Knowledge and Health Care Seeking Behaviours on Cancer of the Cervix among Rural Women- A Case Study of Isingiro District

Cervical cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the cervical region of the uterus.  Cancer of the cervix occurs when the cells of the cervix change in a way that leads to unregulated growth and invasion of other tissues or organs of the body. Cancer of the cervix is the most common cancer affecting women in Africa and in the developing countries, second only to breast cancer worldwide(Franco et al 2003). Very few studies on knowledge and health care seeking behaviors have been carried out among women living in rural areas in Africa. Cervical cancer has threatened the lives of women in Uganda leading to other associated long-term problems in families. Keywords: Cancer of the Cervix,Knowledge,Health care seeking behaviours. Aim This study was intended to assess the knowledge of cervical cancer and the related health care seeking practices among the rural women in Isingiro district, south-western Uganda.   Methods It was a community based cross sectional study, involving women of 18 years and above.  The study participants werefirst given an explanation of the study and thereafter, a questionnaire was administered for data collection. The sample size estimated using the formula: N= Z2p (1-p)/ e2. Results According to the study, the knowledge, prevalence of symptoms and predisposing factors to cervical cancer was at 4.62 %( 18/385) and 0.00 %( 0/385) respectively. The study also revealed that; 98.35% (374/385) would accept CaCx screening, 0.33 %( 01/385) had utilized cervical cancer screening facilities and that 97.02 %( 374/385) did not screen due to lack of knowledge on CaCx. There is need to conduct a community based study to know the practices of health workers and assess if they are educating and offering suggestions for screening for cancer of the cervix. The research therefore recommends intervention the relevant stakeholders in the health care system to demystify facts on this disease among rural women, especially in Isingiro district.

Tree species diversity and abundance in coffee farms adjacent to areas of different disturbance histories in Mabira forest system, central Uganda

Coffee production in Uganda is done on small-scale farms containing a very significant tree component. However, there is little information on how tree species abundance, richness and diversity change in coffee farms as distance from forest changes. The main objectives of this study, therefore, were to assess (a) abundance and (b) diversity of tree species in the coffee production systems in proximity to disturbed and undisturbed forest around Mabira forest, one of Uganda's Robusta coffee-growing areas. Seventy-nine 0.1 ha plots were established in nine villages close to undisturbed and disturbed forest, and over 5 km from the forest. A total of 875 trees belonging to 63 species were recorded. There was significant similarity in species composition among the three study sites (analysis of similarity R = 0.09, p < 0.01; analysis of variance: F3,12 = 0.353, p = 0.79). Non-metric dimensional scaling supported these findings (stress value = 0.224 at k = 2) and showed that tree species composition in the three proximity categories was very similar. These results demonstrate that tree species composition and diversity is similar in coffee farms regardless of their distance from the nearest natural forest and forest exploitation history. (Résumé d'auteur

Living at the edge: home range patterns of the Buraiga Chimpanzee Community, Kibale National Park, Uganda

Data on space-use patterns are essential for understanding species ecology and conservation. Individual chimpanzee communities are known to vary in home range size and habitat use dynamics, reflecting site-specific strategies to differences in resource availability on different landscapes. Here we present home range estimates for the Buraiga chimpanzees of Kibale National Park, Uganda, a community of eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living within the largest remaining population fragment in Uganda. The Buraiga chimpanzees are currently undergoing habituation for research and tourism under the direction of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). We analyzed 15 months of GPS data (August 2019 – March 2020, and January – July 2022), calculating overall and seasonal home range and core area estimates with two methods, minimum convex polygon (MCP) and kernel density estimates (KDE). Home range was estimated to cover an area of 15.77 km2 (95% KDE), and 24.90 km2 (100% MCP). Additionally, we found that 15.82% of the Buraiga chimpanzee’s home range overlaps with community-managed land, primarily the Kanyanchu Swamp corridor and adjacent agricultural land. Seasonally, we found that Buraiga chimpanzees used a larger area during dry season months, compared with rainy season months. Documenting how great ape populations utilize increasingly anthropogenically influenced landscapes is important in order to facilitate long-term survival in the face of climate change, habitat fragmentation, and other ongoing threats

Variation in seed and seedling traits of the different ethno-varieties of jackfruit, a potential fruit tree species for food security

A key component of the performance of plant seeds is the germination capability as well as seedling survival and vigor. Seed traits from five jackfruit ethno-varieties (infra-specific diversity as understood and managed by farmers) were assessed. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the survival of seeds, emergence and germination rate. Seeds from different ethno-varieties differed in their length (F (4,145) = 6.31, p < 0.001). The difference was highest between seeds from white, orange or yellow ethno-varieties. The width also slightly differed among ethno-varieties (F (4,145) = 3.29, p < 0.05). The average fresh and dry weights tended to be higher in seeds from the soft ethno-variety than the rest of the ethno-varieties. Differences in the survival of seeds and germination rate were also exhibited among ethno-varieties, where the white ethno-variety showed the highest pre-emergence mortality but at the same time the least germination time. Over the six-week period of germination, the soft ethno-variety exhibited the highest root:shoot ratio but also grew faster than all other ethno-varieties. There is potential evidence of phylogenetic constraints on seed size, germination and seedling vigor. Optimum growth for most of the traits was achieved between 6 and 7 weeks after sowing, which can guide on the time seedlings should be left in the pots before being transferred to the field. Further progeny tests should be undertaken on these provenances in the field over a longer period so as to obtain better distinction of the growth traits among the ethno-varieties

Leaf sponge tool use by Buraiga chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Funder: Ohio University; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100008076Funder: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic MedicineChimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are avid tool users, although tool uses and functions vary among communities. Some chimpanzees use stones or wood in extractive foraging to crack open nuts, whereas others use long stems to consume termites or ants. Leaf sponges are versatile and widespread tools used by chimpanzees, created by crumpling leaves in the mouth and then using the hands to immerse the tool to procure liquids from difficult‐to‐access locations. Here we describe leaf sponge use by two female chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda, documenting for the first time tool use in the Buraiga chimpanzee community

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hydatidiform Mole among Patients Undergoing Uterine Evacuation at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital

Objective. We sought to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with hydatidiform molar gestations amongst patients undergoing uterine evacuation at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), Mbarara, Uganda. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study carried out from November 2016 to February 2017. All patients admitted for uterine evacuation for nonviable pregnancy were included. The study registered 181 patients. Data were collected on sociodemographics, medical conditions, obstetrics, and gynecological factors. The evacuated tissue received a full gross and histopathologic examination. Cases of pathologically suspected complete hydatidiform mole were confirmed by p57 immunohistochemistry. Data were analyzed using STATA 13. Results. The prevalence of hydatidiform mole was 6.1% (11/181). All detected moles were complete hydatidiform moles, and there were no diagnosed partial hydatidiform moles. Clinical diagnosis of molar pregnancy was suspected in 13 patients, but only 69.2% (9/13) were confirmed as molar pregnancies histologically. Two cases were clinically unsuspected. Factors that had a significant relationship with complete hydatidiform mole included maternal age of 35 years and above (aOR 13.5; CI: 1.46–125.31; p=0.00), gestational age beyond the first trimester at the time of uterine evacuation (aOR 6.2; CI: 1.07–36.14; p=0.04), and history of previous abortion (aOR 4.3; CI: 1.00–18.57; p=0.05). Conclusion. The prevalence of complete hydatidiform mole was high at 6.1%. Associated risk factors included advanced maternal age (35 years and above), history of previous abortions, and gestational age beyond the first trimester at the time of evacuations. Recommendations. We recommend putting in place capacity to do routine histopathological examination of all products of conception especially those at high risk for a molar gestation either by clinical suspicion or by risk factors including advanced maternal age, advanced gestational age, and history of previous abortion because of high prevalence of complete mole