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Introduction: Road traffic crashes are a significant public health challenge in view of the high morbidity and mortality for which they are responsible. Objective: This study aims to describe the frequency and profile of road traffic crashes in the city of Lubumbashi. Methods: A retrospective descrip-tive study was conducted between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017. Included are all cases of vehicles registered with the road safety police, involved in a traffic crash. The data were processed using SPSS version 23 software (SPSS, Armonk, NY). Results: The study focused on 3495 cases of road traffic crashes registered with the road traffic police service from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. These crashes were caused mainly by male drivers (98.6%). January had a large number of road crashes (9.2%) followed by that of October (9.1%); with 17.9% of the cases, crashes were on a Sunday. In 10% of road crashes there were fatalities recorded. Night driving; driving downtown; the use of public transport vehicles as well as the fact of driving on a long straight road predisposed to fatal road crashes in Lubumbashi (P

Objective: To determine the psychosocial problems, social acceptance and the impact of the costs of parents whose child has cancer. Method: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study over two-year periods (from January 3, 2018 to March 31, 2020) in the pediatric oncology unit of clinics at the University of Lubumbashi, in DR Congo. Results: 129 parents of children with cancer in the pediatric oncology unit were included in our study. Most children with cancer (53%) were accompanied by their mothers who had a low level of education (53.0%). Emotional shock was the most observed reaction (68%) to the announcement of the disease (cancer). Retinoblastoma has had a significant economic impact on families without medical coverage. Only 38% received psychological support from parents. Sadness was the most common feeling (77%) of households. Support workers consider their relationship with the medical profession acceptable in 67% and difficult in 11%. The majority of parents (78%) felt that the time to provide medical care was longer than expected. Conclusion: Parents of children with cancer had different feelings and reactions. This observation may be useful for the development of a health policy, in particular that of pediatric cancer in DR Congo.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory complaints in Congolese women selling grain flours in Lubumbashi. The study enrolled 370 women, including 183 cassava, corn and soybean flour selling women (exposed group) and 187 tax collectors in municipal markets (control group) in Lubumbashi, DRC. A standardized respiratory health questionnaire was used, and a lung function test performed with the use of peak flow-meters. The prevalence of respiratory complaints was markedly higher in dust-exposed women than controls. In addition, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was significantly lower in the exposed group than in controls (342.46 ± 65.62 vs. 410.89 ± 70.91, respectively ; P

Objective: To determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and illustrate the dangerousness of the sands dust in the Artisanal carriers in the city of Lubumbashi, Katanga province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Method: In total, 120 carriers of sand have been recruited in an exhaustive approach with 120 communal administrative officers of Lubumbashi city as control group. Respiratory symptoms were collected using a respiratory questionnaire. A multi-analysis varied with the test of logistic regression has been privileged to determine the association between the characteristics of the carriers and the respiratory symptoms. Results: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms reported in carriers of sands was greater than that of the control group for the symptoms such as: cough in the morning (52.5% against 6.7%), sputum in the morning (35% against 7.5%), shortness of breath after effort (18.3% against 5%), asthma (26.7% against 5%), chronic bronchitis (12.5% against 4.2%), rhinitis (62.5% against 21.7%), conjunctivitis (58.3% against 17.5%). After adjustment, on factors such as age and education, the profession carrier of sands was strongly associated with the risk of developing respiratory symptoms below: spit in the morning, shortness of breath after effort, asthma, chronic bronchitis with a p < 0.001. The Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) has been significantly reduced in the Carriers of sands (438.87 ± 109.02) compared to controls (480.14 ± 70.73) (p ＜ 0.05). Conclusion: The profession carriers of sand as practiced in Lubumbashi, without means of adequate protection, carry a clear risk for respiratory health. It is essential to organize a specialized education in medicine of the work which can train doctors with proven expertise to address the enormous need for qualified personnel in this environment considered at risk of breathing.

Introduction : Les accidents de trafic routier constituent un veritable probleme de sante publique au regard de la mortalite et de la morbidite elevees dont ils sont responsables.Objectif : Decrire la frequence des accidents de la route dans la ville de Lubumbashi et le profil de ces accidents.Methodes : Il s’agit d’une etude descriptive retrospective. Elle s’etend sur une periode d’un an allant du 1er janvier au 31 decembre 2008 et ayant inclus tous les vehicules ayant ete enregistres par le service de police de la circulation routiere apres avoir ete impliques dans un accident.Resultats : Nous avons rapporte 1 915 cas d’accidents de trafic routier. Ces derniers etaient causes dans la majorite des cas par des vehicules de transport en commun (59 %) conduits par des jeunes adultes de sexe masculin (89 %) dont l’âge moyen etait de 28 ans, avec comme cause principale l’entrave au code de la route (46,0 %). Ces accidents se sont deroules dans la majorite des cas dans la commune de Lubumbashi (52,9 % des cas) entre 6 heures et 18 heures (74 %).Conclusion : Il y a un besoin urgent en information correcte sur le code de la route des conducteurs ainsi que des usagers de la route pour reduire la mortalite ainsi que la morbidite liees aux accidents de trafic de route.

Introduction : la transmission des agents infectieux comme le virus de l’immunodeficience humaine (VIH), l’hepatite B (HBV), l’hepatite C (HCV) et la syphilis represente la plus grande menace pour la securite transfusionnelle du receveur. Cette etude visait a determiner la seroprevalence des marqueurs infectieux en vue de contribuer a l’amelioration de la securite transfusionnelle par la selection des donneurs.Methodes : une analyse retrospective des dossiers des donneurs de sang couvrant la periode allant du 1er janvier au 31 decembre 2008 a ete realisee.Resultats : la seroprevalence globale du VIH, VHB, VHC et la syphilis etait respectivement de 2,9 %, 1,6 %, 0,2 % et 0,2 %. Nous avons constate une seroprevalence elevee dans les tranches d’âge de 16 a 25 ans et de 46 a 55 ans ; ainsi que de 16 a 25 ans pour la syphilis.Discussion : ces resultats confirment la presence de l’infection par le virus de l’hepatite B a Kamina et donnent une premiere idee de la circulation du virus de l’hepatite C, du VIH/sida ainsi que de la syphilis au sein de la population de donneur de sang.Conclusion: par consequent, une selection et un depistage rigoureux des donneurs de sang sont fortement recommandes pour assurer la securite du sang pour le receveur.

Introduction: The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in children is increasing in the world, and constitutes a public health problem. The first goal of this work is to determine the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases among school children 13-14 years in the city of Lubumbashi, and contribute to develop the mapping of the prevalence of asthma in the world and in RD CongoMethods: It is a cross-sectional study following the ISAAC study protocol phase I, with a simple random sampling among students aged 13-14 years in 7 schools of the city of Lubumbashi. Of these facts, a written questionnaire of the ISAAC study (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) was administered to students by a single investigator.Results: This study determined the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases among 3534 students aged 13-14 years in 7 schools in the city of Lubumbashi. The written questionnaire revealed the prevalence of symptoms such as: current wheezing 15.17% (p=0.38), asthma 10.33% (p

Objective: To determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and make an awareness about the harmful effects of ores dust in the Artisanal miner in the city of Lubumbashi, Katanga province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Method: In total, 104 artisanal miners have been recruited in an exhaustive manner with 122 administrative officers in the town hall of Lubumbashi, responsible for collecting the taxes in the Stations of the bus as the control group. Respiratory symptoms were collected using a standardized questionnaire. To determine the association between the characteristics of the miners and respiratory symptoms reported, a multi-analysis combined with the test of logistic regression has been privileged. Results: The prevalence of the respiratory symptoms was markedly higher in the artisanal diggers, as compared with the group that controls: wheezing (37.5% vs. 7.4%), shortness breathing after effort (26.9% vs. 3.3%), cough (29.8% vs. 12.3%), asthma (24% vs. 1.6%), rhinitis (20.2% vs. 14.8%), conjunctivitis (16.3% vs. 9.8%), and eczema (34.6% vs. 2.5%). After adjusting for age and education level, digger as occupation was strongly associated with a higher risk of developing respiratory and skin problems (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed that artisanal miner’s professions, as practiced in Lubumbashi, without any protection against dust, have a negative impact on the respiratory health. It proves to be very important to organize a teaching specialized in Occupational Medicine that can train some physicians with an established expertise having to answer if it is needed to be enormous in qualified staff in this area considered at respiratory risk.

Introduction : L'objectif etait de comparer la prevalence de l'hypertension arterielle chez les meuniers dans la ville de Lubumbashi qui sont exposes d'une maniere permanente aux bruits des machines de transformation des cereales a la prevalence de l'hypertension arterielle chez un groupe des gardiens. Methodes : Quic'est une etude descriptive transversale qui a concerne 286 meuniers et 115 agents d'une entreprise de gardiennage. Apres un consentement eclaire, un auto questionnaire a ete administre aux enquetes et des mesures de poids, taille, et tension arterielle ont ete prises. Resultats : La prevalence de l'HTA chez les meuniers etait 49.3% et celle des gardes etait 20.9%, pour un ratio de prevalence de 2.4.significativement elevee par rapport aux controles (49.3% vs 20.9%) et le ratio de prevalence etait de 2.4 . Les facteurs de risque tels que: l'âge, l'indice de masse corporelle, l'anciennete, la duree de travail ont ete significativement eleves chez les meuniers par rapport aux gardiens. Conclusion : Nous avons trouve une prevalence elevee de l'HTA chez les meuniers. Nos resultats suggerent que cette prevalence est probablement due a l'environnement du milieu de travail des meuniers (bruits, vibration des machines) et ce dernier constitue un facteur de risque de l'hypertension arterielle. Key words : Hypertension arterielle, meuniers, bruits, environnement du milieu de travail

We conducted a retrospective non-comparative cross-sectional study in Lubumbashi on factors associated with road accidents.To contribute to the reduction of morbidity and mortality related to road accidents based on a better understanding of this phenomenon in the city of Lubumbashi, to assess the frequency and the growth of road accidents in the city of Lubumbashi and to determine the factors predisposing to these accidents.This non-controlled retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study covered the period from 1st January to 31st December 2008, and included all cases of vehicles registered by the police department after an accident.A total of 1,915 road traffic were reported, mostly caused by public transport vehicles (59%) driven by young adult males (89% of cases) with a mean age of 28 years. The main cause was speeding combined with other factors (34% of cases). The majority of these accidents occurred in the city of Lubumbashi (52.9% of cases) between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (74% of cases). Transit vehicles were exposed to a greater risk of road accidents (59%).There is an urgent need for accurate information on the rules of the road for drivers and road users to reduce the mortality and morbidity due to road accidents.

The transmission of infectious agents such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and syphilis is the greatest threat to transfusion recipient safety. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of infectious markers with a view to contributing to transfusion safety by selecting donors.A retrospective analysis of the medical records ofblood donors covering the period 1 January to 31 December 2008 was conducted. The global seroprevalence of HIV HBV HCV and syphilis was, respectively, 2.9%, 1.6%, 0.2% and 0.2%. A high seroprevalence was found in the 16-25 and 46-55-year age groups, while there was a high prevalence of syphilis in the 16-25-year age group.The results confirm the presence of infection by hepatitis B in Kamina and provide an initial insight into the circulation of the hepatitis C virus, the HIV virus and syphilis in the blood donor population.Rigorous selection and screening procedures among blood donors are needed to ensure transfusion recipient safety.