Health seeking behaviour of small income market vendors: Diabetes primary care in Gulu Municipality, northern Uganda

Introduction: Uganda faces a serious threat of non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes; sedentary lifestyles predispose people to these diseases.Objective: To understand the diabetes health seeking behaviour of market vendors at the main market, Gulu Municipality.Method: This cross-sectional study used quantitative and qualitative methods to understand experiences of market vendors on health seeking  behaviour. After general sensitization and mobilisation in the market, 400 participants were enrolled for the study, however quantitative analysis was done only on data from 375 participants (316 women and 59 men); 25 participants had missing data; 30 of these 375 were interviewed and the qualitative analyses of their responses offered further insight on health seeking – and is reported here. The qualitative data will be reported later.Results: Mixed responses were obtained from these 30 market vendors about their health seeking behaviour for diabetes. The factors were  responsible for their overall health seeking behaviour included crowded hospitals and low frequency of clinic days; lack of accurate knowledge, and uninformed beliefs on diabetes, and poor work-life balance. Major impediments to health seeking were the fear of losing work time and money, and feeling healthy and hence seeing no need for health check-ups or medical care.Conclusion: Awareness of diabetes and the need to seek health care exists, but market vendors are not well informed on tests and care. We  recommend that more comprehensive simple-message sensitisation is undertaken to change health seeking behaviour and prevent escalation of non-communicable diseases in northern Uganda and beyond. Key words: health seeking behaviour; healthcare services; diabetes; sedentary lifestyle; hypertension; market vendors, Ugand

Additional file 1: of Prevalence of anaemia and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Gulu and Hoima Regional Hospitals in Uganda: A cross sectional study

Questionnaire (English version). (PDF 1303 kb

Health seeking behaviour of small income market vendors: diabetes primary care in Gulu Municipality, northern Uganda

Introduction: Uganda faces a serious threat of non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes; sedentary lifestyles predispose people to these diseases. Objective: To understand the diabetes health seeking behaviour of market vendors at the main market, Gulu Municipality. Method: This cross-sectional study used quantitative and qualitative methods to understand experiences of market vendors on health seeking behaviour. After general sensitization and mobilisation in the market, 400 participants were enrolled for the study, however quantitative analysis was done only on data from 375 participants (316 women and 59 men); 25 participants had missing data; 30 of these 375 were interviewed and the qualitative analyses of their responses offered further insight on health seeking – and is reported here. The qualitative data will be reported later. Results: Mixed responses were obtained from these 30 market vendors about their health seeking behaviour for diabetes. The factors were responsible for their overall health seeking behaviour included crowded hospitals and low frequency of clinic days; lack of accurate knowledge, and uninformed beliefs on diabetes, and poor work-life balance. Major impediments to health seeking were the fear of losing work time and money, and feeling healthy and hence seeing no need for health check-ups or medical care. Conclusion: Awareness of diabetes and the need to seek health care exists, but market vendors are not well informed on tests and care. We recommend that more comprehensive simple-message sensitisation is undertaken to change health seeking behaviour and prevent escalation of non-communicable diseases in northern Uganda and beyond

Are women in Uganda gaining adequate gestational weight? A prospective study in low income urban Kampala

Abstract Background Pre-pregnancy weight and weight gained during pregnancy significantly influence maternal and infant health. Little information is available regarding optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in relation to pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) in Uganda. The study aimed at determining gestational weight gain (GWG) in women pregnant for the first and second time. Methods The study was prospective cohort study which included 221 HIV negative women pregnant for the first or second time. It was conducted in the antenatal clinic of the directorate of gynecology and obstetrics, Mulago hospital and women were recruited at ≤18 weeks of gestation by dates. Follow up measurements were done at 26 and 36 weeks gestation. Measured maternal height and reported pre-pregnancy weight were used to calculate BMI. Depending on BMI category, GWG was categorized as inadequate, adequate and excessive based on the Uganda Ministry of Health guidelines. Results The participants’ mean ± standard deviation (Sd) age was 20.9 ± 2.7 years and mean ± Sd BMI was 21.40 ± 2.73 kg/m2. None of the participants was obese and 68.8% (n = 132) were pregnant for the first time. The mean ± Sd GWG at time of delivery was 10.58 ± 2.44 kg. Inadequate GWG was recorded in 62.5% (n = 120/192) while only 3.1% (n = 6/192) of the participants gained excessive weight during pregnancy. Conclusion About 62% of pregnant women in Kampala did not gain adequate weight during their first/second pregnancy. We recommend that studies be carried out to assess whether the Uganda Ministry of Health recommendations for weight gain during are appropriate for preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes across populations in Uganda