Training of population specialists for Africa’s needs: Past, current and future

Africa has been training population specialists since the early 1960s, following some countries’ acquiring political independence. The training has consisted of undergraduate degrees, post-graduate diplomas, masters, doctorates and postdoctorates at regional and national institutions as well as centres found outside the continent. Achievements of the training programme over several decades have included many population specialists trained and helping in implementing the population related projects in the region and building the capacity of several African population training centres. Challenges have consisted of inadequate financial support from development partners and regional and national governments, lack of scholarships for students, scarce research grants for staff and students, development partners’ related issues, problems related to national and regional governments, lack of interest in supporting training of technical demographers, limitation of infrastructure for training, shortage of qualified trainers and unemployment of graduates in population studies. It is recommended that national governments and regional agencies provide core financing of African population training centres and only mobilize donor funding as supplementary. More focus should be directed to advanced research training to ensure that qualified population specialists lost to the brain drain and other factors are continuously replaced. African training institutions need to be more innovative and create new opportunities of sustainability when the support being received is stopped

Widowhood, remarriage and migration during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda

Recently the levels of widowhood have increased in countries of sub-Saharan Africa that are afflicted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This paper reviews the cultures of several societies in Uganda in relation to the treatment of widows. Using a data set based on a sample of 1797 households covering east, south and western Uganda, the study finds higher proportions of widows than widowers. Over half of widowers compared to one quarter of widows remarry. Reasons for remarriages of widowers and widows are discussed. While younger widows migrated from their late spouses’ homes more than the older ones, the pattern of the widowers shows that those in ages 20-34 migrated most. Deeper analysis indicates that widowed people who moved away from their deceased spouses’ homes did so for reasons other than the death of their spouses. The widowers were more likely to move than the widows and the unhealthy ones migrated more than the healthy ones

Is poor performance of UK unit trusts explained by recession bias

This study investigates the performance of UK Unit Trusts to examine the effect of fund managers’ stock picking ability (selectivity) or ability to time the market (timing). Previous studies of fund performance have found no evidence of superior performance and in some cases, findings have indicated poor performance. (Byrne, Fletcher and Ntozi, 2006, Cuthbertson, Nitzsche and O’Sullivan, 2008 and Cuthbertson, Nitzsche and O’Sullivan, 2009). However, there are only a few studies that have attempted to explain factors that could have contributed to the poor performance of UK unit trusts. This study investigates the extent to which fund manager selectivity and timing as well as other factors such as business cycles may explain the performance of UK unit trusts. By splitting the sample we discover that poor performance is typical during recession periods. However, the non-recession periods show neutral results. The study of recessions and expansions continues to prevail in Finance research. (Kaushik et al, 2010, Kosowski, 2006) and Moskowitz, 2000)

Influence of urbanization on living away type of marriage: the case of Kampala City (Uganda)

Living away type of marriage was found to be on an upward trend and more common in urban (36.1%) than rural areas (19.2%). Logistic regression analysis showed that urban residents were 2 times more likely to be in living away type of marriage than their rural counterparts. Area of residence was the most significant factor in influencing living away type of marriage. The study revealed that living away type of marriage was due to some married men being migrant workers leaving their wives at home to maintain their family investments and the nature of jobs that make separation of spouses inevitable. The problem of accommodation in urban areas due to shortage of houses was evident from being responsible for 17% of urban residents in living away type of marriage. Living away type of marriage was implicated as being one of the causes of the spread of HIV/AIDs. Separation of couples predisposes these groups to have sexual contacts with multiple partners. Married spouses that stayed together were at lower risk of being HIV seropositive than those staying apart (UNFPA, 2006)

AIDS morbidity and the role of the family in patient care in Uganda

Extended families and clans in African societies have extensive systems of treatment and patient management which can be used with AIDS sufferers. This paper used data from a baseline survey of six districts to study patient care in Uganda. The levels of AIDS illness are high, and highest in the sexually active age groups of 20-49 years. Of the nuclear family, parents, siblings, spouses and children are the dominant AIDS patients’ primary carers in that order. Other relatives in the extended family also contribute much primary care. The contribution of neighbours and friends to primary caring and of other relatives as secondary carers is small. This is perhaps because of the financial burden of caring for the patients. However, there are indications that households and families are coping with the effects of the disease

MARRIAGE PATTERNS IN ANKOLE, SOUTH - WESTERN UGANDA

This paper studies marriage patterns and systems in Ankole. Discussed in the study are age at marriage, proportion married, marriage dissolution, remarriages, types of marriage and bridewealth. The paper finds that most of the marriage patterns are among the major causes of high fertility in the area

Socio-economic determinants of HIV serostatus: a study of Rakai District, Uganda

The objective of the study was to establish the extent to which socio-economic status affects the acquisition of HIV. Data were collected in 1992 from 1784 respondents in Rakai district by the Rakai Project, with results for HIV serology and information on demographic, socio-economic and some behavioural variables. Level of education and urban residence were positively significantly related to HIV status both at bivariate and multivariate levels. Household wealth status was positively associated with HIV status at the bivariate level, but negatively related with HIV status at the multivariate level though not statistically significantly. Occupation was significantly associated with HIV status at the bivariate level and for one model at the multivariate level, but when occupation of the partner, travel destinations of partner and respondent, condom use and number of sexual partners in the previous year were introduced in a second model, occupation was not significantly related to HIV status

Has high knowledge of HIV/AIDS among the youth translated into positive sexual behavior in Northern Uganda?

Uganda has been hailed for combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic from an 18% prevalence in 1992 to only 6.1% . However, it rose to 6.4% in 2004/5. Northern Uganda, which faced political turmoil and insurgency for 20 years, presents a mixed picture, with the highest prevalence, 9.4% , in the country. The main objective of the research was to investigate the relationship between socio-economic characteristics, knowledge and practices towards HIV/AIDS among youth in Northern Uganda Region. Data on 910 youth from Northern Uganda was extracted from the national Uganda demographic and health survey of 2006. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied. Results from multivariate analysis show that age, residence, education, occupation, knowledge of one who has died from or is sick with AIDS and risk perceptions were significant predictors of condom use at last sex. Only sex was observed to be significantly related to willingness to be tested for HIV. In conclusion, although knowledge about HIV is important, translating it into behavior or practices to prevent or protect individuals from contracting HIV is essential. There is a need for sensitizing youth on the need to adopt safe sexual behavior. A comprehensive school sex education programme that scales up the understanding of safe behavior and enables girls to negotiate for safe sex will be required. The findings have important implications for the development of primary HIV/AIDS prevention programs for youth in war-torn areas.Résumé: L'Ouganda abstrait a été grêlé pour combattre l'épidémie de HIV/SIDA de la prédominance de 18% en 1992 à 6.1% . Cependant il a maintenant atteint 6.4% dans 2004/5. L'Ouganda nordique qui a fait face à l'agitation et à l'insurrection politiques pendant les 20 dernières années de présents une image mélangée avec la plus forte présence de 9.4% dans le pays. L'objectif principal de la recherche était d'étudier le rapport entre les caractéristiques, la connaissance et les pratiques socio-économiques vers le HIV/SIDA parmi la jeunesse dans la région nordique de l'Ouganda. Des données sur la jeunesse 910 d'Ouganda nordique ont été extraites à partir de l'Ouganda national démographique et de l'enquête de santé de 2006. Des analyses univariables, bivariate et multivariables ont été appliquées. Les résultats de l'analyse multivariable prouvent que l'âge, la résidence, l'éducation, le métier, la connaissance d'un mort ou le malade du SIDA et des perceptions de risque étaient les facteurs prédictifs significatifs de sexe d'utilisation de condom enfin. On a observé seulement le sexe pour être sensiblement relié avec la volonté de déterminer HIV. En conclusion bien que la connaissance au sujet d'HIV soit importante, la traduction de lui dans le comportement ou les pratiques d'empêcher ou protéger des individus contre contracter HIV est essentielle. Il y a besoin de sensibiliser la jeunesse sur la nécessité d'adopter le comportement sexuel sûr. Un programme d'éducation de sexe d'école d'enseignement secondaire qui mesure vers le haut de l'arrangement du comportement sûr et permet à des filles de négocier pour le sexe sûr sera exigé. Les résultats ont des implications importantes pour le développement des programmes primaires de prévention du SIDA d'HIV pour la jeunesse dans des secteurs déchirés par guerre.Mots clés: La connaissance, HIV/SIDA, jeunesse, positif, comportement sexue