The social, cultural, and health context of controlling behavior and emotional intimate partner violence among adolescent girls and young women living with human immunodeficiency virus in Uganda: A qualitative study.

Background: Many adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) report intimate partner violence (IPV), including emotional IPV and controlling behavior. Yet, few studies have examined the association between these forms of IPV and health outcomes among AGYW living with HIV.

Objectives: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to understand the contexts in which controlling behavior and emotional IPV might impact the health of AGYW living with HIV in Uganda.

Improving HPV vaccine acceptance through peer-to-peer education among adolescent girls in the urban poor settings of Kisenyi, Kampala, Uganda.

In Uganda, cervical cancer due to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most prevalent cancer among women. In 2015, the HPV vaccine was introduced into Uganda's EPI program, targeting young girls in-and out-of-school. However, HPV vaccine uptake remains low at 44% for the second dose with disparities in vulnerable populations in urban poor settings.

Schools of public health as a cornerstone for pandemic preparedness and response: the Africa COVID-19 experience.

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant morbidity and mortality in Africa, in addition to other socio-economic consequences. Across the continent, Schools of Public Health (SPHs) played several roles in supporting national, regional, and global response to the pandemic. Following a published and grey literature search, this paper reviews and analyses the contribution of SPHs in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trajectories of perinatal depression among women living with HIV in Uganda.

Background: Perinatal depression affects one-third of pregnant women living with HIV (WLH). We examined patterns of treatment response to a novel stepped model of depression care among WLH with perinatal depression in Uganda.

Methods: As part of the Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV (M-DEPTH) cluster randomised controlled trial, 191 women were enrolled across four antenatal care clinics assigned to provide stepped care including behavioural and antidepressant therapy (ADT), and another 200 across four clinics assigned to provide usual care.

Application of the behaviour-centred design to understand facilitators and deterrents of hand hygiene among healthcare providers: findings from a formative phase of a cluster randomised trial in the Kampala Metropolitan area.

Background: Hand hygiene is known to reduce healthcare-associated infections. However, it remains suboptimal among healthcare providers. In this study, we used the Behaviour-centered Design approach to explore the facilitators and deterrents to hand hygiene among healthcare providers in the Kampala Metropolitan area, Uganda.

Understanding women's and men's perspectives on cervical cancer screening in Uganda: a qualitative study.

Background: Cervical cancer remains a significant but preventable threat to women's health throughout much of the developing world, including Uganda. Cervical cancer screening and timely treatment of pre-cancerous lesions is a cost-effective means of mitigating cervical cancer morbidity and mortality. However, only 5% of women in Uganda have ever been screened.

Effects of M-DEPTH Model of Depression Care on Maternal Functioning and Infant Developmental Outcomes in the Six Months Post Delivery: Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Perinatal depression has been shown to have deleterious effects on maternal post-partum functioning, as well as early child development. However, few studies have documented whether depression care helps to mitigate these effects. We examined the effects of the M-DEPTH (Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV) depression care model (including antidepressants and individual Problem Solving Therapy) on maternal functioning and infant development in the first 6 months post-delivery in an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial of 391 HIV-infected women with at least mild depressive symptoms enrolled across eight antenatal care clinics in Uganda.

The contribution of intimate partner violence to vertical HIV transmission: a modelling analysis of 46 African countries.

Background: Addressing gender inequities could be key to the elimination of vertical transmission of HIV. Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) might be at an increased risk of vertical transmission due to their vulnerability to HIV acquisition and barriers to access to and retention in care. Sub-Saharan Africa, where IPV burden is among the highest globally, accounts for most new paediatric HIV infections.

Leveraging community health workers for COVID-19 response in Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda: roles, barriers, and facilitators.

Background: The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic overwhelmed health systems and disrupted the delivery of health services globally. Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a critical role in linking communities to health systems, supporting the prevention and control of diseases in many low- and middle-income countries. However, their roles, barriers, and facilitators in the response and control of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been well documented.

Enhanced Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Implementation for Ugandan Fisherfolk: Pilot Intervention Outcomes.

Mobile populations such as fisherfolk show high HIV incidence and prevalence. We pilot-tested implementation strategies to enhance pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and adherence in the context of healthcare outreach events in two mainland fisherfolk communities on Lake Victoria, Uganda from September 2021 to February 2022. The implementation strategies included PrEP adherence supporters (selected from PrEP users' social networks), community workshops (to address misconceptions and stigma, and empower PrEP advocacy), and check-in calls (including refill reminders).

Prevalence of alcohol use by gender and HIV status in rural Uganda.

Background: Alcohol use is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide. Uganda has a high level of alcohol use per capita. Compared to men, women are less likely to consume alcohol globally; however, women who drink have increased risks for co-occurring conditions, including depression, intimate partner violence, and HIV.

Evaluation of a national program to distribute free face masks in Uganda: Evidence from Mbale District.

Background: COVID-19 posed a major threat to countries around the world, but many nations in sub-Saharan Africa avoided large-scale outbreaks. In Uganda, the government first enacted strict lockdowns but later focused on public health policies like masking and distancing. The government also embarked on an ambitious campaign to deliver a free face mask to all Ugandan citizens (approx.

Characterising People who inject drugs, and association with HIV infection: A Situation Analysis in Kampala city, Uganda.

Background: Uganda has implemented targeted interventions to address the rising burden of injection drug use, yet barriers persist in reaching persons who inject drugs (PWID). This study describes the characteristics of people who inject drugs, physical and mental health states, and associated risk behaviors, to inform the designing of programs that are tailored to client's needs and preferences.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and December 2023 at selected hotspots in Kampala, interviewing 499 PWID aged ≥18 years.

"The burden is upon your shoulders to feed and take care of your children, not religion or culture": qualitative evaluation of participatory community dialogues to promote family planning's holistic benefits and reshape community norms on family success in rural Uganda.

Background: Family planning has significant health and social benefits, but in settings like Uganda, is underutilized due to prevalent community and religious norms promoting large family size and gender inequity. Family Health = Family Wealth (FH = FW) is a multi-level, community-based intervention that used community dialogues grounded in Campbell and Cornish's social psychological theory of transformative communication to reshape individual endorsement of community norms that negatively affect gender equitable reproductive decision-making among couples in rural Uganda.

Methods: This study aimed to qualitatively evaluate the effect of FH = FW's community dialogue approach on participants' personal endorsement of community norms counter to family planning acceptance and gender equity.

Associations Between Alcohol Use, Antiretroviral Therapy Use, and Viral Load Suppression Among People Living with HIV in Rural Central Uganda.

Alcohol use among people living with HIV (PWH) is common and may negatively affect engagement in HIV care. We evaluated the relationships between alcohol use, ART use, and viral suppression among PWH in Uganda. PATH/Ekkubo was a trial evaluating a linkage to HIV care intervention in four Ugandan districts, Nov 2015-Sept 2021.

Retention of people who inject drugs enrolled in a 'medications for opioid use disorder' (MOUD) programme in Uganda.

Background: Injection Drug use is associated with increased HIV risk behaviour that may result in the transmission of HIV and poor access to HIV prevention and treatment. In 2020, Uganda introduced the 'medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment' for People who inject drugs (PWID). We analysed the 12-month retention and associated factors among PWID enrolled on MOUD treatment in Kampala, Uganda.

Facilitators and barriers to integrated malaria prevention in Wakiso district, Uganda: A photovoice study.

Malaria continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Appropriate combinations of non-chemical and chemical methods of malaria vector control in the context of integrated vector management have been recommended by the World Health Organization. The aim of the study was to explore facilitators and barriers to using integrated malaria prevention in Wakiso district, Uganda.

Life Science 2.0: reframing the life science sector for 'the benefit on mankind'.

The COVID-19 pandemic put the life science sector to the test. Vaccines were developed at unprecedented speed, benefiting from decades of fundamental research and now honoured by a Nobel Prize. However, we saw that the fruits of science were inequitably distributed.

Linkages between the Sustainable Development Goals and health in Somalia.

Background: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 compromises 17 universal and indivisible goals for sustainable development, however the interactions between the SDGs in Somalia is not known which is vital for understanding potential synergies and trad-offs between the SDGs. Hence, this study aims to identify and classify the linkages between the SDGs with a focus on health and well-being (SDG 3) in Somalia.

Methods: Following the SDG Synergies approach, 35 leading experts from the public and private sectors as well as academia and civil society gathered for a 2-day workshop in Mogadishu and scored the interactions between the individual SDGs on a seven point-scale from - 3 to + 3.

Use of tobacco and other illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men in Kampala, Uganda: A result of low parental attention?

Introduction: Although the use of illicit drugs is common among young people, limited data exists on the use of illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men (ABYM). We assessed the use of tobacco, marijuana and khat among ABYM to inform the design of harm-reduction interventions.

Methods: This secondary analysis uses data from a formative study conducted among 2,500 ABYM across the five divisions of Kampala between July and August 2020.