African health sciences
-
African health sciences · Mar 2015
Influence of gender preference and sex composition of surviving children on childbearing intention among high fertility married women in stable union in Malawi.
Child's gender preference (GP) frequently leads to high fertility which has adverse effect on family health. The link between women's fertility intention, GP and Living Children's Sex Composition (LCSC) as found in this study is less explored in Malawi. ⋯ We find that GP and LCSC significantly influence women's intention to bear more children. Women should stop childbearing after attaining their desired number irrespective of the LCSC.
-
African health sciences · Mar 2015
Case ReportsIdiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis presenting with occipital neuralgia.
Although occipital neuralgia is usually caused by degenerative arthropathy, nearly 20 other aetiologies may lead to this condition. ⋯ Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a plausible cause of occipital neuralgia and may present without cranial-nerve palsy. There is no consensus on the treatment for idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis, but the usual approach is to start corticotherapy and then to add immunosuppressants. When occipital neuralgia is not clinically isolated or when a first-line treatment fails, another disease diagnosis should be considered. However, the cost effectiveness of extended investigations needs to be considered.
-
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.
-
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.