Analysis of main risk factors contributing to obesity in the region of East Africa: meta-analysis

Background: Over a few decades obesity has become a major global health problem. Its prevalence worldwide has more than doubled since 1980. The situation is expected to worsen in the future, especially in the developing countries that experience nutrition transition due to economic growth. It contributes to reduction in malnutrition which supports an increase in obesity prevalence. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the predictors of obesity in the region of East Africa. Methods: Meta-analysis of existing studies was used in order to find the different risk factors and their significance in obesity development. Data extracted from 16 published academic research articles described the situation in East African countries. The significance of the effect of each variable was tested by means of an asymptotic chi-square test, or Fisher's exact (factorial) test and the risk ratios were calculated. Results: Based on the chi-square test and the risk ratios of the aggregated data, three risk factors were found to be significant in the development of obesity – gender, type of residence and socio-economic status. In East African countries, women are significantly more likely to be obese. Living in an urban area and socioeconomic status are also positively associated with obesity. Because of insufficient data three other risk factors did not prove to be of any significance – alcohol consumption, smoking and education level. Conclusion: Conclusions of this meta-analysis confirm world trends but we also found results that are not in line with them (e.g. education). This meta-analysis confirms the huge existing research gap concerning obesity predictors in the East African region. Keywords: Obesity; meta-analysis; East Africa.

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The State of Publishing in East Africa

LOGOS ◽

10.1163/1878-4712-11112080 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 23-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kiarie Kamau

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Publishing Industry ◽

Book Publishing ◽

Digital Publishing ◽

Practical Experience ◽

The State ◽

East African ◽

African Region ◽

African Countries ◽

East African Region

The main aim of this paper is to examine the state of publishing in East Africa. It also attempts to review the situation in Malawi and Zambia, where the author has had practical experience in publishing and marketing. The paper focuses on the growth of the publishing industry in the East African region and how this growth has impacted on access to textbooks and trade publications. It demonstrates that there has been significant growth in the industry, especially in Kenya and Uganda. However, this growth has largely been in the area of publishing of textbooks. Funding for the rollout of curricula in the East African countries has been a blessing to publishers because the funding includes allocations for textbook purchases for both primary and secondary schools. However, this kind of publishing has sounded something of a death knell for the publication of general books such as novels and biographies. The paper also demonstrates that indigenous book-publishing firms have gained a stronger foothold in East Africa in the last ten years and edged out the multinationals. It concludes by indicating that unless the publishing model changes, general publishing will continue to be relegated to the back-burner. At the same time, publishers are challenged to embrace digital publishing, since that is where the future of publishing lies.

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Professional Image of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa: An Exploratory Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20789/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eunice Wambui Ndirangu ◽

Ahmed Sarki ◽

Columba Mbekenga ◽

Grace Edwards

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Interesting Insight ◽

Career Options ◽

Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote nursing and midwifery as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa, and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.Methods: An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses, midwives and doctors regarding the image of nursing and midwifery professions. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to analyse the data. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 24.Results: A total of 551 participants took part in the study. The majority were females (61.8%), registered nurses/midwives (45.8%), and aged 30-39 years (34.2%). The majority of the respondents were from Kenya (39.7%) and Uganda (32.9%). About two-thirds of the nurses and midwives in this study perceived nursing/midwifery as both trusted and respected professions and expressed having a level of control over how their image was portrayed. Conversely, the nurses and midwives were conscious that the public had mixed responses about the nursing/midwifery professions specifically, some members of the public described nurses/midwives as professionals, knowledgeable and caring, others perceived nurses/midwives to be rude, cruel, unkind, lazy, unkempt, and maids.Conclusion: This study offers an interesting insight about the image of nursing/midwifery in East Africa. Findings from this study will inform policy makers and educators about key concepts that affect the image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa. The findings will be used to design marketing materials to help improve the image of nursing and midwifery in the region and other African countries.

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Professional image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa: an exploratory analysis

BMC Nursing ◽

10.1186/s12912-020-00531-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eunice Wambui Ndirangu ◽

Ahmed Mohammed Sarki ◽

Columba Mbekenga ◽

Grace Edwards

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Interesting Insight ◽

Career Options ◽

Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote these professions as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Methods An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding the image of nursing and midwifery professions. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to analyse the data. The semi-structured questions were analysed using content analysis. Results A total of 551 participants took part in the study. The majority were females (61.8%), registered nurses/midwives (45.8%), and aged 30–39 years (34.2%). Most of the respondents were from Kenya (39.7%) and Uganda (32.9%). About two-thirds of the nurses and midwives in this study perceived nursing/midwifery as both trusted and respected professions and expressed having a level of control over how their image was portrayed. Conversely, the nurses and midwives were conscious that the public had mixed responses about the nursing/midwifery professions specifically, some members of the public described nurses/midwives as professionals, knowledgeable and caring, others perceived nurses/midwives to be rude, cruel, unkind, lazy, unkempt, and maids. Conclusion This study offers an interesting insight about the image of nursing/midwifery in East Africa. Findings from this study will inform policy makers and educators about key concepts that affect the image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa. The findings will be used to design marketing materials to help improve the image of nursing and midwifery in the region and other African countries.

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Professional Image of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa: An Exploratory Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20789/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eunice Wambui Ndirangu ◽

Ahmed Sarki ◽

Columba Mbekenga ◽

Grace Edwards

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Interesting Insight ◽

Career Options ◽

Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote these professions as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa, and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.Methods: An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding the image of nursing and midwifery professions. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to analyse the data. The semi-structured questions were analysed using content analysis. Results: A total of 551 participants took part in the study. The majority were females (61.8%), registered nurses/midwives (45.8%), and aged 30-39 years (34.2%). The majority of the respondents were from Kenya (39.7%) and Uganda (32.9%). About two-thirds of the nurses and midwives in this study perceived nursing/midwifery as both trusted and respected professions and expressed having a level of control over how their image was portrayed. Conversely, the nurses and midwives were conscious that the public had mixed responses about the nursing/midwifery professions specifically, some members of the public described nurses/midwives as professionals, knowledgeable and caring, others perceived nurses/midwives to be rude, cruel, unkind, lazy, unkempt, and maids.Conclusion: This study offers an interesting insight about the image of nursing/midwifery in East Africa. Findings from this study will inform policy makers and educators about key concepts that affect the image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa. The findings will be used to design marketing materials to help improve the image of nursing and midwifery in the region and other African countries.

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Prevalence of Alcohol use during pregnancy and its association with partner alcohol use in East Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis

10.1101/687467 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Abate Dargie ◽

Yossef Eshetie ◽

Yared Asmare ◽

Wendimeneh Shibabaw ◽

Kefyalew Dagne

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

East Africa ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

National Level ◽

Total Sample ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Major Health ◽

Pooled Prevalence ◽

Pregnant Mothers

AbstractIntroductionmaternal alcohol beverages consumption (any amount) during pregnancy can result in multiple major health and social problems both for the mother and fetus; including miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and prematurity. At the regional and national level, alcohol use prevalence data is a use full indicator for maternal and child health.Methodsthe researchers were searched for studies using a computerized search engine, main electronic databases, and other applicable sources. Observational studies (case-control, crosssectional and cohort) which assess the prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors among pregnant mothers in East Africa were eligible. Data was extracted thoroughly by two authors independently and screened for eligibility. The Pooled prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and its association with partner alcohol use was determined by using Epi data version 14 statistical software.Resultsthe study included eighteen studies with the total sample size of 41,022 and The overall pooled prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy from the random effects method was found to be 18.85% (95% CI; 11.26, 26.44). The overall weighted odds ration revealed that pregnant women partners’ alcohol use did not have a significant association with study subjects alcohol use during pregnancy; i.e. OR=0.32 (95% CI: −0.39, 1.03).ConclusionsThe overall alcohol use (any amount) during pregnancy is higher in magnitude and pregnant mothers who had alcohol user partner had no association with their use of alcohol beverages. The prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy may be underestimated in the current study due to social desirability bias. Since related study articles were found only in four East African countries, the region may be under-represented due to the limited number of studies included.

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Professional Image of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa: An Exploratory Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20789/v4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Eunice Wambui Ndirangu ◽

Ahmed Sarki ◽

Columba Mbekenga ◽

Grace Edwards

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Interesting Insight ◽

Career Options ◽

Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote these professions as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.Methods: An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding the image of nursing and midwifery professions. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to analyse the data. The semi-structured questions were analysed using content analysis. Results: A total of 551 participants took part in the study. The majority were females (61.8%), registered nurses/midwives (45.8%), and aged 30-39 years (34.2%). Most of the respondents were from Kenya (39.7%) and Uganda (32.9%). About two-thirds of the nurses and midwives in this study perceived nursing/midwifery as both trusted and respected professions and expressed having a level of control over how their image was portrayed. Conversely, the nurses and midwives were conscious that the public had mixed responses about the nursing/midwifery professions specifically, some members of the public described nurses/midwives as professionals, knowledgeable and caring, others perceived nurses/midwives to be rude, cruel, unkind, lazy, unkempt, and maids.Conclusion: This study offers an interesting insight about the image of nursing/midwifery in East Africa. Findings from this study will inform policy makers and educators about key concepts that affect the image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa. The findings will be used to design marketing materials to help improve the image of nursing and midwifery in the region and other African countries.

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Professional Image of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa: An Exploratory Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20789/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eunice Wambui Ndirangu ◽

Ahmed Sarki ◽

Columba Mbekenga ◽

Grace Edwards

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

East African ◽

African Countries ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Interesting Insight ◽

Career Options ◽

Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote these professions as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa, and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.Methods: An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding the image of nursing and midwifery professions. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi square tests were used to analyse the data. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 24.Results: A total of 551 participants took part in the study. The majority were females (61.8%), registered nurses/midwives (45.8%), and aged 30-39 years (34.2%). The majority of the respondents were from Kenya (39.7%) and Uganda (32.9%). About two-thirds of the nurses and midwives in this study perceived nursing/midwifery as both trusted and respected professions and expressed having a level of control over how their image was portrayed. Conversely, the nurses and midwives were conscious that the public had mixed responses about the nursing/midwifery professions specifically, some members of the public described nurses/midwives as professionals, knowledgeable and caring, others perceived nurses/midwives to be rude, cruel, unkind, lazy, unkempt, and maids.Conclusion: This study offers an interesting insight about the image of nursing/midwifery in East Africa. Findings from this study will inform policy makers and educators about key concepts that affect the image of nursing and midwifery in East Africa. The findings will be used to design marketing materials to help improve the image of nursing and midwifery in the region and other African countries.

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Prevalence and dynamics of clinically significant bacterial contaminants in herbal medicines sold in East Africa from 2000 to 2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tropical Medicine and Health ◽

10.1186/s41182-020-00295-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Abdul Walusansa ◽

Savina Asiimwe ◽

Hussein. M. Kafeero ◽

Iramiot. J. Stanley ◽

Jamilu. E. Ssenku ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Herbal Medicine ◽

East Africa ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

East African ◽

African Region ◽

Bacterial Contaminants ◽

Pooled Prevalence ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Public Health Protection

Abstract Background Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the world, and those caused by bacteria are common in the East African region. In this region, trade and consumption of herbal medicine has been expanding in the recent decades. Herbal medicines may be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria; however, there is limited information due to fragmented studies in East Africa. In this meta-analysis, we critically analyzed original research related to the incidence of pathogenic bacterial contaminants of HM in the East African region since 2000. The aim was to create a comprehensive understanding of the extent and dynamics of bacterial contamination in HM, to guide future research and concerted public health protection in the region. Methodology The study was conducted according to the standards of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. We searched and evaluated published articles from eleven electronic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, HerbMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scifinder Scholar, Cochrane Library, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, EMBASE, Biological Abstracts and Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau Abstracts). Prevalences of different bacterial species, Cochran’s Q test, and the I2 statistic for heterogeneity were evaluated using a software called MedCalcs. Random and fixed effects models were used to determine the pooled prevalence of clinically significant bacteria from studies which were included in this meta-analysis. The potential sources of heterogeneity were examined through sensitivity analysis, sub-group analysis, and meta-regression at 95% level of significance. Results Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Overall, the studies were highly heterogeneous (I2 = 98.48%) and there was no evidence of publication bias. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent contaminant. Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. were the most frequently reported primary pathogens with pooled prevalence of 10.4% and 6.3%, respectively. Our findings are in tandem with recent systematic reviews conducted in Europe and Asia, but are in discrepancy with the reviews recently conducted in southern Africa. Conclusion and recommendations The East African herbal medicine industry poses considerable health risks to communities through dissemination of clinically significant bacteria. Presence of enteric bacterial contaminants indicates possible fecal pollution of herbal medicine region-wide. Adequate research pertaining to microbial safety of herbal medicine in the East African countries remains highly desired. The latter will enable establishment of strong, region-wide herbal safety mechanisms in order to support comprehensive public health protection in East Africa.

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Prevalence of Childhood Obesity In Northeastern Ontario: A Cross-sectional Study

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research ◽

10.3148/67.3.2006.143 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 67 (3) ◽

pp. 143-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Foyez Haque ◽

Alberto G. de la Rocha ◽

Betty Ann Horbul ◽

Patricia Desroches ◽

Craig Orrell

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Program Planning ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevalence ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Northern Ontario ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Chi Square Test

Purpose: In Canada, the incidence of childhood obesity has tripled within the past 20 years. The prevalence of obesity in the Timmins, Ontario, student population was studied to gain knowledge for program planning and resource allocation, and to compare Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria with Cole’s international criteria for childhood obesity. Methods: Anthropometric measurements of 801 students were taken. Students were chosen from randomly selected schools for each grade. Data were analyzed according to age, gender, and ethnicity. Data were also compared with other studies. Intragroup comparisons were performed using hypothesis testing for significance with the z table and chi-square test. Results: Overweight and obesity prevalence was 28% according to CDC criteria. No statistical difference was found between genders or among ethnic groups, or between this study and other Canadian studies. In comparison with the CDC criteria, Cole’s international criteria indicated less obesity and increased overweight prevalence. These differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The findings suggest that in the northern Ontario community of Timmins, the prevalence of childhood obesity is of epidemic proportions. When the findings are shared with different agencies, this study will help the health unit to take necessary public health measures to curb the epidemic.

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Antimicrobial Efficacy of Propolis in Comparison to Chlorhexidine against Enterococcus faecalis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11083469 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 3469

Author(s):

Khalid H. Almadi ◽

Muhammad Adeel Ahmed ◽

Tuba Ghazal ◽

Rizwan Jouhar ◽

Mazen F. Alkahtany ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Enterococcus Faecalis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Permanent Teeth ◽

Antibacterial Efficacy ◽

Chi Square ◽

Reporting Standard ◽

Standard Mean Difference ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Chi Square Test

Propolis is proposed to possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which can be used in endodontic applications. However, evidence on its efficacy in comparison to chlorhexidine against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is controversial. The aim of the current study was to compare the antibacterial efficacy of Propolis and chlorhexidine as an intracanal medicament against E. faecalis in extracted human permanent teeth. The focused question was, “Does Propolis show better antibacterial efficacy than Chlorhexidine (CHX) as an intracanal medicament against E. faecalis in extracted human permanent teeth?”. Databases including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, ISI-Web of Science were searched from 1990 to August 2020 using different combinations of the following keywords: “Propolis”, “Intracanal medicament”, “E. faecalis”, “Antibacterial activity” and “Chlorhexidine”. Ten studies fulfilling inclusion criteria were considered for qualitative analysis, followed by quantitative analysis of eight studies. Heterogeneity was calculated for colony forming units (CFU) of E. Faecalis using the Chi-square test and I2 statistics. Forest plots were computed reporting standard mean difference (SMD) of outcomes and 95% confidence intervals. The overall mean difference for CFU of E. faecalis showed a statistically significant difference between the antibacterial efficacy of Propolis and CHX (SMD = 3.20 [1.70, 4.69] Z = 4.20; p < 0.001). CHX showed superior antibacterial efficacy against E. faecalis compared to Propolis.

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