292 results
Search Results
2. Psychology Brewed in an African Pot: Indigenous Philosophies and the Quest for Relevance
- Author
-
Bandawe, Chiwoza R.
- Abstract
Higher education has often been targeted for criticism with regard to its lack of relevance when seeking to address the harsh realities of poor health, poverty and conflict in African countries. African universities have been seen as producing Western-influenced graduates who become an elite out of touch with their own indigenous worldview. In order to maintain the connection between higher education in Africa and the African worldview and philosophy, thus enhancing the relevance of university education, this paper argues that there is a need to promote the revisiting of our African identities in the courses on offer. By way of illustration, the paper examines an aspect of medical tertiary education at the University of Malawi, College of Medicine: in particular, how the course entitled "Social and Behavioral Dynamics" has evolved over the past 10 years in an effort to embrace an African worldview and philosophy in the undergraduate medical program, with the goal of producing graduates sensitized to the worldviews of the indigenous populations they will serve, and able to enrich the global context by bringing to it uniquely African perspectives.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. The Five Central Psychological Challenges Facing Effective Mobile Learning
- Author
-
Terras, Melody M. and Ramsay, Judith
- Abstract
Web 2.0 technology not only offers the opportunity of massively parallel interconnected networks that support the provision of information and communication anytime and anywhere but also offers immense opportunities for collaboration and sharing of user-generated content. This information-rich environment may support both formal and informal learning. The increasing use of mobile technology affords additional opportunities to utilise this learning potential from any location and even when on the move. In this paper, we identify five important psychological challenges learners may encounter when using mobile devices for mobile learning. We argue that mobile learning theorists, practitioners and developers alike must be aware of the five challenges and aim to address them to maximise the potential of mobile learning.
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding COVID‑19 in N’Djamena, Chad
- Author
-
Francis Deassal Mondjimbaye, Faro Diba, Margarita Bernales, Rodrigo López, Jean Pierre Ongolo, Guy Rodrigue Takoudjou Dzomo, Yves Djofang Kamga, Joseph Nanbolngar, Madjadoum Toglengar, Roger Rongar, Richard Modode, Jean Pierre Kila Roskem, and Carlos Gómez-Vírseda
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,Health (social science) ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Chad ,Cross-sectional study ,Population ,Health Behavior ,Personal Satisfaction ,Health(social science) ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Practices ,Environmental health ,Pandemic ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,education ,Pandemics ,education.field_of_study ,Original Paper ,Public health ,030505 public health ,Poverty ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,COVID-19 ,Knowledge ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Mental Health ,Attitude ,Africa ,Social relationship ,Epidemiological surveillance ,Educational Status ,Female ,0305 other medical science ,Psychology - Abstract
The first African COVID-19 case was reported in Egypt in February 2020. Since then, Sub-Saharan countries have struggled to respond to the pandemic. Among them, Chad is characterized by a high rate of poverty and mortality, a high burden of infectious diseases, insufficient epidemiological surveillance and underdeveloped infrastructure. In this study, we explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) regarding COVID-19 within the Chadian population, to determine whether there are more vulnerable groups of the population that require greater attention from authorities. This study was designed as a cross-sectional survey conducted in N'Djamena, Chad, using a convenience sampling technique that included 2269 participants. The study was conducted in May and August 2020. Questions regarding technical concepts were answered incorrectly by most participants (83.65%). The population had better knowledge about concrete aspects of the pandemics, such as prevention measures and contagion. Regarding attitudes, 34.55% participants were very concerned about the possibility of being infected, 81.27% were unsatisfied/very unsatisfied with their social relationships after the pandemic began, and 68.44% thought that the pandemic was a disturbing/very disturbing issue. As for practices, 49.41% of men followed all preventive measures compared to 32.07% of women, and 3.04% of people with vulnerable jobs did not respect any of preventive measures compared to 1.19% of people without this condition. Gender, job conditions and educational level impact KAPs within the Chadian population. It is suggested that local authorities in Chad should consider these variables when developing health strategies.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Assessing factors influencing adolescents' dietary behaviours in urban Ethiopia using participatory photography
- Author
-
Michelle Holdsworth, Kaleab Baye, Edith J. M. Feskens, Ursula Trübswasser, Megan Loeffen, and Elise F. Talsma
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Adolescent ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Dietary behaviour ,Themed Section: Maternal and child nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa ,Adolescents ,Young Adult ,Hygiene ,RA0421 ,Environmental health ,Food choice ,Photography ,Photovoice ,Humans ,Neighbourhood (mathematics) ,media_common ,VLAG ,Human Nutrition & Health ,Global Nutrition ,Wereldvoeding ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,business.industry ,Humane Voeding & Gezondheid ,digestive, oral, and skin physiology ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Feeding Behavior ,Food safety ,Focus group ,Preference ,Diet ,Food environment ,Africa ,Fast Foods ,Female ,Ethiopia ,Thematic analysis ,Psychology ,business ,RA ,Research Paper - Abstract
Objective:To assess factors influencing dietary behaviours of adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Design:Using the qualitative participatory method Photovoice, participants received training on the basics of Photovoice and took photographs related to (un)healthy eating in their environment. Transcripts of individual interviews, focus group discussions and photographs were coded for thematic analysis.Setting:One private and one public school located in the same, central neighbourhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to explore how school populations of different socio-economic status experience the same neighbourhood environment.Participants:Twenty-six adolescents aged 14–19 years old, of which there were seventeen girls and nine boys.Results:Findings from the current study indicate that food safety concerns appear to be the major influencing factors for adolescents’ dietary choices. Unhealthy and unsafe foods appear to be widely available and/or affordable in adolescents’ neighbourhoods and almost half of the photographs taken by adolescents depicted poor hygiene conditions related to food vendors. Participants considered foods available in their environments as generally unsafe, calling for more packaged food.Conclusions:Concerns for food safety, hygiene and affordability are the dominating factors for adolescents’ food choices. These concerns, together with limited nutrition knowledge and preference for packaged foods, could make cheap, ultra-processed packaged foods more desirable.
- Published
- 2021
6. Using Friendship Ties to Understand the Prevalence of, and Factors Associated With, Intimate Partner Violence Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Kenya: Cross-Sectional, Respondent-Driven Survey Study
- Author
-
Caroline Kingori, Felix Humwa, Samuel Muhula, Anne Kamau, Peter Memiah, Yvonne Opanga, Emmanuel Nyakeriga, Courtney Cook, and Job Muriithi
- Subjects
young adults ,medicine.medical_specialty ,intimate partner violence ,Population ,Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,education ,prevalence ,R858-859.7 ,Poison control ,Suicide prevention ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Medical technology ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,030212 general & internal medicine ,adolescents ,R855-855.5 ,Reproductive health ,risk ,education.field_of_study ,Original Paper ,business.industry ,Public health ,05 social sciences ,abuse ,Physical abuse ,physical abuse ,bullying ,Africa ,Domestic violence ,Psychology ,business ,Psychosocial ,050104 developmental & child psychology ,Demography - Abstract
Background Optimization of innovative approaches is required for estimating the intimate partner violence (IPV) burden among adolescents and young adults (AYA). Further investigation is required to identify risk and protective factors associated with IPV among AYA. There remain significant gaps in understanding these factors among this vulnerable population. Objective The goal of our study was to determine the prevalence of IPV among an urban population of AYA and to identify factors associated with IPV among AYA. Methods A cross-sectional study design utilizing respondent-driven sampling was adopted. The study was conducted among 887 AYA, aged 15 to 24 years, residing in Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected through a phone-based survey using the REACH (Reaching, Engaging Adolescents and Young Adults for Care Continuum in Health)-AYA app. Questions on behavioral and psychosocial factors were adopted from different standardized questionnaires. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable statistics were used to describe the characteristics of the study sample. Results Of the 887 participants, a higher proportion were male (540/887, 60.9%) compared to female (347/887, 39.1%). The prevalence of IPV was 22.3% (124/556). IPV was associated with being unsure if it was okay for a boy to hit his girlfriend, living in a home with physical violence or abuse, and being bullied (P=.005). The likelihood of experiencing IPV was higher among respondents whose friends and family members used alcohol (odds ratio [OR] 1.80, 95% CI 1.09-2.98) and among those who had repeated a class at school in the past two years (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.11-3.23). Respondents who visited a health facility or doctor for reproductive health services were 2 times more likely to experience IPV (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.40-3.70). Respondents who had used illicit drugs were 2 times more likely to experience IPV (OR 4.31, 95% CI 2.64-7.04). The probability of experiencing IPV decreased by 63% (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.85) among respondents who refused to have sex with someone who was not prepared to use a condom. Conclusions IPV remains a significant public health priority because of its impact to society. Our results are in congruence with other similar studies. Efforts toward incorporating appropriate IPV core measures into the comprehensive care package for every AYA seeking health services should be explored. Programs need to address constellations of risk and protective factors linked to IPV in an effort to prevent its occurrence.
- Published
- 2020
7. Development of a Mobile Health Application for HIV Prevention Among At-Risk Populations in Urban Settings in East Africa: A Participatory Design Approach
- Author
-
Wilhellmuss Mauka, Kåre Moen, Germana H Leyna, Hanne Ochieng Lichtwarck, Elia John Mmbaga, Christopher Mbotwa, Inga Haaland, Melkizedeck T. Leshabari, and Method Kazaura
- Subjects
Medical education ,Original Paper ,biology ,business.industry ,Best practice ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,HIV ,Health Informatics ,Usability ,biology.organism_classification ,Computer Science Applications ,Men who have sex with men ,mHealth application ,Pre-exposure prophylaxis ,Tanzania ,Participatory design ,Africa ,Information system ,participatory design ,Psychology ,business ,mHealth ,female sex workers ,sex and gender minorities ,pre-exposure prophylaxis - Abstract
Background There is limited evidence in Africa on the design and development of mobile health (mHealth) applications to guide best practices and ensure effectiveness. A pragmatic trial for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis roll-out among key populations in Tanzania is needed. Objective We present the results of the development of a mobile app (Jichunge) intended to promote adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSW) in Tanzania. Methods A participatory design approach was employed and guided by the information system research framework. MSM and FSW were the target populations. A total of 15 MSM and 15 FSW were engaged in the relevance and design cycles, while the piloting phase included 10 MSM and 20 FSW. Results The relevance cycle enabled the description of the existing problem, provided the compatible app features for the target population, and identified the need to develop an mHealth app that provides health services in a stigmatizing and discriminating environment. User involvement in the app’s design and evaluation provided an opportunity to incorporate social, cultural, and community-specific features that ensured usability. In addition, the participants suggested valuable information to inform the app, text message services, medication registration, and chat platform designs. Conclusions The participatory design approach in the development of mHealth apps is useful in identifying and validating population-specific functional features, improve usability, and ensuring future health impacts. Through this participatory process, the Jichunge app took end-user needs, perspectives, and experiences into account, eliciting enthusiasm regarding its potential role in supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence for HIV and related behavioral change promotion. Trial Registration International Clinical Trials Registry Platform PACTR202003823226570; https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=PACTR202003823226570
- Published
- 2020
8. Perspectives from Young South African and Zimbabwean Women on Attributes of Four (Placebo) Vaginal Microbicide Delivery Forms
- Author
-
Erica N Browne, Mary Katherine Shapley-Quinn, A van der Straten, Susan Ju, Rachel Weinrib, Nonhlanhla Mphili, Nyaradzo Mgodi, Homaira Hanif, Petina Musara, Mags Beksinska, Elizabeth T. Montgomery, Jill L. Schwartz, and Quatro Study Team
- Subjects
Adult ,Social Psychology ,HIV prevention ,Sexually Transmitted Diseases ,Black People ,Qualitative property ,HIV Infections ,End-user research ,symbols.namesake ,Young Adult ,Acceptability ,Anti-Infective Agents ,Contraceptive Agents ,Humans ,Poisson regression ,Product (category theory) ,African women ,Qualitative Research ,Original Paper ,Cross-Over Studies ,Vaginal microbicide ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Coitus ,Product attributes ,Focus Groups ,Patient Acceptance of Health Care ,Focus group ,Microbicides ,Microbicides for sexually transmitted diseases ,Health psychology ,Administration, Intravaginal ,Infectious Diseases ,Contraception ,Scale (social sciences) ,Africa ,symbols ,Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies ,Female ,Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ,Psychology ,Demography - Abstract
Introduction Incorporating end-user input into the design of new vaginal microbicides for women is key to optimizing their uptake, consistent use, and, ultimately, success in combatting the heterosexual HIV epidemic. Methods The Quatro Study assessed four placebo forms of vaginally inserted HIV-microbicides among young microbicidenaïve African women: on-demand film, insert and gel, and monthly ring. Participants randomly used each product for 1 month and provided product satisfaction ratings (1–5 scale), and opinions on product attributes and potential alternative designs. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions at study exit. Multivariable associations between attribute opinions and overall product rating were examined using Poisson regression models with robust standard errors to assess the attributes most influential to satisfaction. Results Overall opinions of products and their individual attributes were generally positive; all products were rated either 4 or a 5 by ≥ 50% of participants. Attributes related to ease of use and interference with normal activities were the most salient predictors of satisfaction. Preferences for duration of use tended toward relatively shorter use periods for the ring (i.e., 1–3 months vs. 12 months) and for coitally independent dosing for the on-demand products. Conclusions How well a product fit in with participants’ lifestyles was important to their overall satisfaction. For on-demand products, greater flexibility around timing of use was desired, to avoid coital dependency of the dosing.
- Published
- 2019
9. Family Separation and the Impact of Digital Technology on the Mental Health of Refugee Families in the United States: Qualitative Study
- Author
-
Julia Meredith Hess, Sayyed Fawad Ali Shah, and Jessica R. Goodkind
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Adolescent ,Refugee ,050801 communication & media studies ,Health Informatics ,Context (language use) ,Interviews as Topic ,Middle East ,Young Adult ,0508 media and communications ,Intervention (counseling) ,parasitic diseases ,Agency (sociology) ,050602 political science & public administration ,Humans ,Social media ,10. No inequality ,Aged ,Refugees ,Original Paper ,mobile phone ,business.industry ,Communication ,fungi ,05 social sciences ,food and beverages ,Middle Aged ,Public relations ,Mental health ,United States ,0506 political science ,Mental Health ,Information and Communications Technology ,Africa ,family separation ,Female ,Psychology ,business ,Cell Phone ,Qualitative research - Abstract
BackgroundConflicts around the world have resulted in a record high number of refugees. Family separation is a critical factor that impacts refugee mental health. Thus, it is important to explore refugees’ ability to maintain contact with family members across the globe and the ways in which they attempt to do so. It is increasingly common for refugees to use information and communication technologies (ICTs), which include mobile phones, the internet, and social media sites, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber, for these purposes.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore refugees’ perceptions of the impact of communication through ICTs on their mental health, the exercise of agency by refugees within the context of ICT use, especially their communication with their families, and logistical issues that affect their access to ICTs in the United States.MethodsWe used a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze in-depth interviews of 290 adult refugee participants from different countries, who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a community-based mental health intervention.ResultsAnalyses showed that communication through ICTs had differing impacts on the mental health of refugee participants. ICTs, as channels of communication between separated families, were a major source of emotional and mental well-being for a large number of refugee participants. However, for some participants, the communication process with separated family members through digital technology was mentally and emotionally difficult. The participants also discussed ways in which they hide adversities from their families through selective use of different ICTs. Several participants noted logistical and financial barriers to communicating with their families through ICTs.ConclusionsThese findings are important in elucidating aspects of refugee agency and environmental constraints that need to be further explicated in theories related to ICT use as well as in providing insight for researchers and practitioners involved in efforts related to migration and mental health.
- Published
- 2019
10. Drivers of dietary behaviours in women living in urban Africa: a systematic mapping review
- Author
-
Michelle Holdsworth, Rebecca Pradeilles, Emmanuel Cohen, Hibbah Araba Osei-Kwasi, Stefanie C Gissing, Éco-Anthropologie (EAE), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Eco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie (EAE), and Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Adult ,0301 basic medicine ,Gerontology ,Adolescent ,Urban Population ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Culture ,Health Behavior ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Choice Behavior ,Food Preferences ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Meta-Analysis as Topic ,Perception ,Environmental health ,Negative body image ,Food choice ,Body Image ,Food Quality ,Humans ,Quality (business) ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Exercise ,Life Style ,Aged ,media_common ,2. Zero hunger ,030109 nutrition & dietetics ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,Snacking ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Middle Aged ,Research Papers ,Diet ,Socioeconomic Factors ,Africa ,[SDE]Environmental Sciences ,Social ecological model ,Marital status ,Female ,Systematic mapping ,Psychology - Abstract
ObjectiveTo (i) systematically review the literature to determine the factors influencing diet and dietary behaviour in women living in urban Africa; (ii) present these in a visual map; and (iii) utilize this to identify potentially important areas for future research.DesignSystematic mapping review. The review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; registration number CRD42015017749). Six databases were systematically searched, followed by reference and citation searching. Eligibility criteria included women aged 18–70 years living in urban Africa, any design/methodology, exploring any driver, using any measure of dietary behaviour. Quality appraisal occurred parallel with data extraction. Twelve predominantly cross-sectional quantitative studies were included; reported in seventeen publications. Determinants were synthesized narratively and compiled into a map adapted from an existing ecological model based on research in high-income countries.SettingUrban Africa.SubjectsAfrican women aged 18–70 years.ResultsDeterminants significantly associated with unhealthy dietary behaviour ranged from the individual to macro level, comprising negative body image perception, perceptions of insufficient food quantity and poorer quality, poorer food knowledge, skipping meals, snacking less, higher alcohol consumption, unhealthy overall lifestyle, older age, higher socio-economic status, having an education, lower household food expenditure, frequent eating outside the home and media influence. Marital status and strong cultural and religious beliefs were also identified as possible determinants.ConclusionsFew studies have investigated drivers of dietary behaviours in urban African settings. Predominantly individual-level factors were reported. Gaps in the literature identified a need for research into the neglected areas: social, physical and macro-level drivers of food choice.
- Published
- 2017
11. The long run impact of early childhood deworming on numeracy and literacy: Evidence from Uganda.
- Author
-
Croke, Kevin and Atun, Rifat
- Subjects
- *
LONGITUDINAL method , *PRESCHOOL children , *LITERACY , *CHILDREN , *HELMINTHIASIS - Abstract
Background: Up to 1.45 billion people currently suffer from soil transmitted helminth infection, with the largest burden occurring in Africa and Asia. Safe and cost effective deworming treatment exists, but there is a debate about mass distribution of this treatment in high prevalence settings. While the World Health Organization recommends mass administration of anthelmintic drugs for preschool and school-aged children in high (>20%) prevalence settings, and several long run follow up studies of an influential trial have suggested large benefits that persist over time, recent systematic reviews have called this recommendation into question. Methods and findings: This paper analyzes the long-term impact of a cluster-randomized trial in eastern Uganda that provided mass deworming treatment to preschool aged children from 2000 to 2003 on the numeracy and literacy skills of children and young adults living in those villages in 2010-2015. This study uses numeracy and literacy data collected seven to twelve years after the end of the deworming trial in a randomly selected subset of communities from the original trial, by an education-focused survey that had no relationship to the deworming study. Building on an earlier working paper which used data from 2010 and 2011 survey rounds, this paper uses an additional four years of numeracy and literacy data (2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015). Aggregating data from all survey rounds, the difference between numeracy scores in treatment versus control communities is 0.07 standard deviations (SD) (95% CI -0.10, 0.24, p = 0.40), the difference in literacy scores is 0.05 SD (95% CI -0.16, 0.27, p = 0.62), and the difference in total scores is 0.07 SD (95% CI -0.11, 0.25, p = 0.44). There are significant differences in program impact by gender, with numeracy and literacy differentially positively affected for girls, and by age, with treatment effects larger for the primary school aged subsample. There are also significant treatment interactions for those living in households with more treatment-eligible children. There is no evidence of differential treatment effects on age at program eligibility or number of years of program eligibility. Conclusions: Mass deworming of preschool aged children in high prevalence communities in Uganda resulted in no statistically significant gains in numeracy or literacy 7-12 years after program completion. Point estimates were positive but imprecise; the study lacked sufficient power to rule out substantial positive effects or more modest negative effects. However, there is suggestive evidence that deworming was relatively more beneficial for girls, primary school aged children, and children living in households with other treated children. Research approval: As this analysis was conducted on secondary data which is publicly available, no research approval was sought or received. All individual records were anonymized by the data provider prior to public release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Substance use treatment using cultural arts and 12 steps: Curriculum training and community-led implementation in Zambia
- Author
-
Hjördis S. Lorenz, Melissa Davis Stuebing, Chipego Nambeye, Gabriel Lungu, and Lauren M. Littlefield
- Subjects
Substance use ,Addiction treatment ,Expressive arts ,Street children ,Literacy-free ,Africa ,Psychology ,BF1-990 ,Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology ,HV1-9960 - Abstract
Introduction: Substance use in Zambia is stigmatized and treatment access is limited. Over 30,000 people are homeless in Lusaka, where one-quarter of homeless youth report use. Zambia's Ministry of Health recently developed policies targeting alcohol, suggesting Chainama, the only mental health hospital, offer treatment. Together, they endorsed training in the curriculum studied in this paper. We hypothesized training Zambian professionals would improve their perceptions of substance users and treatment. We then explored if treatment using the curriculum, as delivered to clients by training participants, would encourage client motivation to change, participation in groups, and reduce substance use frequency. Methods: Part 1: One-hundred professionals were trained in a curriculum-based, literacy-free intervention employing cognitive behavioral and rational emotive behavior therapy techniques to explore 12 Steps of addiction recovery through Zambian art forms. Pre/post questionnaires captured perspectives around substance users and treatment. Part 2: Trained organizations delivered the curriculum in their communities. Twenty-five organizations rated feasibility and benefit of the curriculum. Data for 200 clients recorded pre/post motivation to change, open-sharing/participation, and frequency of substance use. Results: While training significantly modified professionals’ perspectives regarding the value of offering treatment, their views of substance users did not change. Clients endorsed increases in “motivation to change” and “participation/open-sharing.” Frequency of alcohol, marijuana, inhalant, and cigarette use significantly decreased. Conclusion: Training in the curriculum helped address a public health need, playing a role in increased motivational variables and decreased substance use. Research addressing this study’s limitations is encouraged. Video abstract: For a video summary of this paper, please visit https://youtu.be/uDZTVxtzF1Y.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. The Impact of Contextual Factors on Comprehensive Sexuality Education for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in South Africa.
- Author
-
Hanass-Hancock, Jill, Nene, Siphumelele, Johns, Rebecca, and Chappell, Paul
- Subjects
- *
HIV prevention , *SEX education , *CONTENT analysis , *CULTURE , *INTERVIEWING , *RESEARCH methodology , *PEOPLE with intellectual disabilities , *SENSORY perception , *RESEARCH funding , *PSYCHOLOGY of teachers , *PRE-tests & post-tests , *INTER-observer reliability , *CROSS-sectional method , *COLLEGE teacher attitudes , *DATA analysis software , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Adolescents and youth with disabilities in South Africa still lack access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services including comprehensive sexuality education, which may increase their vulnerability to SRHR issues such as HIV and sexual violence. This is exacerbated for learners with intellectual disabilities whose educators often lack skills and tools to accommodate these learners in comprehensive sexuality education lessons. The following paper outlines the findings of a formative evaluation of an innovative sexuality training approach for educators of learners with diverse disabilities (Breaking the Silence approach). This approach was developed and piloted with educators across eight schools for learners with intellectual disabilities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The paper discusses the educators’ understanding and experiences of using this approach. The findings revealed that although educators were able to implement parts of the approach, contextual factors impacted the degree of implementation. These factors were related to perceptions of socio-cultural norms, interpersonal engagement with peers and management, the structural environment of school settings, and the wider community setting. Educators began to address cultural taboos related to talking about sexuality, but were challenged by untrained staff and the larger socio-cultural context, which includes a heighted risk of sexual violence against their learners. The paper concludes with recommendations for a further investigation of the approach within a whole school setting considering the needs of educators to not only acquire skills and knowledge but also to address their larger socio-cultural context in which they have to implement comprehensive sexuality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. The impact of routine data quality assessments on electronic medical record data quality in Kenya.
- Author
-
Muthee, Veronica, Bochner, Aaron F., Osterman, Allison, Liku, Nzisa, Akhwale, Willis, Kwach, James, Prachi, Mehta, Wamicwe, Joyce, Odhiambo, Jacob, Onyango, Fredrick, and Puttkammer, Nancy
- Subjects
- *
ELECTRONIC health records , *HIV infections , *THERAPEUTICS , *MEDICAL informatics , *DATA quality - Abstract
Background: Routine Data Quality Assessments (RDQAs) were developed to measure and improve facility-level electronic medical record (EMR) data quality. We assessed if RDQAs were associated with improvements in data quality in KenyaEMR, an HIV care and treatment EMR used at 341 facilities in Kenya. Methods: RDQAs assess data quality by comparing information recorded in paper records to KenyaEMR. RDQAs are conducted during a one-day site visit, where approximately 100 records are randomly selected and 24 data elements are reviewed to assess data completeness and concordance. Results are immediately provided to facility staff and action plans are developed for data quality improvement. For facilities that had received more than one RDQA (baseline and follow-up), we used generalized estimating equation models to determine if data completeness or concordance improved from the baseline to the follow-up RDQAs. Results: 27 facilities received two RDQAs and were included in the analysis, with 2369 and 2355 records reviewed from baseline and follow-up RDQAs, respectively. The frequency of missing data in KenyaEMR declined from the baseline (31% missing) to the follow-up (13% missing) RDQAs. After adjusting for facility characteristics, records from follow-up RDQAs had 0.43-times the risk (95% CI: 0.32–0.58) of having at least one missing value among nine required data elements compared to records from baseline RDQAs. Using a scale with one point awarded for each of 20 data elements with concordant values in paper records and KenyaEMR, we found that data concordance improved from baseline (11.9/20) to follow-up (13.6/20) RDQAs, with the mean concordance score increasing by 1.79 (95% CI: 0.25–3.33). Conclusions: This manuscript demonstrates that RDQAs can be implemented on a large scale and used to identify EMR data quality problems. RDQAs were associated with meaningful improvements in data quality and could be adapted for implementation in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Impact of parasitic infection on mental health and illness in humans in Africa: a systematic review.
- Author
-
Lampard-Scotford, Alexandra R., McCauley, Angela, Kuebel, Julius Arthur, Ibbott, Rachel, and Mutapi, Francisca
- Subjects
- *
MENTAL illness , *CLASSIFICATION of mental disorders , *PARASITIC diseases , *MENTAL health , *NEUROSES , *PEOPLE with mental illness - Abstract
A growing body of research implicates inflammation as a potential pathway in the aetiology and pathophysiology of some mental illnesses. A systematic review was conducted to determine the association between parasitic infection and mental illnesses in humans in Africa and reviewed the state of the evidence available. The search focused on publications from Africa documenting the relationship between parasites from two parasite groups, helminths and protozoans, and four classifications of mental illness: mood affective disorders, neurotic and stress-related disorders, schizotypal disorders and unspecified mental illnesses. In the 26 reviewed papers, the prevalence of mental illness was significantly higher in people with parasitic infection compared to those without infection, i.e., 58.2% vs 41.8% (P < 0.001). An overall odds ratio found that the association of having a mental illness when testing positive for a parasitic infection was four times that of people without infection. Whilst the study showed significant associations between parasite infection and mental illness, it also highlights gaps in the present literature on the pathophysiology of mental illness in people exposed to parasite infection. This study highlighted the importance of an integrated intervention for parasitic infection and mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Psychosis in adolescents in Africa: A scoping review for current understanding and future directions
- Author
-
Samuel Adjorlolo and Mawuko Setordzi
- Subjects
psychosis ,schizophrenia ,adolescents ,review ,africa ,Psychology ,BF1-990 ,Neurophysiology and neuropsychology ,QP351-495 - Abstract
Research into psychosis in adolescents is important in Africa in view of the high burden of mental disorders and prevalence of risk factors such as child maltreatment implicated in the etiology of mental health problems. In this paper, we synthesized the existing literature on psychosis in adolescents in Africa to understand current developments and chart a pathway for robust research agenda on psychosis. A search was conducted on electronic databases, including Africa Index Medicus and Scopus and selected journals for papers. Google, Google Scholar, reference list of papers selected for inclusion in the review and study authors were contacted for additional papers and grey literature. A total of 11 articles were included in this review and discussed under the following thematic areas:(1) assessment of psychosis; (2) prevalence of psychosis; (3) demographic/psychosocial correlates of psychosis; (4) clinical correlates of psychosis; (5) substance misuse and psychosis; and (6) psychosis literacy and help-seeking behavior. A pathway for research into psychosis centering on the representation of psychosis, risk and protective factors, management/treatment of psychosis and aforementioned thematic areas was proffered.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. The Nurse or Midwife at the Crossroads of Caring for Patients With Suicidal and Rigid Religious Ideations in Africa
- Author
-
Lydia Aziato, Joyce B. P. Pwavra, Yennuten Paarima, and Kennedy Dodam Konlan
- Subjects
Africa ,care ,midwife ,nurse ,patient ,religious ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Nurses and midwives are the majority of healthcare professionals globally, including Africa, and they provide care at all levels of the health system including community levels. Nurses and midwives contribute to the care of patients with rigid or dogmatic religious beliefs or those with suicidal ideations. This review paper discusses acute and chronic diseases that have suicidal tendencies such as terminal cancer, diseases with excruciating pain, physical disability, stroke, end-stage renal failure, and diabetics who are amputated. It was reiterated that nurses and midwives taking care of these patients should be alert and observant to identify their suicidal tendencies. The paper also discusses religious or spiritual inclinations that negatively affect healthcare access and adherence, especially to biomedical or western medicine. It was emphasized that some religious beliefs do not allow their followers to employ biomedical treatment and nurses and midwives should not impose their faith on patients and their families. The paper ends with a discussion on the specific roles of nurses and midwives in the care of patients with suicidal ideations such as assessment, counseling, administering medication, observation, social interaction, ensuring safety measures, and providing an enabling environment for the family to part of the care and for the observation of religious coping strategies. Nurses and midwives should enhance their knowledge and skills on suicide and increase public education on suicide prevention and identification of those at risk.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Does Poor Quality Schooling and/or Teacher Quality Hurt Black South African Students Enrolling for a Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal?
- Author
-
Murray, Mike
- Subjects
- *
EDUCATIONAL quality , *TEACHER effectiveness , *BLACK students , *SCHOOL enrollment , *ACADEMIC degrees , *EDUCATION - Abstract
Abstract: Wealthy schools appoint better qualified teachers, less wealthy schools under qualified teachers. Added to this mix is a powerful teacher’s union whose policies attempt to entrench the job security of teachers in the less wealthy schools irrespective of whether they can teach their subjects or not. Can one isolate these effects from that of other socio-demographic factors that may also be affecting the performance of students when they enrol for a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)? An outcome variable that subtracts the number of courses that have been failed from the number of courses that have been passed, dividing this by the total number of years that they have spent studying for a particular degree will be used as a response variable for this paper. Objectives: The system of secondary education in South Africa is highly polarized. On the one hand, we have a group of mainly Black African students, forming about 80% of the total student population, that come from a vastly under-resourced rural or township based community. On the other hand, we have a group of predominantly White and Indian students who are able to attend a far better resourced set of private schools. Added to this mix, we have 240,000 of South Africa’s total number of 390,000 primary and secondary school teachers who belong to a powerful teacher’s union which enjoys a strong political alliance with the ruling party in South Africa. With most of their union members teaching in the less wealthy schools in South Africa, `school background’ now includes a politically motivated component that focuses on teacher self–interest rather than the education of the child. What sort of effect does school background have on the performance of students when they enter an institution of higher learning? More importantly, can one isolate the effect of school background from that of other possibly confounding factors such as gender, financial aid and the receipt of some form of residence based accommodation that will also impact on their performance while at university? Method: A total of 6,183 students enrolling for a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) over the period 2008 to 2012 were used a dataset for this study. Permission to use this dataset was given by the Teaching and Learning Office at UKZN. The database that was used for this study was obtained from the Division of Management Information (DMI) office at UKZN. The percentage based marks that students have managed to record for Mathematics, English, Biology and Accounting in their school leaving exams together with some other important but observable socio-economic factors were included in a regression model to determine how students will perform at UKZN. Socio-economic variables relating to gender, race and whether they have receivd some form of financial aid or residence based accommodation while studying at university were also included as predictor variables in our regression based model structure. Results and Conclusions: An interaction effect associated with being a Black African student who has been privileged enough to attend a quintile five school was found to be significant. A main effect associated with being able to attend a more privileged quintile 5 school however was found to be nonsignificant even after an adjustment has been made for gender, race, the receipt of some form of financial aid and residence based accommodation. Given that UKZN already has a number of bridging programs in place that target students who have come from a less privileged background, for university based policymakers, this result may help to justify the targeted selection of Black African students from the less privileged schools that is taking place. Because some of the disparity in matric performance that we are observing may also be associated with teacher competency and the protective influence of a powerful teacher’s union, this paper may also help to highlight some of the economic costs related with having under-prepared students. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”–United Negro College Fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Biases and environmental risks in urban Africa: household solid waste decision-making.
- Author
-
Wernstedt, Kris, Kihila, Jacob M., and Kaseva, Mengiseny
- Subjects
- *
SOLID waste , *ENVIRONMENTAL risk , *WASTE management , *SOLID waste management , *URBAN research , *CITY dwellers , *ENVIRONMENTAL management ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection planning - Abstract
We argue in this paper that the urban environmental planning and management literature has paid insufficient attention to the nexus of risk and human psychology in urban dynamics, particularly for the rapidly urbanizing areas of the Global South. We then draw on two household surveys in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to present two empirical examples that incorporate these dimensions, using solid waste management as a contemporary urban environmental challenge. These examples illustrate the sensitivity of behavioral preferences to the framing of risks, and the influence of risk preferences on solid waste behavior. Incorporating such concepts into environmental planning and management research offers the potential to increase understanding of urban dynamics and to improve the environmental quality of life in urban Africa and elsewhere in both developing and developed country settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Data on Mental Health Reported by Katherine E. Venturo-Conerly and Colleagues (Using wearable activity trackers for research in the global south: Lessons learned from adolescent psychotherapy research in Kenya).
- Subjects
ADOLESCENT psychotherapy ,DEVELOPING countries ,MENTAL health ,PSYCHOTHERAPY ,HIGH-income countries ,PSYCHIATRIC research - Abstract
New research conducted in Nairobi, Kenya explores the use of wearable activity trackers for mental health research in the global south. The study discusses the challenges faced and strategies employed when using these devices to test the effects of a school-based intervention for depression and anxiety among Kenyan youth. The researchers emphasize the importance of validating data output, establishing internal procedures for international procurement, providing on-site support for participants, designating a full-time team member for tracker operation, and issuing paper-based information sheets. Despite the challenges, the researchers believe that wearables are a relatively economical approach to gaining insight into the daily lives of research participants and recommend their use to other researchers. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
21. Approaches to "mental health" in low-income countries: a case study of Uganda.
- Author
-
Shaw, Ian and Middleton, Hugh
- Subjects
- *
MENTAL health , *MENTAL illness , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *MEDICAL personnel , *HEALTH policy , *SENSORY perception , *POVERTY , *CULTURAL values , *SOCIAL attitudes , *AFRICAN traditional medicine , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which "mental health" difficulties are approached in low-income countries, using a case study of Uganda focus down upon the issues. Design/methodology/approach – The study involved two phases. The first was the collection and analysis of documentary evidence and interviews with policy makers in Uganda. The second involved interviews with health staff, traditional healers and the public in the Buganda Kingdom of Uganda. Interviews were conducted in English or Luganda and translated as necessary. No external sources of funding to declare. Findings – There are differing perceptions of mental health and illness in Uganda and there exists culturally accepted sources of support for distress. This highlights the important role of traditional healers and the paper argues that they should be recognised for their work in mental health care. Research limitations/implications – The paper is a small-scale study of one area of Uganda (Buganda Kingdom), the extent to which it can be generalised is therefore very limited. However, the research is sufficient to indicate the benefits of traditional healers in mental health care and supports an argument towards a public mental health model. Practical implications – The paper argues for a move in priority away from a focus upon a biomedical model of mental health support towards a public health model and the meaningful engagement of traditional healers. This would also necessitate a refocus of spending in the wider society. Originality/value – The paper poses a challenge to the Global Public Health movement and questions the relevance of expanding biomedical psychiatry in low-income countries. The paper also adds weight to emerging literature on the value of a public health approach to mental health and illness, especially in the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Collective trauma processing: Dissociation as a way of processing postwar traumatic stress in Guinea Bissau.
- Author
-
Jong, Joop de and Reis, Ria
- Subjects
- *
PSYCHOLOGY , *WAR , *CULTURE , *DISSOCIATIVE disorders , *CLASSIFICATION of mental disorders , *PRACTICAL politics , *PSYCHIATRY , *PATHOLOGICAL psychology , *SOCIAL psychology , *SPIRITUALITY , *VIOLENCE , *WITCHCRAFT , *WOUNDS & injuries , *GROUP process - Abstract
Guidelines on psychosocial interventions in postconflict areas commonly mention that interventions should be based on local needs and be built on culture-specific expertise. This paper is based on a dissociative cult, the Kiyang-yang (KYY), in Guinea Bissau. In a previous article, we used a refined definition of the concept of idiom of distress to analyze the dissociative behavior displayed in KYY as a symbolic language addressing politically dangerous truths. This paper uses the concept of “collective trauma processing” to analyze how the idiom offered the local population a pathway to mitigate the consequences of protracted and widespread political violence. The paper first argues that the field of psychotraumatology lacks a comprehensive ecological theory on trauma. Moreover, within clinical psychology and psychiatry, little attention is paid to local cultural healing mechanisms addressing traumatic stress. This paper is an effort to study such mechanisms in their own right. To compare trauma processing mechanisms across the globe, we propose to analyze trauma processing mechanisms with the help of a comprehensive model discerning five ontological dimensions that are considered to be involved in suffering and are addressed in healing approaches. Our paper describes similarities and differences between psychological healing traditions and collective trauma processing within the West African context of Guinea Bissau. We will illustrate how the KYY movement uses the idiom of dissociation as both a collective expression of distress and as a vehicle to process social suffering and traumatic stress as a circular phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Gambian cultural beliefs, attitudes and discourse on reproductive health and mortality: Implications for data collection in surveys from the interviewer’s perspective.
- Author
-
Rerimoi, A. J., Niemann, J., Lange, I., and Timæus, I. M.
- Subjects
- *
MENSTRUATION , *ACQUISITION of data , *FOCUS groups , *REPRODUCTIVE health , *DEMOGRAPHIC surveys , *MATERNAL mortality - Abstract
Background: A community’s cultural beliefs, attitudes and discourse can affect their responses in surveys. Knowledge of these cultural factors and how to comply with them or adjust for them during data collection can improve data quality. Objective: This study describes implications of features of Gambian culture related to women’s reproductive health, and mortality, when collecting data in surveys. Methods: 13 in-depth interviews of female interviewers and a focus group discussion among male interviewers were conducted in two rural health and demographic surveillance systems as well as three key informant interviews in three regions in The Gambia. Results: From the fieldworker’s viewpoint, questions relating to reproduction were best asked by women as culturally pregnancies should be concealed, and menstruation is considered a sensitive topic. Gambians were reluctant to speak about decedents and the Fula did not like to be counted, potentially affecting estimation of mortality. Asking about siblings proved problematic among the Fula and Serahule communities. Proposals made to overcome these challenges were that culturally-appropriate metaphors and symbols should be used to discuss sensitive matters and to enumerating births/deaths singly instead of collecting summary totals, which had threatening connotations. This was as opposed to training interviewers to ask standardised and precise verbatim questions. Contribution: This paper presents indigenous Gambian solutions by fieldworkers to culturally sensitive topics when collecting pregnancy outcomes and mortality data in demographic and health surveys. For researchers collecting maternal mortality data, it highlights the potential shortcomings of the sibling history methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Mother’s nutrition-related knowledge and child nutrition outcomes: Empirical evidence from Nigeria.
- Author
-
Fadare, Olusegun, Amare, Mulubrhan, Mavrotas, George, Akerele, Dare, and Ogunniyi, Adebayo
- Subjects
- *
CHILD nutrition , *MOTHER-child relationship , *RURAL development , *HEALTH surveys - Abstract
Background: Nutrition outcomes among young children in Nigeria are among the worse globally. Mother’s limited knowledge about food choices, feeding, and health care seeking practices contributes significantly to negative nutrition outcomes for children in most developing countries. Much less is known about the relationship between mother’s nutrition-related knowledge and child nutritional outcomes in rural Nigeria. This paper investigates therefore: (i) the association of mother’s nutrition-related knowledge with nutrition outcomes of young children living in rural Nigeria, where access to education is limited, and (ii) whether mother’s education has a complementary effect on such knowledge in producing positive child nutrition outcomes in such settings. Methods: Using the Demographic and Health Survey data for Nigeria, we employ both descriptive and regression analyses approaches in analyzing the study’s objectives. In particular, we apply ordinary least square (OLS) to investigate the association of mother’s nutrition-related knowledge with child HAZ and WHZ while controlling for maternal, child, household and regional characteristics. An index was constructed for mother’s nutrition-related knowledge using information on dietary practices, disease treatment and prevention, child immunization, and family planning. Results: We found that mother’s knowledge is independently and positively associated with HAZ and WHZ scores in young children. Higher levels of mother’s education, typically above primary, have a significant, positive association with child HAZ and WHZ scores. We argue that mother’s knowledge of health and nutrition may substitute for education in reducing undernutrition in young children among populations with limited access to formal education. However, the present level of mother’s education in rural Nigeria appears insufficient to reinforce knowledge in producing better nutrition outcomes for children. Conclusions: This study suggests promotion of out-of-school (informal) education, such as adult literacy and numeracy classes where women without formal education can gain health and nutrition knowledge, and practices that could enhance child nutrition outcomes in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Assessing the health risks of consuming ‘sachet’ alcohol in Acoli, Uganda.
- Author
-
Otim, Ochan, Juma, Tom, and Otunnu, Olara
- Subjects
- *
ACHOLI (African people) , *ALCOHOL drinking , *MORTALITY , *HEALTH risk assessment - Abstract
The increased mortality rate among the Acoli people of northern Uganda is anecdotally blamed on excessive consumption of cheap and widely available sachet-packaged alcohol in the region. In this paper, we quantify this perceived association by determining statistically the health risks associated with ingesting 20 heavy metals in 17 popular spirits products consumed in Acoli. Thirteen of these products were industrially packaged in sachets (locally known as ‘sachet,’ waragi, arege or moo lyec) and four were locally produced Lira-Lira spirits from Bolo, Awere and Teso Bar in the region and Nsambya in southern Uganda. A Scottish whisky purchased in San Diego (USA) was our reference. Risk assessment was performed according to standardized protocols developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Our results show that a strong correlation indeed exists between health risks and ingestion of spirits in Acoli. At >2.5 sachets/day for 240 day/year over a lifetime for example, the risk of developing cancer due to exposure to As, Pb and Cr alone is 1 in 102,041. This estimate excludes ethanol, a known carcinogen, and 17 heavy metals also studied due to lack of their cancer slope factors. The primary non-cancer related health risk factor in all samples tested is ethanol with unacceptably high health index of four. The Lira-Lira spirits, with 100–6000% copper above the US EPA limit for intake by oral ingestion in water, would be the ‘cleanest’ without copper and at par with the Scottish whisky. Collectively, we find that no amount of alcohol consumed in Acoli is safe. Preventive measures are therefore recommended to reduce mortality in Acoli in particular, and in Uganda in general. These measures should include public education, better public policies, creating productive economic activities other than brewing alcohol, and social activities that engage people away from drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Attitudes towards domestic violence in 49 low- and middle-income countries: A gendered analysis of prevalence and country-level correlates.
- Author
-
Sardinha, LynnMarie and Nájera Catalán, Héctor E.
- Subjects
- *
DOMESTIC violence , *VIOLENCE against women , *GENDER differences (Psychology) , *MIDDLE-income countries , *COGNITIVE psychology , *DISEASE prevalence - Abstract
Background: Violence against women by an intimate partner (DV) is a serious public health and human rights issue. Attitudes justifying DV strongly predict its perpetration and victimisation. This paper presents gendered ecological analyses of the societal acceptance of DV in 49 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across geographical regions. Methods and findings: We utilised data from 49 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2005 and 2017, United Nations Statistics and topic-specific meta-databases. DV acceptance was measured as the justification of ‘wife-beating’ in at least one of five circumstances, and by the summative scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression examined country-level social, economic and political empowerment predictors of societal acceptance of DV amongst women, men, and the aggregate gender difference. Women were more likely than men to justify DV in Sub-Saharan Africa and South (east) Asia with societal acceptance of DV being more widespread in these regions compared with Latin America, the Caribbean, Central/West Asia and Europe. Political conflict and limited economic rights for women were associated with higher levels of DV acceptance amongst women and men. Men in more democratic countries were less likely to justify DV. Amongst women, higher national female literacy rates predicted lower levels of justification. There were higher levels of DV acceptance amongst women and a wider aggregate gender difference in countries with a larger representation of women in national parliament. Conclusion: Justification of DV is widespread amongst women and men in LMICs with acceptance rates varying across countries and regions. Gender differences in the impact of contextual factors on DV acceptance supports a gendered approach to national-level interventions. Our findings highlight the need for tailored interventions targeting DV acceptance in conflict-impacted societies. The emphasis of inter(national) policies on the ‘empowerment’ domains of widely-used gender (in)equality indices need to be coupled with strategies tackling discriminatory gender norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. The bigger the threat, the longer the gaze? A cross-cultural study of Somalis and Czechs
- Author
-
Iveta Štolhoferová, Daniel Frynta, Markéta Janovcová, Veronika Rudolfová, Hassan Sh Abdirahman Elmi, Kateřina Rexová, Daniel Alex Berti, David Král, David Sommer, Eva Landová, and Petra Frýdlová
- Subjects
Africa ,eye-tracking ,snake ,Snake detection theory ,spontaneous attention ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
High fear reaction, preferential attention, or fast detection are only a few of the specific responses which snakes evoke in humans. Previous research has shown that these responses are shared amongst several distinct cultures suggesting the evolutionary origin of the response. However, populations from sub-Saharan Africa have been largely missing in experimental research focused on this issue. In this paper, we focus on the effect of snake threat display on human spontaneous attention. We performed an eye-tracking experiment with participants from Somaliland and the Czechia and investigated whether human attention is swayed towards snakes in a threatening posture. Seventy-one Somalis and 71 Czechs were tested; the samples were matched for gender and comparable in age structure and education level. We also investigated the effect of snake morphotype as snakes differ in their threat display. We found that snakes in a threatening posture were indeed gazed upon more than snakes in a relaxed (non-threatening) posture. Further, we found a large effect of snake morphotype as this was especially prominent in cobras, less in vipers, and mostly non-significant in other morphotypes. Finally, despite highly different cultural and environmental backgrounds, the overall pattern of reaction towards snakes was similar in Somalis and Czechs supporting the evolutionary origin of the phenomenon. We concluded that human attention is preferentially directed towards snakes, especially cobras and vipers, in threatening postures.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. African Perspective of Social Distancing in Pandemics: Adoption Challenges
- Author
-
Rebecca Ibhaguelo Ehigie, Benjamin Osayawe Ehigie, Benedict Emerenwa Agoha, Olowookere Elizabeth, and Adeniyi Muyiwa Sholarin
- Subjects
Social distancing ,Distancing ,Social distance ,Vulnerability ,Psychological intervention ,COVID-19 pandemic ,Research in Progress ,medicine.disease ,Mental illness ,Contagious disease ,Adoption ,Africa ,medicine ,Health belief model ,Psychology ,Social psychology ,General Psychology ,Consumer behaviour - Abstract
In public health, social distancing is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disease, by maintaining a physical distance between people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization suggested the term, 'physical distancing,' as opposed to 'social distancing', arguing that it is a physical distance which prevents transmission; people can remain socially connected via technology. This paper discusses the concepts of social distance, social distancing, physical distancing, self-quarantine, self-isolation, symptomatic, asymptomatic and parasymptomatic cases as they relate to COVID-19 and African perception of pandemic diseases. Although the idea of social distancing is not novel to the Africans, but a challenge in its implementation is that historically, social distancing is rather applied to non-infectious cases like mental illness, epilepsy, infertility, aging, victims of sexual violence and the like. The paper utilizes health-related theories and pertinent empirical findings to explain African perspective of social distancing and the challenges of adoption in pandemic situations. The theories on health risk perception reviewed include the protection motivation theory, the health belief model, the extended parallel process model and the precaution adoption process model. From consumer psychology background on product adoption, a conceptual model for 'social distancing' adoption in pandemics was advanced. These ancient and novel health-related theories and models were applied to explain the erroneous understanding, perception and adoption challenges of social distancing in Africa, leading to possible increase in the spread of the coronavirus.
- Published
- 2021
29. Psychology, Economic Policy Design, and Implementation: Contributing to the Understanding of Economic Policy Failures in Africa
- Author
-
Seth Oppong
- Subjects
behavioural economics ,economic psychology ,policy studies ,Africa ,Pull-Him-Down Syndrome ,poverty ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
When designing economic policies, policy makers work with the assumption that targeted beneficiaries would respond in a manner that would lead to success of the policy. However, the responses of beneficiaries do not always follow the expected pattern. Drawing on Thaler and Sunstein’s (2008) and Asante’s (2003) theses, this paper projects the view that economic policies that fail to take account of the psychology of the target people fail. The position in this paper is based on the premises that human beings, as choice architects, are not necessarily rational beings always acting in their self-interests and that culture, traditions, and national aspirations influence the success of economic policies. It is argued that inertia (the unwillingness to move or change the status quo) is related to how individuals living in poverty respond to policies intended to alleviate their conditions. New theoretical insights are advanced and recommendations made on the basis of the exploration of the literature.
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Early life malaria exposure and academic performance.
- Author
-
Klejnstrup, Ninja Ritter, Buhl-Wiggers, Julie, Jones, Sam, and Rand, John
- Subjects
- *
COGNITIVE development , *MALARIA prevention , *PLASMODIUM falciparum , *STANDARD deviations , *SENSITIVITY analysis - Abstract
Malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a dynamic contributor to poverty through its effects on children’s cognitive development. This paper examines the degree to which malaria in early childhood impacts on educational achievement in later childhood. The substantial decline in malaria in the region over recent years allows an assessment of its impact to be made. Focusing on Tanzania, we combine data from the Malaria Atlas Project and the 2010–2014 Uwezo household surveys (N = 246,325). We relate the district-level risk of malaria in a child’s year of birth to his/her performance in tests of acquired cognitive skills (literacy and numeracy). For causal identification, we rely on differences across districts in the pace of decline in malaria prevalence occurring over the last 15 years. We control for time-invariant district level, age, birth cohort and survey year effects, as well as district-level trends and individual and household-specific factors. In addition, we use sibling variation in birth-year exposure to malaria to strengthen our identification. A ten percentage-point decrease in malaria prevalence in birth year is associated with a 0.06 standard deviation (p = 0.000) increase in English literacy achievement. This estimate is comparable in magnitude to education intervention programs with very large effects. Our results are robust to a large number of sensitivity analyses. We find no statistically significant effects of birth-year malaria exposure on attainments in numeracy and Kiswahili, and we argue that this is probably attributable to strong ceiling effects in these test scores. We conclude that in Tanzania malaria is an important factor in geographical variation in English literacy. This indicates that malaria is a significant public health challenge to educational achievement in this country, and probably in other regions with malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Risk perception and the influence on uptake and use of biomedical prevention interventions for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review.
- Author
-
Warren, Emily A., Paterson, Pauline, Schulz, William S., Lees, Shelley, Eakle, Robyn, Stadler, Jonathan, and Larson, Heidi J.
- Subjects
- *
HIV infection risk factors , *HIV prevention , *RISK perception , *DATA analysis , *PUBLIC health - Abstract
Background: Risk perception has been found to be a crucial factor explaining inconsistent or non-use of HIV prevention interventions. Considerations of risk need to expand beyond risk of infection to also include the personal, social, emotional, and economic risks associated with prevention intervention use. Objectives: This systematic review of qualitative peer-reviewed literature from sub-Saharan Africa examines perceptions of risk associated with HIV infection and HIV prevention intervention use. Data sources: We searched Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Africa Wide Info, CINAHL, and Global Health for publications and screened them for relevance. Study eligibility criteria: Peer-reviewed qualitative studies published since 2003 were eligible for inclusion if they examined risk perception or uncertainty in the context of a medically regulated intervention. Only studies focusing on adults were included. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Included publications were quality assessed using the Hawker method and coded thematically. Results: 10318 unique papers were identified, of which 29 are included. Among the themes identified, a particularly salient one was the potential of HIV prevention interventions to threaten the stability of a relationship and impact on how and when people may—or may not—choose to use prevention interventions. Limitations: This literature review excludes grey-literature, which may have distinct valuable insights. We also excluded quantitative studies that may have challenged or triangulated our findings. Conclusions and implications: When considering the risk of HIV acquisition, it is insufficient to examine biological risk in isolation from the personal, relational and economic costs associated with intervention use. This loss of emotional, physical, or material support may be perceived as more consequential than the prevention of a potential infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda.
- Author
-
Mannell, Jenevieve, Seyed-Raeisy, Iran, Burgess, Rochelle, and Campbell, Catherine
- Subjects
- *
INTIMATE partner violence , *WOMEN'S mental health , *SOCIAL services , *DATA analysis - Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women’s mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013–14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess’s (2012) framework for ‘community mental health competence’, we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Variability and validity of intimate partner violence reporting by couples in Tanzania.
- Author
-
Halim, Nafisa, Steven, Ester, Reich, Naomi, Badi, Lilian, and Messersmith, Lisa
- Subjects
- *
INTIMATE partner violence , *HUMAN rights , *PREGNANCY , *CRIME victims , *SELF-evaluation - Abstract
In recent years, major global institutions have amplified their efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV) against women—a global health and human rights violation affecting 15–71% of reproductive aged women over their lifetimes. Still, some scholars remain concerned about the validity of instruments used for IPV assessment in population-based studies. In this paper, we conducted two validation analyses using novel data from 450 women-men dyads across nine villages in Northern Tanzania. , we examined the level of inter-partner agreement in reporting of men’s physical, sexual, emotional and economic IPV against women in the last three and twelve months prior to the survey, ever in the relationship, and during pregnancy. , we conducted a convergent validity analysis to compare the relative efficacy of men’s self-reports of perpetration and women’s of victimization as a valid indicator of IPV against Tanzanian women using logistic regression models with village-level clustered errors. We found that, for every violence type across the recall periods of the last three months, the last twelve months and ever in the relationship, at least one in three couples disagreed about IPV occurrences in the relationship. Couples’ agreement about physical, sexual and economic IPV during pregnancy was high with 86–93% of couples reporting concordantly. Also, men’s self-reported perpetration had statistically significant associations with at least as many validated risk factors as had women’s self-reported victimization. This finding suggests that men’s self-reports are at least as valid as women’s as an indicator of IPV against women in Northern Tanzania. We recommend more validation studies are conducted in low-income countries, and that data on relationship factors affecting IPV reports and reporting are made available along with data on IPV occurrences. Keywords: Intimate partner violence; measurement; validity; survey research; Tanzania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Caregivers’ views on stigmatization and discrimination of people affected by leprosy in Ghana.
- Author
-
Asampong, Emmanuel, Dako–Gyeke, Mavis, and Oduro, Razak
- Subjects
- *
COMMUNICABLE diseases , *MYCOBACTERIAL diseases , *HANSEN'S disease , *CAREGIVERS , *SOCIAL sciences - Abstract
Background: Leprosy is a condition that has long been associated with stigma and discrimination, even when infected persons have been cured. This paper describes stigma and discrimination as viewed by caregivers who are associated with people affected by leprosy in Ghana. Methods: A qualitative interview with semi-structured interviews were conducted for twenty caregivers. Results: Findings indicated that caregivers were of the view that people affected by leprosy in Ghana are stigmatized and discriminated against by the larger society thus making their movements and interactions restricted to the Leprosarium. Besides, employments opportunities are unavailable to them thus making them exposed to financial challenges. The livelihood Empowerment Against poverty (LEAP) money given them is not sufficient for their daily upkeep. Conclusion: People affected by leprosy in Ghana are stigmatized and therefore find it difficult to interact freely with the public. The associated physical deformities with the disease also tend to impede their ability to relate to the general public. The LEAP cash given to people affected by leprosy is helpful however, it could be enhanced to keep pace with prevailing economic conditions in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Ambivalence in pregnancy intentions: The effect of quality of care and context among a cohort of women attending family planning clinics in Kenya.
- Author
-
Wekesa, Eliud, Askew, Ian, and Abuya, Timothy
- Subjects
- *
AMBIVALENCE , *UNPLANNED pregnancy , *BIRTH control clinics , *COHORT analysis , *PSYCHOLOGY ,UTILIZATION of family planning services - Abstract
Context: Ambivalence in pregnancy intentions is well-documented in sub-Saharan African (SSA) settings and has been associated with inconsistent use of contraception, thereby exposing women using contraception to the possibility of unintended pregnancies. A better understanding of the potential role for client counseling interventions in enabling women to achieve their pregnancy intentions is essential for aiding program efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies. Objective: To measure ambivalence in pregnancy intentions longitudinally and determine its association with the quality of care received, controlling for demographic, socio-economic and contextual factors among a cohort of family planning (FP) clients in Kenya. Methods: This paper uses data drawn from a prospective cohort study of FP clients to investigate the relationship between the quality of care received during FP service delivery and the decisiveness of their pregnancy intentions over time. The study tests the hypothesis that higher quality of care enables women to be less ambivalent about their pregnancy intentions. Binary logistic regression with random effects and multinomial logistic regression were used to assess the predictive effect of the quality of care received by a woman on the decisiveness or ambivalence of her pregnancy intentions, and on any shifts in ambivalence over time, controlling for background characteristics. The study recruited 1,957 women aged 15–49 years attending twelve family planning clinics in four counties in Central Kenya; of these, 1,053 women were observed for four rounds of data collection over a period of 24 months and form the sample for analysis. Findings: A substantial proportion (43%) of women expressed ambivalence about their intentions to become pregnant at some point during the study period, while over half (57%) remained unequivocal throughout the study. Almost one third of women (31%) shifted from being unequivocal to ambivalent and 12% shifted from ambivalence to being unequivocal. Women experiencing higher quality of care have lower odds of ever expressing ambivalence and higher odds of remaining unequivocal over time, net of other factors. Quality of care was not associated with a shift in ambivalence over time. Conclusion: FP programs offering higher quality of care are likely to support women to be more decisive in their pregnancy intentions. Improving the quality of care can contribute to reduced ambivalence and consequently reduced likelihood of unintended pregnancy among contraceptive users. This study provides further evidence of the benefits gained through providing high quality services. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Ensemble machine learning and forecasting can achieve 99% uptime for rural handpumps.
- Author
-
Wilson, Daniel L., Coyle, Jeremy R., and Thomas, Evan A.
- Subjects
- *
MACHINE learning , *HAND pumps , *WATER supply , *WATER pollution prevention , *PUMPING machinery maintenance & repair - Abstract
Broken water pumps continue to impede efforts to deliver clean and economically-viable water to the global poor. The literature has demonstrated that customers’ health benefits and willingness to pay for clean water are best realized when clean water infrastructure performs extremely well (>99% uptime). In this paper, we used sensor data from 42 Afridev-brand handpumps observed for 14 months in western Kenya to demonstrate how sensors and supervised ensemble machine learning could be used to increase total fleet uptime from a best-practices baseline of about 70% to >99%. We accomplish this increase in uptime by forecasting pump failures and identifying existing failures very quickly. Comparing the costs of operating the pump per functional year over a lifetime of 10 years, we estimate that implementing this algorithm would save 7% on the levelized cost of water relative to a sensor-less scheduled maintenance program. Combined with a rigorous system for dispatching maintenance personnel, implementing this algorithm in a real-world program could significantly improve health outcomes and customers’ willingness to pay for water services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and early antiretroviral treatment among female sex workers in South Africa: Results from a prospective observational demonstration project.
- Author
-
Eakle, Robyn, Gomez, Gabriela B., Naicker, Niven, Bothma, Rutendo, Mbogua, Judie, Cabrera Escobar, Maria A., Saayman, Elaine, Moorhouse, Michelle, Venter, W. D. Francois, Rees, Helen, null, null, and TAPS Demonstration Project Team
- Subjects
- *
HIV , *PREVENTIVE medicine , *ANTIRETROVIRAL agents , *SEX workers , *HIV-positive persons , *ANTI-HIV agents , *COST effectiveness , *HIV infections , *LONGITUDINAL method , *PREVENTIVE health services , *SAFE sex , *SEXUAL partners , *ECONOMICS , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Background: Operational research is required to design delivery of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and early antiretroviral treatment (ART). This paper presents the primary analysis of programmatic data, as well as demographic, behavioural, and clinical data, from the TAPS Demonstration Project, which offered both interventions to female sex workers (FSWs) at 2 urban clinic sites in South Africa.Methods and Findings: The TAPS study was conducted between 30 March 2015 and 30 June 2017, with the enrolment period ending on 31 July 2016. TAPS was a prospective observational cohort study with 2 groups receiving interventions delivered in existing service settings: (1) PrEP as part of combination prevention for HIV-negative FSWs and (2) early ART for HIV-positive FSWs. The main outcome was programme retention at 12 months of follow-up. Of the 947 FSWs initially seen in clinic, 692 were HIV tested. HIV prevalence was 49%. Among those returning to clinic after HIV testing and clinical screening, 93% of the women who were HIV-negative were confirmed as clinically eligible for PrEP (n = 224/241), and 41% (n = 110/270) of the women who were HIV-positive had CD4 counts within National Department of Health ART initiation guidelines at assessment. Of the remaining women who were HIV-positive, 93% were eligible for early ART (n = 148/160). From those eligible, 98% (n = 219/224) and 94% (n = 139/148) took up PrEP and early ART, respectively. At baseline, a substantial fraction of women had a steady partner, worked in brothels, and were born in Zimbabwe. Of those enrolled, 22% on PrEP (n = 49/219) and 60% on early ART (n = 83/139) were seen at 12 months; we observed high rates of loss to follow-up: 71% (n = 156/219) and 30% (n = 42/139) in the PrEP and early ART groups, respectively. Little change over time was reported in consistent condom use or the number of sexual partners in the last 7 days, with high levels of consistent condom use with clients and low use with steady partners in both study groups. There were no seroconversions on PrEP and 7 virological failures on early ART among women remaining in the study. Reported adherence to PrEP varied over time between 70% and 85%, whereas over 90% of participants reported taking pills daily while on early ART. Data on provider-side costs were also collected and analysed. The total cost of service delivery was approximately US$126 for PrEP and US$406 for early ART per person-year. The main limitations of this study include the lack of a control group, which was not included due to ethical considerations; clinical study requirements imposed when PrEP was not approved through the regulatory system, which could have affected uptake; and the timing of the implementation of a national sex worker HIV programme, which could have also affected uptake and retention.Conclusions: PrEP and early ART services can be implemented within FSW routine services in high prevalence, urban settings. We observed good uptake for both PrEP and early ART; however, retention rates for PrEP were low. Retention rates for early ART were similar to retention rates for the current standard of care. While the cost of the interventions was higher than previously published, there is potential for cost reduction at scale. The TAPS Demonstration Project results provided the basis for the first government PrEP and early ART guidelines and the rollout of the national sex worker HIV programme in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Perceived needs of health tutors in rural and urban health training institutions in Ghana: Implications for health sector staff internal migration control.
- Author
-
Alhassan, Robert Kaba, Beyere, Christopher B., Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward, and Mwini-Nyaledzigbor, Prudence P.
- Subjects
- *
MEDICAL education , *RURAL health , *URBAN health , *HEALTH policy , *MEDICAL care - Abstract
Background: The population of Ghana is increasingly becoming urbanized with about 70% of the estimated 27 million people living in urban and peri-urban areas. Nonetheless, eight out of the ten regions in Ghana remain predominantly rural where only 32% of the national health sector workforce works. Moreover, the rural-urban disparities in the density of health tutors (staff responsible for pre-service training of health professionals) are enormous. This paper explores perceived needs of health tutors in rural and urban health training institutions in Ghana. Methods: This is a descriptive qualitative study conducted in the Greater Accra and Northern regions of Ghana. The Study used the deductive thematic and sub-thematic analysis approaches. Five health training institutions were randomly sampled, and 72 tutors engaged in separate focus group discussions with an average size of 14 participants per group in each training institution. Results: Perceived rural-urban disparities among health tutors were found in the payment of extra duty allowances; school infrastructure including libraries and internet connectivity; staff accommodation; and opportunities for scholarships and higher education. Health tutors in rural areas generally expressed more frustration with these work conditions than those in urban areas. Conclusions: There is the need to initiate and sustain work incentives that promote motivation of rural health tutors to control ongoing rural-urban migration of qualified staff. It is recommended the following incentives be prioritized to promote retention of qualified health tutors in rural health training schools: payment of research, book and rural allowances; early promotion of rural staff; prioritizing rural tutors for scholarships, and introduction of national best health tutor awards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. The application of Signalling Theory to health-related trust problems: The example of herbal clinics in Ghana and Tanzania.
- Author
-
Hampshire, Kate, Hamill, Heather, Mariwah, Simon, Mwanga, Joseph, and Amoako-Sakyi, Daniel
- Subjects
- *
HERBAL medicine , *INTERVIEWING , *RESEARCH methodology , *PSYCHOLOGY , *TRUST , *UNCERTAINTY , *ETHNOLOGY research , *QUALITATIVE research , *THEORY - Abstract
In contexts where healthcare regulation is weak and levels of uncertainty high, how do patients decide whom and what to trust? In this paper, we explore the potential for using Signalling Theory (ST, a form of Behavioural Game Theory) to investigate health-related trust problems under conditions of uncertainty, using the empirical example of ‘herbal clinics’ in Ghana and Tanzania. Qualitative, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted over an eight-month period (2015–2016) in eight herbal clinics in Ghana and ten in Tanzania, including semi-structured interviews with herbalists (N = 18) and patients (N = 68), plus detailed ethnographic observations and twenty additional key informant interviews. The data were used to explore four ST-derived predictions, relating to herbalists' strategic communication (‘signalling’) of their trustworthiness to patients, and patients' interpretation of those signals. Signalling Theory is shown to provide a useful analytical framework, allowing us to go beyond the primary trust problem addressed by other researchers – cataloguing observable indicators of trustworthiness – and providing tools for tackling the trickier secondary trust problem , where the trustworthiness of those indicators must be ascertained. Signalling Theory also enables a basis for comparative work between different empirical contexts that share the underlying condition of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Development of a set of community-informed Ebola messages for Sierra Leone.
- Author
-
Kinsman, John, de Bruijne, Kars, Jalloh, Alpha M., Harris, Muriel, Abdullah, Hussainatu, Boye-Thompson, Titus, Sankoh, Osman, Jalloh, Abdul K., and Jalloh-Vos, Heidi
- Subjects
- *
EBOLA virus , *COMMUNICATION , *PUBLIC health , *QUALITATIVE research ,SIERRA Leonean social conditions - Abstract
The West African Ebola epidemic of 2013–2016 was by far the largest outbreak of the disease on record. Sierra Leone suffered nearly half of the 28,646 reported cases. This paper presents a set of culturally contextualized Ebola messages that are based on the findings of qualitative interviews and focus group discussions conducted in 'hotspot' areas of rural Bombali District and urban Freetown in Sierra Leone, between January and March 2015. An iterative approach was taken in the message development process, whereby (i) data from formative research was subjected to thematic analysis to identify areas of community concern about Ebola and the national response; (ii) draft messages to address these concerns were produced; (iii) the messages were field tested; (iv) the messages were refined; and (v) a final set of messages on 14 topics was disseminated to relevant national and international stakeholders. Each message included details of its rationale, audience, dissemination channels, messengers, and associated operational issues that need to be taken into account. While developing the 14 messages, a set of recommendations emerged that could be adopted in future public health emergencies. These included the importance of embedding systematic, iterative qualitative research fully into the message development process; communication of the subsequent messages through a two-way dialogue with communities, using trusted messengers, and not only through a one-way, top-down communication process; provision of good, parallel operational services; and engagement with senior policy makers and managers as well as people in key operational positions to ensure national ownership of the messages, and to maximize the chance of their being utilised. The methodological approach that we used to develop our messages along with our suggested recommendations constitute a set of tools that could be incorporated into international and national public health emergency preparedness and response plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. New Financial Development Indicators: With a Critical Contribution to Inequality Empirics
- Author
-
Simplice A. Asongu
- Subjects
Financial Development ,Shadow Economy ,Poverty ,Inequality ,Africa ,Psychology ,BF1-990 ,Economics as a science ,HB71-74 - Abstract
The employment of financial development indicators without due consideration to country/regional specific financial development realities remains an issue of substantial policy relevance. Financial depth in the perspective of money supply is not equal to liquid liabilities in every development context. This paper introduces complementary indicators to the existing Financial Development and Structure Database (FDSD). Dynamic panel system GMM estimations are applied. Different specifications, non-overlapping intervals and control variables are used to check the consistency of estimated coefficients. Our results suggest that from an absolute standpoint (GDP base measures), all financial sectors are pro-poor. However, three interesting findings are drawn from measures of sector importance. (1) The expansion of the formal financial sector to the detriment of other financial sectors has a disequalizing income effect. (2) Growth of informal and semi-formal financial sectors at the expense of the formal financial sector has an income equalizing effect. (3) The positive income redistributive effect of semi-formal finance in financial sector competition is higher than the corresponding impact of informal finance. It unites two streams of research by contributing at the same time to the macroeconomic literature on measuring financial development and responding to the growing field of economic development by means of informal financial sector promotion and microfinance. The paper suggests a practicable way to disentangle the effects of the various financial sectors on economic development. The equation of financial depth in the perspective of money supply to liquid liabilities has put on the margin the burgeoning informal financial sector in developing countries. The phenomenon of mobile banking is such an example
- Published
- 2014
42. Challenges in preparing and implementing a clinical trial at field level in an Ebola emergency: A case study in Guinea, West Africa.
- Author
-
Carazo Perez, Sara, Folkesson, Elin, Anglaret, Xavier, Beavogui, Abdoul-Habib, Berbain, Emmanuel, Camara, Alseny-Modet, Depoortere, Evelyn, Lefevre, Annabelle, Maes, Piet, Malme, Kristian Nødtvedt, Malvy, Jean-Marie Denis, Ombelet, Sien, Poelaert, Geertrui, Sissoko, Daouda, Tounkara, Alexis, Trbovic, Pierre, Piguet, Pascal, and Antierens, Annick
- Subjects
- *
EBOLA virus disease , *MEDICAL experimentation on humans , *INVESTIGATIONAL therapies , *RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *MEDICAL research - Abstract
Author summary: During the large Ebola outbreak that affected West Africa in 2014 and 2015, studies were launched to evaluate potential treatments for the disease. A clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the antiviral drug favipiravir was conducted in Guinea. This paper describes the main challenges of the implementation of the trial in the Ebola treatment center of Guéckédou. Following the principles of the Good Clinical Research Practices, we explored the aspects of the community’s communication and engagement, ethical conduct, trial protocol compliance, informed consent of participants, ongoing benefit/risk assessment, record keeping, confidentiality of patients and study data, and roles and responsibilities of the actors involved. We concluded that several challenges have to be addressed to successfully implement a clinical trial during an international medical emergency but that the potential for collaboration between research teams and humanitarian organizations needs to be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Pre-control relationship of onchocercal skin disease with onchocercal infection in Guinea Savanna, Northern Nigeria.
- Author
-
Murdoch, Michele E., Murdoch, Ian E., Evans, Jennifer, Yahaya, Haliru, Njepuome, Ngozi, Cousens, Simon, Jones, Barrie R., and Abiose, Adenike
- Subjects
- *
SKIN diseases , *INFECTION , *ONCHOCERCA volvulus , *ATROPHY , *IVERMECTIN - Abstract
Background: Onchocerca volvulus infection can result in blindness, itching and skin lesions. Previous research concentrated on blindness. Methods: A clinical classification system of the cutaneous changes in onchocerciasis was used for the first time in this study within the context of an early ivermectin drug trial in the savanna region of Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. Skin examinations were performed in 6,790 individuals aged 5+ years in endemic communities and 1,343 individuals in nonendemic communities. Results / Discussion: There was increased risk for all forms of onchocercal skin disease in endemic communities with the most common finding being the presence of nodules (1,438 individuals, 21.2%), followed by atrophy (367, 6.1% of those < 50 years), acute papular onchodermatitis, APOD (233, 3.4%), depigmentation (216, 3.2%) and chronic papular onchodermatitis, CPOD (155, 2.3%). A further 645 individuals (9.5%) complained of pruritus but had completely normal skin. APOD was more common in males whereas atrophy, hanging groin and nodules were more common in females. After controlling for age and sex, microfilarial positivity was a risk factor for CPOD, depigmentation, hanging groin and nodules (OR 1.54, p = 0.046; OR 2.29, p = 0.002; OR 2.18, p = 0.002 and OR 3.80, p <0.01 respectively). Comparable results were found using presence of nodules as the marker for infection. Microfilarial load showed similar, though weaker, results. A total of 2621(38.6%) endemic residents had itching with normal skin, or had one or more types of onchocercal skin disease including nodules, which may be considered as a composite index of the overall prevalence of onchocercal skin disease. Conclusion: Significant levels of onchocercal skin disease were documented in this savanna area, which subsequently resulted in a reassessment of the true burden of skin disease in onchocerciasis. This paper represents the first detailed report of the association of onchocercal skin disease with markers for onchocercal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Social network analysis of multi-stakeholder platforms in agricultural research for development: Opportunities and constraints for innovation and scaling.
- Author
-
Hermans, Frans, Sartas, Murat, van Schagen, Boudy, van Asten, Piet, and Schut, Marc
- Subjects
- *
SOCIAL network theory , *INNOVATION adoption , *RANDOM graphs , *GRAPH theory , *NETWORK analysis (Communication) - Abstract
Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) are seen as a promising vehicle to achieve agricultural development impacts. By increasing collaboration, exchange of knowledge and influence mediation among farmers, researchers and other stakeholders, MSPs supposedly enhance their ‘capacity to innovate’ and contribute to the ‘scaling of innovations’. The objective of this paper is to explore the capacity to innovate and scaling potential of three MSPs in Burundi, Rwanda and the South Kivu province located in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In order to do this, we apply Social Network Analysis and Exponential Random Graph Modelling (ERGM) to investigate the structural properties of the collaborative, knowledge exchange and influence networks of these MSPs and compared them against value propositions derived from the innovation network literature. Results demonstrate a number of mismatches between collaboration, knowledge exchange and influence networks for effective innovation and scaling processes in all three countries: NGOs and private sector are respectively over- and under-represented in the MSP networks. Linkages between local and higher levels are weak, and influential organisations (e.g., high-level government actors) are often not part of the MSP or are not actively linked to by other organisations. Organisations with a central position in the knowledge network are more sought out for collaboration. The scaling of innovations is primarily between the same type of organisations across different administrative levels, but not between different types of organisations. The results illustrate the potential of Social Network Analysis and ERGMs to identify the strengths and limitations of MSPs in terms of achieving development impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Child Schooling in Ethiopia: The Role of Maternal Autonomy.
- Author
-
Gebremedhin, Tesfaye Alemayehu and Mohanty, Itismita
- Subjects
- *
EARLY childhood education , *HEALTH surveys , *AUTONOMY (Economics) , *DEMOGRAPHIC surveys - Abstract
This paper examines the effects of maternal autonomy on child schooling outcomes in Ethiopia using a nationally representative Ethiopian Demographic and Health survey for 2011. The empirical strategy uses a Hurdle Negative Binomial Regression model to estimate years of schooling. An ordered probit model is also estimated to examine age grade distortion using a trichotomous dependent variable that captures three states of child schooling. The large sample size and the range of questions available in this dataset allow us to explore the influence of individual and household level social, economic and cultural factors on child schooling. The analysis finds statistically significant effects of maternal autonomy variables on child schooling in Ethiopia. The roles of maternal autonomy and other household-level factors on child schooling are important issues in Ethiopia, where health and education outcomes are poor for large segments of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Lessons learned from a decade implementing Comprehensive Sexuality Education in resource poor settings: The World Starts With Me.
- Author
-
Vanwesenbeeck, Ine, Westeneng, Judith, de Boer, Thilly, Reinders, Jo, and van Zorge, Ruth
- Subjects
- *
SEX education , *IMPLEMENTATION (Social action programs) , *COMPUTER assisted instruction , *PSYCHOLOGY of teachers , *HUMAN services programs , *EDUCATIONAL outcomes , *PSYCHOLOGY ,EDUCATION in developing countries - Abstract
Today, more than half of the world population is under the age of 25 years and one in four is under age 18. The urgency of expanding access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) notably for children and young people in Africa and Asia is greater than ever before. However, many challenges to the implementation and delivery of CSE in resource poor settings have been identified in the literature. CSE’s effectiveness could be strongly improved if these challenges were better met. This paper aims to contribute to those much-needed improvements by sharing lessons learned from a decade of implementation of one particular CSE programme,The World Starts With Me, among various populations in 11 low income countries in Africa and Asia. The aims, content, reach and effectiveness of the programme are described. Next, the challenges for implementation and delivery at student, teacher, school and context level are discussed with reference to the wider knowledge base in this area. Finally, suggestions are provided for ways forward including the increased sensitivity of programmes for normative and practical barriers to sexual health, further advancement towards gender transformativity, a far-reaching expansion of comprehensive forms of teacher training and coaching, and a serious stepping-up of multilevel ‘whole school’ approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Sexual activity by marital status and age: a comparative perspective
- Author
-
Philipp Ueffing, Aisha Dasgupta, and Vladimíra Kantorová
- Subjects
Adult ,Asia ,Latin Americans ,Adolescent ,Sexual Behavior ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Young Adult ,Ethnicity ,Humans ,Marriage ,Comparative perspective ,Contraception Behavior ,media_common ,Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys ,Age Factors ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,General Social Sciences ,Health Surveys ,Europe ,Sexual intercourse ,Contraception ,Latin America ,Contraceptive use ,Family planning ,Family Planning Services ,Africa ,Marital status ,Female ,Psychology ,Demography ,Diversity (politics) - Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of trends in sexual activity by marital status and age, and their associations with contraceptive use. Understanding levels of, and trends in, sexual activity is important for assessing the needs for family planning services and for analysing commonly used family planning indicators. Data were taken from 220 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) and 62 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICSs) to provide insights into sexual activity by marital status and age in a total of 94 countries in different regions of the world. The results show the sensitivity of the indicator with respect to the definition of currently sexually active, based on the timing of last sexual intercourse (during the last 4 weeks, 3 months, or 1 year). Substantial diversity in sexual activity by marital status and age was demonstrated across countries. The proportion of married women reporting recent sexual activity (sexual intercourse during the last 4 weeks) ranged from 50% to 90%. The proportion of unmarried women reporting recent sexual activity did not exceed 50% in any of the 94 countries with available data, but showed substantial regional differences: it appeared to be rare in Asia and extremely varied within Africa, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. Among married women, sexual activity did not vary much by age group, while for unmarried women, there was an inverted U-pattern by age, with the youngest age group (15–19 years old) having the lowest proportion sexually active. The proportion of women who reported currently using contraception and reported not being sexually active varied by the contraceptive method used and was overall much greater among unmarried women. The evidence presented in this paper can be used to improve family planning policies and programmes to serve the diverse needs, for example regarding method choice and service provision, of unmarried women.
- Published
- 2019
48. A systematic review of the literature on the causes of early school leaving in Africa and Asia
- Author
-
Wim Groot, Kristof De Witte, Michelle S. M. Momo, and Sofie Cabus
- Subjects
Economic growth ,Asia ,school dropout ,early school leaving ,education ,05 social sciences ,050301 education ,Developing country ,ENGAGEMENT ,STUDENTS ,LEAVERS ,DETERMINANTS ,BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL ,MIXED-METHODS ,Education ,School dropout ,RURAL CHINA ,DROP-OUT ,MEXICAN-AMERICAN ,Africa ,CAPE-TOWN ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Psychology ,0503 education ,050104 developmental & child psychology - Abstract
This paper systematically reviews the literature on the causes of leaving school early in Africa and Asia. Despite the improvement in primary school enrolment in the developing countries by 2015, the persistence of school dropout, however, renders this improvement almost insignificant. This leads to the necessity of observing the prolonged determinants of dropping out from school amid the current global development efforts to improve educational attainment in these countries. For this purpose, we review 43 articles in this study. These articles are peer‐reviewed publications on the causes of early school leaving or school dropout in Africa and Asia, from the year 2001 to present (2018). A great number of causes are found to be linked to the reason for leaving school early. However, the most common causes for early school leaving include lack of income, parents’ education and employment status, living in a single‐parent household, being a illegitimate child, age, region of residence and school performance. Specifically, for Asia, immigration and ethnicity are important factors. This paper recommends that policies to prevent early school leaving require multi‐perspective targeting, involving individual, school, community and family. For instance, attention needs to be drawn to the effective trickling down of necessary school provisions and other contemporary societal provisions to all communities. There is also need for improved individual and family awareness on the positive impact of education as well as the dangers of certain cultural beliefs. ispartof: Review of Education vol:7 issue:3 pages:496-522 status: published
- Published
- 2019
49. Enhancing online information of African nongovernmental organizations through self-regulation.
- Author
-
Gálvez-Rodríguez, María del Mar, Caba-Pérez, Maria del Carmen, and López-Godoy, Manuel
- Subjects
NONGOVERNMENTAL organizations ,SELF regulation ,CONDUCT of life ,COMPARATIVE studies ,SOCIAL conditions in Africa ,PSYCHOLOGY ,COMPUTER network resources ,TWENTY-first century - Abstract
The information included in NGOs’ self-regulation mechanisms is crucial for fostering the good behavior and access to information of the sector. This paper reports on a comparative analysis of national self-regulation mechanisms developed in African countries versus initiatives of an international nature. The main findings show that both cases are characterized by initiatives with low levels of control (code of conduct and performance guide). Moreover, significant differences in the information they contain are identified. In this regard, national initiatives mainly present information that reinforces organizational management, while the international initiatives show a greater preference for stressing the need to improve the social mission. The demand for web disclosure is low in both cases with African self-regulations mainly calling for the reactive communication of information concerning organizational strategy. In contrast, international initiatives are more focused on promoting the proactive disclosure of information regarding the organization’s social responsibility and its commitment to improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Finding Meaning: HIV Self-Management and Wellbeing among People Taking Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda.
- Author
-
Russell, Steve, Martin, Faith, Zalwango, Flavia, Namukwaya, Stella, Nalugya, Ruth, Muhumuza, Richard, Katongole, Joseph, and Seeley, Janet
- Subjects
- *
HIV infections , *THERAPEUTICS , *ANTIRETROVIRAL agents , *PATIENT compliance , *SELF-esteem - Abstract
The health of people living with HIV (PLWH) and the sustained success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes depends on PLWH’s motivation and ability to self-manage the condition over the long term, including adherence to drugs on a daily basis. PLWH’s self-management of HIV and their wellbeing are likely to be interrelated. Successful self-management sustains wellbeing, and wellbeing is likely to motivate continued self-management. Detailed research is lacking on PLWH’s self-management processes on ART in resource-limited settings. This paper presents findings from a study of PLWH’s self-management and wellbeing in Wakiso District, Uganda. Thirty-eight PLWH (20 women, 18 men) were purposefully selected at ART facilities run by the government and by The AIDS Support Organisation in and around Entebbe. Two in-depth interviews were completed with each participant over three or four visits. Many were struggling economically, however the recovery of health and hope on ART had enhanced wellbeing and motivated self-management. The majority were managing their condition well across three broad domains of self-management. First, they had mobilised resources, notably through good relationships with health workers. Advice and counselling had helped them to reconceptualise their condition and situation more positively and see hope for the future, motivating their work to self-manage. Many had also developed a new network of support through contacts they had developed at the ART clinic. Second, they had acquired knowledge and skills to manage their health, a useful framework to manage their condition and to live their life. Third, participants were psychologically adjusting to their condition and their new ‘self’: they saw HIV as a normal disease, were coping with stigma and had regained self-esteem, and were finding meaning in life. Our study demonstrates the centrality of social relationships and other non-medical aspects of wellbeing for self-management which ART programmes might explore further and encourage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.