African health sciences
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Knowledge and practices of seeking informed consent for medical examinations and procedures by health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Informed consent (IC) is linked to the ethical principle of respecting patient autonomy, respect for human rights and ethical practice, while in many countries it is a standard procedure. Anecdotally, it should be noted that in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in many instances ICs are not obtained systematically. To date, no research appears to have been conducted on this matter. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of obtaining IC from patients among health care providers (HCP) in the DRC. ⋯ For a variety of reasons, knowledge and practice of IC among HCPs was very low. A common programme for the country as part of formal training might lead to an improvement. In addition, patients' education on IC should be displayed in waiting areas at all medical centres.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
A preliminary study of skin bleaching and factors associated with skin bleaching among women living in Zimbabwe.
Skin bleaching was reported to be commonly practiced among women and Africa was reported to be one of the most affected yet the subject is not given much attention in public health research in Zimbabwe despite the adverse effects of skin bleaching on health. ⋯ Evidence from the research suggests skin bleaching might be common among women living in Zimbabwe and possibly poses serious health threats to the women. Skin bleaching seems to be deep rooted in colourism. The colourism seems to be taken advantage of by the cosmetic industry which produce the potentially hazardous products which promise the revered light skin to women but which comes with a price. However, the study provides a base for future studies to explore more on skin bleaching practices among women living in Zimbabwe.
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Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are one of the most common causes of the "common cold". Some HCoV strains, however, can cause fatal respiratory disease. Some examples of these diseases are severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). This article will review the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of HCoVs. ⋯ Due to the frequency of recombination events and the subsequent emergence of novel strains, HCoVs are becoming more prevalent, making them a global health concern as they can lead to epidemics and pandemics. Understanding the epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of HCoVs is important, especially during this worldwide pandemic.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Intra-tumoral distribution of Ki-67 and Cyclin D1 in ER+ mammary carcinoma: quantitative evaluation.
In spite of the strong evidence demonstrating the role of overexpression of Ki-67 and Cyclin D1 markers in breast carcinomas, clinical and pathological data remain to be discussed. This can be explained partly by intratumor heterogeneity. ⋯ In this study, we have adopted a strictly quantitative approach to evaluate and demonstrate intratumor heterogeneity. This establishes one of the main factors for poor response to cancer therapy. To achieve this, intratumor heterogeneity should be usually definable and quantifiable but this domain awaits future progress and methods need to move towards a better understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms that initiate and maintain this tumor heterogeneity.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Distribution of phthisis bulbi and status of fellow eyes at a tertiary eye-care centre in Nigeria: a ten-year review.
Phthisis bulbi is an irreversible cause of visual loss with insufficient evidence about its aetiology and status of patients' fellow eyes. ⋯ The commonest cause of phthisis bulbi was trauma. Approximately nine out of ten patients had ocular morbidities in their fellow eye. A thorough follow-up of patients with phthisis bulbi is recommended.