Lessons learned from a sexual and reproductive health and rights peer education program to prevent adolescent pregnancies in high schools in Rwanda.

Adolescent pregnancies that occur in schools remain a major public concern in Rwanda. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) school based programs are less effective and discussing sexual health with adolescents is considered as taboo in Rwandan societies. Yet, adolescents still seek information about SRHR from their peers and research shows that peers are often incorrectly informed about SRHR topics. One of the effective strategies to reduce adolescent pregnancies in secondary schools is equipping adolescents with accurate and reliable knowledge. In 2019, we conducted our first network event with different stakeholders. The stakeholders included: school directors, head teachers, biology teachers, local political delegates, religious people among others to help gain insights into SRHR. A survey was conducted and administered to in-school adolescents in Kirehe district (S3 - S6 level, n=563) with the aim of examining adolescents' level of knowledge and attitudes regarding SRHR. In addition, six focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to obtain a deeper understanding of the SRHR needs and the possible contributions and content of a peer -to- peer education program (PEP). The lessons learned included: a) engaging parents in the network event and development of PEP; b) constant communication utilizing the different social media platforms, c) enhanced collaboration between the project implementers and stakeholders a facet of bottom-up approaches to expedite this project; and d) the project should have better anticipated on possible and unforeseen external barriers. Implementing a PEP in Kirehe secondary schools resulted in substantive changes such as positively transforming peer educators (PEs) and the elimination of teenage pregnancies in the selected schools. Overall, the number of PEs was not adequate to cover the number of students and anti-bullying training should have been provided to all students before the project implementation.

Enhancing the education of paediatric nurses: A positive step towards achieving sustainable development goals.

AIM: The aim of this discursive paper was to describe and expound on how paediatric nurses will be able to address the needs of children and adolescents through the lens of selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Rwanda. DESIGN: A discursive analysis of SDGs relating to the roles of paediatric nurses in the context of Rwanda. METHODS: A discursive method using SDGs as a guiding framework is used in this paper. We drew on our own experiences and supported them with the available literature. RESULTS: A collection of contextually relevant examples of how paediatric nurses will be able to address the needs of children and adolescents through the lens of selected SDGs in Rwanda was discussed. The selected SDGs expounded on were: no poverty, good health and well-being, quality of education, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, and partnerships for the goals. CONCLUSIONS: There is no doubt that the paediatric nurses in Rwanda play undeniable key roles in attaining SDGs and their targets. Thus, there is a need to train more paediatric nurses with the support of the interdisciplinary partners. Collaboratively, this is possible in the bid to ensure equitable and accessible care to the current and future generations. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This discursive paper is intended to inform the different stakeholders in nursing practice, research, education and policy to support and invest in the advanced education of paediatric nurses for attainment of the SDGs.

Predictors and factors associated with stunting among under- five-year children: a cross-sectional population-based study in Rwanda of the 2014-2015 demographic and Health Survey.

Background: Globally, stunting affects 159 million Under-five-years-old (U-5) children. Stunting affects the physical, mental, and cognitive development of children increasing the risk of suffering and death. This paper aimed to determine the predictors and factors associated with stunting among under-five children in Rwanda. Methods: We retrieved data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) 2014-2015 data set. A sample of 3599 U-5 eligible children with complete and valid anthropometric data was taken. Stata software was used to analyze the data extracted using a developed checklist. Descriptive statistics and Logistic regression analysis were performed to test the association between study variables. Results: Of 3599 U-5 children, 37.5% of children were stunted. The demographic characteristics: age (p< 0.001), sex (p<0.001), and place of residence (p< 0.001) and Household wealth index (p <0.001) were associated with stunting. Age, sex, and household wealth index were predictors of stunting. Conclusion: Stunting is still a burden in Rwanda. Age and sex were predictors of stunting among children under 5 years of age. Household wealth index was a predictor and significantly associated with stunting among children U-5 years in Rwanda. Investing in the interventions that target maternal and nutrition health support is imperative.

Adherence to Hemodialysis and Associated Factors among End Stage Renal Disease Patients at Selected Nephrology Units in Rwanda: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) has become a public health concern increasing the number of patients maintained on hemodialysis prior to renal transplantation. Nonadherence to hemodialysis continues to impact on the care of ESRD patients, causing high increase in morbidity and mortality. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of adherence to hemodialysis and the associated factors among End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients in selected nephrology units in Rwanda. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 41 participants. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Demographic and adherence to hemodialysis data were collected with the use of structured interview schedules. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic variables and the level of adherence to hemodialysis. Inferential statistics of chi-square was used to establish factors associated with adherence to hemodialysis. RESULTS: Twenty-one (51%) of ESRD participants adhered highly (scores < 80%) to HD. Seventeen (42%) adhered moderately (70-79%) to HD while three (7%) had low level of adherence to HD (below 70%). The factors associated with adherence to hemodialysis were age (mean = 27; 95% CI 26.76-29, 17; p = 038) and religion (95% CI 26.29-60.12, p = 003). Frequencies of education of health care workers about the importance of not missing dialysis (95% CI 26.71-42.56, p = .000), perceived relative importance of hemodialysis (95% CI 20.44-27.76, p = .020), and experiencing difficulties during the procedure (95% CI 20.80-28.36, p = .004) were significantly associated with adherence to hemodialysis. Conclusion. Adherence to hemodialysis is still a public health concern in Rwanda. Health care providers and particularly nurses should continue to advocate for adherence to HD for better health outcomes. Further research is needed to identify the barriers to HD in Rwanda.

Prevalence and correlates of anxiety and depression among family carers of cancer patients in a cancer care and treatment facility in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The process of caregiving may cause emotional distress in form of anxiety and depression among family carers of cancer patients. Little is known about the prevalence of anxiety and depression among family carers of cancer patients in Uganda. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression and related factors associated with abnormal levels of anxiety and depression among family carers of cancer patients in a cancer care and treatment facility in Uganda. METHODS: After obtaining ethical approval, we recruited family carers of cancer patients to this cross-sectional study. Data was collected with the use of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS) standardized tool. RESULTS: A total of 119 family carers were recruited from the Uganda Cancer Institute. The prevalence of anxiety and depression among family carers was high (45% V. 26 %); Abnormal levels of anxiety (ALA)(OR 0.27, 95% CI, p= 0.01) and depression (ALD)(OR 0.37, 95% CI, p=0.05) were significantly associated with being a relative carer. CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depression is prevalent among family carers of cancer patients. Being a relative carer predisposes you to increased risk of developing anxiety and depression. Incorporating evidence based psychological therapies into usual care and targeting family carers is imperative.

Breastfeeding Trends and Determinants: Implications and recommendations for Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Optimal breastfeeding practices entail the early initiation of breastfeeding soon after delivery of the baby, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and the continuation of breastfeeding complemented by solid food up until two years of age. Breastfeeding has wide-ranging health benefits for both the mother and her child; however, many factors contribute to low rates of exclusive breastfeeding. This article highlights the benefits of optimal breastfeeding as well as trends and determinants associated with breastfeeding both worldwide and in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Strategies to optimise breastfeeding and overcome breastfeeding barriers in the GCC region are recommended, including community health and education programmes and 'baby-friendly' hospital initiatives. Advocates of breastfeeding are needed at the national, community and family levels. In addition, more systematic research should be conducted to examine breastfeeding practices and the best strategies to promote breastfeeding in this region.

Shining a Light on Task-Shifting Policy: Exploring opportunities for adaptability in non-communicable disease management programmes in Uganda.

In terms of disease burden, many low- and middle-income countries are currently experiencing a transition from infectious to chronic diseases. In Uganda, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have increased significantly in recent years; this challenge is compounded by the healthcare worker shortage and the underfunded health system administration. Addressing the growing prevalence of NCDs requires evidence-based policies and strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality rates; however, the integration and evaluation of new policies and processes pose many challenges. Task-shifting is the process whereby specific tasks are transferred to health workers with less training and fewer qualifications. Successful implementation of a task-shifting policy requires appropriate skill training, clearly defined roles, adequate evaluation, an enhanced training capacity and sufficient health worker incentives. This article focuses on task-shifting policy as a potentially effective strategy to address the growing burden of NCDs on the Ugandan healthcare system.

Factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse among postnatal women in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Despite being a key component to be addressed during postnatal period, sexuality has long been a subject of secrecy and taboo in Africa. Resumption of sexual intercourse after giving birth has been shown to reduce extramarital affairs and consequently reduce risk of sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS. Consequences of early resumption of sexual intercourse include unwanted pregnancy, genital trauma and puerperal infection. The objective of the study was to assess prevalence and factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse among postnatal mothers attending postnatal clinic at a National referral Hospital in Uganda. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study that employed an interviewer-administered questionnaire was conducted among 374 women who delivered six months prior to conducting the study. The independent variables included socio-demographic characteristics of the participant, socio-demographic characteristics of the spouse, perceived cultural norms, medical history, mode of delivery, and postpartum complications. The dependent variable was timing of resumption of sexual intercourse after childbirth (before or after six weeks postpartum). Data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS: The study showed that 105 participants (21.6%) had resumed sexual intercourse before 6 weeks after childbirth. The participants' education level, occupation, and parity; education level of the spouse, age of baby and use of family planning were the factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse after child birth (before six weeks postpartum) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Many women resumed sexual intercourse after six weeks. Women with high income, low parity, who ever-used contraception or had a spouse with high education level were more likely to have early resumption of sexual intercourse.

Comforting strategies and perceived barriers to pediatric pain management during IV line insertion procedure in Uganda's national referral hospital: A descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Venipuncture and intravenous (IV) cannula insertions are the two common sources of pain in hospitalized children and health care today. The WHO asserts that, pain relief is a basic fundamental right and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Nonpharmacological comforting strategies when implemented are important to relive pain related distress in children during peripheral IV line insertion. However, evidence to date that suggests implementation of such strategies and their barriers in Uganda remains very limited. This study aimed at establishing the current practices in regard to the use of comforting strategies and the perceived barriers faced by health care providers to implement pediatric pain management during IV line insertion procedure in Uganda's national referral hospital, Mulago. METHOD: A cross sectional and descriptive study was conducted between December 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013 involving doctors, nurses and interns in six pediatric wards of Mulago Hospital in Uganda. A pre-tested self- administered and semi- structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data was entered into SPSS and descriptive statistics run on all the variables. RESULTS: Of the 120 questionnaires distributed, 105 (RR = 87.5%) were returned and completed. The evidence based comforting strategies used for pain management during IV line insertion by the majority of health care professionals were; skin to skin (51%) and appropriate upright positioning of the child on mother's lap (69%). The least used comforting strategies were; allowing the child to suck his thumb or hand (70%), use of distraction (69%) and directing the child to suck one of his fingers into his mouth (90%). The identified barriers to implementing comforting strategies were; lack of time (42%), having emergency situations (18%), and not knowing the right method to use (11%). Of 105, 100 (95%) reported that there is need for continuous professional development on comforting strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrated that fewer health care providers used some evidence based comforting strategies of pain relief during pediatric peripheral IV line insertion. Distraction and other evidence based strategies for pain and distress relieve are less often used by the majority of the health care providers. Incorporating pediatric pain management content in all health professionals training curricula could improve the current practices for better health outcomes.

Hypertension education intervention with ugandan nurses working in hospital outpatient clinic: a pilot study.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant global burden in both developed and developing countries. It is estimated that, by 2025, 41.7% of males and 38.7% of females in Sub-Saharan Africa will develop high blood pressure (HBP). This is particularly true in Uganda with hypertensive prevalence rates estimated to range from 22.5% to 30.5%. Coupled with low levels of detection, treatment, and control, hypertension represents a Ugandan public health crisis. An innovative WHO-ISH education program culturally was adapted in a pilot study and focused on knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) of nurses caring for hypertensive patients in an outpatient clinic. Pre-post intervention data was collected and analyzed in which significant improvements were noted on all the three outcome measures. This pilot study demonstrated that nurses' knowledge, skills, and attitudes could be significantly improved with a multimodal education program implemented in a low resource environment.

Nurses' knowledge, practices, and barriers in care of patients with pressure ulcers in a ugandan teaching hospital.

Pressure ulcers have been identified as a major burden of hospitalization worldwide, and nurses are at the forefront of prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the nurses' knowledge and practices regarding risk factors, prevention, and management of pressure ulcers at a teaching hospital in Uganda. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. Fifty-six Ugandan registered practicing nurses were sampled. A composite self-administered questionnaire and an observation checklist were utilized. The nurses had limited knowledge about critical parameters of pressure ulcers. Prevention practices were observed to be unreliable and uncoordinated related to a significant shortage of staff and logistics for pressure ulcer prevention. Nurses had poor access to current literature on pressure ulcer prevention. Translation of nurses' knowledge into practice is possible if barriers like staff shortage, pressure relieving devices provision, and risk assessment tools are addressed at Mulago.

Situational analysis of teaching and learning of medicine and nursing students at Makerere University College of Health Sciences.

BACKGROUND: Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) in Uganda is undergoing a major reform to become a more influential force in society. It is important that its medicine and nursing graduates are equipped to best address the priority health needs of the Ugandan population, as outlined in the government's Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP). The assessment identifies critical gaps in the core competencies of the MakCHS medicine and nursing and ways to overcome them in order to achieve HSSP goals. METHODS: Documents from the Uganda Ministry of Health were reviewed, and medicine and nursing curricula were analyzed. Nineteen key informant interviews (KII) and seven focus group discussions (FGD) with stakeholders were conducted. The data were manually analyzed for emerging themes and sub-themes. The study team subsequently used the checklists to create matrices summarizing the findings from the KIIs, FGDs, and curricula analysis. Validation of findings was done by triangulating information from the different data collection methods. RESULTS: The core competencies that medicine and nursing students are expected to achieve by the end of their education were outlined for both programs. The curricula are in the process of reform towards competency-based education, and on the surface, are well aligned with the strategic needs of the country. But implementation is inadequate, and can be changed:• Learning objectives need to be more applicable to achieving competencies.• Learning experiences need to be more relevant for competencies and setting in which students will work after graduation (i.e. not just clinical care in a tertiary care facility).• Student evaluation needs to be better designed for assessing these competencies. CONCLUSION: MakCHS has made a significant attempt to produce relevant, competent nursing and medicine graduates to meet the community needs. Ways to make them more effective though deliberate efforts to apply a competency-based education are possible.