Prevalence of probable substance use disorders among children in Ugandan health facilities.

Background: Globally, there is a concerning surge in the prevalence of substance use among adolescents and children, creating a substantial public health problem. Despite the magnitude of this issue, accessing healthcare explicitly for substance use remains challenging, even though many substance users frequently visit healthcare institutions for other health-related issues. To address this gap, proactive screening for substance use disorders has emerged as a critical strategy for identifying and engaging patients at risk of substance use.

Time to first viral load testing among pregnant women living with HIV initiated on option B+ at 5 government clinics in Kampala city, Uganda: Retrospective cohort study.

Background: Timely viral load (VL) testing is critical in the care of pregnant women living with HIV and receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART). There is paucity of data regarding the Time to First Viral Load (TFVL) testing in resource-limited settings.

Methods: We extracted clinical and VL test data from records of a cohort of ART-naïve pregnant women living with HIV who initiated Option B + and were retained in care between 01 Jan 2015 and 31 Dec 2015.

Setting global research priorities for private sector child health service delivery: Results from a CHNRI exercise.

Background: The private health sector is an important source of sick child care, yet evidence gaps persist in best practices for integrated management of private sector child health services. Further, there is no prioritized research agenda to address these gaps. We used a Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) process to identify priority research questions in response to these evidence gaps.

Determinants of facility based-deliveries among urban slum dwellers of Kampala, Uganda.

Background: Delivery in health facilities is a proxy for skilled birth attendance, which is an important intervention to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. We investigated the determinants of facility based deliveries among women in urban slums of Kampala city, Uganda.

Methods: A cross sectional study using quantitative methods was used.

Adherence to complementary feeding guidelines among caregivers of children aged 6-23 months in Lamwo district, rural Uganda.

Introduction: Malnutrition contributes to half of all deaths among children under-five years in developing countries such as Uganda. Optimal complementary feeding is one of the crucial interventions that could prevent these deaths. This study measured adherence to complementary feeding guidelines and its associated factors among caregivers of children aged 6-23 months in Lamwo district, rural Uganda.

A case-control study of factors associated with caesarean sections at health facilities in Kabarole District, Western Uganda, 2016.

Introduction: World Health Organization estimates that the appropriate caesarean section rates should range from 10% to 15% at the population level. There is limited access and utilisation of caesarean section services in Uganda. This case-control study explored factors associated with caesarean section delivery, focusing on service-related and individual level factors.

Factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV infected children in Kabale district, Uganda: a cross sectional study.

Objectives: This study was set out to assess the level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and its determinants among children receiving HIV treatment in Kabale district, south western Uganda, in order to inform interventions for improving pediatric ART adherence.

Results: Overall, 79% (121/153) of the children did not miss ART doses over the 7 days. Caregiver forgetfulness was the major reason for missing ART doses, 37% (13/35).

Improving the quality of maternity services in Uganda through accelerated implementation of essential interventions by healthcare professional associations.

Objective: To assess whether the implementation of a package of activities through the joint action of the three international healthcare professionals associations (HCPAs) increased the use of intrapartum and postnatal essential interventions (EIs) in two hospitals in Uganda.

Methods: A non-controlled before-and-after study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of a package of activities designed to change practice relating to nine EIs among providers. Coverage of the EIs was measured in a 3-month pre-implementation period and a 3-month post-implementation period in 2014.

Newborn Care Practices among Adolescent Mothers in Hoima District, Western Uganda.

Introduction: Adolescent childbearing remains a major challenge to improving neonatal mortality especially in Sub Saharan countries which are still struggling with high neonatal mortality rates. We explored essential newborn care practices and associated factors among adolescent mothers in Western Uganda.

Methods: Data were collected among 410 adolescent mothers with children aged one to six months in Hoima district.

A systematic review of community-to-facility neonatal referral completion rates in Africa and Asia.

Background: An estimated 2.8 million neonatal deaths occur annually worldwide. The vulnerability of newborns makes the timeliness of seeking and receiving care critical for neonatal survival and prevention of long-term sequelae.