Provider perceptions of young people living with HIV and unhealthy alcohol use in Southwestern Uganda: a qualitative study.

Background: Unhealthy alcohol use is a common public health problem in HIV care settings in Africa and it affects the HIV continuum of care. In Uganda and other low-income countries, HIV care providers are a key resource in caring for young people (15-24 years) living with HIV (YPLH) with unhealthy alcohol use. Caring for YPLH largely depends on care providers' perceptions of the problem.

Prevalence and factors associated with opioid use disorder among adolescents with sickle cell disease in Mulago hospital, Uganda.

Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD) among adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) patients increases their risk of complications from sickle cell disease, such as infections, stroke, acute chest syndrome, sudden death, and organ failure. This negatively impacts families, communities, the national health system, and the economy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with opioid use disorder among adolescents with SCD at Mulago Hospital Uganda.

Prevalence of, and factors associated with, alcohol use disorder among young adults (aged 15-24 years) living with HIV/AIDS in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Alcohol use is a global driver of HIV infection and disease progression, mediated through risky behaviour and poor antiretroviral adherence. Most studies about the burden of alcohol use among people living with HIV (PLWH)/AIDS have been done in adult populations, but less is known about young people with HIV, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite the high level of alcohol use in these settings. The aim of this review is to collate evidence on the prevalence of, and factors associated with, alcohol use disorder (AUD) among young adults (aged 15-24 years) living with HIV/AIDS in LMICs.

Prevalence and factors associated with psychological distress among patients on warfarin at the Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago Hospital.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide and are significantly associated with multiple comorbid disorders including mental disorders such as psychological distress (PD). At increased risk of PD are CVD patient sub-categories that not only require chronic therapy but also need follow up with continuous blood tests and dose adjustments (like the patients on warfarin). However, not much has been done to ascertain the burden of PD among patients on warfarin in Uganda.

Assessment of the relationship between life events with psychosocial competence of students in selected secondary schools in Northern and Central Uganda.

Introduction: As they grow, young people transit through adolescence; a particularly challenging phase. Many go through without difficulties but some experience maladaptive responses in form of conduct and adjustment problems, pubertal challenges and life stress. Published research from the developed societies demonstrates consistent associations between young people's exposure to life events, psychosocial competence (PSC) and mental health problems.

Community participation to improve health services for children: a methodology for a community dialogue intervention in Uganda.

Background: Like other developing countries, Uganda still struggles to meaningfully reduce child mortality. A strategy of giving information to communities to spark interest in improving child survival through inducing responsibility and social sanctioning in the health workforce was postulated. By focusing on diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria, a Community and District Empowerment for Scale up (CODES) undertaking used "community dialogues" to arm communities with health system performance information.

Effects of a School-Based Intervention on Frequency and Quality of Adolescent-Parent/Caregiver Sexuality Communication: Results from a Randomized-Controlled Trial in Uganda.

In a cluster-randomized trial conducted in 22 government secondary schools in Uganda, effects of a school-based intervention aimed at improving aspects of parent/caregiver-adolescent communication on sexuality were examined. The intervention comprised classroom-based education sessions, take home assignments for students to discuss with parents/caregivers and parenting workshops. Baseline and post intervention questionnaires were completed by students and by parents/caregivers.

Health facility management and access: a qualitative analysis of challenges to seeking healthcare for children under five in Uganda.

While several studies have documented the various barriers that caretakers of children under five routinely confront when seeking healthcare in Uganda, few have sought to capture the ways in which caretakers themselves prioritize their own barriers to seeking services. To that end, we asked focus groups of caretakers to list their five greatest challenges to seeking care on behalf of children under five. Using qualitative content analysis, we grouped responses according to four categories: (1) geographical access barriers; (2) facility supplies, staffing, and infrastructural barriers; (3) facility management and administration barriers (e.

Perceptions of human papillomavirus vaccination of adolescent schoolgirls in western Uganda and their implications for acceptability of HPV vaccination: a qualitative study.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has been perceived in diverse ways some of which encourage its uptake while others could potentially deter its acceptability. This study explored community member's perceptions about HPV vaccination in Ibanda district and the implications of the perceptions for acceptability of HPV vaccination. The study was conducted following initial vaccination of adolescent schoolgirls in the district between 2008 and 2011.

Perceptions and experiences of adolescents, parents and school administrators regarding adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues in urban and rural Uganda.

Background: Evidence suggests that in spite of some adolescents being sexually active, many parents do not discuss sex-related issues with them due to lack of age-appropriate respectful vocabulary and skills. The likelihood of parent-adolescent communication improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes appears plausible. The desire to understand parent-adolescent communication and how to improve it for promotion of healthy sexual behaviours inspired this research.

Psychological reactions of adolescent schoolgirls to human papillomavirus vaccination in western Uganda: A comparative cross-sectional study.

Schoolgirls in two Ugandan districts were recently vaccinated against human papillomavirus that causes most cervical cancer. This cross-sectional comparative study used mixed research methods to assess influence of human papillomavirus vaccination on adolescents' worrisome thoughts about being vaccinated and psychological distress. Vaccination predicted worrisome thoughts among the recently vaccinated (adjusted odds ratio: 1.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination and Adolescent Girls' Knowledge and Sexuality in Western Uganda: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination on adolescent girls' knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine, perception of sexual risk and intentions for sexual debut. This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in Ibanda and Mbarara districts. Data was collected using a standardized self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences computer software.

Mental health literacy among secondary school students in North and Central Uganda: a qualitative study.

Objectives: There has been limited effort to explore young people's perceptions about mental illness in Uganda. For mental health programs targeting young people to succeed, it is important to incorporate their understanding of mental illness, their perceptions about causes of mental illness and their attitudes about mentally ill people. The objective of this study was to explore the mental health of young people in secondary schools in Northern and Central Uganda.

Effect of school-based human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccination on adolescent girls' knowledge and acceptability of the HPV vaccine in Ibanda District in Uganda.

From 2008 to 2011, schoolgirls were vaccinated against HPV in two districts in Uganda following sensitization. This study assessed girls' knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, and their acceptance of future vaccination of friends and hypothetical daughters. The cross-sectional, mixed methods comparative study was conducted in two districts.

Parents' knowledge, risk perception and willingness to allow young males to receive human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in Uganda.

The Ministry of Health in Uganda in collaboration with the Program for Appropriate Technology for Health (PATH) supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2008-2009 vaccinated approximately 10,000 girls with the bivalent humanpapilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. We assessed parent's knowledge, risk perception and willingness to allow son(s) to receive HPV vaccines in future through a cross-sectional survey of secondary school boys aged 10-23 years in 4 districts. 377 questionnaires were distributed per district and 870 were used in analysis.

Vulnerability to high risk sexual behaviour (HRSB) following exposure to war trauma as seen in post-conflict communities in eastern uganda: a qualitative study.

Background: Much of the literature on the relationship between conflict-related trauma and high risk sexual behaviour (HRSB) often focuses on refugees and not mass in-country displaced people due to armed conflicts. There is paucity of research about contexts underlying HRSB and HIV/AIDS in conflict and post-conflict communities in Uganda. Understanding factors that underpin vulnerability to HRSB in post-conflict communities is vital in designing HIV/AIDS prevention interventions.

Lessons learnt from comprehensive evaluation of community-based education in Uganda: a proposal for an ideal model community-based education for health professional training institutions.

Background: Community-based education (CBE) can provide contextual learning that addresses manpower scarcity by enabling trainees acquire requisite experiences, competence, confidence and values. In Uganda, many health professional training institutions conduct some form of community-based education (CBE). However, there is scanty information on the nature of the training: whether a curriculum exists (objectives, intended outcomes, content, implementation strategy), administration and constraints faced.

Information and communication technology and community-based health sciences training in Uganda: perceptions and experiences of educators and students.

Information and communication technology (ICT) has been advocated as a powerful tool for improving health education in low-resource settings. However, few evaluations have been performed of ICT perceptions and user experiences in low-resource settings. During late 2009, an internet-based survey on ICT was administered to students, tutors, and faculty members associated with a Community-Based Education and Service (COBES) program in Uganda.

Perceptions and valuation of a community-based education and service (COBES) program in Uganda.

Background: Community-based education and service (COBES) has been promoted to improve the education of health professionals, particularly in low-resource settings. However, few evaluations have been performed to guide program development.

Aim: This study assessed student and educator perceptions and valuation of a Ugandan COBES program.

Intra-household differences in health seeking behaviour for orphans and non-orphans in an NGO-supported and non-supported sub-county of Luwero, Uganda.

Objective: Comparing healthcare dynamics among orphans and non-orphans in an NGO supported and a non-supported sub-county so as to identify the level of equity.

Design And Methods: This was a cross-sectional unmatched case-control research. A sample of 98 orphans and 98 non-orphans in an NGO supported sub-county and a similar number in a control sub-county participated.

Caregivers' experiences with major depression concealed by physical illness in patients recruited from central Ugandan Primary Health Care Centers.

In this article, we present caregivers' grapples with major depression seen among their physically ill patients. A thematic analysis of 29 in-depth caregiver interviews identified four themes: (a) caregivers' perceptions of depression, (b) barriers to caregivers' focus on depression, (c) resources and opportunities for managing depression, and (d) caregivers' perspectives on consequences of depression. Patients' physical illnesses concealed depressive episodes.

Life events associated with major depression in Ugandan primary healthcare (PHC) patients: issues of cultural specificity.

Objective: The study compared life events experienced by depressed patients seen at primary healthcare (PHC) centres with those among healthy community controls.

Method: Data was collected from 74 depressed patients and 64 unmatched controls from village locales of patients. Interview instruments included the depression module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and Interview for Recent Life Events (IRLE).