African health sciences
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African health sciences · Mar 2015
Problem based learning: tutors' views 5 years after implementation at a sub-Saharan University.
Curriculum evaluation is key to continuous assurance of quality of education. ⋯ PBL/COBES program was successfully executed and had high acceptance among Faculty. The biggest challenge was getting all staff to provide regular feedback. Self institutional curriculum review can be done cheaply and quickly to provide feedback for continual curriculum improvement.
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African health sciences · Mar 2015
Managing Ebola from rural to urban slum settings: experiences from Uganda.
Five outbreaks of ebola occurred in Uganda between 2000-2012. The outbreaks were quickly contained in rural areas. However, the Gulu outbreak in 2000 was the largest and complex due to insurgency. It invaded Gulu municipality and the slum- like camps of the internally displaced persons (IDPs). The Bundigugyo district outbreak followed but was detected late as a new virus. The subsequent outbreaks in the districts of Luwero district (2011, 2012) and Kibaale (2012) were limited to rural areas. ⋯ Palliative care improved survival. Focusing on treatment and not just quarantine should be emphasized as it also enhanced public trust and health seeking behavior. Early detection and action provided the best scenario for outbreak containment. Community mobilization and leadership was vital in supporting outbreak control. International collaboration was essential in supporting and augmenting the national efforts.
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African health sciences · Mar 2015
Comparative StudyDevelopmental screening in South Africa: comparing the national developmental checklist to a standardized tool.
Worldwide, more than 200 million children in low- and middle-income countries have developmental delays and/or disabilities. In South Africa the only nationally implemented developmental 'screening' tool is integrated as part of 'The Road to Health Booklet (RTHB). ⋯ Sensitivity of the RTHB developmental checklist is low, but specificity is high. The RTHB developmental checklist failed to identify more than half the infants at risk of delays or disorders. The nationally implemented developmental checklist is ineffective to identify at-risk infants. It should be adapted and validated or replaced in order to improve identification of at-risk infants.
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WHO and Uganda's Ministry of Health emphasize the need to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Treatment for these conditions is urgent in northern Uganda where war has negatively affected both health and the public health care system. ⋯ The four conditions are relatively invisible in the outpatient population. Greater visibility would be facilitated by regular clinic days for hypertension and diabetes, availability and regular use of diagnostic instruments, and a more reliable supply of the relevant medicines.
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African health sciences · Mar 2015
The relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, blood glucose and lipid profile of undergraduate students under examination stress.
Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in human beings and cortisol is a known stress hormone. Examination has been described as a naturalistic stressor capable of affecting human health. ⋯ Significant positive correlation was observed between cortisol and TC/HDL ratio before examination stress.