ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The main objective of the study was to examine the relevance of engineering mathematics to the emerging industries. The level of abstraction, the standard of rigor, and the depth of theoretical treatment are necessary skills expected of a graduate engineering technician to be derived from mathematical knowledge. The question of whether these skills are imparted to benefit emerging economies still remains a big area of investigation. This study investigated the relevancy of engineering mathematics to the benefit of local industry in a developing economy, Uganda. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the mathematics being taught to the engineering technical students and the mathematics relevant to the engineering technical work in the industries (p value < 0.05). Implying that the mathematics taught to engineering technical students, though relevant, is not in the form of what the industries require. The use, practicability, depth, rigor, modernity, relevancy, and usefulness of the taught mathematics were all statistically different from the desired mathematical skills for the industry. Moreover, the extent of use of the engineering mathematics did not differ between the required and taught and among the civil, electrical, and mechanical branches of engineering. CONCLUSIONS: The mathematics syllabi for polytechnic institutes should be developed to directly support innovations and efficiency in the local industries. Therefore, a close collaboration between the polytechnic colleges and the local industries should be facilitated to achieve a sustainable industrial.
ABSTRACT
In this study, we identified predictors of malaria, developed data mining, statistically enhanced rule-based classification to diagnose malaria and developed an automated system to incorporate the rules and statistical models. The aim of the study was to develop a statistical prototype to perform clinical diagnosis of malaria given its adverse effects on the overall healthcare, yet its treatment remains very expensive for the majority of the patients to afford. Model validation was performed using records from two hospitals (training and predictive datasets) to evaluate system sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. The overall sensitivity of the rule-based classification obtained from the predictive dataset was 70 % [68-74; 95 % CI] with a specificity of 58 % [54-66; 95 % CI]. The values for both sensitivity and specificity varied by age, generally showing better performance for the data mining classification rules for the adult patients. In summary, the proposed system of data mining classification rules provides better performance for persons aged at least 18 years. However, with further modelling, this system of classification rules can provide better sensitivity, specificity and accuracy levels. In conclusion, using the system provides a preliminary test before confirmatory diagnosis is conducted in laboratories.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Health is intertwined with human rights as is clearly reflected in the right to life. Promotion of health practices in the context of human rights can be accomplished if there is a better understanding of the level of human rights observance. In this paper, we evaluate and present an appraisal for a possibility of applying household survey to study the determinants of health and human rights and also derive the probability that human rights are observed; an important ingredient into the national planning framework. METHODS: Data from the Uganda National Governance Baseline Survey were used. A conceptual framework for predictors of a hybrid dependent variable was developed and both bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques employed. Multivariate post estimation computations were derived after evaluations of the significance of coefficients of health and human rights predictors. RESULTS: Findings, show that household characteristics of respondents considered in this study were statistically significant (p < 0.05) to provide a reliable assessment of human rights observance. For example, a unit increase of respondents' schooling levels results in an increase of about 34% level of positively assessing human rights observance. Additionally, the study establishes, through the three models presented, that household assessment of health and human rights observance was 20% which also represents how much of the entire continuum of human rights is demanded. CONCLUSION: Findings propose important evidence for monitoring and evaluation of health in the context human rights using household survey data. They provide a benchmark for health and human rights assessments with a focus on international and national development plans to achieve socio-economic transformation and health in society.
Subject(s)
Family Characteristics , Health Status , Human Rights , Female , Humans , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires , UgandaABSTRACT
In Uganda, estimates of under-5 mortality are available only at national and regional levels. None exist at decentralized levels of governance or district level. Using small area statistical techniques in a Hierarchical Bayesian Framework, we applied a modeling approach to determine whether we could learn how to target health interventions to reduce under-5 mortality at the district level. Our modeling approach has an advantage over the commonly used Standardized Mortality Ratios, as it estimates the relative risk of under-5 mortality for a particular district. Using data from Uganda's Demographic and Health Survey in 2006, we were able to estimate relative risk of under-5 mortality for each district. Our findings reveal the evidence of district-to-district variations in under-5 mortality with potential spatial clustering. We believe that this information will be useful in Uganda, as interventions can be targeted at districts with higher relative risk of under-5 mortality. Discussion of these results at district level could increase funding for primary health-care activities. Our analysis also suggests the utility of small area techniques for other countries and other health problems.
