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Background: Globally, 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. Methods: Between 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 <5 scores for minimal/no and 5+ for mild to severe symptomology) and anxiety (GAD-7 using a cutoff of 5+ scores for mild to severe symptomology). Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression models were built using STATA software version 16.0 to examine associations between mental health disorders and having at least one C-NCD. Our exposures of interest were depressive and anxiety symptoms and our outcomes of interest was presence of C-NCDs. Results: Majority 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). Conclusion: C-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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and a global challenge. The long-term harms to survivors' physical, psychological and social wellbeing are profound and well documented, and yet there are few studies exploring how to best promote resilience and holistic healing. This is especially true within shelter programs (where the majority of anti-trafficking services are provided) and during the transition out of residential shelter care, which is often a sensitive and challenging process. The current study begins to address this gap by centering the lived experiences of six women residing in a trafficking-specific shelter in Uganda as they unexpectedly transitioned back to their home communities due to the COVID-19 lockdown. We explore this pivotal moment in participants' post-trafficking journey, focusing on how these women described and interpreted their rapidly changing life circumstances—including leaving the shelter, adjusting back to the community setting, and simultaneously navigating the uncertainties of a global pandemic. Four core themes emerged from the analysis: economic insecurities as a cross-cutting hardship; intensification of emotional and physical symptoms; social disruptions; and sources of hope and resilience. By centering their personal stories of struggle and strength, we hope to elevate survivors' own accounts and draw on their insights to identify actionable considerations for future programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking violates fundamental rights and undermines lifelong well-being for survivors. There is an urgent need for evidence-based interventions for women and girls who have been trafficked, including those that can be implemented in low-resource settings. In this paper, we describe the purpose, structure, and preliminary results from a promising new approach, Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT) Yoga, developed and piloted in Kampala, Uganda. HaRT Yoga is a twelve-week psycho-social intervention for women and girls who have experienced human trafficking. It aims to create a nurturing environment where participants can strengthen their inner resilience, build a supportive community, and overcome the psychological effects of trauma. The group-based programme involves weekly sessions that integrate yoga poses alongside breathwork, visualizations, mindfulness practices, and theme-based discussions. Overall results from an initial pilot (2017) were promising; participants experienced reductions in depression symptoms and improvements in self-rated emotional and physical health. Further, we found the programme was acceptable and feasible to implement in a shelter-based setting. Findings underscore the potential promise of this low cost, somatic approach to social work practice with trauma survivors, suggesting that a more rigorous evaluation of impact is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdowns have significantly affected populations with prior trauma histories, as well as research studies with trauma survivors. This article describes the transition from in-person to virtual research during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda in 2020. The lockdown occurred during an evaluation study of a trauma-informed yoga intervention (hartyoga .org) with survivors of human trafficking residing in shelters. We discuss strategies taken and lessons learned in conducting virtual intervention and interview sessions with trauma survivors. Approaches we found to be particularly important included preinterview calls with participants; intense active listening for changes in tone, cadence, and background noises; reacquiring informed consent at multiple points in the interview; actively engaging interviewees as partners in ensuring ethical guidelines; and ensuring support for research team members to avoid burnout or secondary trauma. We believe that these strategies have relevance for other virtual or telephone research studies with trauma survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdowns have significantly affected populations with prior trauma histories, as well as research studies with trauma survivors. This article describes the transition from in-person to virtual research during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda in 2020. The lockdown occurred during an evaluation study of a trauma-informed yoga intervention (hartyoga.org) with survivors of human trafficking residing in shelters. We discuss strategies taken and lessons learned in conducting virtual intervention and interview sessions with trauma survivors. Approaches we found to be particularly important included preinterview calls with participants; intense active listening for changes in tone, cadence, and background noises; reacquiring informed consent at multiple points in the interview; actively engaging interviewees as partners in ensuring ethical guidelines; and ensuring support for research team members to avoid burnout or secondary trauma. We believe that these strategies have relevance for other virtual or telephone research studies with trauma survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]