East African Journal of Public Health

OBJECTIVE: To determine ARV drug adherence levels in children (aged 3 to 14 years) attending Kericho District Hospital (KDH), Kenya. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from a random sample of caregivers of 230 children on ARVs for a study period of six months (i.e. 1st August 2010 to 31st January 2011). The study population comprised HIV infected children on ARVs and their caregivers. The caregivers whose children met the selection criteria were selected...

OBJECTIVE: Anaemia is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in paediatric age with much aetiology. The magnitude of childhood anaemia has been inadequately studied at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). The study was aimed at determining the frequency of anaemia and associated infections in patients admitted in general paediatric wards at MNH in Dar es Salaam. METHODS: STUDY DESIGN: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. STUDY SETTING: This was conducted at MNH in general paediatric wards from 20th August, 2009 to 15th December, 2009...

BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to the diabetes treatment regimen is possibly the most common reason for poor health outcomes among people with diabetes. The rates of non-adherence to diabetes regimen tasks are highly variable, but have significant consequences on diabetes outcomes and the effectiveness of treatments. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the proportion (magnitude) of non-adherence and its contributing factors among diabetic patients attending clinics in Mwanza city...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to produce evidence on the prevalence and trends in the availability of substandard and counterfeit antimicrobials in the global market and its consequences on key public health interventions in developing countries METHODS: Review of various literatures collected through the internet and other sources. Literature search using PubMed and Medline databases and Google search engine was conducted to identify related publications on the subject...

AIM: To determine the effect of companionship during labour and delivery, and the preferred delivery position, on the choice of place of delivery among women in Zaria, with a view to providing more acceptable services. METHODS: 315 consenting women attending the antenatal clinic at primary health facility in Zaria were interviewed. RESULTS: 62.24% of the women had their last delivery at home. Reasons for not wanting to deliver in health facility included the fact that it was too expensive (48...

UNLABELLED: HIV and AIDS is a pandemic that continues to ravage humanity worldwide, especially among the youth. Street children are victims of society and are up to 10-25 times more affected by HIV and AIDS than their counterparts who live with their families. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of street children with regard to the prevention of HIV and AIDS. METHODS: A cross sectional study with a quantitative approach was carried out in two street children centres in the Huye district, which is situated in the Southern Province of Rwanda...

BACKGROUND: Hypertension among diabetics is a well recognized cardiovascular risk factor. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of hypertension, its control and the prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors among diabetic patients. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled 150 adult diabetics. Their age, sex weight, height, blood pressure, fasting capillary blood glucose, lipid and renal profiles, hypertension and diabetes therapy were ascertained. RESULTS: Hypertension prevalence was 54...

OBJECTIVE: To establish the categories of female sex workers in Dar es Salaam. METHODS: We conducted in depth-interviews with 32 female sex workers (FSWs) in five geographic areas of Dar-es-Salaam known to be the primary residential and working places, three local government leaders in three of the five areas known to have brothels and two NGO representatives working with this population. RESULTS: There are about 14 categories of FSWs with fluid perceived 'boundaries', which could change given factors like the availability of clients, active prostitution control mechanisms, the weather, the female sex worker's need for money and the type of sexual services demanded...

INTRODUCTION: Resistance to antibiotics has grave consequences leading to treatment failure and increased health care costs. This public health risk has become a global problem with some countries like Ethiopia seriously affected. Members of the family enterobacteriaceae, including E. coli, are among the most important human pathogens accounting for the majority of bacterial strains isolated from clinical patient samples. Moreover, there is insufficient data regarding Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) prevalence among Escherichia coli strains from Ethiopia...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the magnitude of perceived AIDS risk among out-of-school adolescents in Moshi rural district of Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving face-to-face interviews with out-of-school adolescents in eleven rural villages in Moshi district, northern Tanzania. RESULTS: We found that of the 668 adolescents (10-19 years of age) surveyed, 45.4% were sexually active and significantly more men than women reported being sexually active (55...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot syndrome is a complication of diabetes mellitus that has serious socioeconomic implications for the individual, family and the society as a whole. When there are ulcers, the condition becomes limb threatening. Early detection of the risk factors and appropriate management of the ulcers reduces the incidence of amputations, morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To find the pattern of diabetic foot laesions (DFL) as seen at the orthopaedic clinic of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria over a five-year period and to present a classification of DFL...

OBJECTIVE: Although Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) has existed for more than 10 years, majority of Kenyans still do not know their HIV status, thus necessitating the introduction of other testing strategies to increase the number of people taking the test. The routine offer of an HIV test to all patients in health-care settings has been proposed to increase access to care. The main objective of this study was to identify factors associated with willingness to accept a routine offer of an HIV test...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this quantitative study was to identifying factors that influence young men to participate in risky sexual behavior that place them at risk of HIV infection, as young people are at higher risk for HIV infection than adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design that employed face-to-face interview questionnaire to identify socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, knowledge of HIV, STD, attitudes towards condoms was administered to 175 sexually active male students between 17 and 24 years old in college settings of Dar-es-Salaam city, Tanzania...

OBJECTIVE: Tanzania is one of the countries that suffer huge burden of malnutrition and food poverty with over two million people living with HIV/AIDS. Despite ongoing nutritional interventions in care and treatment clinics for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), a high proportion of them still face nutritional problems, with about 29% being underweight. This study therefore aimed assessing social factors and lifestyle attributes associated with nutritional status among adults living with HIV/AIDS and attending care and treatment clinics (CTCs) in an urban district in Tanzania...

AIM: To compare the prevalences and patterns of intimate partner violence between HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women receiving prenatal care at a tertiary hospital in South East Nigeria METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study of HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women was done. Statistical analysis was by descriptive and inferential statistics at 95% level of confidence RESULTS: A total of 220 pregnant women studied. These were equally divided between HIV-positive women (cases) and HIV-negative women (controls)...

OBJECTIVE: To measure the satisfaction of patients attending the OPD in SKIMS tertiary hospital of Soura, India. METHODS: Pre-structured questionnaire was framed and data collected from consenting patients attending the OPD of SKIMS hospital. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 12. SETTINGS: OPD section of SKIMS hospital, Soura, India. RESULTS: Four hundred (400) OPD patients were included in the study to know their perceptions towards the said hospital, reason for choosing the hospital, perception towards registration process, basic amenities and perception towards doctors and other staff...

OBJECTIVES: Pregnancies among teenagers and problems associated with premarital births have raised concerns in many countries. It is important to explore unintended pregnancy from the viewpoints of local stakeholders such as students, schools/teachers, and community members. This study assessed reported cases of unintended pregnancy among students and perceptions of these pregnancies by members of the community. METHODS: This study took place in a rural community in Anambra state, southeastern Nigeria...

BACKGROUND: Education and awareness is important in appreciating the seriousness of a disease, and in arousing feeling of concern about an epidemic in any society. Continuing trend show a disproportionate increase in new incidences of HIV infection among young adults in sub-Sahara Africa. This study aimed to investigate a group of Nigerian student teachers' awareness and perception on AIDS, and their adherence to safe sex practices. METHODS: Nigerian students in a College of Education (N = 382) were surveyed using a 52-item questionnaire that solicited information on sociodemographics, knowledge on AIDS, and on how serious and concerned are the students about AIDS epidemic...

BACKGROUND: Respiratory infections such as pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and pneumonia are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in HIV infection. Recent studies have shown an increase in Pneumocystis jerovecii pneumonia (PCP) in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study determines the prevalence of PCP and other pulmonary infections among HIV patients at HIV clinics in Tanzania. METHODS: HIV infected patients with cough were enrolled between May and November 2006. Sputum induction was done and examined for PCP using Toluidine blue stain and Polymerase chain reaction...

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in the world. During the past two decades some changes have occurred in histologic type and primary tumor location in some parts of the world but there is a little information about histopathological aspect of disease in Iran. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the features of histopathological of esophageal cancer in Iran. METHODS: This study designed as a cross sectional study...