African health sciences
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African health sciences · Jun 2022
Exclusive breast-feeding in the first six months: findings from a cross-sectional survey in Mulago hospital, Uganda.
Improving maternal and child health, one of the key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Exclusive breast-feeding contributes significantly to child survival and development, but many mothers in Africa do not exclusively breastfeed their infants. This paper reports a study in Mulago hospital in Kampala. The study aims to identify factors influencing mothers' choices of infant feeding practices. ⋯ To increase the rate of exclusive breast-feeding in Uganda, it is important that community health is strengthened, and health workers are trained on national breast-feeding policies.
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African health sciences · Jun 2022
Learner pregnancies: views of parents in Madibeng Municipality, North West Province, South Africa.
The learner pregnancy phenomenon is one of a variety of social phenomena faced by schools globally. In South Africa, the phenomenon has been increasing in intensity over the years, as shown in the increasing number of learner pregnancies reported by the Department of Basic Education. Due to its social consequences, learner pregnancy involves different stakeholders, such as teachers, parents and the community. ⋯ Stakeholders such as parents, teachers and the community, as internal or external partners, should play a pivotal role in preventing and managing learner pregnancy in schools.
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African health sciences · Jun 2022
The prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among neonates delivered in Public Hospitals, Northern Ethiopia.
A body of evidences showed that birth asphyxia is a serious public health problem in low income countries including Ethiopia. There are sparse data on the prevalence of birth asphyxia and its associated factors among neonates in low income countries like Ethiopia, as well as the research area. ⋯ The Prevalence of birth asphyxia notable high. Therefore; intra-partum care services should be strengthened to prevent birth asphyxia.
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African health sciences · Jun 2022
Effectiveness and compliance to the use of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine as a prophylaxis for malaria among pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Malaria during pregnancy escalates the damaging consequence to the mother and neonate. The usage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is recommended for averting the deleterious consequences of malaria in pregnancy. This study evaluated the effectiveness of, and compliance with the use of SP for malaria among pregnant women in Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria. ⋯ The use and compliance of SP reduced the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women and their new-borns.
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African health sciences · Jun 2022
Prevalence of echocardiographic left atrial enlargement among hypertensive Nigerian subjects.
Left atrial enlargement (LAE) predispose to arrhythmias, atrial thrombogenesis and cardioembolic stroke. Whether LAE constitute a major risk among African hypertensive subjects is not well described. This study was aimed to describe the epidemiologic pattern of LAE among hypertensive subjects and determine their correlates. ⋯ LAE is common among Nigerian hypertensive subjects. Age, waist circumference, left ventricular wall dimension and mass index are the important correlates of LAE in hypertensive Nigerians.