African health sciences
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African health sciences · Mar 2023
Assessment of the willingness of Nigerian Orthodontists to offer face-to-face orthodontic services to patients infected with Covid-19.
Efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 disease led to suspension of many services which caused orthodontists to resort to providing only emergency services. The aims of this study were to assess the willingness of Nigerian Orthodontists and Orthodontic resident doctors to treat patients infected with Covid-19 as well as to ascertain advice given regarding traumatic arch wires and aligners during the pandemic. ⋯ Majority of Orthodontists and orthodontic residents practicing in Nigeria expressed unwillingness to treat patients infected with COVID-19. Aligner therapy was proffered as an alternative to bracket therapy.
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African health sciences · Mar 2023
Occupational therapy assessment and interventions for young autistic children in South Africa.
Occupational Therapy is among the top interventions for autistic children, hence the need for equitable and effective services in the public and private health and education sectors. Ongoing research into the therapies for autism spectrum disorders in different contexts is also required. ⋯ Occupational therapy assessments had diagnostic value. Informal tools such as developmental checklists were found to have clinical utility, whilst standardised tools were most commonly used to assess sensory processing and visual perception. Recommendations included incorporating ASI® into undergraduate curricula and postgraduate training opportunities with multidisciplinary input to develop ASD professionals in South Africa. It is imperative to advocate for services in under-resourced rural areas and marginalised communities that lack financial and social resources. Occupational therapists need to find new ways of working collaboratively across sectors to ensure effective and comprehensive services in public health and special schools.
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African health sciences · Mar 2023
ReviewA critical review of literature on health financing reforms in Uganda - progress, challenges and opportunities for achieving UHC.
Universal health coverage (UHC) is one of the sustainable development goals (SDG) targets. Progress towards UHC necessitates health financing reforms in many countries. Uganda has had reforms in its health financing, however, there has been no examination of how the reforms align with the principles of financing for UHC. ⋯ Health financing policy intentions were aligned with WHO guidance on reforms towards UHC, however actual outputs and outcomes in terms of improvement in health financing functions and financial risk protections remain far from the intentions.
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African health sciences · Mar 2023
Sexual violence among young women in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study of prevalence, reporting and care-seeking behaviours.
Only a few studies, mostly hospital-based, have examined sexual violence among young people women in Nigeria. We examined the prevalence, correlates, perpetrators, reporting of and health-seeking behaviour for sexual violence using data of 395 young women (aged 17-24) obtained from a Nigerian university. ⋯ Sexual violence occurs at a tragically high frequency, and victims rarely report incidents to law enforcement agencies or access the much-needed care. The findings suggest a need for interventions that address why victims of sexual violence rarely report to law enforcement or seek care.
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African health sciences · Mar 2023
Comparison of efficacy of intravenous labetalol and intravenous hydralazine for management of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.
To compare the efficacy of intravenous Labetalol and intravenous Hydralazine in reduction of blood pressure in patients with severe pre-eclampsia. ⋯ The results of this study show that Labetalol is more effective as compared to Hydralazine in terms of reducing the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and number of doses (Drugs) for in patients with severe preeclampsia.