Search

Objective: An effective method for preventing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is condom use. Yet, research shows limited effects of education on increasing condom use. This research examined the effects of psychological inoculation (PI) versus education on condom use -barriers and –tendencies, using a fully automatized online system. Design: Two randomized controlled trials. In Study 1, 59 Sub-Saharan students were included while Study 2 20 European students were included. In both studies, participants were randomly assigned to PI or control conditions. In Study 2, we additionally matched pairs on gender and condom barriers. In the PI, participants received challenging sentences they had to refute. Main outcome measures: An indirect condom use test (I-CUTE) and a condom use barriers questionnaire, assessed at baseline and a month later. Results: In Study 1, a significant increase in I-CUTE scores and no change in barriers was found in the PI condition. Controls did not change on either outcome. In Study 2, two sub-scales of condom barriers (concerning partner and satisfaction) were significantly decreased in the PI group, while in controls, barriers significantly increased over time. In both groups, I-CUTE scores tended to increase. Conclusions: These results replicate previous studies and extend them to a fully automatized system without counselors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cross-sectional studies on psychological responses associated with an HIM diagnosis are replete, but a paucity of research exists to evaluate the changes and stability of these responses, particularly among black African women. One hundred and five HIV-positive black and coloured women were studied as they reported for follow-up health management at the outpatient clinic for infectious diseases at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. They were assessed at baseline and 51 returned for a follow-up interview six months later. Assessments involved use of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Carver Brief COPE, and the Sheehan Disability Scale. Negative life events and risk behaviours were also evaluated. Fifty-nine women (56.2%) were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder on the MINI at baseline. The most frequent diagnosis was major depression (38.1%), followed by dysthymic disorder (22.9%). A diagnosis of HIV or AIDS exacerbated the premorbid state of 19% of the women who reported a past history of depression. Twelve women (11.4%) were at risk for suicide, while 19% met criteria for a clinical diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 6.7% met the diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorders. At follow-up, 26 (51%) were diagnosed with at least a psychiatric disorder. Eleven (21.6%) met the criteria for major depression, while eight (15.7%) had a past history of depression. The number of women with PTSD increased from 19% of the total sample at baseline to 29.4% of those interviewed at follow-up. Conversely, the number with dyethymia dramatically decreased from 24 women (22.9%) at baseline to just one woman at follow-up. The number displaying suicidality also decreased from 12 at baseline to four at follow-up. At both baseline and follow-up, the number and impact of negative life events significantly increased the likelihood of major depression persisting or recurring, but this association was not found for PTSD. These findings indicate that, over time, there is variability in psychiatric morbidity among coloured and black African women living with HIV and that a high number of negative life events may increase the likelihood of persistent major depression in these women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite women being disproportionally affected by cancer deaths at young ages, there are no global estimates of the resulting maternal orphans, who experience health and education disadvantages throughout their lives. We estimated the number of children who became maternal orphans in 2020 due to their mother dying from cancer in that year, for 185 countries worldwide and by cause of cancer-related death. Female cancer deaths-by country, cancer type and age (derived from GLOBOCAN estimates)-were multiplied by each woman's estimated number of children under the age of 18 years at the time of her death (fertility data were derived from United Nations World Population Prospects for birth cohort), accounting for child mortality and parity-cancer risk associations. Globally, there were 1,047,000 such orphans. Over half of these were orphans due to maternal deaths from breast (258,000, 25%), cervix (210,000, 20%) and upper-gastrointestinal cancers (136,000, 13%), and most occurred in Asia (48%: India 15%, China 10%, rest of Asia 23%) and Africa (35%). Globally, there were 40 new maternal orphans due to cancer per 100,000 children, with a declining trend with a higher Human Development Index (range: 121 in Malawi to 15 in Malta). An estimated 7 million children were prevalent maternal orphans due to cancer in mid-2020. Accelerating the implementation of the World Health Organization's cervical and breast cancer initiatives has the potential to avert not only millions of preventable female cancer deaths but also the associated, often-overlooked, intergenerational consequences of these deaths., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

A novel pulmonary illness caused by coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) of unknown origin was first reported in China. This disease has claimed over a million human lives worldwide. This pandemic respiratory disease spread through droplets on surfaces and community spread. Government of different countries adopted a total lockdown to reduce human to human contact and keep families safe from the disease. This compulsory movement restriction reduces physical activity of individuals which could pose cardiovascular risk to physically inactive African population. This brief states the various cultural and one health approaches that could be adopted to increase physical activity within the home setting. Literature search using pubmed, scopus and google scholar and views of one health personnel in the promotion of physical activity at home during the compulsory lockdown were sought for to identify some simple approaches and gaps that need to be researched on. The overview identified culturally related indoor physical activities in Africa such as ampe or tente that could enhance health. It encouraged dog walking, tending backyard farm and catering for indigenous chicken and small ruminants as means of increasing physical activity. Counseling was proffered by nurses to increase health promotion activities such as setting reminders for physical activities and routine house chores. This submission bring to bear indigenous, flexible and simple measures to combat boredom, promote cardiovascular health by increasng physical activity during the compulsory lockdown currently being experienced in Africa, a known cardiovascular risk, physically inactive population.

Hematological and plasma biochemical values of wild grasscutters were evaluated to determine their potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens. Three 5-mL blood samples were collected from each of 1000 grasscutters caught in the wild for hematology, biochemical, and parasitological tests. Hematological and biochemical values were compared with those from captive-reared grasscutters. There are significantly (P < 0.05) higher lymphocyte, eosinophil, and basophil values for wild grasscutters compared to those that are captive reared. Parasitological examination revealed a 15% prevalence of blood protozoa in the wild grasscutters. Blood pathogens encountered were Trypanosoma sp. (66.7%) and Plasmodium sp. (33.3%), with 20.7% mixed infection. Sex does not significantly (P > 0.05) affect blood protozoa infection, while season does. We therefore concluded that wild grasscutters serve as efficient reservoir hosts for agents of African trypanosomiasis and malaria in the tropical humid rainforest region of Nigeria.

We estimated the costs and health effects of treating stage I, II, III, and IV breast cancer individually, of treating all stages, and of introducing an extensive cancer control program (treating all stages plus early stage diagnosis) in three epidemiologically different world regions--Africa, North America, and Asia. We developed a mathematical simulation model of breast cancer using the stage distribution and case fatality rates in the presence and absence of treatment as predictors of survival. Outcome measures were life-years adjusted for disability (DALYs), costs (in 2000 U.S. dollars) of treatment and follow-up, and cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs; in dollars per DALY averted). Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the robustness of the results. Treating patients with stage I breast cancer resulted in 23.41, 12.25, and 19.25 DALYs averted per patient in Africa, North America, and Asia, respectively. The corresponding average CERs compared with no intervention were 78 U.S. dollars , 1,960 U.S. dollars, and 62 U.S. dollars per DALY averted. The number of DALYs averted per patient decreased with stage; the value was lowest for stage IV treatment (0.18-0.19), with average CERs of 4,986 U.S. dollars in Africa, 70,380 U.S. dollars in North America, and 3,510 U.S. dollars per DALY averted in Asia. An extensive breast cancer program resulted in 16.14, 12.91, and 12.58 DALYs averted per patient and average CERs of 75 U.S. dollars, 915 U.S. dollars, and 75 U.S. dollars per DALY averted. Outcomes were most sensitive to case fatality rates for untreated patients, but varying model assumptions did not change the conclusions. These findings suggest that treating stage I disease and introducing an extensive breast cancer program are the most cost-effective breast cancer interventions.