Levels of interest among prospective and enrolled undergraduate students in learning through online and blended modes

In many developing countries, at least in Africa, many colleges and universities continue to deliver undergraduate level education in the in-person, face-to-face, mode. Many of these institutions are slow in adopting and embracing the online learning mode. This study investigated levels of interest among prospective and enrolled undergraduates for the full-online or blended learning mode. The study also assessed the factors that stimulated the interest of these groups for the preferred delivery mode. Based on a sample of 414 prospective and enrolled undergraduates from private and public colleges and universities in the context of Botswana, and using a survey design that involved questionnaires, and regression analysis, the study found that majority (56%, n=414) of the sample was interested in and preferred some form of online or blended learning, compared to the face-to-face learning mode. The proportion of individuals with keen interest in the blended learning mode, at undergraduate level, is surprisingly high. The motivational drivers for the student choice are linked to greater flexibility and convenience, and perceived better opportunity for interactions with professors and classmates (OR=10.9; 95% CI: 5.4 – 22.1). The COVID-19 outbreak and the requirements for social distancing may have also accounted for the level of interest reported. The findings have major significance for curriculum design and development, instructional design in higher education, education technology infrastructure development, and long-term enrolment planning

Neurological & Psychiatric Society of Zambia's Evidence-Based Guidelines for EEG Utilization at the University Teaching Hospital

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Modern Contraceptive and Dual Method Use among HIV-Infected Women in Lusaka, Zambia

HIV-infected women in sub-Saharan Africa are at substantial risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Linkages between HIV and reproductive health services are advocated. We describe implementation of a reproductive health counseling intervention in 16 HIV clinics in Lusaka, Zambia. Between November 2009 and November 2010, 18,407 women on antiretroviral treatment (ART) were counseled. The median age was 34.6 years (interquartile range (IQR): 29.9–39.7), and 60.1% of women were married. The median CD4+ cell count was 394 cells/uL (IQR: 256–558). Of the women counseled, 10,904 (59.2%) reported current modern contraceptive use. Among contraceptive users, only 17.7% reported dual method use. After counseling, 737 of 7,503 women not previously using modern contraception desired family planning referrals, and 61.6% of these women successfully accessed services within 90 days. Unmet contraceptive need remains high among HIV-infected women. Additional efforts are needed to promote reproductive health, particularly dual method use

Comparison of real-time PCR and microscopy for malaria parasite detection in Malawian pregnant women

Abstract Background New diagnostic tools for malaria are required owing to the changing epidemiology of malaria, particularly among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Real-time PCR assays targeting Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (pfldh) gene may facilitate the identification of a high proportion of pregnant women with a P. falciparum parasitaemia below the threshold of microscopy. These molecular methods will enable further studies on the effects of these submicroscopic infections on maternal health and birth outcomes. Methods The pfldh real-time PCR assay and conventional microscopy were compared for the detection of P. falciparum from dried blood spots and blood smears collected from the peripheral blood of 475 Malawian women at delivery. A cycle threshold (Ct) of the real-time PCR was determined optimizing the sensitivity and specificity of the pfldh PCR assay compared to microscopy. A real-time PCR species-specific assay was applied to identify the contribution to malaria infections of three Plasmodium species (P. falciparum P. ovale and P. malariae) in 44 discordant smear and pfldh PCR assay results. Results Of the 475 women, P. falciparum was detected in 11 (2.3%) by microscopy and in 51 (10.7%) by real-time PCR; compared to microscopy, the sensitivity of real-time PCR was 90.9% and the specificity 91.2%. If a Ct value of 38 was used as a cut-off, specificity improved to 94.6% with no change in sensitivity. The real-time PCR species-specific assay detected P. falciparum alone in all but four samples: two samples were mixed infections with P. falciparum and P. malariae, one was a pure P. malariae infection and one was a pfldh PCR assay-positive/species-specific assay-negative sample. Of three P. malariae infections detected by microscopy, only one was confirmed by the species-specific assay. Conclusions Although microscopy remains the most appropriate method for clinical malaria diagnosis in field settings, molecular diagnostics such as real-time PCR offer a more reliable means to detect malaria parasites, particularly at low levels. Determination of the possible contribution of these submicroscopic infections to poor birth outcomes and maternal health is critical. For future studies to investigate these effects, this pfldh real-time PCR assay offers a reliable detection method

A novel vehicle-mounted sticky trap; an effective sampling tool for savannah tsetse flies Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood and Glossina morsitans centralis Machado.

BACKGROUND: Black screen fly round (BFR) is a mobile sampling method for Glossina morsitans. This technique relies on the ability of operator(s) to capture flies landing on the screen with hand nets. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a vehicle-mounted sticky panel trap (VST) that is independent of the operator's ability to capture flies against BFR, for effective and rapid sampling of G. m. morsitans Westwood and G. m. centralis Machado. We also determined the influence of the VST colour (all-blue, all-black or 1:1 blue-black), orientation and presence of odour attractants on tsetse catch. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using randomised block design experiments conducted in Zambia, we compared and modelled the number of tsetse flies caught in the treatment arms using negative binomial regression. There were no significant differences in the catch indices of the three colour designs and for in-line or transversely oriented panels for both subspecies (P > 0.05). When baited with butanone and 1-octen-3-ol, VST caught 1.38 (1.11-1.72; P 0.05). Overall, the VST caught 2.42 (1.91-3.10; P < 0.001) and 2.60 (1.50-3.21; P < 0.001) times more G. m. centralis and G. m. morsitans respectively, than the BFR. The VST and BFR took 10 and 35 min respectively to cover a 1 km transect. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The VST is several times more effective for sampling G. m. morsitans and G. m. centralis than the BFR and we recommend its use as an alternative sampling tool

A novel vehicle-mounted sticky trap ; an effective sampling tool for savannah tsetse flies Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood and Glossina morsitans centralis Machado

BACKGROUND: Black screen fly round (BFR) is a mobile sampling method for Glossina morsitans. This technique relies on the ability of operator(s) to capture flies landing on the screen with hand nets. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a vehicle-mounted sticky panel trap (VST) that is independent of the operator’s ability to capture flies against BFR, for effective and rapid sampling of G. m. morsitans Westwood and G. m. centralis Machado. We also determined the influence of the VST colour (all-blue, all-black or 1:1 blue-black), orientation and presence of odour attractants on tsetse catch. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using randomised block design experiments conducted in Zambia, we compared and modelled the number of tsetse flies caught in the treatment arms using negative binomial regression. There were no significant differences in the catch indices of the three colour designs and for in-line or transversely oriented panels for both subspecies (P > 0.05). When baited with butanone and 1-octen-3-ol, VST caught 1.38 (1.11–1.72; P < 0.01) times more G. m. centralis flies than the un-baited trap. Attractants did not significantly increase the VST catch index for G. m. morsitans (P > 0.05). Overall, the VST caught 2.42 (1.91–3.10; P < 0.001) and 2.60 (1.50–3.21; P < 0.001) times more G. m. centralis and G. m. morsitans respectively, than the BFR. The VST and BFR took 10 and 35 min respectively to cover a 1 km transect. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The VST is several times more effective for sampling G. m. morsitans and G. m. centralis than the BFR and we recommend its use as an alternative sampling tool.https://journals.plos.org/plosntdspm2022Zoology and Entomolog

Identifying barriers to ART initiation and adherence: An exploratory qualitative study on PMTCT in Zambia

Background Though antiretroviral therapy (ART) is widely available, HIV positive pregnant women in Zambia are less likely to start and remain on therapy throughout pregnancy and after delivery. This study sought to understand readiness to start ART among HIV pregnant women from the perspectives of both women and men in order to suggest more holistic programs to support women to continue life-long ART after delivery. Methods We conducted a qualitative study with HIV positive pregnant women before and after ART initiation, and men with female partners, to understand readiness to start lifelong ART. We conducted 28 in-depth interviews among women and 2 focus group discussions among male partners. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed in NVivo 12 using thematic analysis. Emerging themes from the data were organized using the social ecological framework. Results Men thought of their female partners as young and needing their supervision to initiate and stay on ART. Women agreed that disclosure and partner support were necessary preconditions to ART initiation and adherence and, expressed fear of divorce as a prominent barrier to disclosure. Maternal love and desire to look after one’s children instilled a sense of responsibility among women which motivated them to overcome individual, interpersonal and health system level barriers to initiation and adherence. Women preferred adherence strategies that were discrete, the effectiveness of which, depended on women’s intrinsic motivation. Conclusion The results support current policies in Zambia to encourage male engagement in ART care. To appeal to male partners, messaging on ART should be centered on emphasizing the importance of male involvement to ensure women remain engaged in ART care. Programs aimed at supporting postpartum ART adherence should design messages that appeal to both men’s role in couples’ joint decision-making and women’s maternal love as motivators for adherence

Scaling Up Mental Health Services in Zambia: Challenges and Opportunities Reported in an Education Project.

yesThe need to increase the capacity of developing countries to meet the mental health needs of their populations is widely acknowledged. This article examines some of the challenges associated with a British Council DelPHE project aimed at strengthening the capacity of mental health educators to prepare the mental health workforce in Zambia for a shift from an institutional to a community-based model of care. The analysis draws on data from two focus groups in which the participants were drawn from college educators who had taken part in workshops intended to enhance curriculum alignment to ensure that the education and training provided for clinical officers (psychiatry) and mental health nurses was "fit for purpose." In particular, the article highlights their perspectives on some of the tensions in focusing on mental health as opposed to broader health care and in ensuring appropriate opportunities for practice or field placements. The continuing impact of stigma and limited resources available for mental ill-health is acknowledged within the wider context of inequities in mental health care. Findings of this evaluation may be applicable to other sub-Saharan contexts, but should be understood only within the Zambian context

Diagnosis, prevalence estimation and burden measurement in population surveys of headache: presenting the HARDSHIP questionnaire

The global burden of headache is very large, but knowledge of it is far from complete and needs still to be gathered. Published population-based studies have used variable methodology, which has influenced findings and made comparisons difficult. The Global Campaign against Headache is undertaking initiatives to improve and standardize methods in use for cross-sectional studies. One requirement is for a survey instrument with proven cross-cultural validity. This report describes the development of such an instrument. Two of the authors developed the initial version, which was used with adaptations in population-based studies in China, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Zambia and 10 countries in the European Union. The resultant evolution of this instrument was reviewed by an expert consensus group drawn from all world regions. The final output was the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire, designed for application by trained lay interviewers. HARDSHIP is a modular instrument incorporating demographic enquiry, diagnostic questions based on ICHD-3 beta criteria, and enquiries into each of the following as components of headache-attributed burden: symptom burden; health-care utilization; disability and productive time losses; impact on education, career and earnings; perception of control; interictal burden; overall individual burden; effects on relationships and family dynamics; effects on others, including household partner and children; quality of life; wellbeing; obesity as a comorbidity. HARDSHIP already has demonstrated validity and acceptability in multiple languages and cultures. Modules may be included or not, and others (eg, on additional comorbidities) added, according to the purpose of the study and resources (especially time) available