HIV and male fertility at the University Teaching Hospital Lusaka

Background: There has been anecdotal evidence of a declining male fertility in Zambia over the last 10 years1. This prospective study of men seen in the fertility clinic was designed to look for an association between the increasing HIV infection in the population and male fertility.Methods: This prospective study compared the prevalence of HIV in men with a confirmed diagnosis of infertility seen at the Urology Clinic, to the national HIV prevalence among men of child bearing age. The study was done from October 2006 to October 2007.Results: A total of 34 men were diagnosed with infertility and included in the study. Among these patients 9 were seropositive. This gave an HIV prevalence of 26%. There was a statistically significant difference with the normal population of 13% (p = 0.043).Conclusion: HIV infection is higher in men seeking fertility treatment than in the general population. Further studies are required to determine the precise relationship between HIV and Male Fertility at the University Teaching Hospital Lusaka

Minimizing Delays in the Breast Cancer Pathway by Integrating Breast Specialty Care Services at the Primary Health Care Level in Zambia

PURPOSE In Zambia, more than two-thirds of female patients with breast cancer present with late-stage disease, leading to high mortality rates. Most of the underlying causes are associated with delays in symptom recognition and diagnosis. By implementing breast care specialty services at the primary health care level, we hypothesized that some of the delays could be minimized. METHODS In March 2018, we established a breast care specialty clinic for women with symptomatic disease within 1 of the 5 district hospitals in Lusaka. The clinic offers breast self-awareness education, clinical breast examination, breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, surgery, referral for chemoradiation, follow-up care, and electronic medical records. RESULTS Between March 2018 and April 2019, of 1,790 symptomatic women who presented to the clinic, 176 (10%) had clinical and/or ultrasound indications for histologic evaluation. Biopsy specimens were obtained using ultrasound-guided core-needle procedures, all of which were performed on the same day as the initial visit. Of the 176 women who underwent biopsy, 112 (64%) had pathologic findings compatible with a primary breast cancer, and of these, 42 (37%) were early-stage (stage I/II) disease. Surgery for early-stage cancers was performed at the district hospital within 2 weeks of the time of definitive pathologic diagnosis. Patients with advanced disease were referred to the national cancer center for multimodality therapy, within a similar time frame. CONCLUSION Breast care specialty services for symptomatic women were established in a district-level hospital in a resource-constrained setting in Africa. As a result, the following time intervals were minimized: initial presentation and performance of clinical diagnostics; receipt of a definitive pathologic diagnosis and initiation of surgery; receipt of a definitive pathologic diagnosis and referral

HIV and Male Fertility at the University Teaching Hospital Lusaka

Background: There has been anecdotal evidence of a declining male fertility in Zambia over the last 10 years1. This prospective study of men seen in the fertility clinic was designed to look for an association between the increasing HIV infection in the population and male fertility. Methods: This prospective study compared the prevalence of HIV in men with a confirmed diagnosis of infertility seen at the Urology Clinic, to the national HIV prevalence among men of child bearing age. The study was done from October 2006 to October 2007. Results: A total of 34 men were diagnosed with infertility and included in the study. Among these patients 9 were seropositive. This gave an HIV prevalence of 26%. There was a statistically significant difference with the normal population of 13% (p = 0.043). Conclusion: HIV infection is higher in men seeking fertility treatment than in the general population. Further studies are required to determine the precise relationship between HIV and Male Fertility at the University Teaching Hospital Lusaka

The development and evaluation of content validity of the Zambia Spina Bifida Functional Measure: Preliminary studies

Background: Very little is known on outcome measures for children with spina bifida (SB) in Zambia. If rehabilitation professionals managing children with SB in Zambia and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa are to instigate measuring outcomes routinely, a tool has to be made available. The main objective of this study was to develop an appropriate and culturally sensitive instrument for evaluating the impact of the interventions on children with SB in Zambia. Methods: A mixed design method was used for the study. Domains were identified retrospectively and confirmation was done through a systematic review study. Items were generated through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data were downloaded, translated into English, transcribed verbatim and presented. These were then placed into categories of the main domains of care deductively through the process of manifest content analysis. Descriptive statistics, alpha coefficient and index of content validity were calculated using SPSS. Results: Self-care, mobility and social function were identified as main domains, while participation and communication were sub-domains. A total of 100 statements were generated and 78 items were selected deductively. An alpha coefficient of 0.98 was computed and experts judged the items. Conclusions: The new functional measure with an acceptable level of content validity titled Zambia Spina Bifida Functional Measure (ZSBFM) was developed. It was designed to evaluate effectiveness of interventions given to children with SB from the age of 6 months to 5 years. Psychometric properties of reliability and construct validity were tested and are reported in another study

University students' perspective of sexual harassment: A case study at the University of Zambia

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