Crafting inclusive parenting programs- considerations for deaf families: a qualitative study.

Background: The parenting of children by deaf parents has many challenges that require a barrier-breaking approach to ensure inclusivity and accessibility. Therefore, this study explored pathways for crafting inclusive parenting programs, fostering a future where every family thrives, regardless of hearing ability.

Methods: This was a qualitative study that employed in-depth interviews with 20 deaf parents and utilized thematic content analysis.

Acceptability of a resource-oriented approach (DIALOG+) among patients with chronic physical illnesses in primary health care-Uganda, a qualitative study.

Background: Chronic physical illnesses are often associated with significant psychological distress and chronic mental illnesses are often co-morbid with physical illnesses. Efforts to integrate mental health into primary health care in Uganda are underway. However, there are enormous logistical challenges.

Expediting pathogen genomics adoption for enhanced foodborne disease surveillance in Africa.

The role of genomics in public health surveillance has been accentuated by its crucial contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating its potential in addressing global disease outbreaks. While Africa has made strides in expanding multi-pathogen genomic surveillance, the integration into foodborne disease (FBD) surveillance remains nascent. Here we highlight the critical components to strengthen and scale-up the integration of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in foodborne disease surveillance across the continent.

Delays in Care for Children With Low Anorectal Malformations in Southwestern Uganda.

Introduction: Disparities in anorectal malformation (ARM) outcomes between high- and low-income countries may be due to delayed diagnosis in the latter setting. The Three Delays model, comprising delays in seeking, accessing, and receiving care, provides a framework for exploring these challenges. We sought to examine the frequency and nature of the preoperative delays in children presenting for surgical correction of low ARMs.

A Narrative-Gamified Mental Health App (Kuamsha) for Adolescents in Uganda: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

Background: Many adolescents in Uganda are affected by common mental disorders, but only a few affordable treatment options are available. Digital mental health interventions offer promising opportunities to reduce these large treatment gaps, but interventions specifically tailored for Ugandan adolescents are limited.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the Kuamsha program, an intervention delivered through a gamified app with low-intensity telephonic guidance, as a way to promote mental health among adolescents from the general population in Uganda.

Methodological Challenges in Randomized Controlled Trials of mHealth Interventions: Cross-Sectional Survey Study and Consensus-Based Recommendations.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) refers to using mobile communication devices such as smartphones to support health, health care, and public health. mHealth interventions have their own nature and characteristics that distinguish them from traditional health care interventions, including drug interventions. Thus, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mHealth interventions present specific methodological challenges.

Facilitators and barriers to Tuberculosis case notification among private health facilities in Kampala Capital City, Uganda.

Introduction: Private Health Facilities (PHFs), Uganda's main healthcare providers, are indispensable stakeholders in the national tuberculosis (TB) program's efforts to improve TB case notification and combat the epidemic. However, notification rates remain relatively low in PHFs compared to public providers. In this study, we sought to assess facilitators and barriers to TB case notification among private facilities in Kampala Capital City.

African swine fever virus biotype identification tool.

African swine fever virus biotyping is a recently described classification technique that is based on an isolate's encoded proteome. In short, proteomes are compared and grouped based on unsupervised machine learning. This tool analyzes African swine fever virus (ASFV) genomes and will report their closest matches along with their ASFV biotypes.

Estimating disability prevalence in population surveys: an exploratory study using national surveys carried out in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and USA.

Background: The call for high quality disability data has gained momentum around the world. The objective of this paper is to analyse the consistency of estimates obtained with the Washington Group short set of questions, which are being recommended for use in national population surveys.

Methods: Prevalence rates and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated using data from five surveys carried out in three low-income countries and one high-income country.

Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts (African walnuts) up-regulated adiponectin and PPAR-γ expressions with reciprocal suppression of TNF-α gene in obesity.

Tetracarpidium conophorum nuts are nutrient-dense Nigerian snacks associated with weight regulation. This study explores the nuts' impact on adipose tissue gene expression associated with low-grade inflammation. Ethanol whole extract (EWE), ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) and the resulting residue (RES) were orally administered once daily to MSG-induced obese rats for 6 weeks (n = 6).

'Some patients demand for a prescription of an antibiotic': an assessment of barriers and facilitators to rational antimicrobial use in a private health facility in Uganda.

Background: Antimicrobial misuse and overuse propagate antimicrobial resistance, yet data on factors influencing antibiotic prescription decisions in low-resource settings are limited. We describe factors influencing antimicrobial prescription at a large tertiary care private not-for-profit hospital in Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive phenomenology qualitative study involving face-to-face in-depth interviews of 12 purposively selected prescribers (four intern doctors, six medical officers and two Internal Medicine physicians) in a private not-for-profit hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

Comparative evaluation of rapid diagnostic test and PCR-based diagnostic assay for identification of trypanosomes in cattle of Apac and Kiryandongo districts, Uganda: A cross sectional study.

Background: Diagnostic tests and knowledge of their diagnostic accuracies are important for animal trypanosomosis surveillance and treatment.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2021 to compare the performance of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and PCR-based assay for the detection of trypanosome infections. Random sampling and probability proportional to size sampling were used to sample study households and animals from the sampled household respectively.

Community perceptions of health accountability meetings with local politicians to improve healthcare quality: a qualitative study in Western Uganda.

Background: Lack of accountability within healthcare systems contributes to suboptimal healthcare quality and ultimately poor health outcomes, especially in low-income countries. In Uganda, our research team implemented a pilot project of quarterly health accountability meetings between community members and their local political leaders to discuss healthcare needs and strategies for quality improvement. In this study, we examine the community members' understanding and perceptions of the health accountability meetings, as well as the perceived impact of the meetings on local healthcare services and community life.

Weapon use during the index offense: a study among forensic psychiatry patients in Ontario, Canada.

Background: Understanding the nature and circumstances around the use of weapons to perpetrate an offense among individuals with mental illness is crucial for evidence-informed policies and actions. However, little is known about the prevalence and factors associated with weapon use during index offenses among patients in the forensic system. Therefore, the present study was designed to address this gap and determine the prevalence and the patient and victim characteristics associated with weapon use during the index offense in a Canadian province.

Video-based education messaging to enhance optimal uptake of malaria preventive therapy in pregnant women: a mixed methods study involving pregnant women and midwives in Uganda.

Background: Malaria prevention during pregnancy significantly minimizes maternal-fetal adverse events. However, optimal uptake of malaria preventive therapy in pregnancy (MPTp) remains a major challenge for both women living with HIV and those without. In Uganda, suboptimal uptake of MPTp is primarily due to inadequate knowledge among women.

Effect of seasonal malaria chemoprevention on incidence of malaria among children under five years in Kotido and Moroto Districts, Uganda, 2021: time series analysis.

Background: Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) refers to monthly administration of full treatment courses of anti-malarial medicine to children <5 years during high malaria transmission seasons. SMC has demonstrated effectiveness in Sahel and sub-Sahel countries in Africa. However, it was not implemented in Uganda until April 2021, when the country began SMC in the highly malaria-endemic Kotido and Moroto Districts.

Pleural carcinoid diagnosed via video-assisted thoracoscopy biopsies in a patient with recurrent unilateral pleural effusion at St. Francis hospital Nsambya: a case report.

Background: Pulmonary carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors accounting for less than 1% of all lung cancers. They are classified into two subcategories; typical and atypical carcinoids with the latter tending to grow faster. Historically, open thoracotomy was the standard approach for pulmonary resection.