births? A cluster randomised controlled trial in Northern Uganda.

Objective: To assess the effect of an integrated intervention package compared with routine government health services on the frequency of health facility births.

Setting: Three subcounties of Lira district in Northern Uganda.

Design: A cluster randomised controlled trial where a total of 30 clusters were randomised in a ratio of 1:1 to intervention or standard of care.

Acute and subacute toxicity profile of ethanolic stem bark extract of Welw. ex Oliv. in Wistar albino rats.

(Fabaceae) crude extracts are key ingredients of several licensed and unlicensed herbal products in East Africa. However, there is limited and often contradicting information regarding its toxicity. We therefore evaluated the acute and subacute toxicity of the ethanolic stem bark extract of in mature healthy Wistar albino rats following Lorke's method and OECD guidelines 407.

Medicinal plants used for treatment of malaria by indigenous communities of Tororo District, Eastern Uganda.

Background: Malaria remains the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Although recent developments such as malaria vaccine trials inspire optimism, the search for novel antimalarial drugs is urgently needed to control the mounting resistance of Plasmodium species to the available therapies. The present study was conducted to document ethnobotanical knowledge on the plants used to treat symptoms of malaria in Tororo district, a malaria-endemic region of Eastern Uganda.

Are antibiotic prescription practices in Eastern Uganda concordant with the national standard treatment guidelines? A cross-sectional retrospective study.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic prescription patterns of health workers in Eastern Uganda and more specifically whether they are in accordance with the Ugandan standard treatment guidelines and other indicators of appropriate antimicrobial prescription.

Methods: Patient data were obtained from the health management information system of the outpatient department registers of Soroti and Mbale Regional Referral Hospitals from 2016-2018.

Results: The prevalence of non-adherence to treatment guidelines when prescribing antibiotics was 82.

Incidence of home delivery among women living with HIV in Lira, Northern Uganda: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Home delivery has been associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV and remains high among HIV-infected women. Predictors for home delivery in the context of HIV have not been fully studied and understood in Northern Uganda. We therefore aimed to find out the incidence and risk factors for home delivery among women living with HIV in Lira, Northern Uganda.

Incidence and determinants of perinatal mortality among women with obstructed labour in eastern Uganda: a prospective cohort study.

Background: In Uganda, the incidence and determinants of perinatal death in obstructed labour are not well documented. We determined the incidence and determinants of perinatal mortality among women with obstructed labour in Eastern Uganda.

Methods: Between July 2018 and September 2019, 584 with obstructed labour were recruited and followed up to the 7th day postnatal.

Experiences and views of healthcare professionals on the prescription of antibiotics in Eastern Uganda: A qualitative study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the experiences and views of healthcare professionals on antibiotic prescription in Eastern Uganda.

Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Participants included 16 healthcare professionals from Mbale and Soroti Regional Referral Hospitals.

Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among patients in two tertiary hospitals in Eastern Uganda.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from inpatients and outpatients in Mbale and Soroti regional referral hospitals in Eastern Uganda.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of culture and antibiotic sensitivity test results from the microbiology laboratories of the two tertiary hospitals was conducted for a 3-year period (January 2016-December 2018).

Results: Microbiology records of 3092 patients were reviewed and analysed, with 1305 (42.

Effect of pre-operative bicarbonate infusion on maternal and perinatal outcomes among women with obstructed labour in Mbale hospital: A double blind randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Oral bicarbonate solution is known to improve both maternal and perinatal outcomes among women with abnormal labour (dystocia). Its effectiveness and safety among women with obstructed labour is not known.

Objective: To determine the effect and safety of a single-dose preoperative infusion of sodium bicarbonate on maternal and fetal blood lactate and clinical outcomes among women with obstructed labour (OL) in Mbale hospital.

Exclusive breastfeeding among HIV exposed infants from birth to 14 weeks of life in Lira, Northern Uganda: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Breastfeeding is important for growth, development and survival of HIV exposed infants. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of morbidity, mortality and increases HIV free survival of infants. Evidence on risk factors for inappropriate breastfeeding in Northern Uganda is limited.

Barriers and enablers of adherence to infant nevirapine prophylaxis against HIV 1 transmission among 6-week-old HIV exposed infants: A prospective cohort study in Northern Uganda.

Background: Sub-optimal adherence to infant prophylaxis has been associated with mother-to-child-transmission of HIV. However, the factors associated have not been well characterised in different settings. This study describes barriers and enablers of adherence to infant prophylaxis among 6-week-old HIV exposed infants in Lira district, Northern Uganda.

Prevalence and predictors for unintended pregnancy among HIV-infected pregnant women in Lira, Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Prevention of unintended pregnancies is a global strategy to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Factors surrounding unintended pregnancy among women living with HIV are not well understood. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors for unintended pregnancy among these women in Northern Uganda.

Detectable HIV-RNA Viral Load Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women on Treatment in Northern Uganda.

Background / Objectives: Detectable HIV viral load among HIV-infected pregnant women remains a public health threat. We aimed to determine factors associated with detectable viral load among HIV-infected pregnant women in Lira, Northern Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 420 HIV-infected pregnant women attending Lira Regional Referral Hospital using a structured questionnaire and combined it with viral load tests from Uganda National Health Laboratories.

Three year survival among patients with aids-related Kaposi sarcoma treated with chemotherapy and combination antiretroviral therapy at Moi teaching and referral hospital, Kenya.

Background: AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma (AIDS-KS), a common malignancy in Kenya is associated with high morbidity and mortality. AIDS-KS is treated using bleomycin and vincristine (BV) plus or minus doxorubicin in most low resource settings, with response rates ranging from 24.8 to 87%.

Randomized Phase IIA Trial of Gemcitabine Compared With Bleomycin Plus Vincristine for Treatment of Kaposi's Sarcoma in Patients on Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in Western Kenya.

Purpose: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a spindle cell tumor resulting from growth dysregulation in the setting of infection with human herpes virus-8 (also called KS herpes virus). Advanced KS is characterized by poor responses to antiretroviral therapy and some of the chemotherapy readily accessible to patients in low-resource areas. Gemcitabine induced partial and complete regression of AIDS-associated KS (AIDS-KS) in 11 of 24 patients in a pilot study.

Oil-Fortified Maize Porridge Increases Absorption of Lumefantrine in Children with Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria.

Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is a first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. Absorption of lumefantrine (LUM) is fat dependent, and in children, intake is recommended with milk. We investigated whether oil-fortified maize porridge can be an alternative when milk is not available.

Medication Error Disclosure and Attitudes to Reporting by Healthcare Professionals in a Sub-Saharan African Setting: A Survey in Uganda.

Background: Medication errors (MEs) are largely under-reported, which undermines quality improvement and medication risk management in healthcare.

Objectives: To assess attitudes of Ugandan healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards ME reporting, and identify characteristics of HCPs who endorsed integration of ME and adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting, valued patient involvement in ME reporting, disclosed having ever made potentially harmful MEs, or observed possibly harmful MEs committed by other HCPs.

Methods: Healthcare professionals self-completed a questionnaire on their attitudes towards the occurrence and reporting of MEs in purposively selected Ugandan health facilities (public/private) including the national referral and six regional referral hospitals representative of all regions.

Rare, serious, and comprehensively described suspected adverse drug reactions reported by surveyed healthcare professionals in Uganda.

Background: Lack of adequate detail compromises analysis of reported suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs). We investigated how comprehensively Ugandan healthcare professionals (HCPs) described their most recent previous-month suspected ADR, and determined the characteristics of HCPs who provided comprehensive ADR descriptions. We also identified rare, serious, and unanticipated suspected ADR descriptions with medication safety-alerting potential.

The availability of six tracer medicines in private medicine outlets in Uganda.

Objectives: Many low income countries struggle to provide safe and effective medicines due to poor public health care infrastructure, budgetary constraints, and lack of human resource capacity. Private sector pharmacies and drug shops are used by a majority of the population as an alternative to public pharmacies. This study looks at the availability of six essential medicines in private drug outlets across Uganda.

Recognition and reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions by surveyed healthcare professionals in Uganda: key determinants.

Objective: To assess extent and determinants of past-month recognition of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADR) and past-year ADR reporting among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Uganda.

Setting: Geographically diverse health facilities (public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit).

Participants: Of 2000 questionnaires distributed, 1345 were completed: return rate of 67%.

A consortium approach to competency-based undergraduate medical education in Uganda: process, opportunities and challenges.

Background: Uganda, like the rest of Africa, is faced with serious health challenges including human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), other infectious diseases and increasing non-communicable diseases, yet it has a significant shortage of health workers. Even the few health workers available may lack desired competencies required to address current and future health challenges. Reducing Uganda's disease burden and addressing health challenges requires Ugandan medical schools to produce health workers with the necessary competencies.