Animal-related injuries in a resource-limited setting: experiences from a Tertiary health institution in northwestern Tanzania.

Background: Animal related injuries are a major but neglected emerging public health problem and contribute significantly to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. No prospective studies have been done on animal related injuries in our setting. This study was conducted to determine the management patterns and outcome of animal related injuries and their social impact on public health policy in the region.

Gastric cancer at a university teaching hospital in northwestern Tanzania: a retrospective review of 232 cases.

Background: Despite marked decreases in its incidence, particularly in developed countries, gastric cancer is still the second most common tumor worldwide. There is a paucity of information regarding gastric cancer in northwestern Tanzania. This study was undertaken to describe our experience, in our local setting, on the management of gastric cancer, outlining the clinicopathological and treatment outcome of these patients and suggesting ways to improve the treatment outcome.

Allergic rhinitis and its associated co-morbidities at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania; A prospective review of 190 cases.

Background: Allergic rhinitis is one of the commonest atopic diseases which contribute to significant morbidity world wide while its epidemiology in Tanzania remains sparse. There was paucity of information regarding allergic rhinitis in our setting; therefore it was important to conduct this study to describe our experience on allergic rhinitis, associated co-morbidities and treatment outcome in patients attending Bugando Medical Centre.

Methods: This was descriptive cross-sectional study involving all patients with a clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis at Bugando Medical Centre over a three-month period between June 2011 and August 2011.

Surgical management of inguinal hernias at Bugando Medical Centre in northwestern Tanzania: our experiences in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Inguinal hernia repair remains the commonest operation performed by general surgeons all over the world. There is paucity of published data on surgical management of inguinal hernias in our environment. This study is intended to describe our own experiences in the surgical management of inguinal hernias and compare our results with that reported in literature.

Experiences with surgical treatment of chronic lower limb ulcers at a tertiary hospital in northwestern Tanzania: a prospective review of 300 cases.

Background: Chronic lower limb ulcers constitute a major public health problem of great important all over the world and contribute significantly to high morbidity and long-term disabilities. There is paucity of information regarding chronic lower limb ulcers in our setting; therefore it was necessary to conduct this study to establish the patterns and outcome of chronic lower limb ulcers and to identify predictors of outcome in our local setting.

Methods: This was a descriptive prospective study of patients with chronic lower limb ulcers conducted at Bugando Medical Centre between November 2010 and April 2012.

Stage at diagnosis, clinicopathological and treatment patterns of breast cancer at Bugando Medical Centre in north-western Tanzania.

Breast cancer, although reported to be the commonest female malignancy worldwide has not been extensively studied in north-western Tanzania. The aim of this retrospective review was to describe in our setting, the stage at diagnosis, clinicopathological and treatment patterns among patients with breast cancer. Data were analyzed using SPSS software system.

The burden of intentional injuries in Mwanza City, north-western Tanzania: a tertiary hospital survey.

Intenionai injuries are an emerging silent epiaemic in developing countries ana contribute significantly to global injury burden. A descriptive prospective study was conducted to establish the prevalence, contributing factors, injury pattern and treatment outcome of intentional injuries at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania. Data was collected using a pre-tested, coded questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software version 17.

High prevalence of tuberculosis among adults with fever admitted at a tertiary hospital in north-western Tanzania.

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death in developing countries where HIV is endemic. This hospital based study was done to estimate the magnitude of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and to determine predictors of tuberculosis among febrile adults admitted at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), Mwanza, Tanzania. A total of 346 adults febrile patients admitted in medical wards were studied.

Skin cancers among Albinos at a University teaching hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: a retrospective review of 64 cases.

Background: Skin cancers are a major risk associated with albinism and are thought to be a major cause of death in African albinos. The challenges associated with the care of these patients are numerous and need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to outline the pattern and treatment outcome of skin cancers among albinos treated at our centre and to highlight challenges associated with the care of these patients and proffer solutions for improved outcome.

Major limb amputations: a tertiary hospital experience in northwestern Tanzania.

Background: Major limb amputation is reported to be a major but preventable public health problem that is associated with profound economic, social and psychological effects on the patient and family especially in developing countries where the prosthetic services are poor. The purpose of this study was to outline the patterns, indications and short term complications of major limb amputations and to compare our experience with that of other published data.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre between March 2008 and February 2010.

Low sputum smear positive tuberculosis among pulmonary tuberculosis suspects in a tertiary hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and prompt initiation of treatment are essential for an effective tuberculosis control programme. In many resource limited settings microscopic diagnosis is still the pivotal tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB. This study aimed at evaluating laboratory microscopic diagnosis of tuberculosis in a tertiary hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Typhoid intestinal perforations at a University teaching hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: A surgical experience of 104 cases in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Typhoid intestinal perforation is still prevalent in many developing countries. Despite the advances in the management, the outcome in these patients in resource limited countries is still very poor. This study was to review our experiences on the surgical management of typhoid intestinal perforation and to determine the prognostic factors for mortality in our local setting.

Marjolin's ulcers at a university teaching hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: a retrospective review of 56 cases.

Background: Marjolin's ulcer is a rare but highly aggressive squamous cell cancer that is most often associated with chronic burn wounds. Although many individual case reports exist, no comprehensive evaluation of Marjolin's ulcer patients has been conducted in our setting. This study was conducted to describe the clinicopathological presentation and treatment outcome of this condition in our local setting and to identify predictors of outcome.

Injury characteristics and outcome of road traffic crash victims at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania.

Background: Road traffic crash is of growing public health importance worldwide contributing significantly to the global disease burden. There is paucity of published data on road traffic crashes in our local environment. This study was carried out to describe the injury characteristics and outcome of road traffic crash victims in our local setting and provide baseline data for establishment of prevention strategies as well as treatment protocols.

Splenic injuries at Bugando Medical Centre in northwestern Tanzania: a tertiary hospital experience.

Background: Splenic injuries constitute a continuing diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the trauma or general surgeons practicing in developing countries where sophisticated imaging facilities are either not available or exorbitantly expensive. The purpose of this review was to describe our own experience in the management of the splenic injuries outlining the aetiological spectrum, injury characteristics and treatment outcome of splenic injuries in our local environment and to identify predictors of outcome among these patients.

Methods: A prospective descriptive study of splenic injury patients was carried out at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania between March 2009 and February 2011.

Geriatric injuries among patients attending a regional hospital in Shinyanga Tanzania.

Geriatric injuries pose a major challenge to surgeons and general practitioners in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, injury characteristics and outcomes of geriatric injury among patients at Shinyanga Regional Hospital in Tanzania. Data was collected using a pre-tested, coded questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS computer system.

Dermatological malignancies at a University Teaching Hospital in north-western Tanzania: a retrospective review of 154 cases.

Dermatological malignancies are among the most common form of cancers and the global incidence has been increasing at an alarming rate. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the prevalence, histopathological pattern, anatomical distribution and treatment outcome of dermatological malignancies at Bugando Medical Centre in North-western Tanzania. Data were collected from patients' files kept in the Medical record department; the surgical wards, operating theatre and histopathology laboratory and analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences system.

Obesity, Overweight, and Perceptions about Body Weight among Middle-Aged Adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Background. Prevalence of obesity is increasing throughout the world at an alarming rate. Appropriate perception of one's own body weight is important for improved weight control behavior.