ABSTRACT Introduction: Globally, prematurity is a major determinant of neonatal morbidity and mortality contributing about 30%-40% of neonatal mortality and 20% to 30% of infant and under-five mortality. The world‟s preterm birth rate keeps rising since the last two decades with an increase of 20% since 1990 in high-income countries. Major risk factors remain unknown. The consequences are enormous with developmental and childhood complications as well as high economic and psycho-social bu...
Kenya has more than 2.5 million people living with HIV and AIDS. Mombasa County had a prevalence rate of 7.8% in the year 2009. Globally 390,000 babies were infected with HIV in the year 2010 through mother to child transmission. In Kenya an estimated 37,000 to 40, 000 infants are infected annually in utero. This could be due to loss to follow up and non-adherence to ARVs and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) guidelines. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends Opt...
ABSTRACT Corn Soy Blend (CSB) is the backbone of supplementation feeding for malnourished children. CSB however, has poor micronutrient bioavailability and may result into poor outcomes during nutrition recovery of the children. Micronutrient powders (MNPs) have a potential to improve micronutrient nutrition. Scientific evidence on the efficacy of MNPs in improving zinc (Zn) status among moderately malnourished children is scarce. This cluster randomized trial was designed to establish the b...
ABSTRACT The last two decades of armed conflicts, lack of functioning government, economic collapse, and disintegration of the health system and other public services - together with recurrent droughts and famines, have turned Somalia into one of the world’s most difficult environments for survival. The under-five mortality in Somalia is estimated at 200 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is one of the highest in the world. Diarrhea is the main killer; contributing to 20-25 per cent of al...
ABSTRACT Preterm birth (PTB) is a major cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. The prevalence of PTB in Africa (about 12%) is more than twice that in developed countries (about 5%). In Kenya, the prevalence is about 17% which is way more than the average in Africa, pointing to the need for targeted interventions to reduce its burden. Sub County Medical Officer of Health (SCMOH) of Moyale Sub-County, reported an increasing trend in Preterm Birth (PTB) in the region from 40% in 2012 to 60% in 2...
ABSTRACT There has been a growing concern on the effect of heavy backpack on health among school going children who are at an important stage of their growth and development. Grade-based learning has pushed many students to carrying heavy backpacks hence leaving them exposed to musculoskeletal problems. The objective of this study was to measure the backpack weight carried by pupils in Starehe sub-county in order to assess the effects of backpack weight on musculoskeletal pain. A descriptive...
ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, action or both. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus accounts for 85% of all diabetic cases making it a common and growing health problem with significant mortality and morbidity including foot problems such as neuropathy, ulceration, infection and amputation. Prevention and prophylactic foot care have been advocated ...
ABSTRACT Diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old worldwide. Nearly one in five children deaths – about 1.5 million each year is due to diarrhea. Diarrhea is the third most common cause of mortality and morbidity in Kenya, with a case fatality of up to 21 percent causing approximately 9 percent of deaths in children less than five years of age. The primary focus of diarrheal disease control programs has been on improved case management through the pro...
ABSTRACT It is estimated that Kenya has 1.6 million people living with HIV and 88,000 new adult infections annually. The country has adult HIV prevalence rate of between 5.6 - 7.2% and incidence rate of 0.4 – 0.7%. Recent studies on HIV disclosure among adult sexual partners revealed HIV 70-80% disclosure rates. A number of studies on HIV and AIDS have been undertaken in Kenya. However, determinants of disclosure among persons living with HIV remain unclear. The objective of this study was ...
ABSTRACT Sexual violence is a serious public health, social and human rights problem affecting millions of people each year throughout the world. It affects both sexes but women and girls are the most affected. This study sought to determine prevalence and pattern of sexual violence, determinants of sexual violence and assess the knowledge level of young people on sexual violence in Naivasha District. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study where both quantitative and qualitative methods...
ABSTRACT Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are known to be highly effective in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality. However, there is scanty information on actual usage of owned nets which varies among households. Such variations may limit the potential effect of nets and cause spatial heterogeneity on malaria transmission. Likewise there is limited information and utilization of topographic parameters such as the shape of the underlying valley ecosystem in identification of high-risk...
ABSTRACT Background: Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a zoonotic and fatal illness. The fatality rates in outbreaks have ranged from 25% to 90%. An outbreak of EVD hit West Africa in 2014, especially Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone; claiming more than 2000 lives, including 881 health care workers. EVD caused about 378 cases and 192 deaths among healthcare workers in Liberia; Montserrado County was the hardest hit with over 90 cases and about 60 deaths. This research determined risk factors asso...
ABSTRACT East Coast fever (ECF) caused by Theileria parva and African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) caused by some Trypanosoma species are the most devastating cattle diseases that affect cattle productivity in Eastern, central and Southern Africa including Tanzania. A study was conducted in Monduli district in the Maasai steppe ecosystem of Tanzania to determine the prevalence of infections during the dry season when there is increased interaction between livestock and wildlife as a result of...
A B S T RA C T Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral animal disease that impact negatively on food security of livestock keepers in Africa due to its fast spread and death of small ruminants. The disease was first reported in West Africa and afterwards Asia, rest of Africa including East Africa and Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Lack of vaccination and effective application of diagnostic technologies to identify carriers has led to fast spread o...
ABSTRACT Livelihoods of the Maasai people in Northern Tanzania is sustained by Agriculture, specialising mostly in pastoral livestock production which is threatened by vector-borne diseases of which trypanosomosis is one of them. The vulnerability of these communities to trypanosomosis is enhanced by their interaction with wild animals due to their proximity to wildlife interface areas which are highly infested with ticks and tsetse flies. A study was carried out from June 2015 to March 20...