Prevalence of dementia and its association with central nervous system infections among older persons in northern Uganda: cross-sectional community-based study.

Background: Dementia is a condition in which there is deterioration in cognitive function beyond what might be expected from the usual consequence of biological aging. Few studies have been conducted on the prevalence of dementia and its association with central nervous system (CNS) infections among older persons in African settings, particularly in Uganda. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of dementia and its association with CNS infections among older persons in Lira District, northern Uganda.

Behavioral and psycho-social impairments among people living with dementia and their management by caregivers in South-Western Uganda: a qualitative study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the behavioral and social impairments among people living with dementia (PLWD) in rural southwestern Uganda. It also explored the burden of caregivers for people living with dementia.

Methods: This was a qualitative study among people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Caregiver's perspectives on the Central Nervous System infection illness trajectory among older persons with dementia in Northern Uganda-a qualitative community-based study.

Background: Few studies have explored the Central Nervous System (CNS) infection illness trajectory among older persons with dementia in sub-Saharan African (SSA) settings. This study explored the Caregiver's perspectives on the Central Nervous System infection illness trajectory among the older persons with dementia in Northern Uganda.

Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in Lira District northern Uganda in March 2022 amongst purposively selected 20 caregivers of the older persons aged 50 + years with a positive history of CNS infection and later life dementia.

Perceptions of Undergraduates and Mentors on the Appropriateness, Acceptability, and Feasibility of the HEPI-TUITAH Micro-Research Approach to HIV Training in Uganda.

Purpose: To evaluate the perceptions of undergraduates and mentors on the appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of a mentored seed-grant (micro-research) by Health Professions Education Partnership Initiative - Transforming Ugandan Institutions Training Against HIV/AIDS (HEPI-TUITAH) program on HIV training in Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive qualitative study with focus groups, on HIV micro-research training, with undergraduate health professions students and faculty mentors across three partner institutions in rural Uganda.

Results: A total of 24 students and 13 mentors (5-8 per group) took part in the focus group discussions.

Lay Health Workers in Community-Based Care and Management of Dementia: A Qualitative 'Pre' and 'Post' Intervention Study in Southwestern Uganda.

Background: The global need for efficient and cost-effective use of healthcare resources in low-income countries has led to the introduction of lay health workers (LHWs) as a link of the community to healthcare services. As such, the LHWs perform a variety of tasks such as education, support for care delivery, and social support across all disease types. However, little is known about their ability to support dementia care and management in the community.

Addressing health disparities in hispanic communities through an innovative team-based medical spanish program at the medical school level - a single-institution study.

Background: There are insufficient Spanish-speaking physicians to effectively serve a large and rapidly growing Spanish-speaking patient population.

Methods: A team-based hybrid medical Spanish program was designed and implemented at a single medical school in Southern California. This pilot program consisted of a weekly in-person portion where students reviewed Spanish vocabulary and grammar and practiced clinical encounters in teams through active role play.

Adherence to clinical guidelines in integration of mental health services into primary health care in Mbarara, southwestern Uganda: a medical records review.

Background: The Ugandan Ministry of Health decentralized mental healthcare to the district level; developed the Uganda Clinical Guidelines (UCG); and trained primary health care (PHC) providers in identification, management, and referral of individuals with common mental disorders. This was intended to promote integration of mental health services into PHC in the country. 'Common mental disorders' here refers to mental, neurological and substance use conditions as indicated in the UCG.

Implementing clinical guidelines to promote integration of mental health services in primary health care: a qualitative study of a systems policy intervention in Uganda.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are developed based on a synthesis of evidence regarding the best options for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and are recognized as essential quality improvement tools. However, despite growing availability of CPG, research evaluating their use for mental disorders in Uganda is lacking. For a successful implementation of CPG to be achieved, a number of considerations need to be put in place.

Health system constraints in integrating mental health services into primary healthcare in rural Uganda: perspectives of primary care providers.

Background: The World Health Organization issued recommendations to guide the process of integrating mental health services into primary healthcare. However, there has been general as well as context specific shortcomings in the implementation of these recommendations. In Uganda, mental health services are intended to be decentralized and integrated into general healthcare, but, the services are still underutilized especially in rural areas.

Breast Cancer knowledge, perceptions and practices in a rural Community in Coastal Kenya.

Background: Data on breast healthcare knowledge, perceptions and practice among women in rural Kenya is limited. Furthermore, the role of the male head of household in influencing a woman's breast health seeking behavior is also not known. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions and practice of breast cancer among women, male heads of households, opinion leaders and healthcare providers within a rural community in Kenya.

Barriers and facilitators to the integration of mental health services into primary health care: a systematic review.

Background: The objective of the review was to synthesize evidence of barriers and facilitators to the integration of mental health services into PHC from existing literature. The structure of the review was guided by the SPIDER framework which involves the following: Sample or population of interest-primary care providers (PCPs); Phenomenon of Interest-integration of mental health services into primary health care (PHC); Design-influenced robustness and analysis of the study; Evaluation-outcomes included subjective outcomes (views and attitudes); and Research type-qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies.

Methods: Studies that described mental health integration in PHC settings, involved primary care providers, and presented barriers/facilitators of mental health integration into PHC were included in the review.

Barriers and facilitators to the integration of mental health services into primary healthcare: a qualitative study among Ugandan primary care providers using the COM-B framework.

Background: Uptake of clinical guideline recommendations into routine practice requires changes in attitudes and behaviors of the health care providers. The World Health Organization (WHO) has heavily invested in public health and health promotion globally by developing policy recommendations to guide clinical practice; however, clinical guidelines are often not applied. The success of the implementation of any guidelines depends on consideration of existing barriers and adequately addressing them.

Barriers and facilitators to the integration of mental health services into primary health care: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Mental health is an integral part of health and well-being and yet health systems have not adequately responded to the burden of mental disorders. Integrating mental health services into primary health care (PHC) is the most viable way of closing the treatment gap and ensuring that people get the mental health care they need. PHC was formally adapted by the World Health Organization (WHO), and they have since invested enormous amounts of resources across the globe to ensure that integration of mental health services into PHC works.

Supporting and retaining Village Health Teams: an assessment of a community health worker program in two Ugandan districts.

Background: Uganda's national community health worker program involves volunteer Village Health Teams (VHTs) delivering basic health services and education. Evidence demonstrates their positive impact on health outcomes, particularly for Ugandans who would otherwise lack access to health services. Despite their impact, VHTs are not optimally supported and attrition is a growing problem.

Evaluating community-based medical education programmes in Africa: A workshop report.

Background: The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) supports medical schools in Africa to increase the capacity and quality of medical education, improve retention of graduates, and promote regionally relevant research. Many MEPI programmes include elements of community-based education (CBE) such as: community placements; clinical rotations in underserved locations, community medicine, or primary health; situational analyses; or student-led research.

Methods: CapacityPlus and the MEPI Coordinating Center conducted a workshop to share good practices for CBE evaluation, identify approaches that can be used for CBE evaluation in the African context, and strengthen a network of CBE collaborators.

Medical education departments: a study of four medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Many African countries are investing in medical education to address significant health care workforce shortages and ultimately improve health care. Increasingly, training institutions are establishing medical education departments as part of this investment. This article describes the status of four such departments at sub-Saharan African medical schools supported by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

Transforming health professions' education through in-country collaboration: examining the consortia among African medical schools catalyzed by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.

Background: African medical schools have historically turned to northern partners for technical assistance and resources to strengthen their education and research programmes. In 2010, this paradigm shifted when the United States Government brought forward unprecedented resources to support African medical schools. The grant, entitled the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) triggered a number of south-south collaborations between medical schools in Africa.

Community-based education programs in Africa: faculty experience within the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) network.

Purpose: This paper examines the various models, challenges, and evaluative efforts of community-based education (CBE) programs at Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) schools and makes recommendations to strengthen those programs in the African context.

Methods: Data were gathered from 12 MEPI schools through self-completion of a standardized questionnaire on goals, activities, challenges, and evaluation of CBE programs over the study period, from November to December 2013. Data were analyzed manually through the collation of inputs from the schools included in the survey.

Ethiopian medical schools' rapid scale-up to support the government's goal of universal coverage.

In 2003, Ethiopia declared it would pursue the goal of universal primary health coverage. In response to the critical shortage of human resources for health care, the government decided to rapidly increase the training of health workers to provide basic services, including health education, disease prevention, and family health services primarily to rural areas. This approach, which became known as the "flooding strategy," was extended in 2005 to include medical doctors.

Investing in community-based education to improve the quality, quantity, and retention of physicians in three African countries.

Context: The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a $US 130 million program funded by the United States government supporting 13 African medical schools to increase the quantity, quality, and retention of physicians in underserved areas. This paper examines how community-based education (CBE) is evolving at MEPI schools to achieve these goals.

Methods: We utilized data from the first two years of site visits and surveys to characterize CBE efforts across the MEPI network and provide detailed descriptions of three models of CBE among the MEPI programs.