Student's Journal of Health Research Africa
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Graduate employability and the extended curriculum: a mixed-methods cross-sectional study of job market readiness among ECP graduates at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).
Get PDFBackgroundAt Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), the ECP aims to bridge the gap between underperforming high school graduates and academic success at university. However, concerns remain about whether ECP graduates are adequately equipped for the workforce. This study investigates the perceptions of ECP graduates, academic staff, and employers regarding the employability and workplace readiness of ECP alumni at MUT.
Methods
A mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 120 ECP graduates from the Faculties of Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Management Sciences (2019–2023 cohorts). Qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 10 academic staff members and 6 employers who had experience hiring ECP graduates.
Results
Participants reflected diverse socio-demographic characteristics. Among graduates, 54% were female and 46% male, with ages ranging from 21 to 27 years (mean = 23). The majority (62%) came from township and rural backgrounds, often being first-generation university students. While 68% of graduates expressed moderate confidence in entering the job market, only 42% reported receiving dedicated career support during their studies. Academic staff highlighted the limited inclusion of employability components within the ECP curriculum. Employers acknowledged strong technical competence among ECP graduates but noted deficiencies in soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. Additionally, 35% of surveyed graduates remained unemployed six months after completing their qualifications.
Conclusion
The findings point to a partial disconnect between the academic outcomes of the ECP and the expectations of the labour market. Although the programme succeeds in improving access and academic progression, it falls short in equipping students with workplace-ready competencies.
Recommendations
MUT should revise the ECP curriculum to include structured employability interventions such as workplace readiness modules, industry-led mentorship, and formal internships. Stronger collaboration with industry partners is essential to align graduate capabilities with evolving labour market needs
Leadership, conflict, and pedagogy: A cross-sectional qualitative study on the role of management in mitigating academic disagreements that affect learning.
Get PDFBackgroundAcademic conflict is an often-overlooked barrier to effective teaching and learning in higher education. Disagreements among academic staff, rooted in professional rivalry, ideological differences, and institutional pressures, can negatively affect curriculum coherence, staff morale, and student performance. The role of leadership in identifying, managing, and resolving such conflicts is essential to creating a stable academic environment.
MethodsA cross-sectional qualitative research design was employed to investigate how academic management addresses internal conflicts that influence pedagogy. Data were collected from 24 participants, comprising 12 academic staff, 6 Heads of Departments (HODs), and 6 senior faculty administrators, drawn from the Humanities, Sciences, and Education faculties at a South African university. The study utilized 18 in-depth semi-structured interviews and 2 faculty-specific focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach.
ResultsThe study found that academic staff often experience conflict arising from unequal workload distribution, recognition disputes, and divergent pedagogical approaches. HODs highlighted a lack of institutional tools for effective mediation, while senior administrators emphasized the absence of structured leadership development programs. Despite these challenges, faculties where proactive leadership was present, particularly in the Sciences and Education, reported improved collaboration, reduced staff tensions, and positive impacts on student learning.
Conclusion Leadership is a critical factor in mitigating the effects of academic conflict on teaching and learning. While conflict is inevitable in collaborative environments, its impact can be significantly reduced through strategic and empathetic management practices.
Recommendations Higher education institutions should invest in leadership development programs focused on emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and inclusive decision-making. Policies promoting transparency, peer dialogue, and early intervention mechanisms should be institutionalized to enhance pedagogical effectiveness and academic harmony
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending a tertiary care hospital: A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that significantly elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Individuals with T2DM are particularly prone to developing MetS due to overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms such as insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. In India, the prevalence of MetS is rising in parallel to the diabetes epidemic, necessitating focused research at the regional levels.
Objective
To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending a tertiary care hospital in Bihar, India.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted over six months in the Department of General Medicine at Katihar Medical College. A total of 100 T2DM patients aged ≥30 years were enrolled. MetS was diagnosed using the NCEP ATP III criteria. Data on demographic, clinical, and biochemical parameters were collected and analyzed using SPSS v25.
Results
The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 68%. Central obesity (72%), hypertension (66%), low HDL cholesterol (61%), and hypertriglyceridemia (59%) were the most commonly observed components. All participants had fasting glucose levels ≥100 mg/dL. MetS was more prevalent among females (77.7%) compared to males (60%), and was most common in the 51–60-year age group (75%). Statistically significant associations were found between female gender and central obesity (p=0.02), and between age and MetS prevalence (p=0.04).
Conclusion
A high burden of metabolic syndrome exists among T2DM patients in this region, with central obesity and hypertension being the predominant components. Early detection and management are essential to reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular complications.
Recommendations
Routine MetS screening should be integrated into diabetes care protocols, especially for high-risk groups
Variation in femoral length across different age groups and its correlation with walking patterns: A cross-sectional observational study.
Get PDFBackground:Femoral length plays a vital role in determining lower limb biomechanics and walking efficiency. Variations in femoral length across different age groups may influence gait parameters such as step length and walking speed. This study aimed to investigate femoral length variations with age and examine their correlation with walking patterns.
Methods:
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 50 participants, divided into five equal age groups: 10–19, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, and ≥50 years. Femoral length was measured using standardized anthropometric techniques. Gait parameters, including step length and walking speed, were recorded using a motion analysis setup. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were employed to analyze the data.
Results:
The mean femoral length was highest in the 20–29 age group (45.1 ± 2.1 cm) and lowest in the 10–19 group (41.8 ± 2.4 cm). Walking parameters showed similar trends, with peak step length (72.4 ± 4.8 cm) and walking speed (1.51 ± 0.14 m/s) observed in the 20–29 group. A moderate positive correlation was found between femoral length and step length (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), as well as between femoral length and walking speed (r = 0.58, p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Femoral length significantly varies across age groups and is positively correlated with walking efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of femoral length in gait biomechanics and may have implications in orthopedic assessment, rehabilitation, and prosthetic design.
Recommendations:
Incorporate femoral length assessment in gait evaluations to optimize rehabilitation strategies, prosthetic fitting, and age-specific orthopedic interventions
Systematic review of the therapeutic potential of the hiccup-nut tree, Combretum bracteosum (Hochst.) Brandis.
Get PDFBackground
Combretum bracteosum (Hochst.) Brandis is a free-standing and many-stemmed shrub or a small tree used in traditional medicine throughout its distributional range. The current study aimed at reviewing the medicinal uses and ethnopharmacological properties of C. bracteosum.
Methods
A systematic review of scientific literature on the therapeutic potential of C. bracteosum was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). The literature search was conducted using databases PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Scopus, and SciELO, as well as pre-electronic literature sources such as book chapters, books, and other scientific publications obtained from the university library.
Results
Results from this systematic review revealed that C. bracteosum is used as traditional medicine against backache, convulsions, earache, epilepsy, fever, headache, hiccough, menstrual pains, rheumatism, toothache, and scalp infection in children. The phytochemical assessment of C. bracteosum showed that the species contains proanthocyanidin, gallotannin, anthocyanin, flavonol, flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, steroids, cardiac glycosides, and tannins. The crude extracts of C. bracteosum demonstrated antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor binding activities.
Conclusion
This traditional ecological knowledge about C. bracteosum accumulated from the past to the present is extremely important and of great value in the assessment of the therapeutic potential and ethnopharmacological value of the species.
Recommendations
Future research on C. bracteosum should focus on detailed phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluations of the crude extracts as well as phytochemical compounds isolated from the species
“Comparative impact of body mass index, waist circumference, and a body shape index on surgical difficulty in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A cross-sectional comparative study”
Get PDFBackground:Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the preferred minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic gallstones, but surgical difficulty can vary, sometimes causing complications or conversion to open surgery. Traditional obesity assessment using Body Mass Index shows inconsistent predictive value, whereas waist circumference (WC) and A Body Shape Index (ABSI) may more accurately reflect body fat distribution and associated surgical risk.
Aim:
To comparatively assess the impact of BODY MASS INDEX, WC, and ABSI on surgical difficulty during LC.
Methods:
A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted over 2 years in the Department of General Surgery, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi. A total of 200 patients undergoing elective LC were enrolled. Preoperative anthropometric measurements (body mass index, WC, ABSI) were recorded. Intraoperative outcomes such as operative duration, complications, surgeon’s subjective difficulty scores, and conversion to open surgery were documented. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Binary Logistic Regression were applied. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.
Results:
The majority of cases (61.5%) were classified as mild difficulty, 21.5% moderate, and 17% severe. WC was significantly associated with overall surgical difficulty (p=0.036) and physical stress experienced by the surgeon (p=0.014). Body mass index and ABSI did not show significant correlations with overall difficulty or specific surgical steps (all p > 0.05). Weight alone showed significant correlation with difficulty in approach to gallbladder (p=0.028), dissection of Calot’s triangle (p=0.029), and gallbladder removal/retrieval (p=0.042). Port insertion difficulty was not significantly associated with any parameter.
Conclusion:
WC was a more reliable predictor of surgical difficulty in LC compared to BODY MASS INDEX and ABSI. Weight also influenced the difficulty in specific steps.
Recommendations:
Preoperative assessment of WC should be incorporated into surgical planning for LC. Multicentric studies with larger cohorts are needed for validation
A prospective comparative study between biodegradable temporizing matrix (BTM) and Matriderm in the reconstruction of lower lip and limb contractures.
Get PDFBackground:
Reconstruction of post-burn and post-traumatic contractures, especially in the lower lip and limbs, requires an effective dermal substitute to restore both function and aesthetics. Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (BTM) and MatriDerm® are two commonly used options with distinct properties.
Aim:
To compare the clinical outcomes of BTM and MatriDerm® in the surgical reconstruction of lower lip and limb contractures.
Materials and methods:
A prospective comparative study was conducted over 3 years at Patna Medical College and Hospital, involving 50 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (BTM, n = 25) and Group B (MatriDerm®, n = 25). Outcome measures included graft take, healing time, infection rate, aesthetic appearance, functional recovery, and patient satisfaction.
Results:
The study population comprised 27 males (54%) and 23 females (46%), aged 10–60 years (mean 32.4 ± 9.8 years). BTM demonstrated superior graft take (A1: 94%, A2: 91%) compared to MatriDerm® (B1: 88%, B2: 83%). MatriDerm® showed faster healing (B1: 16 days, B2: 18 days), but at the cost of higher infection rates (B1: 11%, B2: 22%). BTM groups had better aesthetic scores (A1: 8.8, A2: 8.3), functional recovery (A1: 91%, A2: 87%), and patient satisfaction (A1: 9.0, A2: 8.5). Lip reconstructions generally had better outcomes than hand reconstructions.
Conclusion:
BTM is more effective than MatriDerm® in achieving durable reconstruction with fewer complications. Individual patient assessment and further large-scale studies are recommended.
Recommendation:
MatriDerm® can be saved for smaller or less contaminated wounds, whereas BTM is advised for complex or mobile areas. It is necessary to do more extensive, multicentric research
Contraceptive use and associated factors among female adolescents living in Katwe – Butego Division, Masaka District, Uganda: A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground
The study aims to assess the factors associated with contraceptive use among adolescents in Masaka district.
Methods
A cross-sectional study design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed. The study targeted 6,338 female adolescents aged 15–24 years. Using proportionate sampling, 90 adolescents were selected from Butego parish and 97 from Katwe parish. Data was analyzed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics were used to determine contraceptive use prevalence, while binary logistic regression identified factors associated with use.
Findings
The results show that 51.9% of the respondents were from Katwe Parish, while 48.1% were from Butego Parish, and the majority were married (64.7%. Most respondents were aged between 15 and 19 years (72.7%), while a smaller proportion were aged between 10 and 14 years (27.3%). Of the 187 female adolescents, 62% were using contraceptives. The married female adolescents were 3.9 times more likely to use contraceptives than single adolescents (AOR = 3.987; 95% CI: 1.528–10.407; p = 0.005). Divorced or separated adolescents had lower odds of using contraceptives than their single counterparts(AOR = 0.018; 95% CI: 0.001–0.597; p = 0.024). Adolescents who had ever faced challenges in affording contraceptives had significantly higher odds of contraceptive use compared to those who had never faced such challenges (AOR = 51.130; 95% CI: 5.777–452.553; p = 0.000.
Conclusion
For every 10 adolescents, 6 are using contraceptives. Potential health risks associated with contraceptive methods, and whether adolescents had ever faced challenges in affording contraceptives, were key factors associated with contraceptive use among female adolescents. A low contraceptive uptake was higher among single adolescents.
Recommendation
Targeted outreach programs through communities, youth clubs, and social media should focus on educating and encouraging this group to seek reproductive health services
FACTORS INFLUENCING FIRST ANTENATAL CARE AMONG PREGNANT MOTHERS DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER AT KAJJANSI HEALTH CENTRE IV, WAKISO DISTRICT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
Get PDFAntenatal care during pregnancy is a measure to reduce the maternal mortality rate. The study aims to determine the factors influencing first antenatal care among pregnant mothers during the first trimester at Kajjansi Health Centre IV, Wakiso district.
Methodology
A cross-sectional quantitative study design used a simple random sampling technique. Data from the questionnaires was entered into the computer using the Microsoft Excel program. Analysis was done, and data was presented in the form of tables, figures, and statistical texts
depicting respondents’ responses in frequencies and percentages.
Results
Most 5(45%) of the respondents mentioned delay in detecting abnormalities, 12(40%) thought one should start antenatal care, 11(38%) mentioned that distance to the facility hindered them. Majority 21(70%) of the respondents lacked ultrasound machine at the facility, Majority 18(60%) of the respondents spent long time waiting for service, 63% of the respondents were unaware of delayed ANC attendance. 53.3% of respondents reported that their religion restricted access to antenatal services. The study revealed that most respondents (40%) were between 18 and 20 years.
Conclusion
Level of knowledge and awareness about the risks of delayed ANC attendance, religious beliefs, geographic challenges, Inadequate healthcare infrastructure were the significant factors that influenced the timing of first ANC visit.
Recommendations
The government should improve access to healthcare services by expanding healthcare infrastructure in rural and underserved areas
NURSES’ EXPERIENCES IN CARING FOR CHILDREN WITH NEONATAL SEPSIS AT HOLY INNOCENTS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN NYAMITANGA DIVISION, MBARARA DISTRICT. A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY.
Get PDFBackground
The study aims to assess Nurses’ experiences in caring for children with neonatal sepsis at Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital in Nyamitanga division, Mbarara district.
Methodology
A qualitative descriptive study design was used. The study involved eight (8) participants, and a purposive sampling method was used.
Results
All participants were qualified nurses and had completed their basic nursing training successfully. 7 were residing in the hospital staff premises, unlike one. Nurses have a heart of interest, express love for caring for sick children, and show no comparison between their efforts with their payments. They express their challenges in the form of fear, a feeling of worry and threat, find themselves overwhelmed by work on the ward, and express a desire to improve on their already present skills to improve care, especially concerning educating mothers on issues related to home practices on children. Others have weaknesses in controlling their emotions, especially at the workplace, after considering their inputs of care, achieved pediatric experience while caring for children with neonatal sepsis, and have innovative skills to deliver nursing care to these Neonates. The raised spread of infection on the ward and the failure to observe safety precautions have been associated with poor infection control by nurses.
Conclusion
The experiences of nurses in care were both achievements basing on; devotion, Nurse motivation and achievements whereas challenges were basing on; Inadequacies, Hindrances of care, Cultural involvement, Nurses’ and Mothers’ challenges.
Recommendation
A level of specialization in pediatric nursing care delivery is required to ensure evidence-based practice. Observations are made through staff appraisals to identify and support incapable nurses with vocational interests in caring for children to go for further studies in pediatric nursing so that evidence-based practice is implemented.