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Abstract Background Vaccination has been recommended as one of the approaches for the control of COVID-19 pandemic. However, adequate vaccine coverage is critical to the effectiveness of the vaccine at population level. Data on acceptability of the vaccine in Ugandan urban areas are limited. This study examined the prevalence, factors associated with willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccine including reasons for not taking COVID-19 vaccine in a predominantly urban population of Wakiso, central Uganda. Methods Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted between March 1st, 2021 and September 30th, 2021 in the urban population-based cohort of the Africa Medical and behavioral Sciences Organization (AMBSO). A Multivariable modified Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals of willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. Results A total of 1,903 participants were enrolled in this study; 61% of whom were females. About 63% of participants indicated their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. Persons aged 13–19 years (aPR = 0.79; [95% CI: 0.74, 0.84]) or 20-29years (aPR = 0.93; [95% CI: 0.88, 0.98]) were less likely to accept the vaccine compared to persons aged 40–49 years. Persons with post-primary level of education (aPR = 1.05; [95% CI: 1.02, 1.09]) were more likely to accept the vaccine compared to persons with primary level of education. Additionally, students or individuals working in government (aPR = 1.13; [95% CI: 1.04, 1.23]) were more likely to accept the vaccine compared to individuals doing construction and Mechanic work as their main occupation. Reported reasons for not taking a COVID-19 vaccine included; concerns about side effects of the vaccine 154(57.0%), 64(23.7%) did not think the vaccines were effective, while 32(11.9%) did not like the vaccines. Conclusion A substantial proportion of individuals were not willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. Health education campaigns on vaccination within urban communities could help reduce COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions in the urban populations more especially the young and persons with low levels of formal education.

Background: In March 2020, Uganda enforced country-wide restrictions to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, categorizing some health services, including family planning (FP), as non-essential. Globally, similar COVID-19 restrictions have been associated with increased vulnerability to reproductive coercion (RC) among women, due to changes in FP service availability and restricted access by partners. This study aims to investigate these dynamics in Uganda, specifically examining the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on women's access to FP, their experiences of RC, and the relationship between RC and intimate partner violence (IPV). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from 960 women participating in the AMBSO Population Health Surveillance Study (APHS) between August 2020 and March 2021 across Wakiso (N = 164) and Hoima (N = 796) districts in Uganda. Our analysis focused on women who were sexually active in the past month, using bivariate analyses to explore the associations between RC and recent experiences of sexual, physical, and verbal IPV. Findings: The most commonly reported FP methods were injectables (36.8 %) and implants (16 %). Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, less than one percent of participants reported an inability to access their preferred FP method. Notably, 3 % of the women experienced RC in the past 12 months. There was a significant association between RC and sexual IPV (p

Abstract Background Efforts have been invested towards cessation of tobacco use among youths aged 18–35 years, however, motivators for continued tobacco smoking and reasons for quitting are limited in Ugandan settings. Therefore, this study aimed to explore motivations for continued tobacco smoking and reasons for quitting in Wakiso district Uganda. Methods This study used explanatory sequential method. Data from a Population-based survey collected from October 2019 to September 2020 was used to select participants for this qualitative study. Twenty-three in-depths interviews were conducted from July to October 2021 among youths (18-35years old) who reported continued tobacco use and those who quit. Data were analyzed using a team-based thematic content approach with the help of NVivo. Results Data was collected from a total of twenty three participants, fourteen were tobacco quitters and nine were current tobacco smokers. Recurrent habit, desire to complement the use of other drugs, peer pressure, using smoking as a replacement for alcohol consumption, low tobacco prices, smoking as a tradition were reported as motivators for continued tobacco smoking. However, reported reasons for quitting smoking by youths included; packaging health warnings, school based prevention programs, fear of associated health risks due to tobacco use, embarrassment from family members. Conclusion Targeted, and tailored tobacco prevention counselling through family support programs, intensified health education on the risks of smoking, and implementing stronger health warnings on tobacco packaging can be employed to reduce or stop tobacco use among urban youth.

BackgroundGlobally, the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases (C-NCDs) and occurrence of multi-morbidity specifically, has been increasing and will continue to rise as life expectancy increases. The burden of mental health disorders has also been rising globally. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), literature on these health issues, which are interrelated, is scarce. This study assesses the prevalence of C-NCDs, and depressive and anxiety symptomology and examines the relationship between these issues among a sample of older adults in Uganda.MethodsBetween 2021-2022, 604 consenting adults aged 35 years and older were surveyed on a broad range of health issues for the ongoing AMBSO Population Health Surveillance (APHS) cohort study in Wakiso district. Descriptive analyses were performed to characterize the burden of C-NCDs (e.g. diabetes, hypertension), depression (PHQ-9 using a cutoff of ResultsMajority of participants were females (63.6%), median age was 46 (IQR: 39-54). Any C-NCDs prevalence was 18.7%, while 18.9% and 11.4%, had screening scores indicative of depressive and anxiety symptomology, respectively. Three percent (3.2%) had PHQ-9 scores indicative of moderate to severe depressive symptomology. In models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, there was 12% increased odds of suffering from C-NCDs for every unit increase in PHQ-9 score (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.10-1.20). Participants with any anxiety symptoms had 2.1 greater odds of suffering from C-NCD compared to those who did not have anxiety symptoms (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.21-3.70).ConclusionC-NCDs were prevalent in older adults, particularly among those experiencing mental health symptoms. Screening for C-NCDs and mental health disorders should be integrated into routine health care for older adults in the country. Early screening and identification of these health issues through primary health care could significantly reduce the public health burden attributable to mental health disorders and the incidence of multi-morbidity in Uganda.

IntroductionUganda confirmed its first COVID-19 case in March 2020, leading to country-wide closures and a stay-at-home order. Infectious disease pandemics can overwhelm adaptive coping capacity (e.g., general self-efficacy and resilience) and increase the risk for mental distress. For individuals experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and cohabitating with a perpetrator, stay-at-home orders can also increase risk of violence, which can further exacerbate mental distress. The present study explores women's perceived self-efficacy and resilient coping, mental health outcomes (depression and COVID-19 related anxiety), hazardous alcohol use and IPV in the context of Uganda's national 2020 lockdown.MethodsA phone-based survey was undertaken from June-August of 2020 in Wakiso District, Uganda. The study sample consisted of Africa Medical and Behavioral Sciences Organization (AMBSO) Population Health Surveillance (APHS) study participants who agreed to be contacted for future research. The analytic sample was restricted to women aged 13-80 years. Bivariate analysis and multivariable models explored associations between experiences of IPV and measures of adaptive coping, mental health and alcohol use.ResultsA total of 556 women aged 13-79 years (mean age of 33.4 years) participated. Over half (55%) were currently married. The majority (60%) reported a decrease in alcohol use during the lockdown. Nearly half of the sample were experiencing physical or verbal IPV and reported an increase in violence during the lockdown. In adjusted analysis, alcohol use was associated with four times greater odds of recent physical IPV (aOR 4.06, 95% CI = 1.65-10.02, p = 0.0024), while participants had lower odds of experiencing any form of IPV as general self-efficacy increased (aOR 0.95, 95% CI = 0.91-0.99, p = 0.0308).ConclusionLockdown measures in Uganda may have mitigated increased alcohol consumption. IPV was exacerbated during lockdown; more than 2 in 5 IPV victims experienced increased physical or verbal violence. Development of programming and policies aimed at mitigating women's risk of IPV during future lockdowns are needed.

In Uganda, depression is a major public health issue. Psychometric assessment of translated depression measures is critical to public health planning to ensure proper screening, surveillance, and treatment of depression and related outcomes. We examined aspects of the validity and reliability of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) translated into Luganda and Runyoro among Ugandan adolescents and adults. Data from the ongoing AMBSO Population Health Surveillance study were analyzed from the Wakiso and Hoima districts in Uganda. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the overall sample and stratified by translated language. Construct validity was assessed for each translated scale using confirmatory factor analysis for ordinal data. The internal consistency of each translated scale was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega total and omega hierarchical. Both the Luganda- and Runyoro-translated PHQ-9 had similar sample means (3.46 [SD ​= ​3.26] and 3.58 [SD ​= ​3.00], respectively), supported a single-factor structure, and demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.73 and 0.72, respectively). Our preliminary findings indicate that the Luganda and Runyoro translations of the PHQ-9 had satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency in our sample. Future studies should expand on this promising work by assessing additional psychometric characteristics of these translated measures in other communities in Uganda.

Objectives This study aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence of male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV), and to assess the association with food insecurity, sociodemographic factors and health risk behaviours in Uganda in the year preceding COVID-19-associated lockdowns.Design Population-based, cross-sectional household survey.Setting Urban, semiurban and rural communities of the Wakiso and Hoima districts in Uganda.Participants A total of N=2014 males aged 13–80 years participated in the survey. The current study included males who reported having ever been in a sexual union and responded to the IPV questions (N=1314).Measures Data were collected face-to-face from May 2018 to July 2019 using an interviewer-mediated questionnaire. Lifetime IPV perpetration was measured as ‘no physical and/or sexual IPV’, ‘physical’ versus ‘sexual violence only’, and ‘physical and sexual violence’. Past-year food insecurity was measured through the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and categorised into ‘none’, ‘low’ and ‘high’. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the crude and adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRRs) of IPV perpetration in relation to self-reported food insecurity, adjusting for sociodemographic and health risk behaviours.Results The prevalence of self-reported lifetime IPV perpetration was 14.6% for physical and 6.5% for sexual violence, while 5.3% reported to have perpetrated both physical and sexual IPV. Most (75.7%) males reported no food insecurity, followed by low (20.7%) and high (3.6%) food insecurity. In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with increased risk of having perpetrated both physical and sexual violence (aRRR=2.57, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.32). IPV perpetration was also independently associated with having had more than one lifetime sexual partner and drinking alcohol, but not with education level or religion.Conclusion This study suggests that food insecurity is associated with male IPV perpetration, and more efforts are needed to prevent and mitigate the expected worsening of this situation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.