African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2021
ReviewImmunization against severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2: an overview.
In the past years, numerous new fatal infections have emerged, including Ebola, Nipah, and Zika viruses, as well as coronaviruses. Recently, infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged in China, and were then transmitted all over the world, causing the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is transmitted at a higher rate than other diseases caused by coronaviruses. ⋯ In this review, I address different methods for passive and active immunization against this virus, which is known to cause fatal respiratory disease, including natural passive immunization by breast milk, natural active immunization by herd immunization, artificial passive immunization by convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies, and artificial active immunization by vaccination. I hope this review will help design a prophylactic approach against outbreaks and pandemics of related coronaviruses in the future.
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African health sciences · Dec 2021
Psychosocial factors influencing contraceptive use among adolescent mothers in the Volta Region of Ghana: application of the Health Belief Model.
Globally, complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among pregnant women aged 15 to 19 years. This study investigated the psychosocial factors influencing contraceptive use among adolescent mothers in the Volta Region using the Health Belief Model (HBM). ⋯ Programmes to increase contraceptive use should aim at heightening the perception of risk of pregnancy complications, reduce barriers to contraceptive use and increase the skills in negotiating contraceptive use.
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African health sciences · Dec 2021
Factors associated with risky sexual behaviour among secondary and preparatory students in Wolaita Sodo town, Southern Ethiopia; Institution based cross-sectional study.
Young people in Ethiopia aged between 18 and 24 who have had sex before age 18 has increased from 35% in 2005 to 40% in 2016 among women and from 9% to 12% among men. ⋯ Substantial proportion of study participants engaged in risky sexual behavior calling for more interventions on school student's addictive behaviors. Parents should have frequent, open and informative discussions about substance use and the associated problems with their adolescents.
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African health sciences · Dec 2021
Cytokine profiles in highly active antiretroviral treatment non-adherent, adherent and naive HIV-1 infected patients in Western Kenya.
Cytokines play an important role in signaling the immune system to build an adequate immune response against HIV. HIV distorts the balance between pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines causing viral replication. Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) acts by trying to restore pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance. It is not clear how HAART non-adherence influences circulating cytokine levels. This study therefore determined cytokine levels in HAART non-adherent individuals. ⋯ This study established that HAART adherence is immunologically beneficial to the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance milieu while non-adherence appears to cause alterations in pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines warping the balance in this dichotomy.
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Trauma in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa constitutes at least 17.8% of overall emergency cases, with hand trauma being common. ⋯ Therapists face challenges in managing traumatic hand injuries, which inhibits optimal intervention planning. These factors may inevitably negatively influence outcomes achieved through occupational therapy for this group of patients.