COVID-19 mortality in women and men in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionSince sex-based biological and gender factors influence COVID-19 mortality, we wanted to investigate the difference in mortality rates between women and men in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).MethodWe included 69 580 cases of COVID-19, stratified by sex (men: n=43 071; women: n=26 509) and age (0–39 years: n=41 682; 40–59 years: n=20 757; 60+ years: n=7141), from 20 member nations of the WHO African region until 1 September 2020. We computed the SSA-specific and country-specific case fatality rates (CFRs) and sex-specific CFR differences across various age groups, using a Bayesian approach.ResultsA total of 1656 deaths (2.4% of total cases reported) were reported, with men accounting for 70.5% of total deaths. In SSA, women had a lower CFR than men (mean CFRdiff = −0.9%; 95% credible intervals (CIs) −1.1% to −0.6%). The mean CFR estimates increased with age, with the sex-specific CFR differences being significant among those aged 40 years or more (40–59 age group: mean CFRdiff = −0.7%; 95% CI −1.1% to −0.2%; 60+ years age group: mean CFRdiff = −3.9%; 95% CI −5.3% to −2.4%). At the country level, 7 of the 20 SSA countries reported significantly lower CFRs among women than men overall. Moreover, corresponding to the age-specific datasets, significantly lower CFRs in women than men were observed in the 60+ years age group in seven countries and 40–59 years age group in one country.ConclusionsSex and age are important predictors of COVID-19 mortality globally. Countries should prioritise the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data so as to design public health interventions and ensure that policies promote a gender-sensitive public health response.

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COVID-19 Mortality in Women and Men in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross Sectional Study

10.1101/2021.07.31.21261422 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jyoti Dalal ◽

Isotta Triulzi ◽

Ananthu James ◽

Benedict Nguimbis ◽

Gabriela Guizzo Dri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Age Group ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Credible Intervals ◽

Sub Saharan

Objective: To investigate differences of COVID-19 related mortality among women and men across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from the beginning of the pandemic. Design: A cross sectional study. Setting: Data from 20 member nations of the WHO African region until September 1, 2020. Participants: 69,580 cases of COVID-19, stratified by sex (men, n=43071; women, n=26509) and age (0-39 years, n=41682; 40-59 years, n=20757; 60+ years, n=7141). Main outcome measures: We computed the SSA- and country-specific case fatality rates (CFRs) and sex-specific CFR differences across various age groups, using a Bayesian approach. Results: A total of 1,656 (2.4% of total cases reported; 1656/69580) deaths were reported, with men accounting for 1168/1656 (70.5%) of total deaths. In SSA, women had a lower CFR than men (mean CFR<diff> = -0.9%; 95% credible intervals -1.1% to -0.6%). The mean CFR estimates increased with age, with the sex-specific CFR differences being significant among those aged 40 or more (40-59 age-group: mean CFR<diff> = -0.7%; 95% credible intervals -1.1% to -0.2%; 60+ age-group: mean CFR<diff> = -3.9%; 95% credible intervals -5.3% to -2.4%). At the country level, seven of the twenty SSA countries reported significantly lower CFRs among women than men overall. Moreover, corresponding to the age-specific datasets, significantly lower CFRs in women than men were observed in the 60+ age-group in seven countries and 40-59 age-group in one country. Conclusions: Sex and age are important predictors of COVID-19 mortality. Countries should prioritize the collection and use of sex-disaggregated data to understand the evolution of the pandemic. This is essential to design public health interventions and ensure that policies promote a gender sensitive public health response.

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Review of Risk Factors Associated with Transmission of Urinary Schistosomiasis amongst Vulnerable Groups: School Pupils and Almajiris and Effect of Treatment with Praziquantel in Maiduguri Metropolis, North-Eastern Nigeria.

Sokoto Journal of Medical Laboratory Science ◽

10.4314/sokjmls.v6i3.5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 30-36

Author(s):

H.J. Balla ◽

S. Pius ◽

U.M. Askira

Keyword(s):

Weather Condition ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Age Group ◽

Cure Rate ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urinary Schistosomiasis ◽

Development Goals ◽

Sub Saharan

Human schistosomiasis is the most prevalent tropical disease in the world after malaria. Most of the countries in Sub Saharan Africa including Nigeria have not achieved the Millennium Development Goals for accessing safe drinking water and halting or reversing major disease incidences. School aged children and young Almajiri were selected for the cross-sectional study. Awareness lectures were given at every study site before collection of samples. Urine filtration technique was used for the diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis. Infected subjects were given 60mg Praziquantel and followed up after 28 days and the effect was assessed by calculating the cure rate. A total of 308 subjects were enrolled comprising of 200 school children and 108 Almajiri respectively with a mean age of 13 years old. Female-to-male ratio is 9.6. Out of the 308 participants, 149 had urinary schistosomiasis (48.4%) with 5 among the females (17.2%) and 144 among the males (51.6%) respectively (p>0.005). A significant 26.3% of the respondents had haematuria and 77.8% were infected. Only one respondent admitted having knowledge of the disease. A total 136 of those infected received the treatment of 60mg Praziquantel and 43 (31.6%) showed eggs in their urine 28 days after taking PZQ. Highest (84.6%) cure rate was observed among the youngest age group of 5-9 years and lowest (60.3%) was observed among the oldest age group 15-19 years (p=0.005). An overall prevalence of 48.4% among these vulnerable group of the society calls for a great concern because these group of the population serve as means of maintaining the infection cycle. Dearth of knowledge about schistosomiasis, extreme weather condition, lack of potable water supply and poverty remains the reason behind the continued endemicity of schistosomiasis in the study area.

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Syphilis sero-positivity among pregnant women attending public antenatal clinics: A five-year analysis from 15 public clinics in Gaborone, Botswana

Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.4102/sajid.v31i3.84 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 91-94

Author(s):

A. B. Ganiyu ◽

L. Mason ◽

L. H. Mabuza

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Venereal Disease ◽

Age Groups ◽

Antenatal Clinic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Antenatal Clinics ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

In Pregnancy

Background: The prevalence of syphilis in pregnancy varies across the globe and among different age groups within the same country. In sub-Saharan Africa, syphilis prevalence among pregnant women has been found to range from 2.5 to 18% among antenatal clinic attendees, with the highest prevalence in the age group 35–49 years. Also, it is higher in the rural than urban clinics.Objectives: To determine trends in syphilis prevalence using the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) and the Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test among pregnant women attending the public antenatal clinics in Gaborone, Botswana (2004–2008).Study design: Cross-sectional study using routinely collected antenatal data.Results: The overall syphilis prevalence amongst pregnant women in Gaborone, Botswana decreased from 2.96% (95% CI, 2.55– 3.37) in 2004 to 1.15% (95% CI, 0.89–1.41) in 2008 (p 0.001). The age specific prevalence per total number of reactive VDRL/RPR was highest amongst pregnant women aged 26 to 30 years (p 0.001) and lowest for those aged 16 to 20 years (p 0.025) during the period 2004–2008. However, there were variations in syphilis prevalence rates within and between the clinics.Conclusion: Syphilis sero-positivity in pregnancy in Gaborone, Botswana has been declining for the last five years, but was more prevalent amongst pregnant women aged 26 to 30 years with the lowest prevalence among those aged 16 to 20 years during the period 2004 to 2008. This decline may be attributed to a number of factors and, in particular, the adoption of the syndromic approach for management of sexually transmitted infections in the country.

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Measle Outbreak investigation, Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1058623/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammed Hasen Badeso ◽

Shukuri Kebata ◽

Kibatu Merhaba

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Age Group ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Childhood Morbidity ◽

Measle Outbreak ◽

Microsoft Office ◽

Bale Zone

Abstract Purpose Measles is still an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality even in developed countries. It is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among young children. The Bale zone reported a measle outbreak on 1/15/2019. This study was conducted to describe the magnitude of the measle outbreak in the Bale Zone. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study from September 20 to November 15, 2019, by reviewing the line lists of the cases. We checked the data for completeness and analyzed using epi-info version 7 and Microsoft Office Excel 2016. Results A total of 2753 measle cases with attack rate (AR) 201per 100,000 population and 7 death (0.25% case fatality rate) were reported during this confirmed outbreak (all five samples positive for measle IgM test). Males (0.21%) and females (0.19%) were almost equally affected. The AR was 736 per 100,000 population among 9months-4years age groups followed by an age group less than 9months (682 per 100,000 population). Most of the cases were unvaccinated (74.9%). Conclusion The majority of the cases were unvaccinated and 9months to 4years followed by less than 9months of age groups. We recommend strengthening the routine immunization and surveillance to prevent the occurrence of the measle outbreak.

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Prevalence, factors associated and treatment outcome of hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates admitted to St Francis hospital, Nsambya, Uganda: a descriptive study

African Health Sciences ◽

10.4314/ahs.v20i1.46 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 397-405

Author(s):

Catherine Nyangabyaki-Twesigye ◽

Edison Mworozi ◽

Charles Namisi ◽

Victoria Nakibuuka ◽

Joshua Kayiwa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Outcome ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Haemolytic Disease ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

National Referral Hospital ◽

Timely Treatment

Background: With targeted management of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in high-income countries, there has been a dras- tic drop in both the prevalence and mortality. On the contrary, over two-thirds of the global burden of neonatal hyperbiliru- binaemia is in Sub-saharan Africa and South East Asia with a high mortality risk of 16-35%. Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia is not a leading global cause of neonatal mortality, however leads to irreversible neurological damage and death when managed poorly. Three-quarters of the babies admitted to the national referral hospital in Uganda had significant hyperbilirubin- aremia; 16.6% of these babies died. We aimed at determining the prevalence, treatment outcome and describing factors associated with hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates admitted to St Francis hospital, Nsambya. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out. A total of 242 files of babies with a preliminary diagnosis of hyperbiliru- binaemia were retrieved retrospectively. Relevant data was extracted from the files and analysed using STATA version 14.0. Results: The prevalence of significant hyperbillirubinaemia was 22.7% (55/242). Seventy-seven percent of the babies ad- mitted did not require treatment for hyperbilirubinaemia. No factors were found to be significantly associated with sig- nificant hyperbilirubinaemia. The case fatality for severe hyperbilirubinaemia was 20% (6/30); half of these babies had haemolytic disease of the newborn. Conclusion: Establishment of local guidelines will prevent unnecessary admissions and ensure timely treatment is admin- istered. Longitudinal studies are required to discover factors associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in this region. Keywords: Neonatal jaundice; hyperbilirubinaemia; phototherapy; exchange transfusion.

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Malaria and Helminth Coinfection among Children at the Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital

Journal of Tropical Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/3702693 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Ashungafack Flavio ◽

Yamssi Cedric ◽

Noumedem Anangmo Christelle Nadia ◽

Vincent Khan Payne

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Health Issues ◽

Pediatric Hospital ◽

Stagnant Water ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Helminth Infections ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Socioeconomic Data

Background. Malaria and helminth infections are major public health issues in sub-Saharan Africa including Cameroon. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and risk factors associated with malaria and helminth coinfection among children in the Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (HGOPED) in Douala, southwestern Cameroon. Material and Methods. The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study that took place from January to July 2020 where 203 children were involved. Blood samples were collected from the children and thick blood smears were prepared and examined microscopically for malaria parasites. Stool samples were also collected and examined through the Kato-Katz technique for the identification of helminth eggs. Demographic and socioeconomic data and information of participant’s knowledge on the transmission of malaria and helminth infections were collected with the use of a well-structured questionnaire. Results. The overall prevalence of P. falciparum infection was 28.8%, while the overall prevalence of helminth was 9.36%. The only species of helminth identified were Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura with a prevalence of 4.26% and 2.95%, respectively, and mixed infection of both A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura with a prevalence of 1.47%. Coinfection of malaria and helminth was observed with a prevalence of 6.90%. Associations of malaria-helminth coinfection with age groups, parent’s educational level, type of latrine, and source of water factors were not statistically significant ( p > 0.05 ), while the prevalence of the coinfection with respect to parent’s occupation, presence of stagnant water around homes, washing of hands after using the toilet, and washing of fruits before eating was statistically significant ( p < 0.05 ). Conclusion. The findings suggest that helminths and malaria infections tend to occur in children. Not washing hands after using the toilet, not washing fruits before eating, the presence of stagnant water around homes, and parents’ occupation were found to be strongly associated with coinfection. Health education on the importance of better sewage disposal, draining of stagnant water around homes, and other sanitary practices is recommended.

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Maternal healthcare utilsation and complete childhood vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional study of 29 nationally representative surveys

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045992 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e045992

Author(s):

Eugene Budu ◽

Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽

Richard Gyan Aboagye ◽

Ebenezer Kwesi Armah-Ansah ◽

Abdul-Aziz Seidu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Utilisation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Childhood Vaccination ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Service Utilisation ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Maternal Healthcare ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sub Saharan

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to examine the association between maternal healthcare utilisation and complete childhood vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa.DesignOur study was a cross-sectional study that used pooled data from 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.ParticipantsA total of 60 964 mothers of children aged 11–23 months were included in the study.Outcome variablesThe main outcome variable was complete childhood vaccination. The explanatory variables were number of antenatal care (ANC) visits, assistance during delivery and postnatal care (PNC).ResultsThe average prevalence of complete childhood vaccination was 85.6%, ranging from 67.0% in Ethiopia to 98.5% in Namibia. Our adjusted model, children whose mothers had a maximum of three ANC visits were 56% less likely to have complete vaccination, compared with those who had at least four ANC visits (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.44, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.46). Children whose mothers were assisted by traditional birth attendant/other (aOR=0.43, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.56) had lower odds of complete vaccination. The odds of complete vaccination were lower among children whose mothers did not attend PNC clinics (aOR=0.26, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.29) as against those whose mothers attended.ConclusionThe study found significant variations in complete childhood vaccination across countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Maternal healthcare utilisation (ANC visits, skilled birth delivery, PNC attendance) had significant association with complete childhood vaccination. These findings suggest that programmes, interventions and strategies aimed at improving vaccination should incorporate interventions that can enhance maternal healthcare utilisation. Such interventions can include education and sensitisation, reducing cost of maternal healthcare and encouraging male involvement in maternal healthcare service utilisation.

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Unravelling the Perspectives of Day and Night Traders in Selected Markets within a Sub-Saharan African City with a Malaria Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073468 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3468

Author(s):

Patience B. Tetteh-Quarcoo ◽

Nicholas T. K. D. Dayie ◽

Kevin Kofi Adutwum-Ofosu ◽

John Ahenkorah ◽

Emmanuel Afutu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Malaria Treatment ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African City ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attitudes And Practices ◽

Treatment Type ◽

Significant Difference ◽

High Knowledge ◽

Sub Saharan

Background: Malaria is still endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, with a high disease burden. Misconceptions about malaria contribute to poor attitudes and practices, further increasing the burden in endemic countries. Studies have examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of malaria among different populations. However, there seems to be no available literature reporting on the perspectives of day and night market traders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on malaria KAP with a focus on day and night market traders. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving day and night market traders in 10 selected markets within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana was carried out. Data were collected from consenting respondents using a structured questionnaire. Results: Of the 760 respondents (33.3% (n = 253) night and 66.7% (n = 507) day traders) interviewed, there was no significant difference between the day and night market traders in terms of malaria KAP. Although the market traders had an overall moderate knowledge (54.0% of the day traders and 56.5% of the night traders), misconceptions about malaria (especially that it could be caused by exposure to the sun) still existed among the traders. Moreover, the majority of the traders who demonstrated high knowledge (43.98%, n = 250) did not always take laboratory tests to confirm their suspicion, indicating poor attitude. Furthermore, the market traders’ choice of drug for malaria treatment (p = 0.001) and preferred malaria treatment type (orthodox or herbal) (p = 0.005) were significantly associated with their knowledge level. Conclusions: Despite the observation that no significant difference in KAP exists between day and night market traders, appropriate health education programs and interventions still need to be directed at misconceptions, poor attitudes, and poor practices revealed by this study. This will ultimately help in the prevention and control of malaria in Ghana, and globally.

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Comparison of Prevalence of Periodontitis with Different Indices in Population of District Ghaziabad

Dental Journal of Advance Studies ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1672041 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 04 (01) ◽

pp. 023-030

Author(s):

Vimal Kumar ◽

Pallak Arora ◽

Manish Khatri ◽

Shivani Sharma ◽

Sumit Malhotra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Periodontal Disease ◽

Total Population ◽

Age Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sample Population ◽

Age Group ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Multi Stage ◽

Younger Age ◽

Study Population

Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of periodontal disease with different indices. Methods & materials: The study population consisted of multistage stratified random sample of 1300 subjects from total population of district Ghaziabad. A cross-sectional study was conducted with multi stage stratified random sampling techniques to select the sample population. The subjects were divided into different age groups and the periodontal assessment was made on the basis of CPITN index and ESI Index. Results: The CPITN has shown to estimate incorrect periodontal disease prevalence because of its underestimation of the disease severity. A huge difference was noticed in the prevalence rate of periodontitis when subjects were examined with ESI index. Conclusion Periodontal disease was found to be highly prevalent in the study population and severity of disease increased with age. More number of subjects in younger age group were found to be healthy.

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