African Health Sciences

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, including across the Mediterranean basin. This region presents diversity in economy, culture, and societal affairs. We attempted to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the population and on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our aim being to aid in the development of COVID-19 national plans. METHODS: Epidemiological data was obtained from 'Our World in Data' databases (January 2020 - July 2021). Case, mortality, and vaccination incidence comparisons were made across neighbouring countries...

BACKGROUND: The preterm birth rate is rising mainly because of the marked increase in late preterm deliveries. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the indications for LPTB and the factors associated with the short term maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary health care institution. The study sample included 191 women who delivered between October 2019 to November 2020. RESULTS: The majority (81%) were medically indicated LPTB, and mainly for maternal indications (77%)...

BACKGROUND: Drugs that are used in COVID-19 infection, may interact with each other, as well as with the drugs for comorbidities, used concomitantly with COVID-19 treatment. OBJECTIVES: It is quite important to calculate and present the patients' exposure to clinically important potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs). We aimed to investigate the pDDIs and the burden of polypharmacy in COVID-19. METHODS: The medical records of 126 consecutive inpatients with COVID-19 treatment were retrospectively analyzed...

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, many associated factors have been investigated to clarify the susceptibility and severity among the affected individuals. Biological markers can play an important role in identification of individual susceptibility to such pandemic. Growing evidence suggest the influence of different blood group systems on susceptibility to COVID-19 virus, with a particular blood type conferring selection advantage. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine the association of ABO, Rhesus (D) and P1 blood groups with COVID-19 susceptibility in Taif city, Western Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is considered a worldwide public health problem due to its high prevalence and the important complications it causes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of healthy habits, especially physical activity and diet, on the risk of type 2 diabetes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive and cross-sectional study in 1457 Spanish workers in which the influence of different sociodemographic variables and lifestyle habits such as tobacco consumption, physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in relation to the risk of presenting type 2 diabetes assessed with the Finrisk and Leicester scales was evaluated...

BACKGROUND: In India, unsafe sex has been documented among truck drivers. This study explores the factors influencing their attitude of trucker towards condom use. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was adapted for this study in which 25 factors were chosen to assess attitude toward condom use on 7 point validated Likert scale UCLA Multidimensional Condom Attitude Scale on 5 subcomponents -Reliability, Pleasure, Stigma associated with condom use, embarrassment about negotiation and use of condom and about purchasing condom...

Pneumothorax is a rare but recognized cause of respiratory distress in the newborn. It can occur spontaneously or post-traumatic. We report our experience in a term male neonate who had primary spontaneous pneumothorax. He had no surgical intervention but completely recovered with conservative management and supplemental oxygen.

BACKGROUND: The role of clinical pharmacist in hospital settings of Ethiopia is still new and infant. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical care on clinical outcome and medication adherence in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: A single cantered, pre-post interventional study design was carried out by enrolling 100 uncontrolled T2DM patients from March 1-August 30, 2020. The intervention package included assessment of pharmacological and non-pharmacological needs, counselling patients in person at the clinic, and providing educational materials...

The global burden of malaria seems unabated. Africa carries the greatest burden accounting for over 95% of the annual cases of malaria. For the vision of a world free of malaria by Global Technical Strategy to be achieved, Africa must take up the stakeholder's role. It is therefore imperative that Africa rises up to the challenge of malaria and champion the fight against it. The fight against malaria may just be a futile or mere academic venture if Africans are not directly and fully involved. This work reviews the roles playable by Africans in order to curb the malaria in Africa and the world at large...

Background: A 2010 survey in The Gambia among women of reproductive age put the prevalence rate of FGM/C at 76.3%. FGM/C was banned in 2015, but there is no real effort at enforcement of the ban. This study aimed to provide national data on obstetric outcomes to support advocacy and health education. A multicentre observational study to assess the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of parturient women with and without FGM/C was carried out across 4 healthcare facilities in The Gambia. The primary outcome was postpartum haemorrhage (>500ml) and secondary outcomes were caesarean section, perineal tears (including episiotomy), neonatal resuscitation and perinatal death...

BACKGROUND: Wara and nono are popular dairy products in Nigeria, rich in nutrients, highly exposed to microbial contaminants during processing and sale and support microbial growth. OBJECTIVES: To investigate occurrence and antibiotic resistance pattern of enteric bacterial pathogens in dairy products. METHODS: Dairy products were serially diluted and cultured on Eosin Methylene Blue agar, Salmonella-Shigella agar, McConkey agar and nutrient agar at 37°C for 24 h...

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed female malignancy in Nigeria. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of breast cancer screening among female undergraduates in a tertiary institution in Southwest Nigeria. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 350 female undergraduates of a public university in southwest Nigeria using a multi-stage sampling method involving simple random sampling. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection...

BACKGROUND: Induction of labour (IOL) remains an indispensable intervention in obstetric practice; however, it may be associated with significant untoward perinatal outcomes. This study determined the major adverse outcomes of IOL and the associated factors at a tertiary hospital in Ghana. METHODS: Retrospective study involving women with singleton gestations, conducted at the Korle Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with adverse outcomes of IOL...

BACKGROUND: Accidents exposing to blood AEB represent real public health problem in healthcare establishments. The objective of our study was to estimate the frequency of AEB As at our establishment as well as the risk factors that determine their occurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted at a hospital university establishment over period from October 16 to December 3, 2018. The survey concerned accident exposing blood to the staff of our establishment...

BACKGROUND: Various variants of the miR-219-1 gene are one of the first genes associated with NSCLC prognosis in the literature. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to genotype two different variants of the miR-219-1 gene and to investigate to using of the result as a biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were chosen according to International NSCLC criteria and genomic DNA was isolated from blood (138 patients and 100 healthy individuals)...

BACKGROUND: The Kosovo province is being considered as a high-risk region for the spread of HIV. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with HIV testing in a sample of university students from the Serbian northern Kosovo province. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire examining socio-demographic characteristics, HIV-related knowledge, attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) and HIV testing was used in data collection...

OBJECTIVES: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast is known for its common presentation at an older age, and the frequent expression of favourable profile of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER & PR) positivity, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negativity combined with low proliferation rate as measured by Ki67. This study aimed to test these clinicopathological features of ILC in an Arabic cohort. METHODS: All breast biopsies diagnosed as IDC or ILC were retrospectively reviewed over 2 years period (2017-2018) in an academic centre...

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have an incessant out-turn on the people in every field in some or the other way. It has been reported that maximum number of deaths in the countries during this pandemic are caused due to a term called death anxiety or phobia. There are certain parameters such as anxiety, apprehension, depression which if influence a person can alter one's well-being. OBJECTIVE: The steadfast intent of this review article is to narrate the psychological impact of this pandemic on dentists...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in all age groups, including the adolescent globally. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association of adiposity with the risk of T2DM in adolescents aged 11 to 19 years. METHODS: This study comprised 403 adolescent boys (202) and girls (201). Participants were assessed in three indices of body fat and fasting blood glucose (FBG). Multivariate regression models assessing the associations of the independent variables with risk of T2DM were conducted...

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