INFLUENCE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING ORIENTATION SERVICES ON LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MUDUUMA SUB-COUNTY, MPIGI DISTRICT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background Guidance and counseling services are a set of comprehensive programs and interventions designed to support individuals in their personal, social, educational, and career development. The study aims to assess the Influence of guidance and counseling orientation services on life skills development in secondary schools in Muduuma Sub-county, Mpigi District. Methodology A cross-sectional study utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative component involved obtaining graphs, and charts. Simple Random Sampling and Purposive Sampling were used. Results (56.1%) of the respondents were male while (43.9%) were female. The mean score for participants' belief in the importance of the guidance and counseling Orientation services for personal development was M = 3.98 (SD = 0.981). Participants' satisfaction with the information provided during the guidance and counseling Orientation services yielded a mean score of M = 3.44 (SD = 1.218). Participants indicated a mean score of M = 3.34 (SD = 1.146) for the effectiveness of the guidance and counseling Orientation services in addressing their specific needs and concerns. The guidance and counseling Orientation services were perceived as effective in preparing participants for academic challenges, with a mean score of M = 3.66 (SD = 1.249). The perceived effectiveness of the guidance and counseling Orientation services in enhancing well-being and overall development had a mean score of M = 3.49 (SD = 1.136). Conclusions Individuals who held a more favorable view of the Orientation services were also more likely to report higher levels of life skills. Recommendations The study recommended that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Ministries of Education should, through District Education Officers (DEOs) and inspectors, encourage head teachers to enhance Orientation services quality and consistency

INFLUENCE OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT COUNSELING ON MARRIAGE STABILITY OF COUPLES IN PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES IN KAMPALA, UGANDA. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background African Traditional Societies systematically initiated boys and girls which prepared them for adulthood experiences like marriage. The study aims to assess the Influence of conflict management counseling on marriage stability of couples in Pentecostal Churches in Kampala, Uganda. Methodology A cross-sectional research design using quantitative approaches to collect data from different categories of respondents at a single point in time. The study employed a descriptive correlation study to determine the relationship between pre-marital counseling and the marriage stability of couples. Results Based on the aggregate mean, conflict management scored a very high aggregate mean of 4.65 and a standard deviation of 0.67. This means that pre-marital counseling in terms of conflict resolution counseling is provided to couples in Pentecostal churches at a very high level. Conflict management counseling has a weak, positive, and significant influence on the marital stability of couples in a Pentecostal church in Kampala City, r = 0.440** which means that conflict management counseling had a positive, weak, and significant influence on marital stability. When the provision of conflict management counseling increases by one unit, the marital stability of couples in Pentecostal churches also changes positively or increases by one unit.However, at a weak level. The fact that the P-value was lower than the significance level (0.000 < 0.05) when r2 was calculated, 0.193 (100), means that conflict management counseling influences positively the marital stability of couples in Pentecostal church in Kampala, Uganda at 19.3%. Conclusion Conflict management counseling had a weak, positive, and significant influence on the marital stability of couples in the Pentecostal church in Kampala Recommendations Churches should continue sensitizing the public on the benefits of pre-marital counseling as the church remains the biggest institution that provides these services to couples

THE EFFECTS OF SOCIO-CULTURAL INTERVENTION ON PERCEIVED SOBRIETY IN SELECTED REFERRAL HOSPITALS AND REHABILITATION CENTRES IN KAMPALA AND WAKISO DISTRICTS, UGANDA. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background Alcohol presents a serious challenge worldwide; it is increasingly associated with negative consequences in developing countries including Uganda which bear the heaviest burden of diseases and injuries attributed to alcohol. Alcohol abuse is alarming despite the availability of treatment facilities in Uganda. The study objective was to analyze the effect of recovery interventions on perceived sobriety in Butabika National Referral Hospital and Serenity Rehabilitation Centre in the Wakiso and Kampala districts, Uganda. The post-positivist paradigm guided the study.  Methods The research adopted a cross-sectional research design with a mixed-method approach known as simultaneous triangulation design. Using purposive sampling and simple random sampling, Data was collected, and questionnaires and interview guides were used. 338 subjects participated in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient was employed in hypothesis testing. Primary data was collected using self – self-administered questionnaires and Focused group discussions to obtain in-depth results.  Results Sociocultural intervention and perceived sobriety have r=0.544, with a probability value p=0.000 < a=0.01 suggesting a significant correlation. The null hypothesis was rejected; which implies that sociocultural intervention significantly positively correlates with perceived sobriety at a one percent level of significance. “Culturally, alcohol is taken when twins were born and at the initiation “wall” ceremony, a day for receiving the twins into the family, the birth of a new baby, marriage introduction, paying dowry and wedding ceremonies”. Conclusion   The more socio-cultural intervention is utilized in treatment facilities, the more sobriety is realized. Therefore, having workable socio-cultural intervention would help to reduce perceived sobriety. Recommendation   The Ministry of Health through the mental health desk office encourages mental health practitioners to empower therapists in the treatment facilities to give more attention to using sociocultural intervention to address beliefs about excessive use of alcohol

THE INFLUENCE OF PHARMACOTHERAPY INTERVENTION ON PERCEIVED SOBRIETY IN REHABILITATION CENTER AND HOSPITAL IN WAKISO AND KAMPALA DISTRICTS, UGANDA.

Background Pharmacological therapies diminish the level of perceived sobriety, improve the quality of life, reduce intake and affect, demand for alcohol. Physicians prescribe medications for patients to manage withdrawals, foster sobriety, and decrease alcohol and other substance use. The study objective was to examine the influence of pharmacotherapy intervention on perceived sobriety in Butabika National Referral Hospital Kampala and Serenity Rehabilitation Center Wakiso Districts, Uganda to address the challenges of perceived sobriety.  Methodology The study was guided by the post-positivist paradigm. The research adopted a cross-sectional research design with a mixed-method approach known as simultaneous triangulation. Using purposive sampling and simple random sampling, questionnaires and interview guides were used for data collection. 338 respondents participated in the study. SPSS was used for analyzing Quantitative data, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient was employed in testing the hypothesis. Primary data was collected using self – self-administered questionnaires, focused group discussions, observational checklists, and documentary reviews to obtain in-depth results.  Results The results showed pharmacotherapy intervention and perceived sobriety r=0.723, which was positive with probability value p=0.000 < a=0.01 suggesting a significant correlation. Therefore, the stated Null Hypothesis was rejected which implies that pharmacotherapy intervention significantly positively correlates with perceived sobriety. “Most patients respond to Pharmacotherapy intervention, it controls withdrawal effects, alcohol addicts are given treatment (detoxification) at the initial phase, later are encouraged to attend group and individual counseling sessions to manage psychological challenges and social issues that may have led them into the use of alcohol”.  Conclusion pharmacotherapy intervention has a significant positive correlation with perceived sobriety. Therefore, a change in pharmacotherapy positively affects perceived sobriety.  Recommendation The study recommended that District Health Officers should encourage psychiatric doctors and nurses to understand that, one single intervention (pharmacotherapy) cannot facilitate long-term recovery but rather integrate with other recovery interventions

The PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES AND COPING STRATEGIES OF POST AMPUTATION: A CASE STUDY OF MULAGO SPECIALIZED NATIONAL HOSPITAL, KAMPALA-UGANDA

Background: The study assessed the effect of psychological correlates of traumatic experiences on coping strategies of post-amputation basing on evidence from Mulago specialized national hospital, Kampala-Uganda. It specifically analyzed the personality styles that enhance coping among amputees, assessed the psychological consequences among amputees, and examined the psychological interventions among amputees. Methodology: The study adopted a hospital-based prospective post-treatment design employing a quantitative research approach. The quantitative data were collected using questionnaires from 72 patients who were admitted for amputations and attending weekly amputee clinics and those using prostheses and orthosises. The data was processed at both the descriptive and inferential levels using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The study found extraversion as a statistically positive correlate with the confrontational form of coping style (r = 0.279, p = 0.031 < 0.05). It found a significantly positive correlate that enhanced planful problem solving (r =0.278, p =0.032< 0.05) and positive reappraisal (r = 0.301, p = 0.019 < 0.05) compared to conscientiousness as a negative correlate of coping styles particularly self-control (r =-0.326, p = 0.011< 0.05) and escape avoidance (r =-0.263, p =0.043 < 0.05). Results showed abnormal depression (46.7%), suffering abnormal anxiety (45.0%) alongside demonstrating symptoms of at least 2 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (46.7%) as the psychological consequences. The psychological interventions study found included specialized physician services (60.0%), primary care provision (45.0%) and financial assistance (46.7 among others  Conclusion and discussion: Personality styles of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are crucial in the coping styles among amputees and therefore need to be well established and aligned with supporting initiatives. The administrative staff of specialized units needs to put in place workable measures like avoiding unfair self-blame and inculcating a belief that they are still worth as to help amputees to improve their self-esteem thereby minimizing adverse psychological consequences

School-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy in the Hoima District, Uganda: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Uganda has persistently had high adolescent pregnancy prevalence; 25% for the last 10 years. This protocol presents the design of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (CRCT) to investigate the effectiveness of School-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health (SBSRH) interventions on prevention of pregnancy among school girls aged 15–19 years in the Hoima District, Uganda. 18 secondary schools (clusters) will be selected using cluster sampling and allocated 1:1 into control or intervention group stratified by geographical location. 1080 (60 each cluster) participants/girls aged 15–19 years will be selected using simple random sampling. The intervention group will receive tailored SRH information, in-school medical care and referral over 12 months. The control group will receive no intervention from the research team; however, they can access alternative services elsewhere if they wish. Data will be obtained at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. The outcomes are reduction in occurrence of pregnancy, utilization of SRH services and sexual behavioral change. To our knowledge, this is the first CRCT providing combined SRH interventions for prevention of adolescent pregnancy in Uganda. If effective, it could have great potential in preventing adolescent pregnancy. Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR201810882140200) Registered on 16 October 2018