E-Screening for Prenatal Depression in Kampala, Uganda Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: Survey Results.

Background: Perinatal depression remains a substantial public health challenge, often overlooked or incorrectly diagnosed in numerous low-income nations.

Objective: The goal of this study was to establish statistical baselines for the prevalence of perinatal depression in Kampala and understand its relationship with key demographic variables.

Methods: We employed an Android-based implementation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to survey 12,913 women recruited from 7 government health facilities located in Kampala, Uganda.

Double Outlet Right Ventricle: A Rare Finding in a 15-Month-Old Female With Failure to Thrive.

Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a rare congenital heart defect where both the aorta and pulmonary artery originate from the right ventricle, often accompanied by additional cardiac anomalies to mitigate circulatory imbalance, though such compensations usually fail. We report a 15-month-old infant with recurrent respiratory infections and poor weight gain, referred for computed tomography angiography. Physical examination showed a small, non-syndromic infant with pallor, tachypnea, irritability, and finger clubbing.

Post-Artesunate Delayed Hemolysis: Anything That Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong-Murphy's Law.

In patients presenting with post-malarial anemia following intravenous artesunate treatment, post-artesunate delayed hemolysis should be considered in the differential diagnosis, even in endemic settings. Close monitoring for signs of delayed hemolysis in patients previously treated with intravenous artesunate for severe malaria, regardless of their malaria exposure history or geographic location is crucial.

Factors affecting waiting times to enter opioid use disorder treatment in the United States with a particular focus on potential biological sex disparity.

Aim: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the problematic use of licit or illicit opioids. Thus far, the literature on biological sex differences in accessing treatment is scarce. Hence, we hypothesize that biological sex has a moderating effect on OUD treatment accessibility.

Factors Associated With Feeling Ashamed of Disclosure of HIV-Positive Status Among Women Who Self-Reported to Health Facilities for HIV Testing in Kenya: Analysis of 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with feeling ashamed of disclosing HIV-positive status among females who self-reported to health facilities for HIV testing in Kenya.

Method: This study used the Kenya Demographic Health Survey data set for 2022. A total of 18,506 women aged 15-49 years were selected from the sample clusters; 13,815 had ever tested for HIV and 332 had positive results for HIV.

Challenges and adaptations of mental health services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) significantly impacted mental health and mental health services worldwide. We sought to explore the challenges faced by mental health services from the perspectives of service users, providers, and policymakers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda and the strategies put in place to ensure the continuity of these services.

Methods: qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews with eight mental health service users, four mental health workers, four hospital administrators, four district mental health focal persons, and two policymakers.

Current out of pocket care costs among HIV and hypertension co-morbid patients in urban and peri-urban Uganda.

Background: Despite improvements to the cascade of HIV care in East Africa, access to care for non-communicable disease co-morbidities like hypertension (HTN) remains a persistent problem. The integration of care for these conditions presents an opportunity to achieve efficiencies in delivery as well as decrease overall costs for patients. This study aims to build evidence on the burden of current out-of-pocket costs of care among HIV-HTN co-morbid patients.

Possible depression in new tuberculosis patients in the Free State province, South Africa.

Background: Despite compelling evidence of comorbidity between tuberculosis (TB) and depression, little is known about the prevalence and determinants of depression among TB patients in the Free State province in South Africa.

Objectives: This study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with possible depression among new drug susceptible TB patients attending primary health care facilities.

Method: The study followed a cross-sectional design.

Perceptions and attitudes towards unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) use for delivery of HIV medication among fisher folk communities on the Islands of Kalangala, Uganda.

The study aimed to assess the attitudes of stakeholders towards the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (medical drones) for delivering antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Kalangala district of Uganda, which is comprised of 84 islands and has approximately 18,500 People Living with HIV (PLHIV). A qualitative baseline study was conducted to assess the acceptability and feasibility of using a medical drone for ART delivery in the island settlements of Kalangala Islands. The data revealed four emerging themes: knowledge about the drones, perceived benefits of medical drone delivery, perceived risks of medical drone use, and recommendations for future use.

Adapting the primary care assessment tool for sub-saharan Africa.

Background: The World Health Organization's (WHO) measurement framework for primary health care includes the core functions of primary care: first contact access, comprehensiveness, coordination, continuity, and person-centredness. The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), originally developed in the United States, was adapted for use by four African countries, and can measure the core functions of primary care.

Aim: To face and content validate a sub-Saharan PCAT that measures the core functions of primary care.

Prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with abnormal lung function among children with sickle cell disease in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Pulmonary complications are common among children with sickle cell disease (SCD). However, there is little literature on associated lung function abnormalities in Uganda. We aimed to determine the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with abnormal lung function among children with SCD in a tertiary care hospital in Uganda.

Optimization of formulation and processing conditions for the production of functional noodles containing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and biofortified beans.

The global demand for noodles continues to increase due to their convenience, wide appeal, and affordability. Instant noodles, in particular, are popular for their easy preparation. With annual consumption reaching 106 billion servings in 2019, there is a growing awareness of the importance of healthy food options.

UNITY: A low-field magnetic resonance neuroimaging initiative to characterize neurodevelopment in low and middle-income settings.

Measures of physical growth, such as weight and height have long been the predominant outcomes for monitoring child health and evaluating interventional outcomes in public health studies, including those that may impact neurodevelopment. While physical growth generally reflects overall health and nutritional status, it lacks sensitivity and specificity to brain growth and developing cognitive skills and abilities. Psychometric tools, e.

Assessing the presence of sustainability education in the curriculum of medical students and surgical trainees in Africa: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Integrating sustainability principles into medical and surgical curricula raises awareness and empowers future healthcare professionals to adopt sustainable practices, reducing the environmental impact of surgical care. This study aims to assess the presence of sustainability education in African medical schools and surgical residency curricula to inform policymakers and educators in African healthcare systems.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken through an online survey among medical students and surgical trainees in African countries to describe the presence of sustainability education in surgical training programs and medical curricula across Africa.

Negative experiences and coping strategies to stressful situations by undergraduate University students during Covid- 19 lockdown period in Uganda.

Aim: To describe the negative experiences, coping strategies for stressful situations, and factors associated with COVID-19 worry among undergraduate students at Makerere University during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study at Makerere University. Negative experiences and coping strategies were measured using a semi-structured questionnaire formulated based on literature and findings from previous studies on mental health and COVID-19.

Investigating potato flour processing methods and ratios for noodle production.

A partial substitution of wheat flour with potato flour processed by various procedures was used to determine an optimal potato pretreatment method for noodle processing. Wheat flour was substituted with 10%, 30%, and 50% potato flour. Potato flour (PF) was processed using two different methods, including freeze-drying (FD) and low-temperature blanching, then oven drying (LTB_OD).

Lactating mothers' perceptions and sensory acceptability of a provitamin A carotenoid-iron-rich composite dish prepared from iron-biofortified common bean and orange-fleshed sweet potato in rural western Uganda.

Uganda's lactating mothers are vulnerable to deficiencies of vitamin A and iron because they consume plant-based conventional foods such as white-fleshed sweet potato (WFSP) and non-iron biofortified common bean (NIBCB) that are low in provitamin A (PVA) and iron, respectively. A PVA carotenoid-iron-rich dish was prepared from a combination of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and iron-biofortified common bean (IBCB). This study evaluated the perceptions and sensory acceptability of OFSP+IBCB (test food) against WFSP+NIBCB (control food) among lactating mothers in rural Uganda.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of fresh Nile perch value chain handlers towards food safety requirements in Uganda.

In the continuum from 'farm to fork', the proficiency of food handlers in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is essential for ensuring improved food safety outcomes. This study evaluated the KAP of fresh Nile perch fish handlers regarding food safety requirements within Uganda. A cross-sectional survey involving fish handlers (n = 466) engaged in handling fresh Nile perch and fisheries products in both local and export market chains.

Sensory properties of selected biofortified common bean () varieties grown in Burundi.

The dry common bean is an important grain legume used for human consumption worldwide. In Eastern Africa, Burundi has a significantly high per capita consumption of the crop. There has been significant research on the underlying agronomic traits of dry biofortified common beans, such as disease resistance.

Effect of fortifying sorghum and wheat with Longhorn grasshopper () powder on nutritional composition and consumer acceptability of biscuits.

This study aimed at improving the nutrient composition and protein quality of biscuits made from sorghum and wheat through fortification with Longhorn powder (RDP) for use as a supplementary food targeting children vulnerable to protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Ten biscuit formulations were prepared by replacing a part of wheat and sorghum-wheat flours with 5, 15, 20, and 40% RDP. To establish the nutrient content of biscuits, proximate and mineral compositions were determined.

"I have come to remove it because of heavy bleeding": a mixed-methods study on early contraceptive implant removal and the underlying factors in eastern Uganda.

Background: Early contraceptive implant removal without intentions to conceive predisposes women to unintended pregnancies.. Some of the unintended pregnancies end in unsafe abortions which further increases the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity.