Kitara David - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Kitara David

BMC Psychology

Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental healt... more Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population worldwide, with healthcare workers at particular risk. The pandemic's effect on healthcare workers' mental well-being has been characterized by depression, anxiety, work-related stress, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Hence, protecting the mental well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) is a considerable priority. This review aimed to determine risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes and protective or coping measures to mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Embase for relevant materials. We obtained all articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 relevant to the subject of review and met pre-defined eligibility criteria. We selected 23 articles for initial screening and incl...

Pan African Medical Journal

Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic has significantly impacted th... more Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population world-wide with healthcare workers (HCWs) at particular risk. The effect of the pandemic on the mental wellbeing of healthcare workers has been severe and characterized by depression, anxiety, work related stress, sleep disturbances and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Therefore, protecting the mental wellbeing of HCWs is a major priority. This review is intended to determine identifiable risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes, and any protective or coping measures to mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and Embase for relevant materials. All articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 which were relevant to the subject of review and met a pre-defined eligibility criteria w...

Background The double burden of Malnutrition globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, is on ... more Background The double burden of Malnutrition globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, is on the rise. In Sierra Leone, the incidence of overweight, obesity (OWOB), and overnutrition among women have recently sharply increased, in addition to undernutrition which has been prevalent for decades. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the different Malnutrition categories (underweight, overweight, obesity, and overnutrition) with Malnutrition among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Sierra Leone and associated factors using secondary data analysis of the Demographic Health Survey of 2019 (SLDHS-2019). Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (2019-SLDHS) of 7,514 women aged 15 to 49. We excluded pregnant, post-natal, lactating, and post-menopausal women. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire, and participants were selected through a multistage stratified sampling approach. A multivariable logistic re...

Background With the advent of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the severe second wave... more Background With the advent of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the severe second wave that caused high-profile deaths, hospitalization, and high treatment costs in Uganda, the population has raised concerns about enacting the national health insurance coverage bill. As of March 31, 2021, when Uganda was beginning to experience the second wave of COVID-19, the Parliament of Uganda passed a national health insurance bill that outlined the general structure for the first national health insurance scheme. The bill had pre-set benefit packages including a wide range of essential health services such as family planning, vaccination, and counseling. The plan was proposed to be financed by a combination of employers and government contributions and aimed to cover all Ugandans when fully implemented. The policy and implementation details would evolve when the President enacts it into law. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of health insurance coverage and factors assoc...

Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted t... more Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population worldwide, with healthcare workers (HCWs) at particular risk. The pandemic's effect on healthcare workers' mental well-being has been severe and characterized by depression, anxiety, work-related Stress, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Therefore, protecting the mental well-being of HCWs is a significant priority. This review is to determine identifiable risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes and any protective or coping measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Embase for relevant materials. We obtained all articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 relevant to the review subject and met pre-defined eligibility criteria. We sele...

Introduction: Although COVID-19 first spread slowly in the African continent, confirmed virus cas... more Introduction: Although COVID-19 first spread slowly in the African continent, confirmed virus cases have risen steadily since March 2020. The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 can be attributed to its numerous characteristics, including its high transmissibility, asymptomatic persons’ ability to shed the virus, vast numbers of asymptomatic persons, or mild symptoms but with the ability to transmit the virus, new variants, and super-spreading events. Poor public health practices, disbeliefs, myths, and misconceptions about the virus and its origin in many African communities are the other reasons for its rapid spread. This study aimed to determine the perceptions of the adult population in northern Uganda on the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, disaggregated by age groups.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2022 to assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among seven hundred and twenty-three adult populations selected randomly from the nine districts of the Acholi s...

Background When the COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Uganda in early March of 2021, there was a lack ... more Background When the COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Uganda in early March of 2021, there was a lack of information on the vaccine acceptance in the population due to many factors, mainly misinformation and disinformation circulating in the Ugandan social and mainstream media. This study aimed to determine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the adult population in northern Uganda. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among the 723-adult population in northern Uganda. Participants were selected randomly from the nine districts of the Acholi sub-region. Ethical approval was obtained from a local IRB, and SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis at a multivariable logistic regression. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The most significant finding was that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the adult population in northern Uganda was at 580/723(80.22%) and was significantly associated with those with comorbidities AoR = 0.397, 95%...

Background Ever since the appearance of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and... more Background Ever since the appearance of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan in mid-December 2019, its spread has been dramatic worldwide. It became apparent that the number of pediatric COVID-19 patients was much lower than in adults. Variable clinical presentations and progression have characterized morbidity and mortality in children and young adults. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the characteristics of the COVID-19 among children and adolescents below 20 years in Northern Uganda and determine factors associated with treatment outcomes in the study population. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study conducted a retrospective data abstraction of the COVID-19 patients registered in the Gulu Hospital Health Management Information System (HMIS) database and other tools. The study covered the period between March 2020 and October 2021. Data that met the inclusion criteria were consecutively extrac...

Background: Hepatitis E is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. During 2... more Background: Hepatitis E is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. During 2009, an epidemic of hepatitis E resulted in 10,437 infections and 167 deaths in Kitgum district.Objective: To investigate factors associated with the differential community prevalence of hepatitis E in two sub-counties in Kitgum District.Methods: We conducted a community survey during the 4th-31st of May 2012 in two Sub Counties in Kitgum District in Northern Uganda. A total of 474 heads of household were recruited using a probability proportional to size through multistage and random sampling methods. Two hundred thirty-four (49.26%) heads of household were from Mucwini, and 241 (50.74%) were from Kitgum Matidi Sub Counties. The questionnaire had an internal validity of Cronbach’s α=0.85. The study was approved by a local IRB. STATA version 10.0 was used for data analysis, and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The prevalence of hepatitis E was significantly hi...

Roll-out of Medical Male circumcision (MMC) for HIV prevention in non-circumcising

Background There was an epidemic of Hepatitis E infection in Kitgum District in 2007. More than 1... more Background There was an epidemic of Hepatitis E infection in Kitgum District in 2007. More than 10,422 people were infected, and over 166 deaths were registered due to the Hepatitis E virus. Kitgum District Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) showed that Hepatitis E cases continued to occur more in Mucwini than Kitgum Matidi Sub County despite instituting similar epidemic control measures in the two communities. The tenacity of the virus in Mucwini Sub County had remained unclear. Objective To assess communities’ views and perspectives on the differential prevalence of Hepatitis E in the two Sub Counties of Kitgum Matidi and Mucwini in Northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study using qualitative methods was conducted. Four Focus Group discussions and six key informant interviews were conducted with village health teams, local council chairpersons, health workers, and community members. These persons were chosen purposively because of their expertise and experience in ...

Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that results from ... more Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that results from infection with a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). One of the most critical issues related to the COVID-19 is the high rate of spread, millions of people have been infected around the world, and hundreds of thousands of people have died till now. However, reports from Africa paint a different picture of the SARS-CoV-2 and its effects on the population. Objectives The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of the COVID-19 patients treated at the Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and determine factors associated with COVID-19 manifestations, socio-demographic characteristics, and treatment outcomes from March 2020 to October 2021. Methods A retrospective data abstraction of all COVID-19 hospital admissions registered in the Gulu Health Management Information System (HMIS) database and other tools were conducted. The period of study was March 2020 to October 2021. Data that m...

PAMJ Clinical Medicine, 2021

Background: The advent of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of de... more Background: The advent of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths worldwide. There is a lack of data on the outcome of hospitalized African patients suffering from COVID-19.This study aimed at identifying factors associated with hospital mortality in patients who suffered from COVID-19 at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda from March 2020 to October 2021.Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective study in patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda. Socio-demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, comorbidities, duration of hospital stay, and treatment were analyzed, and factors associated with increased odds of mortality were determined.Results: Of the 664 patients treated, 661(99.5%) were unvaccinated, 632(95.2%) recovered and 32(4.8%) died. Mortality was highest in diabetics 11(34.4%), cardiovascular diseases 12(37.5%), hypertensive 10(31.3%), females 18(56....

Patients’ care is the responsibility of individual surgeon but outcomes often depend on large mul... more Patients’ care is the responsibility of individual surgeon but outcomes often depend on large multidisciplinary team and all of whom may affect morbidity and mortality. Adequate knowledge about a patient for operation and those at high risk of dying contributes significantly to the quality of care and cost reduction in surgery. Physiological Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Morbidity and Mortality (POSSUM) was used to find out the determinants of mortality following Laparotomy in MNRH. A cohort study was conducted using 76 consecutively recruited patients who underwent emergency and elective laparotomy. POSSUM scoring system was used and patients followed-up to the 30th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries death on table before induction of anesthesia and patients below 13 years were excluded. Ethical approval was obtained from research and ethics committee of Makerere University medical school. The determinants of mortality were: Physiological score (PS) (t=2.228 p...

Prediction of serious complications is an essential part of risk management in surgery. Knowing w... more Prediction of serious complications is an essential part of risk management in surgery. Knowing which patient to operate and those at high risk of dying contributes significantly to the quality of surgical care and cost reduction. The postoperative mortality of patients who underwent laparotomy in Mulago Hospital was studied using Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM). Consecutive patients who underwent laparotomy in Mulago Hospital were recruited and consent obtained. Patients operated were followed up to the 30th postoperative day. Postoperative deaths were promptly investigated and findings recorded. Follow-up of patients was conducted by phone and surgical review once a week in outpatient. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Makerere University Medical School. Seventy-six patients participated and the observed mortality was 14.5% and the predictive value of POSSUM using Receiver O...

th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries, patients who died on table before induction of anesthe... more th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries, patients who died on table before induction of anesthesia, and patients below 13 years of age were excluded from the study. Informed consent and assent was obtained from each patient before surgery and ethical approval was obtained from the research and review committee of Makerere University Medical School. There were 51 emergencies (67.1%) and 25 (32.9%) electives. 13 patients (17.1%) were operated by consultants, 8 (10.5%) by registrars and 55 (72.4%) by senior residents. Short-term outcome (morbidity) among the surgeons was: consultants (t= -0.081, p=0.243), registrars (t= -0.039, p=0.368), and senior residents (t= -0.041, p=0.362). Mortality outcomes for surgeons were consultants (t= -0.012, p=0.460), registrar (t=.-0.012, p=0.460) and senior residents (t= 0.087, p=0.228). POSSUM successfully analyzed the short-term outcomes of laparotomy among surgeons in MNRH. All the surgeons were performing well within the predictive power of Possum.

The Pan African Medical Journal, 2021

Introduction hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the commonest causes of acute and chronic liver di... more Introduction hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the commonest causes of acute and chronic liver diseases worldwide. HBV can be transmitted by exposure to infected blood and human secretions through sharp injuries and splashes. Health workers are among the most high-risk groups because they regularly interact with patients. A seroprevalence survey conducted in Uganda in 2014 found a higher prevalence of HBV in Gulu Municipality compared to the rest of Uganda. Methods a cross-sectional study was conducted among health workers in Gulu Regional Hospital. A stratified random sampling was used. Knowledge ratings and Likert scale were used to score knowledge, attitudes and risks of HBV infections in a qualitative assessment. Ethical approval was obtained and SPSS was used for data analysis. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results one hundred and twenty-six (126) respondents participated; 65 (51.6%) were male, 80 (63.5%) were aged 20-29 years, 74 (58.7%) were not married...

British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, 2015

Aims: To characterize the various clinical presentations of TB diagnosed in HIV/AIDS patients in ... more Aims: To characterize the various clinical presentations of TB diagnosed in HIV/AIDS patients in the post-conflict Northern Uganda. Study Design and Setting: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 320 TB/HIV/AIDS coinfected patients at St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor which is a specialist hospital in Gulu, Northern Uganda from July 2009 to July 2010. Methodology: Clinical features of confirmed 320 HIV sero-positive patients with confirmed TB coinfection (170 males and 150 females) recruited consecutively were studied and followed up for three months, their clinical presentations analyzed using SPSS version13.0. Ethics and Review Committee approved the study and those who did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. All patients gave an informed consent/Assent for the study.

BMC Psychology

Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental healt... more Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population worldwide, with healthcare workers at particular risk. The pandemic's effect on healthcare workers' mental well-being has been characterized by depression, anxiety, work-related stress, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Hence, protecting the mental well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) is a considerable priority. This review aimed to determine risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes and protective or coping measures to mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Embase for relevant materials. We obtained all articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 relevant to the subject of review and met pre-defined eligibility criteria. We selected 23 articles for initial screening and incl...

Pan African Medical Journal

Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic has significantly impacted th... more Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population world-wide with healthcare workers (HCWs) at particular risk. The effect of the pandemic on the mental wellbeing of healthcare workers has been severe and characterized by depression, anxiety, work related stress, sleep disturbances and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Therefore, protecting the mental wellbeing of HCWs is a major priority. This review is intended to determine identifiable risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes, and any protective or coping measures to mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and Embase for relevant materials. All articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 which were relevant to the subject of review and met a pre-defined eligibility criteria w...

Background The double burden of Malnutrition globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, is on ... more Background The double burden of Malnutrition globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, is on the rise. In Sierra Leone, the incidence of overweight, obesity (OWOB), and overnutrition among women have recently sharply increased, in addition to undernutrition which has been prevalent for decades. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the different Malnutrition categories (underweight, overweight, obesity, and overnutrition) with Malnutrition among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Sierra Leone and associated factors using secondary data analysis of the Demographic Health Survey of 2019 (SLDHS-2019). Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (2019-SLDHS) of 7,514 women aged 15 to 49. We excluded pregnant, post-natal, lactating, and post-menopausal women. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire, and participants were selected through a multistage stratified sampling approach. A multivariable logistic re...

Background With the advent of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the severe second wave... more Background With the advent of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the severe second wave that caused high-profile deaths, hospitalization, and high treatment costs in Uganda, the population has raised concerns about enacting the national health insurance coverage bill. As of March 31, 2021, when Uganda was beginning to experience the second wave of COVID-19, the Parliament of Uganda passed a national health insurance bill that outlined the general structure for the first national health insurance scheme. The bill had pre-set benefit packages including a wide range of essential health services such as family planning, vaccination, and counseling. The plan was proposed to be financed by a combination of employers and government contributions and aimed to cover all Ugandans when fully implemented. The policy and implementation details would evolve when the President enacts it into law. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of health insurance coverage and factors assoc...

Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted t... more Background: The ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the physical and mental health of the general population worldwide, with healthcare workers (HCWs) at particular risk. The pandemic's effect on healthcare workers' mental well-being has been severe and characterized by depression, anxiety, work-related Stress, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Therefore, protecting the mental well-being of HCWs is a significant priority. This review is to determine identifiable risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes and any protective or coping measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis among HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: We performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Embase for relevant materials. We obtained all articles published between March 2020 and April 2022 relevant to the review subject and met pre-defined eligibility criteria. We sele...

Introduction: Although COVID-19 first spread slowly in the African continent, confirmed virus cas... more Introduction: Although COVID-19 first spread slowly in the African continent, confirmed virus cases have risen steadily since March 2020. The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 can be attributed to its numerous characteristics, including its high transmissibility, asymptomatic persons’ ability to shed the virus, vast numbers of asymptomatic persons, or mild symptoms but with the ability to transmit the virus, new variants, and super-spreading events. Poor public health practices, disbeliefs, myths, and misconceptions about the virus and its origin in many African communities are the other reasons for its rapid spread. This study aimed to determine the perceptions of the adult population in northern Uganda on the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, disaggregated by age groups.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2022 to assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among seven hundred and twenty-three adult populations selected randomly from the nine districts of the Acholi s...

Background When the COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Uganda in early March of 2021, there was a lack ... more Background When the COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Uganda in early March of 2021, there was a lack of information on the vaccine acceptance in the population due to many factors, mainly misinformation and disinformation circulating in the Ugandan social and mainstream media. This study aimed to determine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the adult population in northern Uganda. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among the 723-adult population in northern Uganda. Participants were selected randomly from the nine districts of the Acholi sub-region. Ethical approval was obtained from a local IRB, and SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis at a multivariable logistic regression. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The most significant finding was that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the adult population in northern Uganda was at 580/723(80.22%) and was significantly associated with those with comorbidities AoR = 0.397, 95%...

Background Ever since the appearance of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and... more Background Ever since the appearance of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan in mid-December 2019, its spread has been dramatic worldwide. It became apparent that the number of pediatric COVID-19 patients was much lower than in adults. Variable clinical presentations and progression have characterized morbidity and mortality in children and young adults. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the characteristics of the COVID-19 among children and adolescents below 20 years in Northern Uganda and determine factors associated with treatment outcomes in the study population. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study conducted a retrospective data abstraction of the COVID-19 patients registered in the Gulu Hospital Health Management Information System (HMIS) database and other tools. The study covered the period between March 2020 and October 2021. Data that met the inclusion criteria were consecutively extrac...

Background: Hepatitis E is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. During 2... more Background: Hepatitis E is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. During 2009, an epidemic of hepatitis E resulted in 10,437 infections and 167 deaths in Kitgum district.Objective: To investigate factors associated with the differential community prevalence of hepatitis E in two sub-counties in Kitgum District.Methods: We conducted a community survey during the 4th-31st of May 2012 in two Sub Counties in Kitgum District in Northern Uganda. A total of 474 heads of household were recruited using a probability proportional to size through multistage and random sampling methods. Two hundred thirty-four (49.26%) heads of household were from Mucwini, and 241 (50.74%) were from Kitgum Matidi Sub Counties. The questionnaire had an internal validity of Cronbach’s α=0.85. The study was approved by a local IRB. STATA version 10.0 was used for data analysis, and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The prevalence of hepatitis E was significantly hi...

Roll-out of Medical Male circumcision (MMC) for HIV prevention in non-circumcising

Background There was an epidemic of Hepatitis E infection in Kitgum District in 2007. More than 1... more Background There was an epidemic of Hepatitis E infection in Kitgum District in 2007. More than 10,422 people were infected, and over 166 deaths were registered due to the Hepatitis E virus. Kitgum District Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) showed that Hepatitis E cases continued to occur more in Mucwini than Kitgum Matidi Sub County despite instituting similar epidemic control measures in the two communities. The tenacity of the virus in Mucwini Sub County had remained unclear. Objective To assess communities’ views and perspectives on the differential prevalence of Hepatitis E in the two Sub Counties of Kitgum Matidi and Mucwini in Northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study using qualitative methods was conducted. Four Focus Group discussions and six key informant interviews were conducted with village health teams, local council chairpersons, health workers, and community members. These persons were chosen purposively because of their expertise and experience in ...

Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that results from ... more Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that results from infection with a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). One of the most critical issues related to the COVID-19 is the high rate of spread, millions of people have been infected around the world, and hundreds of thousands of people have died till now. However, reports from Africa paint a different picture of the SARS-CoV-2 and its effects on the population. Objectives The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of the COVID-19 patients treated at the Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and determine factors associated with COVID-19 manifestations, socio-demographic characteristics, and treatment outcomes from March 2020 to October 2021. Methods A retrospective data abstraction of all COVID-19 hospital admissions registered in the Gulu Health Management Information System (HMIS) database and other tools were conducted. The period of study was March 2020 to October 2021. Data that m...

PAMJ Clinical Medicine, 2021

Background: The advent of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of de... more Background: The advent of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths worldwide. There is a lack of data on the outcome of hospitalized African patients suffering from COVID-19.This study aimed at identifying factors associated with hospital mortality in patients who suffered from COVID-19 at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda from March 2020 to October 2021.Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective study in patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda. Socio-demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, comorbidities, duration of hospital stay, and treatment were analyzed, and factors associated with increased odds of mortality were determined.Results: Of the 664 patients treated, 661(99.5%) were unvaccinated, 632(95.2%) recovered and 32(4.8%) died. Mortality was highest in diabetics 11(34.4%), cardiovascular diseases 12(37.5%), hypertensive 10(31.3%), females 18(56....

Patients’ care is the responsibility of individual surgeon but outcomes often depend on large mul... more Patients’ care is the responsibility of individual surgeon but outcomes often depend on large multidisciplinary team and all of whom may affect morbidity and mortality. Adequate knowledge about a patient for operation and those at high risk of dying contributes significantly to the quality of care and cost reduction in surgery. Physiological Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Morbidity and Mortality (POSSUM) was used to find out the determinants of mortality following Laparotomy in MNRH. A cohort study was conducted using 76 consecutively recruited patients who underwent emergency and elective laparotomy. POSSUM scoring system was used and patients followed-up to the 30th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries death on table before induction of anesthesia and patients below 13 years were excluded. Ethical approval was obtained from research and ethics committee of Makerere University medical school. The determinants of mortality were: Physiological score (PS) (t=2.228 p...

Prediction of serious complications is an essential part of risk management in surgery. Knowing w... more Prediction of serious complications is an essential part of risk management in surgery. Knowing which patient to operate and those at high risk of dying contributes significantly to the quality of surgical care and cost reduction. The postoperative mortality of patients who underwent laparotomy in Mulago Hospital was studied using Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM). Consecutive patients who underwent laparotomy in Mulago Hospital were recruited and consent obtained. Patients operated were followed up to the 30th postoperative day. Postoperative deaths were promptly investigated and findings recorded. Follow-up of patients was conducted by phone and surgical review once a week in outpatient. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Makerere University Medical School. Seventy-six patients participated and the observed mortality was 14.5% and the predictive value of POSSUM using Receiver O...

th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries, patients who died on table before induction of anesthe... more th post-operative day. Day-care surgeries, patients who died on table before induction of anesthesia, and patients below 13 years of age were excluded from the study. Informed consent and assent was obtained from each patient before surgery and ethical approval was obtained from the research and review committee of Makerere University Medical School. There were 51 emergencies (67.1%) and 25 (32.9%) electives. 13 patients (17.1%) were operated by consultants, 8 (10.5%) by registrars and 55 (72.4%) by senior residents. Short-term outcome (morbidity) among the surgeons was: consultants (t= -0.081, p=0.243), registrars (t= -0.039, p=0.368), and senior residents (t= -0.041, p=0.362). Mortality outcomes for surgeons were consultants (t= -0.012, p=0.460), registrar (t=.-0.012, p=0.460) and senior residents (t= 0.087, p=0.228). POSSUM successfully analyzed the short-term outcomes of laparotomy among surgeons in MNRH. All the surgeons were performing well within the predictive power of Possum.

The Pan African Medical Journal, 2021

Introduction hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the commonest causes of acute and chronic liver di... more Introduction hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the commonest causes of acute and chronic liver diseases worldwide. HBV can be transmitted by exposure to infected blood and human secretions through sharp injuries and splashes. Health workers are among the most high-risk groups because they regularly interact with patients. A seroprevalence survey conducted in Uganda in 2014 found a higher prevalence of HBV in Gulu Municipality compared to the rest of Uganda. Methods a cross-sectional study was conducted among health workers in Gulu Regional Hospital. A stratified random sampling was used. Knowledge ratings and Likert scale were used to score knowledge, attitudes and risks of HBV infections in a qualitative assessment. Ethical approval was obtained and SPSS was used for data analysis. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results one hundred and twenty-six (126) respondents participated; 65 (51.6%) were male, 80 (63.5%) were aged 20-29 years, 74 (58.7%) were not married...

British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, 2015

Aims: To characterize the various clinical presentations of TB diagnosed in HIV/AIDS patients in ... more Aims: To characterize the various clinical presentations of TB diagnosed in HIV/AIDS patients in the post-conflict Northern Uganda. Study Design and Setting: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 320 TB/HIV/AIDS coinfected patients at St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor which is a specialist hospital in Gulu, Northern Uganda from July 2009 to July 2010. Methodology: Clinical features of confirmed 320 HIV sero-positive patients with confirmed TB coinfection (170 males and 150 females) recruited consecutively were studied and followed up for three months, their clinical presentations analyzed using SPSS version13.0. Ethics and Review Committee approved the study and those who did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. All patients gave an informed consent/Assent for the study.