The role of medicines and therapeutics committees structure in supporting optimal antibacterial use in hospitals in Uganda: A mixed method study.

Although the roles of Medicines and therapeutic committees (MTCs) have been expanding, there is limited information on the role of their structure in optimal antibacterial use in hospitals, especially in low-and-middle-income countries. Our study explored the structure and role of MTC in supporting antibacterial use in regional referral, general hospitals and tertiary private not-for-profit (PNFP) hospitals in Uganda. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach with triangulation to explore the structure and functional role of MTCs from August 2019 to February 2020 in hospitals in Uganda.

Peer review of GPT-4 technical report and systems card.

The study provides a comprehensive review of OpenAI's Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) technical report, with an emphasis on applications in high-risk settings like healthcare. A diverse team, including experts in artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing, public health, law, policy, social science, healthcare research, and bioethics, analyzed the report against established peer review guidelines. The GPT-4 report shows a significant commitment to transparent AI research, particularly in creating a systems card for risk assessment and mitigation.

A cross-sectional assessment of the effects of select training modalities on vaccine cold chain management.

Background: Vaccines offer arguably the most cost-effective public health intervention. Vaccine supply chain management which is a critical building block faces many Human resources challenges mainly due to the special attributes of vaccines.

Objective: This study attempted to measure the effect of training on vaccine cold chain handler knowledge and practices.

Misinformation, knowledge and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: a cross-sectional study among health care workers and the general population in Kampala, Uganda.

COVID-19 has greatly affected communities worldwide, more so in low- and middle-income countries. To successfully resolve the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination coverage of more than 80% is required. However, misinformation has affected this by increasing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Overview of processed excipients in ocular drug delivery: Opportunities so far and bottlenecks.

Ocular drug delivery presents a unique set of challenges owing to the complex anatomy and physiology of the eye. Processed excipients have emerged as crucial components in overcoming these challenges and improving the efficacy and safety of ocular drug delivery systems. This comprehensive overview examines the opportunities that processed excipients offer in enhancing drug delivery to the eye.

Clinical and Histopathologic Predictors of Survival Among Children With Retinoblastoma From Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Uganda.

Background: Retinoblastoma (RB) is a malignant tumour that develops from the immature cells of the retina. It is the most frequent type of paediatric intraocular cancer and is curable. Clinical and histological findings after enucleation of the affected eye dictate not only the patient's secondary care but also their prognosis.

Trust in Medical Research: A Comparative Study among Patients at a Regional Referral Hospital and Community Members in Lira District, Northern Uganda.

Events such as the Tuskegee syphilis study shaped how the public perceives and trusts medical research globally. However, few studies have examined trust in medical research in developing countries. We tested the hypothesis that levels of trust may be lower among community members compared to hospitalized persons in Uganda.

Pediatric post-discharge mortality in resource-poor countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Under-five mortality remains concentrated in resource-poor countries. Post-discharge mortality is becoming increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to overall child mortality. With a substantial recent expansion of research and novel data synthesis methods, this study aims to update the current evidence base by providing a more nuanced understanding of the burden and associated risk factors of pediatric post-discharge mortality after acute illness.

Consistent patterns of common species across tropical tree communities.

Trees structure the Earth's most biodiverse ecosystem, tropical forests. The vast number of tree species presents a formidable challenge to understanding these forests, including their response to environmental change, as very little is known about most tropical tree species. A focus on the common species may circumvent this challenge.

A Qualitative Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Among HIV/TB Coinfected Persons With Problematic Alcohol Use Participating in an Incentive-Based Alcohol/Medication Adherence Intervention in Uganda During COVID-19.

In Uganda, four in ten women report experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year. Salient drivers of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa include stress related to household finances, alcohol use, and partner infidelity. We conducted 42 interviews with participants ( = 32) in the Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) study which included economic incentives, and their partners ( = 10) to understand how participating in DIPT during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions impacted relationship dynamics in intimate partnerships.

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and associated factors among women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in South-Western Uganda.

Introduction: gestational diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women worldwide. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with gestational diabetes mellitus among women attending the antenatal care clinic at a tertiary care hospital in South-Western Uganda.

Methods: this was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among women at ≥24 weeks of amenorrhea attending the antenatal care clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital between December 2020 and March 2021.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: assessing the prevalence, predictors, and effectiveness of a community pharmacy based counseling intervention.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy is a global challenge. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the problem has persisted despite vaccine availability and decreasing infections. In Uganda, there is still limited information on the extent and predictors of vaccine hesitancy.

Dyslipidemia: prevalence and association with precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix; a pilot study.

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of dyslipidemia is on the rise, with studies showing dyslipidemia as a contributing factor to the progression of premalignant lesions to cervical cancer. In Uganda, cervical cancer and dyslipidemia are common health concerns, considering the increasing trends of dyslipidemia in the general population and inadequate information regarding dyslipidemia and cervical lesions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and its association with precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix among women attending a cervical cancer clinic at the Uganda Cancer Institute.

Maternal near miss as a predictor of adverse perinatal outcomes: findings from a prospective cohort study in southwestern Uganda.

Background: Despite efforts, Uganda has not met the World Health Organization target of < 12 newborn deaths per 1,000 live births. Severe maternal morbidity or 'near miss' is a major contributor to adverse perinatal outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings. However, the specific impact of maternal near miss on perinatal outcomes in Uganda remains insufficiently investigated.

Abnormal obstetric shock index and associated factors among immediate postpartum women following vaginal delivery at a tertiary hospital in southwestern Uganda.

Background: Early recognition of haemodynamic instability after birth and prompt interventions are necessary to reduce adverse maternal outcomes due to postpartum haemorrhage. Obstetric shock Index (OSI) has been recommended as a simple, accurate, reliable, and low-cost early diagnostic measure that identifies hemodynamically unstable women.

Objectives: We determined the prevalence of abnormal obstetric shock index and associated factors among women in the immediate postpartum period following vaginal delivery at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in southwestern Uganda.

Colonisation and its aftermath: reimagining global surgery.

Coloniality in global health manifests as systemic inequalities, not based on merit, that benefit one group at the expense of another. Global surgery seeks to advance equity by inserting surgery into the global health agenda; however, it inherits the biases in global health. As a diverse group of global surgery practitioners, we aimed to examine inequities in global surgery.

An introduction to digital determinants of health.

In recent years, technology has been increasingly incorporated within healthcare for the provision of safe and efficient delivery of services. Although this can be attributed to the benefits that can be harnessed, digital technology has the potential to exacerbate and reinforce preexisting health disparities. Previous work has highlighted how sociodemographic, economic, and political factors affect individuals' interactions with digital health systems and are termed social determinants of health [SDOH].

Public health and research ethics education: the experience of developing a new cadre of bioethicists at a Ugandan institution.

Research ethics education is critical to developing a culture of responsible conduct of research. Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have a high burden of infectious diseases like HIV and malaria; some, like Uganda, have recurring outbreaks. Coupled with the increase in non-communicable diseases, researchers have access to large populations to test new medications and vaccines.

Pityriasis rosea: dermoscopic features in Uganda.

Purpose: The study aimed to describe the dermoscopic features of pityriasis rosea among patients attending the skin clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.

Patients And Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study conducted for a 6-month period in the skin clinic of MRRH in Southwestern Uganda. Data were collected from consecutively recruited patients using structured questionnaires.

Prevalence and factors associated with potential drug-drug interactions in prescriptions presented at private pharmacies in Mbarara city, southwestern Uganda.

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) influence the effectiveness of medication and thus determine the treatment outcomes of diseases managed with pharmacotherapy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, and factors associated with potential drug-drug interactions in prescriptions presented at private pharmacies in Mbarara city.

Methods: DDIs were identified and classified basing on risk and severity using Lexicomp drug interaction database.