Student's Journal of Health Research Africa
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Postgraduate students’ interpretations of research misconduct and their views on enabling research integrity at universities.
Get PDFBackground
Upholding research ethics is critical within the landscape of postgraduate research in South African higher education. This study, conducted at a University of Technology with postgraduate students in Health Sciences, sought to explore their understanding of research misconduct, strategies to prevent misconduct, and the need for a dedicated module on ethics in Health Sciences.
Method
This study employed a qualitative exploratory research design. The sample consisted of postgraduate students from the Faculty of Health Sciences who registered in 2022. Data were collected from 15 postgraduate students between April and October 2022 using semi-structured interviews to explore their views on research misconduct, strategies to prevent it, and the need for a research ethics module for health science research. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Results
Participants comprised 11 females and 4 males, representing disciplines such as Biomedical and Clinical Technology, Chiropractic, Child and Youth Care, Emergency Medical Care and Rescue, Nursing, and Radiography. Ten were master’s students, and five were doctoral candidates, including those enrolled in the generic PhD programme. Three main themes emerged from the data: Research Misconduct, Preventing Research Misconduct, and Research Ethics Training.
Conclusion
Postgraduate students are aware of research misconduct risks, but universities must enforce robust policies, agreements, and ethics training to uphold academic integrity. Misconduct threatens credibility, funding, and participant safety, underscoring the need for proactive institutional safeguards. The absence of a dedicated ethics module reveals a critical curricular gap, warranting urgent integration into health science education.
Recommendations
A comprehensive Research Ethics Module should be developed and implemented across the Faculty of Health Sciences and made compulsory for all postgraduate students upon registration. The University should also formalize a misconduct agreement for students to sign at the start of their research, reinforcing the consequences of misconduct and the importance of upholding ethical standards
Socioeconomic factors influencing antenatal care utilization among pregnant women: A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground:
Antenatal care (ANC) plays a pivotal role in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, its utilization is often influenced by socioeconomic and demographic disparities. Understanding these determinants is crucial for strengthening maternal health services.
Objectives:
To assess the utilization of antenatal care services among pregnant women and to examine the association of socioeconomic factors with ANC utilization.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital. Data on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, education, occupation, and ANC utilization were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. ANC utilization was categorized as adequate (≥4 visits) or inadequate (<4 trips). Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square tests to assess associations between socioeconomic factors and ANC utilization.
Results:
The mean age of participants was 24.8 years, with 46% aged 21–25 years. A majority (64%) resided in rural areas. Socioeconomic assessment revealed that 34% belonged to the middle class, while 18% of women were illiterate. Adequate ANC utilization was reported by 68% of participants, whereas 32% had inadequate visits. Education, socioeconomic class, and place of residence showed statistically significant associations with ANC utilization (p < 0.05). Women with secondary or higher education (82%) and those from upper socioeconomic strata (84%) reported greater ANC attendance compared to illiterate women (39%) and those from lower classes (52%). Employment status demonstrated a positive but non-significant association.
Conclusion:
Maternal education, socioeconomic class, and urban residence were significant predictors of ANC utilization. Targeted interventions focusing on disadvantaged groups are crucial to ensure equitable maternal healthcare access.
Recommendations:
Strengthen maternal health education, enhance rural healthcare access, subsidize antenatal services for disadvantaged groups, and implement targeted awareness campaigns to promote equitable ANC utilization
Clinical spectrum and outcomes of acute pyrethroid poisoning: a hospital-based prospective observational study.
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Pyrethroids are widely used synthetic insecticides considered relatively safe. However, acute poisoning can lead to significant neurotoxic and systemic complications, particularly in cases of oral ingestion. Understanding the clinical profile and outcomes is essential for early recognition and management. To assess the clinical profile, severity, and outcomes of patients presenting with acute pyrethroid poisoning.
Materials and Methods
A prospective observational study was conducted over 12 months at a tertiary care hospital. Sixty patients with confirmed acute pyrethroid poisoning were included. Data collected included demographics, mode and route of exposure, clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters, severity (assessed by Poison Severity Score), treatment, and outcomes. Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results
The mean age of patients was 32.5 ± 12.4 years, with a male predominance (63.3%). Oral ingestion was the most common route of exposure (83.3%), with suicidal intent in 63.3% of cases. Neurological manifestations were predominant, including tremors (75%), altered sensorium (30%), and seizures (20%). Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred in 60% of patients. According to Poison Severity Score, 53.3% had mild poisoning, 33.3% moderate, and 13.3% severe. ICU admission was required in 13.3% of cases. The mean hospital stay was 4.2 ± 1.8 days, and overall mortality was 3.3%.
Conclusion
Acute pyrethroid poisoning primarily affects young adults and presents predominantly with neurological symptoms. Most cases are mild to moderate and respond well to supportive care. Severe cases, though less common, require intensive monitoring. Early recognition and appropriate supportive management are crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Recommendation
Early identification, prompt supportive management, and community education on safe pesticide handling can effectively reduce morbidity and prevent fatalities
The Contribution of Psychosocial Intervention Towards Perceived Sobriety: A cross-sectional Survey in the selected Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, Kampala and Wakiso districts, Uganda.
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Psychosocial intervention, as a core element driving addicts to desire sobriety as a social identity, plays an important role. The study investigated the contribution of psychosocial intervention towards perceived sobriety. The study aimed at examining the influence of psychosocial intervention on perceived sobriety. The research objective was to establish the effect of psychosocial intervention on perceived sobriety in the selected hospital and rehabilitation centre in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Uganda.
Methods:
A cross-sectional design was used, and a mixed method approach with a sequential exploratory and sequential explanatory design, where a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis was used to integrate Findings during the interpretation phase. The researcher used a Concurrent triangulation design where only one data collection phase was used; data collection and analysis were conducted separately.
Results:
The results revealed that the majority of the respondents were in the age range of 31-35 years, 95(33.3%), 26-30 years, 71(24.9%), 36-40 years, 64(22.5%), and 20-25 years, 55(19.3%). The majority of the respondents were male, 213(74.7%), and females were 72(25.3%). The result revealed a weak linear positive but significant relationship between psychosocial intervention and perceived sobriety (r = 0.230, p = 0.000). The findings suggest that psychosocial intervention is likely to lead to perceived sobriety (r = 0.230). This implies that psychosocial intervention significantly positively correlates with perceived sobriety at the level of significance.
Conclusion:
Increasing psychosocial intervention would result in feasible recovery, hence achieving sobriety. Therefore, therapists are encouraged to help recovering addicts manage continued vulnerability and develop healthy, productive, and meaningful lives.
Recommendation:
The Ministry of Health, through the Mental Health Desk, should encourage clinical coordinators and treatment providers to train professionals in clinical counseling and psychology to improve the quality of services in the treatment facilities
An analysis of how South African legislation National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA), regulates the use of indigenous medicinal plants: A desktop-based qualitative review design.
Get PDFBackgroundIndigenous medicinal plants are widely used in South Africa for traditional healing, pharmaceutical research, and commercial trade. Their increasing demand has raised concerns over biodiversity loss, bioprospecting, and the protection of traditional knowledge. To safeguard these resources, the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) and the Biodiversity Act provide legal mechanisms for sustainable use, conservation, and benefit-sharing. This study analyses how South African legislation regulates the collection, trade, and commercialization of indigenous medicinal plants.
Methods
A qualitative desktop review design was adopted. Relevant documents were sourced from government legislation, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) reports, peer-reviewed articles, policy briefs, and legal case studies. Data were thematically analysed to identify regulatory measures, compliance requirements, and enforcement challenges related to the use of indigenous medicinal plants.
Results
Findings revealed that NEMBA regulates indigenous plant harvesting through permit systems, biodiversity management plans, and restricted species lists. The Biodiversity Act reinforces compliance by ensuring equitable benefit-sharing with indigenous knowledge holders, consistent with the Nagoya Protocol. However, challenges exist, including illegal harvesting, limited awareness among traditional healers, weak enforcement capacity, and slow processing of bioprospecting permits. Successful examples of benefit-sharing agreements demonstrate the potential for fair compensation, conservation funding, and research partnerships.
Conclusion
South Africa has strong legal frameworks governing the use of indigenous medicinal plants, balancing cultural practices, commercialization, and conservation. Despite this, gaps in enforcement and community awareness limit effective implementation, resulting in ongoing illegal harvesting and biodiversity threats.
Recommendations
The study recommends increased community education on permit requirements, improved enforcement capacity, streamlined bioprospecting procedures, and stronger partnerships between government, traditional healers, and research institutions. Expanding benefit-sharing agreements could incentivize conservation and ensure that indigenous communities receive fair economic and cultural benefits
Cross-sectional study on the occurrence of menstrual disorders post-tubal sterilization.
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Tubal sterilization is a common permanent contraceptive method worldwide. However, its potential long-term sequelae, particularly menstrual disorders, remain a subject of debate. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and pattern of menstrual disorders among women who underwent tubal sterilization.
Methods
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Bhaarath Medical College and Hospital from October 2024 to October 2025. One hundred parous women aged 25-40 years who had undergone tubal sterilization at least one year prior were enrolled using a consecutive sampling technique. A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, surgical history, and menstrual patterns. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and percentages. The Chi-square test was used to assess associations, with p-values <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results
The mean age of the participants was 32.4 ± 4.1 years. The overall occurrence of menstrual disorders post-sterilization was 65% (65/100). The most common disorders were menorrhagia (30%), followed by polymenorrhea (18%) and intermenstrual spotting (12%). A statistically significant association (p=0.02) was found between the type of sterilization technique and the occurrence of menorrhagia. Women with a history of postpartum sterilization reported a higher incidence of menstrual irregularities compared to those with interval sterilization (72% vs. 58%, p=0.04).
Conclusion
A high occurrence of menstrual disorders was observed among women following tubal sterilization. Menorrhagia was the most prevalent disorder.
Recommendation
Pre-sterilization counseling should include comprehensive information about the potential risk of menstrual irregularities to ensure informed decision-making
Prevalence and factors associated with offering post-partum contraception by healthcare workers in Kayunga District: A cross-sectional study.
Get PDFBackground.
Postpartum contraception is a critical component of maternal health, helping to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce pregnancy-related risks. Despite high levels of awareness about family planning methods in Uganda, their uptake during the postpartum period remains low. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the provision of postpartum contraception by healthcare workers in Kayunga District.
Methodology.
The study employed a cross-sectional design using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative aspect involved a review of family planning and maternity records from January to June 2024 to determine the proportion of mothers who received postpartum contraceptive methods and their preferred choices. Additionally, self-administered questionnaires were used to assess healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding postpartum contraception. The qualitative component included key informant interviews with facility heads to explore facility-level factors affecting service provision.
Results.
A total of 2,502 women received family planning (FP) services before 6 months postpartum across all facilities. This accounted for 16.4% of all FP users (15,281) and 37.9% of all deliveries (6,597). Facility-level variation was wide, ranging from 0% in some health centers to as high as 290% in others. Overall, 47% demonstrated good knowledge; Attitudes were largely positive: 93% expressed good attitudes, while 73% demonstrated moderately good practices. Basic infrastructure exists in most facilities, but service delivery is constrained by inadequate training and inconsistent method availability.
Conclusions.
Findings demonstrate that low postpartum contraceptive uptake is primarily driven by knowledge and training deficiencies, inconsistent supply systems, and weak supervision frameworks, rather than by a lack of physical infrastructure.
Recommendations
Efforts to improve postpartum contraception should begin by enhancing early uptake through strengthened integration of family-planning counselling and service provision at all contact points along the maternal-child health pathway, including antenatal care, delivery, postnatal, and immunization visits
Working Class Diabetes: The World Forgot
Get PDFDiabetes mellitus is becoming more common around the world, and it affects low- and middle-income groups the most. Most of the time, current diabetes management guidelines tell everyone to eat and live in the same way. These guidelines are mostly for people who don't move around much. This general approach often doesn't take into account the specific physical needs, job-related stressors, and financial limitations of working-class people who do physically demanding work. This kind of mismatch can cause low blood sugar, dehydration, not following treatment, and faster disease progression to happen over and over again. This prospective observational study looks at how the amount of work a person does affects their blood sugar levels, nutritional needs, and health outcomes in people with diabetes who work. The results show that standard diabetes care models and the way people actually work are very different. The study emphasises the imperative for occupation-specific diabetes management strategies that incorporate energy expenditure, hydration needs, and meal timing to improve metabolic stability and long-term outcomes in this underserved population
THE INTERNATIONAL LAW AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP CENTER: UNDERSTANDING CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN SOUTH SUDAN: IMPACT, CHALLENGES, AND PATHS TO JUSTICE
No full textThis dissertation investigates crimes against humanity in South Sudan, focusing on the socio-political challenges following its independence from Sudan in 2011. It examines the widespread atrocities during the civil conflict that began in December 2013, marked by ethnic violence, mass killings, and severe human rights abuses. Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzes secondary sources such as government reports, academic literature, and media accounts to understand the factors behind the conflict and the ensuing humanitarian crisis. Key findings reveal that despite the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and South Sudan’s independence, the new state faced significant structural weaknesses. These included poor infrastructure, limited human capital, fragile political institutions, and pervasive corruption, all exacerbated by deep ethnic divisions. The study critically evaluates the judicial system’s role in addressing crimes against humanity, highlighting its inefficacy and lack of legitimacy, which hinder post-conflict peacebuilding. The dissertation also assesses international interventions, particularly the deployment of peacekeeping forces under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2132, and their mixed success in reducing violence and protecting civilians. Additionally, it examines survivors’ expectations of reparations, emphasizing the disparity between international justice standards and the reality in South Sudan’s justice system. In conclusion, the research stresses the importance of establishing robust, inclusive legal frameworks supported by international cooperation to ensure accountability and justice for victims. It provides practical recommendations for policymakers, legal experts, and international organizations to strengthen judicial reform and peacebuilding in post-conflict settings. This work contributes to the broader discourse on state-building and transitional justice, offering insights to address crimes against humanity and promote sustainable peace in South Sudan
Efficacy of CT-Guided Lumbar Chemical Sympathectomy for Pain Relief and Ulcer Healing in Patients with Thromboangiitis Obliterans and Peripheral Arterial Disease: Lumbar chemical sympathectomy for lower limb pain and ulcer management
No full textBackground: Lumbar chemical sympathectomy (LCS) is a minimally invasive procedure used to manage chronic lower limb pain and ischemic conditions, including thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided LCS in pain reduction and ulcer healing among patients with chronic pain syndromes and TAO.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was undertaken at a medical college to evaluate the efficacy of LCS. Eighteen patients (mean age: 41.8 (± 16) years, 15 males, 3 females) with refractory ischemic pain or non-healing ulcers underwent single-level CT-guided LCS at L2/L3 using absolute alcohol and bupivacaine were selected. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, 1 week, 2 months, and 6 months post-procedure. Ulcer healing was monitored clinically.
Results: The mean pre-procedure VAS score (8.2 ± 1.1) significantly decreased to 2.8 ± 1.5 postoperatively (p < 0.001), with further reductions at 1 week (1.94 ± 1.0) and 2 months (0.72 ± 0.98). No significant pain reduction was observed beyond the 2-month follow-up (p = 0.08). Among nine patients with ischemic ulcers, six demonstrated significant healing, including complete ulcer resolution in three cases. LCS was performed as a day-care procedure, with no major complications reported.
Conclusion: CT-guided LCS provides significant pain relief and ulcer healing in patients with TAO and PAD, offering a cost-effective alternative for those ineligible for surgical revascularization. However, further large-scale, long-term studies are warranted to establish its sustained efficacy and optimize patient selection