Student's Journal of Health Research Africa
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Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses towards the prevention of pressure ulcers among bedridden patients at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Wakiso District. A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground
Pressure ulcers are localized injuries to the skin and underlying tissues primarily caused by prolonged pressure, shear, or friction. This aims to assess nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices to identify gaps and develop targeted interventions.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study design that employed quantitative methods of data collection. This population included all Nurses at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital who provide medical care to patients. A sample of 30 Nurses was selected using a simple random sampling technique.
Results
20(67%) were females while 10(33%) were males. 12(40%) had a certificate as their highest level of education, 10(33%) were of diploma level, 8(27%) had a bachelor’s degree. 10(33%) mentioned that they identify a stage one pressure ulcer by redness on intact skin. 14 (47%) mentioned skin hygiene and barrier creams as the practice that helps them maintain skin integrity in bedridden patients. 14(47%) reported boosting immunity as the importance of hydration and protein in ulcer prevention. 12(40%) strongly believed that continuous education enhances their ability to prevent pressure ulcers effectively. 21(70%) rarely implemented repositioning schedules for bedridden patients. 12(40%) never performed a comprehensive skin inspection for bedridden patients. 22(73%) never used specialized pressure-relieving devices.
Conclusion
Nurses knew about the prevention of pressure ulcers, though with low attitudes and practices on target interventions.
Recommendation
Adopt evidence-based practices such as regular patient repositioning and comprehensive skin inspection. Increase efforts to educate caregivers on preventive measures to enhance continuity of care. Treat pressure ulcer prevention as an ethical responsibility and an integral part of nursing care
Socioeconomic determinants and pregnancy outcomes among adolescent mothers: A cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital in Amalapuram.
Get PDFBackground:Adolescent pregnancy remains a major public health concern, particularly in developing countries, due to its association with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Various socioeconomic and educational factors significantly influence its prevalence and complications.
Objectives:
To assess the socioeconomic status and pregnancy outcomes of adolescent mothers and to identify key factors influencing maternal and fetal health.
Methods:
A prospective cohort study was conducted at KIMS and RF, Amalapuram, from November 2023 to November 2024. Fifty adolescent pregnant women (≤19 years) attending the OPD and labour room were included. Data regarding sociodemographic variables and pregnancy outcomes were collected using a semi-structured proforma and analyzed using SPSS version 22.
Results:
Most adolescent mothers (60%) were aged 18–19 years, and 70% were primigravida. A majority belonged to the upper-lower (40%) and lower (30%) socioeconomic classes. Anemia (40%) and IUGR (36%) were the most common antenatal complications. Preterm birth (24%) and IUGR (20%) were the predominant fetal outcomes. Postpartum complications included PPH (12%) and puerperal sepsis (8%).
Conclusion:
Adolescent pregnancy is more prevalent among socioeconomically disadvantaged, less-educated, and married teenage girls, with notable maternal and fetal complications. Strengthening adolescent education and healthcare access is vital.
Recommendations:
Implement adolescent health education, enforce child marriage laws, and improve access to antenatal care in rural areas to reduce complications
Climate-literate graduates: A cross-sectional study assessing the integration of climate change education across university disciplines.
Get PDFBackgroundThe growing threat of climate change demands that higher education institutions equip students with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively. Yet, the extent and manner in which climate change education (CCE) is integrated into university curricula, particularly in Global South contexts like South Africa, remains underexplored. This study examined the integration of CCE within South African universities, identifying patterns, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
MethodsA cross-sectional survey design targeted academic staff and final-year students across five faculties (Science, Engineering, Humanities, Education, and Commerce) at three South African universities. Data collection involved structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically analysed to reveal curricular practices and perceived barriers.
ResultsA total of 121 participants (12 academic staff and 109 final-year students) were included. CCE integration varied significantly across faculties. Science showed the highest inclusion of climate content (89%), followed by Engineering and Education. Commerce and Humanities reported limited engagement (33% and 29%). Most climate content appeared in elective rather than core modules. Interviews highlighted key barriers: limited institutional support, inadequate staff training, and weak interdisciplinary collaboration. Students expressed a strong demand for practical, action-oriented climate education across all disciplines.
ConclusionCCE remains uneven and fragmented within South African universities, with structural, institutional, and pedagogical challenges impeding broader integration. This inconsistency risks undermining graduates’ ability to address climate-related challenges in diverse professional contexts.
RecommendationUniversities should establish institution-wide climate literacy frameworks embedding CCE across faculties. Interdisciplinary curriculum development, staff capacity-building, and collaboration with industry and civil society are essential to produce climate-literate graduates capable of advancin
Fostering economic independence: A case study on the Sithola Ulwazi entrepreneurship skills development project at MUT.
Get PDFBackgroundEntrepreneurship is widely recognized as a catalyst for economic growth and poverty alleviation. However, in South Africa, high unemployment and socio-economic inequality continue to limit access to entrepreneurial opportunities, especially in marginalized communities. Existing skills development programs often lack practical relevance and fail to support long-term economic independence. The Sithola Ulwazi Entrepreneurship Skills Development Project was established to address these gaps by providing community-based training and mentorship. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the project in enhancing entrepreneurial skills, promoting business sustainability, and fostering economic participation among marginalized communities.
MethodThis qualitative case study employed semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis to explore the project’s effectiveness. Twenty participants were interviewed, and two focus groups with stakeholders were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns, challenges, and success factors in the implementation and outcomes of the project.
ResultsParticipants demonstrated significant improvement in entrepreneurial competencies, including business planning, budgeting, and customer engagement. Over 70% established small enterprises or registered formal businesses, reflecting progress toward business sustainability. In addition, participants reported increased confidence in pursuing self-employment and greater participation in local economic networks, with 65% engaging in collaborative ventures such as cooperatives. Broader community-level outcomes included increased household income stability and stronger social capital through business networks. The mentorship component and support with business registration were consistently described as the most impactful elements. Social demographics revealed that the majority of participants were youth (18–35 years, 60%) and female (55%), with most having secondary-level education.
ConclusionThe Sithola Ulwazi Project demonstrates that hands-on, community-driven entrepreneurship training can effectively promote economic independence in underserved communities.
RecommendationsTo strengthen impact, the project should integrate follow-up mentorship, establish partnerships with microfinance institutions, and create market linkages for small businesses
Medicinal uses and pharmacological properties of Terminalia kaiserana F.Hoffm. (Combretaceae family).
Get PDFBackground
Terminalia kaiserana F.Hoffm. is a deciduous shrub or small tree widely used in traditional medicine in tropical Africa. This study was aimed at reviewing the medicinal uses and ethnopharmacological properties of T. kaiserana.
Methods
A search for available information on the medicinal uses and ethnopharmacological properties of T. kaiserana was conducted by searching the scientific databases such as SpringerLink®, PubMed®, Scopus®, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect®, and SciELO, as well as pre-electronic literature sources such as books, book chapters, and other publications obtained from the university library.
Results
Results from this research showed that the T. kaiserana is used as a diuretic and traditional medicine against HIV/AIDs opportunistic infections, skin diseases, backache, cardiac problems, headache, diuretic, vomiting, cough, bilharzia, diarrhoea, and gonorrhoea. The phytochemical assessment of T. kaiserana revealed that it contains castalagin, ellagic acid glycosides, ellagic acid rhamnoside, ellagitannin, gallic acid, gallotannins, punicalagin, punicalin, tannins, terchebulin, and terflavin-A. The crude extracts of T. kaiserana and phytochemical compounds isolated from the species exhibited antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, and antiproliferative activities.
Conclusion
Results of this study contribute to the existing traditional ecological knowledge about ethnomedicinal applications and ethnopharmacological properties of T. kaiserana that could be useful in bio-prospecting for new health-promoting and pharmaceutical products.
Recommendations
Future research on T. kaiserana should focus on detailed phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluations, as well as in vivo and clinical studies
Risk factors associated with recent and long-term HIV infections among newly identified HIV positive clients in Kyenjojo District, Western Uganda. A cross-sectional study.
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Despite the implementation of many preventative efforts, new HIV infections among the general population continue to occur in Uganda. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with recent & long-term HIV infections among newly identified HIV positive clients in Kyenjojo District, Western Uganda.
Methods
A cross-sectional study employing a quantitative approach. The collected data were analyzed using STATA. Data was presented in the form of text, tables, and graphs. Logistic regression was used to test for association, while an odds ratio was used as the measure of the association between the two variables, and data was presented in terms of text, tables, and pie-charts.
Results
A total of 211 respondents participated in the study; 91.9% of the participants were found to have long-term HIV infections. Recent HIV infection was significantly associated with being Christians (AOR = 15.01; 95% CI: 3.89–28.06; p = 0.005), earning less than 100,000 shillings per month (AOR = 3.88; 95% CI: 1.72–6.25; p= 0.020), perceived the waiting time at the health facility as long (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.12–6.82; p = 0.003), having the nearest health facility providing HIV/AIDS services (AOR = 13.96; 95% CI: 9.14–20.79; p = 0.002), and reporting that health workers were friendly and welcoming (AOR = 13.38; 95% CI: 4.13–41.90; p = 0.006).
Conclusion
Long-term HIV infection was in nine out of every ten participants, and recent HIV infection was associated with the facility providing HIV/AIDS services and the behaviors of the health workers.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with health facility administrators, should implement a comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategy to address recent HIV infections by targeting high-risk populations
Predictors of heart failure at 3-month follow-up in patients undergoing pharmacoinvasive percutaneous coronary intervention for anterior wall STEMI: A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground
Anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) often leads to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and clinical heart failure despite timely reperfusion. The pharmacoinvasive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) strategy, involving thrombolysis followed by planned PCI, is frequently used in regions where immediate primary PCI is not feasible. Identifying early predictors of heart failure after such interventions can improve risk stratification and follow-up strategies.
Objectives
To identify the baseline angiographic and clinical indicators of heart failure at the 3-month mark in patients who received PCI and thrombolysis for anterior wall STEMI.
Methods
480 individuals who received PCI and thrombolysis for anterior wall STEMI within 24 hours were included in this research. Age, gender, Killip class, cardiovascular risk factors, time to PCI (3–10, 10–17, and 17–24 hours), Baseline data included left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at discharge and TIMI flow prior to and following PCI. At three months, heart failure was defined as echocardiographic LV dysfunction (LVEF <40%) and the presence of NYHA class II–IV symptoms. Independent predictors were found using multivariate logistic regression.
Results
Mean age was 57.3 ± 11.2 years; 82% were male. Sixty-eight patients (14.2%) developed HF at 3 months. HF was more common among those with Killip class ≥II (29.5% vs. 9.8%, p<0.001), delayed PCI (>17 hours) (20% vs. 10.3%, p=0.01), and lower baseline LVEF (40.1% vs. 46.7%, p<0.001). Independent predictors were baseline LVEF <40% (aOR 2.78, 95% CI 1.63–4.72), Killip class ≥II (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.24–3.71), and PCI >17 hours (aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.08–3.57).
Conclusion
Low baseline LVEF, elevated Killip class, and PCI delay independently predict HF at 3 months following pharmacoinvasive PCI for anterior STEMI.
Recommendation
Early risk identification, minimizing PCI delays, and aggressive heart failure prevention strategie
Diagnostic accuracy of routine anomaly scans in identifying congenital malformations during the second trimester. A cross-sectional observational study.
Get PDFBackground:Congenital malformations remain a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early detection through routine anomaly scans during the second trimester is critical for timely counseling, management, and improving pregnancy outcomes. However, the diagnostic accuracy of these scans varies depending on the type of anomaly and the expertise of the examiner.
Objective:
To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of routine second-trimester anomaly scans in detecting congenital malformations when compared with postnatal findings.
Methods:
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 100 pregnant women undergoing routine anomaly scans between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation. Findings were compared with postnatal examinations and confirmatory investigations. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and overall diagnostic accuracy were calculated.
Results:
Out of 100 cases, routine anomaly scans detected congenital malformations in 18 fetuses (18%). Postnatal evaluation confirmed 20 malformations, including 16 true positives, 2 false positives, and 4 false negatives. Sensitivity was 80%, specificity 97.6%, positive predictive value 88.9%, negative predictive value 95.2%, and overall diagnostic accuracy 94%. Central nervous system anomalies were most common (6%), followed by cardiac (6%), skeletal (5%), renal (3%), and gastrointestinal anomalies (2%). Missed anomalies were primarily subtle cardiac and skeletal malformations.
Conclusion:
Routine second-trimester anomaly scans demonstrate high diagnostic accuracy, particularly for central nervous system and renal malformations. However, cardiac and skeletal anomalies remain challenging and require meticulous evaluation.
Recommendations:
Enhanced operator training, incorporation of advanced imaging techniques, and standardized protocols are recommended to improve detection rates of cardiac and skeletal anomalies during routine anomaly scans
Predictors of treatment outcomes in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis in India (2015–2025): A systematic review.
Get PDFBackground:
Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a major public health concern in India, with treatment outcomes often falling below global targets. Identifying predictors of treatment success or failure is critical for improving care and informing national strategies.
Objectives:
To systematically review and synthesize the evidence on predictors of treatment outcomes in MDR-TB patients in India between 2015 and 2025.
Materials and Methods:
Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) were searched from January 2015 to May 2025. Additional articles were identified through manual reference screening.
The review included observational studies on Indian patients receiving MDR-TB treatment under programmatic or hospital-based settings. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were categorized thematically into demographic, clinical, comorbidity, and treatment-related predictors.
Results:
Seven studies were included, with sample sizes ranging from 95 to over 2,000 patients. Common predictors of unfavorable outcomes included older age, male sex, undernutrition (low BMI/albumin), HIV co-infection, substance use (alcohol/smoking), poor adherence, and adverse drug reactions. Treatment success rates were generally below 50%.
Conclusions and Implications:
Multiple modifiable and non-modifiable factors contribute to poor MDR-TB outcomes in India. Addressing undernutrition, supporting adherence, and managing comorbidities like HIV and substance abuse can improve outcomes. These findings can inform targeted interventions under the National TB Elimination Programme
Prevalence of Syphilis Among Adolescents Aged 15–19 Years in Durban: A retrospective analysis of 2017 data
Get PDFIntroductionSouth Africa carries one of the highest burdens of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) globally, with syphilis remaining a major public health concern. Despite being easily detectable and treatable, syphilis continues to contribute to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. While elimination of mother-to-child transmission has been achieved in some countries, outbreaks persist in selected populations, including adolescents, where epidemiological data are often limited. In South Africa, reliable estimates of syphilis prevalence among teenagers remain scarce, despite alarming statistics that highlight the urgent need for early detection and targeted interventions.
AimThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of syphilis among adolescents aged 15–19 years in Durban, South Africa, during the period January–December 2017. A secondary objective was to compare prevalence by sex.
MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective laboratory records of adolescents aged 15–19 years tested for syphilis between January to December 2017. Both male and female patient results were included. Descriptive statistics were applied to determine overall prevalence and stratify findings by sex.
ResultsA total of 224 patient records were reviewed. The overall prevalence of syphilis was 8% (18/224) among the records reviewed. The prevalence of syphilis was highest among 17- to 18-year-old individuals. Prevalence was higher among males (8.53%) than females (5.77%).
ConclusionWhile the overall prevalence percentage was low, prevalence of syphilis remains ca concern, particularly among male adolescents in Durban. These findings highlight the need for broader population-based studies across KwaZulu-Natal and nationally to strengthen prevention and early detection programs to reduce the burden of syphilis among young people