Perceptions of health care providers in Mulago hospital on prevention and management of domestic violence

Objective: To explore knowledge, attitudes and practices of health workers in Mulago hospital towards domestic violence prevention and management, especially violence during pregnancy. Methods: From 5th to 25th March 2000, self-administered pre-coded questionnaires were given to a purposively selected sample of 48 health workers identified from staff of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Mulago hospital, Uganda. The questionnaire had 22 statements assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices, to which participants gave responses on a Likert scale ranging from whether they agreed, disagreed or were undecided. Responses were analyzed in terms of frequencies and percentages. To corroborate information obtained, in-depth interviews were conducted with clinic and ward administrators on knowledge, attitudes, practices and barriers to survivors' management. Results: Many respondents had poor knowledge of domestic violence management or prevention. Though they believed counseling survivors was necessary, none of the in-depth interviewees had counseling skills or had ever referred patients or survivors for such counseling. Lack of technical competence, negative attitudes and institutional constraints were cited as main barriers to provision of optimal care to survivors. Conclusion: Health workers of Mulago hospital lacked knowledge on management, had negative attitudes and provided sub-optimal care to domestic violence survivors. African Health Sciences Vol. 5 (4) 2005: pp. 315-31

Reasons, methods used and decision-making for pregnancy termination among adolescents and older women in Mulago hospital, Uganda

Objective: To explore the methods, reasons and decision-making process for termination of pregnancy among adolescents and older women, in Mulago hospital, Kampala, Uganda.Design: Comparative study. Subjects: Nine hundred and forty two women seeking postabortion care, of which 333 had induced abortion (of whom 115 were adolescents). Setting: The emergency gynaecological ward of Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda from September 2003 through June 2004.Results: Women with induced abortion were single, in polygamous marital relationships and of lower parity (

REASONS, METHODS USED AND DECISION-MAKING FOR PREGNANCY TERMINATION AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND OLDER WOMEN IN MULAGO HOSPITAL, UGANDA

Objective: To explore the methods, reasons and decision-making process for termination of pregnancy among adolescents and older women, in Mulago hospital, Kampala, Uganda.Design: Comparative study.Subjects: Nine hundred and forty two women seeking postabortion care, of which 333 had induced abortion (of whom 115 were adolescents).Setting: The emergency gynaecological ward of Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda from September 2003 through June 2004.Results: Women with induced abortion were single, in polygamous marital relationships and of lower parity (p<0.001); had lower education and number of living children (p<0.05), reported more (p<0.001) mistimed, unplanned or unwanted pregnancies, and were 13 times more likely to have recent history of domestic violence. Relationship issues were the most common reason for pregnancy termination for both categories. Decisionmaking for induced abortion was influenced by socio-economic, educational and personal considerations. Instrumentation and use of local herbs in the genitalia were the most common methods for pregnancy termination. Neither methods used for pregnancy termination nor reasons differed when adolescents were compared with older women.Conclusion: Relationship issues influence the decision-making process for pregnancy termination. Neither methods used for pregnancy termination nor reasons for pregnancy termination differ when adolescents are compared with older women

Gender norms associated with adolescent sexual behaviours in Uganda

The relationship between gendered power relations and sexual behaviours of adolescents has been limitedly explored in Uganda. A 2015 cross-sectional survey covering 16 purposively selected districts of Uganda assessed perceptions and associations of gender norms measured using the Gender Equitable Men scale and sexual behaviours among adolescents (N = 867). Findings indicate that behavioural intention to use contraception was moderately correlated with a gender equitable norm towards reproductive health and pregnancy and disease prevention among girls, r =.23 (p &lt;.01; 95% CI.14-.31) and boys, r =.22 (p &lt;.01; 95% CI.12-.31). A moderate correlation was found between self-efficacy to use condoms and the norm towards reproductive health and pregnancy and disease prevention among girls, r =.29 (p &lt;.01; 95% CI.20-.37) and boys, r =.30 (p &lt;.01; 95% CI.21-.38). This indicates persistent inequitable gender norms that affect health service uptake among adolescents. Addressing inequitable gender norms requires working closely with girls and boys, promoting informed peer and partner discussions, engaging in strategic partnerships with parents, religious, political, and community leaders, and enforcing health information services to address misconceptions.</p

Alex Baine's women's emancipation in Uganda: a visual archive of the history of a new generation of women in Uganda

Alex Baine is a contemporary Ugandan woman artist who graduated from the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art (or MTSIFA) in 1989. During her final year, she painted a large work, Women's Emancipation in Uganda (Fig. 1) (1989), in which she represented women in domestic and nondomestic (conventional and unconventional) economies, spaces, and histories. Baine has not produced any other painting since her graduation. It is evident that Baine's art career, like those of several other female graduates of the Art School, has been interrupted by many issues including family, business, further education, and diversion into other professions. However, in this article I acknowledge that she championed women's emancipation in Uganda's contemporary art in the 1980s, a debate that I trace in her work