Background: Surgical Site Infections are the second most common type of health care-associated infection. Prior to this study, no research of this kind had been done at Ndola Teaching Hospital in Ndola, Zambia, to determine the prevalence... more
Background: Surgical Site Infections are the second most common type of health care-associated infection. Prior to this study, no research of this kind had been done at Ndola Teaching Hospital in Ndola, Zambia, to determine the prevalence of SSI after general surgery. This study therefore aimed at determining the burden and associated risk factors for surgical site infections in General Surgery Department of Ndola Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based retrospective descriptive study conducted Ndola Teaching Hospital general surgery dept. Selected and operated patients’ hospital records were reviewed. Pearson Chi-square test and Odds ratio were used to test for each risk factor’s association with SSI followed by their 95% confidence interval. Only p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The burden of surgical site infections was 18% [OR=0.394; 95%CI = (0.179-0.867)]. Factors that showed a significant association with the burden w...
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Background: Considering the respiratory health risk of exposure to biomass cooking fuel emissions, this study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between cooking fuel choices and declined pulmonary function in rural and urban... more
Background: Considering the respiratory health risk of exposure to biomass cooking fuel emissions, this study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between cooking fuel choices and declined pulmonary function in rural and urban population in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 1,170 healthy nonsmoking pregnant women from Masaiti and Ndola predominantly using biomass fuel for cooking. Questionnaire based data was acquired along with standardized measures of lung function. MIR Spirobank G (Italy) was used in spirometry based on American Thoracic Standards. Results: The present study found that over two thirds (69.2%) of pregnant women in the study population use biomass for cooking and only 12.4 % use electricity only. Declined lung function was found to be statistically significantly associated with cooking fuel choices (p – value 0.005) and a weak association was observed with gravida at a p-value of 0.056. Pregnant women using...
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Background. Good sleep quality is cardinal to good health, and research has shown that it plays a fundamental role in immunity, learning, metabolism, and other biological functions. Energy drink consumption is a popular practice among... more
Background. Good sleep quality is cardinal to good health, and research has shown that it plays a fundamental role in immunity, learning, metabolism, and other biological functions. Energy drink consumption is a popular practice among college students in the United States. There has been little research done on the consumption of energy drinks and its effects in Zambian universities. The main objective was to determine the effects of energy drinks on sleep quality among students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 195 undergraduate students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in their second- and third-year of study. Energy drink consumption and sleep quality were assessed by univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. 157 students were enrolled into the study. The prevalence of energy drink consumption was 27.4% among participants. Studying for an exam was the most common reason for drinking energy...
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Background: Cervical cancer is the second highest cause of cancer related death worldwide, the highest in Africa and also the most frequent cancer in Zambian women. The incidence is high in human immunodeficiency virus positive (HIV+)... more
Background: Cervical cancer is the second highest cause of cancer related death worldwide, the highest in Africa and also the most frequent cancer in Zambian women. The incidence is high in human immunodeficiency virus positive (HIV+) patient as established by some sources. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the association of HIV infection and other risk factors to cervical cancer. Method: The study was a cross sectional retrospective study done at Ndola central hospital in Zambia. A sample size of 172 was made up of 86 confirmed cases of cervical cancer and 86 suspected cases of cervical cancer. The statistical tests used in the analysis of the data were the chi square and regression bivariate logistical model. The level of significance was 0.05.Results: No significant relation was observed between HIV status and cervical cancer (AOR=1.00; 95% CI [0.71, 1.42]). Compared with the individuals aged 45 years or older, those aged less than 35 years were 62% (AOR=0.38;95%CI(0.22,0.67)) less likely to have cervical cancer.Conclusion: There is no association between HIV infection and cervical cancer in the years 2013 and 2014. There was an association between age and cervical cancer. There was an association between being on HAART and cervical cancer hence we conclude that HAART.
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Background: Among the factors that contribute to stress is poor social support systems and age. Stress causes the lowering of immunity and predisposes individuals to infections. This accounts for the general malaise the caregivers present... more
Background: Among the factors that contribute to stress is poor social support systems and age. Stress causes the lowering of immunity and predisposes individuals to infections. This accounts for the general malaise the caregivers present with whilst looking after patents in the hospital. “Stress occurs when the demands are appraised as exceeding a person’s resources to cope”. The objectives of the study were to find the prevalence and correlates for stress among caregivers at Ndola Teaching Hospital. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study and was done at Ndola Teaching Hospital in Ndola on the Copperbelt province of Zambia using a standardized questionnaire. Results: The study enrolled 197 participants. The overall prevalence of stress was 67.52% which was133 participants. The factor associated with stress was poor family support (51.8%) and age (67.5%) among the correlates. Discussion: The study has demonstrated that stress is a major problem among caregivers at Ndola Teaching Hospital. Those who had a poor family support system were more likely to suffer from stress and further complained of malaise
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Introduction: Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases globally. Early control of oral health behaviours is important because lifestyles acquired during adolescence are powerful predictors of adult health.... more
Introduction: Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases globally. Early control of oral health behaviours is important because lifestyles acquired during adolescence are powerful predictors of adult health. We conducted a study to determine knowledge, attitude and practices on oral hygiene among school going adolescents in Choma District. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among school going adolescents in randomly selected schools in Choma District. A total of 335 participants were included in the study. Data were collected using a closed-end self-administered questionnaire. The sample size was distributed among the six schools in the ratio of their population. The study included anyone from grade 8-12. Data were analysed using IBM software for SPSS. We employed the Chi-Square test to investigate association between variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study had 173 males and 162 fe...
Background: Cigarette smoking intention is a strong predictor of cigarette smoking initiation. There is limited data on predictors of cigarette smoking intentions among adolescents in developing countries. Objective: To determine factors... more
Background: Cigarette smoking intention is a strong predictor of cigarette smoking initiation. There is limited data on predictors of cigarette smoking intentions among adolescents in developing countries. Objective: To determine factors associated with cigarettes smoking intentions among never-smoked adolescents. Methods: The study utilized the Zambia 2011 Global Youth Tobacco Survey dataset on adolescents. Results: Being in grade nine compared to grade seven (AOR 0.43, 95%CI 0.23-0.82). Having a smoking father (AOR 2.38, 95%CI 1.25-453) mother (AOR 11.77, 95%CI 4.16-33.33), or both parents (AOR 7.05, 95%CI 2.91-17.10) showed significantly higher chance of having smoking intentions than having non-smoker parents. Also, having some (AOR 1.97, 95%CI 1.12-3.47), most (AOR 5.37, 95%CI 2.82-10.25), or all (AOR 3.75, 95%CI 1.64-8.56) smoker close friend was significantly associated with smoking intention compared to having none-smoker friends. Being around others who smoked in out-door p...
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Abstract Abstract: Verbal abuse during childbirth constitutes a violation of women’s human rights and indicates poor maternal health care. The aim of the study was to investigate experiences and drivers of verbal abuse among women in... more
Abstract Abstract: Verbal abuse during childbirth constitutes a violation of women’s human rights and indicates poor maternal health care. The aim of the study was to investigate experiences and drivers of verbal abuse among women in Ndola and Kitwe health facilities. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey. Qualitative and quantitative data using questionnaires and focus group interviews were employed. The study was done in the Ndola and Kitwe districts of Zambia. The target population were women attending postnatal services who had a live birth within 28 days of delivery. Twenty clinics were randomly selected and a total of 306 women were recruited using convenient sampling. Eleven percent of the study population experienced verbal abuse during intrapartum care. A 1-year increase in age reduced the odds of experiencing verbal abuse (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80–0.99). Women who consumed alcohol more frequently experienced verbal abuse than women who never consumed alcohol (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.91, 99% CI 2.12–16.51), and women with bleached skin color more often experienced verbal abuse than women with natural skin tone (AOR = 3.95, 95% CI 1.13–13.83). Further, women with a medium skin tone were less likely (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.03–0.84) to experience verbal abuse. Other key drivers of verbal abuse include language barriers, laziness, vomiting, lack of seriousness, crying, lack of cooperation, and moving around during labour. We conclude that women experience various forms of verbal abuse. Therefore, there is a need to implement interventions that tackle the multiplicity of factors that drive verbal abuse at the individual, structural, and policy level. Further, there is a need to enhance training in respectful maternity care among service providers.
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Abstract Objective Developing countries have seen an increase in the use of hormonal contraception due to its high efficacy in preventing pregnancy. Our study assessed risk compensation among single women of reproductive age using... more
Abstract Objective Developing countries have seen an increase in the use of hormonal contraception due to its high efficacy in preventing pregnancy. Our study assessed risk compensation among single women of reproductive age using hormonal contraception. Methods The study used data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional sample of the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Study participants (N = 2151) were single, sexually active women aged 15–49 years, of whom 595 were using hormonal contraception. Results Hormonal contraception was used by 26% of participants, 81% of whom reported they had not used a condom every time they had sexual intercourse (p < .001). Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were reported in 4% of hormonal contraceptive users, compared with 2% of non-hormonal contraceptive users (p = .036). The odds of condom use at each occurrence of sexual intercourse were lower for: hormonal contraceptive users (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48, 0.80); women aged 15–19 years (adjusted OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.36, 1.08) and 20–24 years (adjusted OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.33, 0.95); women with no education (adjusted OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.16, 0.69) and primary education (adjusted OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42, 0.94); women in the low wealth quintile (adjusted OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.36, 0.61); and women who had one or more children (adjusted OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.45, 0.77). Conclusion Lack of knowledge about hormonal contraception predisposes women to sexual risk behaviour. As hormonal contraception is very effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy, and condoms are effective in reducing the risk of STI transmission, the use of both (dual protection) should be encouraged.
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Background: Impaired fasting glucose level has been associated with increased incidence of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus, and diabetes is becoming a major public health problem in developing countries. The objective of the study was to... more
Background: Impaired fasting glucose level has been associated with increased incidence of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus, and diabetes is becoming a major public health problem in developing countries. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and correlates for impaired fasting glucose level/diabetes in Kaoma and Kasama rural districts of Zambia. Methods and Findings: A cross sectional study using a modified World Health Organization (WHO) global non communicable diseases (NCD) surveillance initiative NCD - STEPwise approach was used in the study. Proportions were compared using the Yates’ corrected Chi-square test, and a result yielding a p value of less than 5% was considered statistically significant. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Factors that were statistically significantly associated with the outcome in bivariate analyses were considered in a multivariate logistic regression analysis using a backward variable selection...
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IntroductionYellow fever virus infection is a public health problem in Africa. Epidemics of YF have spread from West Africa (1, 2) where 13 of 14 west African countries reported YFV infection from 2000 to 2006 (3, 4, 5) to North Africa... more
IntroductionYellow fever virus infection is a public health problem in Africa. Epidemics of YF have spread from West Africa (1, 2) where 13 of 14 west African countries reported YFV infection from 2000 to 2006 (3, 4, 5) to North Africa (6), East Africa (7), Central Africa and Southern Africa (8).Yellow fever affects about 200000 people annually in the tropics of Africa and South America (9). Symptoms for YF virus infection includes: fever, chills, severe headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weakness to severe liver disease with bleeding. About 15% of cases progress to a more severe form of the disease that is characterized by high fever, jaundice, bleeding, and eventually shock and failure of multiple organs (10). There is no treatment for yellow fever and only symptoms can be alleviated. YF virus infection can be prevented by using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and getting vaccinated.Although by 2005, Yellow fever was endemic in Co...
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Background: Reliance on biomass for cooking and heating exposes many women in developing countries to high levels of many health-damaging air pollutants indoors. Numerous studies have linked household air pollution to adverse birth... more
Background: Reliance on biomass for cooking and heating exposes many women in developing countries to high levels of many health-damaging air pollutants indoors. Numerous studies have linked household air pollution to adverse birth outcomes such as intrauterine growth retardation, reduced birth weight and preterm birth often at pollution levels substantially lower than typically found in biomass-burning homes. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between household air pollution using Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) as indicators and birth outcomes such as low birth weight (LBW), Preterm Delivery (PTD) and Small for Gestational Age (SGA). Methods: The associations of PM2.5 and VOC with birth outcomes (LBW, PTD and SGA) were assessed in a cross sectional study of 1,170 consenting pregnant women. PM2.5 and VOC were monitored in households and birth outcomes were measured based on standard procedures. Bivariate and multivariate logistic re...
IntroductionYellow fever (YF) is estimated to affect about 200,000 people annually in the tropics of Africa and South America (1) and 30,000 deaths occur worldwide (2). The majority of persons infected with YF suffer from a self-limiting... more
IntroductionYellow fever (YF) is estimated to affect about 200,000 people annually in the tropics of Africa and South America (1) and 30,000 deaths occur worldwide (2). The majority of persons infected with YF suffer from a self-limiting febrile illness. In persons who develop symptoms, symptoms occur 3-6 days after being infected and include fever, chills, severe headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weakness to severe liver disease with bleeding. Most persons who develop symptoms improve after the initial presentation of symptoms. About 15% of cases progress to a more severe form of the disease that is characterized by high fever, jaundice, bleeding, and eventually shock and failure of multiple organs (3). There is no specific treatment for yellow fever; care is based on symptoms. Steps to prevent yellow fever virus infection include using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and getting vaccinated (3).Transmission of YF in Africa has bee...
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IntroductionIssues of reproductive health and sexuality are very important fundamental aspects of our day to day living (1) and yet not much has been documented on the prevalence and correlates of sexual behaviour among adolescents (2,... more
IntroductionIssues of reproductive health and sexuality are very important fundamental aspects of our day to day living (1) and yet not much has been documented on the prevalence and correlates of sexual behaviour among adolescents (2, 3). There are undesirable consequences of sexual activity among school going adolescents which include human immunodeficiency virus infection and unwanted pregnancy (4). School going adolescents may also engage in substance use risk behaviours (5), which have an impact on their sexual behaviour, for instance researchers have documented that sexual risk taking and heavy alcohol use coexist in many communities of young people (6,7). Zabin (8) in the study that sought to explore the association between smoking and sexual behaviour among teens in US contraceptive clinics, noted that smoking may be representative of a cluster of behaviours which are especially problematical when initiated outside the normative schedule of such behaviours. Therefore, accura...
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Objectives : To determine the prevalence and factors associated with hypertension among full-time UNZA academic staff. Design : Cross-sectional study. Main outcome measure : Raised blood pressure. Results : A total of 100 full time... more
Objectives : To determine the prevalence and factors associated with hypertension among full-time UNZA academic staff. Design : Cross-sectional study. Main outcome measure : Raised blood pressure. Results : A total of 100 full time employed University of Zambia staff was enrolled into the study of which 25% were females. Altogether 22% of the participants smoked cigarettes, and 63% of them consumed alcohol. Overall, 40% of the participants were hypertensive. Age was significantly associated with hypertension. On each birthday, participants were 16% (OR=1.16, 95% CI [1.09, 1.23]) more likely to be hypertensive. Conclusions : The prevalence of hypertension was high and interventions must be put in place to curtail this high rate of hypertension among academic staff of the University of Zambia.
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IntroductionDengue is a mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) systemic viral infection found in tropical and sub-tropical regions and has become a major public health concern worldwide (1). The complications of dengue infection (Dengue... more
IntroductionDengue is a mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) systemic viral infection found in tropical and sub-tropical regions and has become a major public health concern worldwide (1). The complications of dengue infection (Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome) are life-threatening in those with chronic diseases and asthma (2). Major epidemics caused by dengue fever occurred from the 17th to early 20th centuries (3). It is estimated that close to 4 billion persons living in 128 countries are at risk of dengue infection (4), with the virus being endemic in over 110 countries. The endemic countries are in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-east Asia and Western Pacific. Severely affected regions including the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-east Asia and Western Pacific reported more than 1.2 million and 2.3 million cases in 2008 and 2010 respectively.Dengue epidemics in Africa have increased since 1980 with most activity documented in East A...
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The incidence of unplanned pregnancies is on the rise in Zambia. The results from a study aimed at determining the level of knowledge and factors associated with the use of contraceptives among single women in tertiary education is... more
The incidence of unplanned pregnancies is on the rise in Zambia. The results from a study aimed at determining the level of knowledge and factors associated with the use of contraceptives among single women in tertiary education is documented in this manuscript.A cross section study was conducted using a structured questionnaire to 180 consenting participants. The Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between qualitative variables. A result yielding a p value of less that 0.05 was considered significant. The response rate was 70% with 126 out of 180 questionnaires being returned. The respondents aged 25 years or older (48.8%) had more knowledge than respondents aged less than 25 years (20.0%) concerning contraceptives (p<0.001). Those who did not use school as a source of knowledge about contraceptives were 61% (OR = 0.39; 95% CI [0.16, 0.93]) less likely to have high contraceptive knowledge compared to respondents who sourced information on contraceptive knowled...
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Background Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) is a key intervention in HIV/AIDS. Improving VMMC program uptake in Zambia requires careful monitoring of adverse events (AE) to inform program quality and safety. We investigate the... more
Background Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) is a key intervention in HIV/AIDS. Improving VMMC program uptake in Zambia requires careful monitoring of adverse events (AE) to inform program quality and safety. We investigate the prevalence of VMMC AE and their associated factors among adult males in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study using secondary clinical data collected in 2015 using two validated World Health Organisation/Ministry of Health reporting forms. We reviewed demographics and VMMC surgical details from 391 randomly sampled adult males aged ≥18 years at Ndola Teaching Hospital, a specialised VMMC fixed site in Zambia. Non-parametric tests (Fisher’s exact test or Chi-square depending on assumptions being met) and logistic regression were conducted to determine the relationships between associated factors and VMMC AE. Results The overall VMMC AE prevalence was 3.1% (95% CI 1.60%– 5.30%) and most AEs occurred postoperat...
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Background: Epilepsy is a neurological condition that has proven to be a major public health challenge worldwide, including Zambia. Despite the availability of many treatment alternatives, people with epilepsy still experience seizures.... more
Background: Epilepsy is a neurological condition that has proven to be a major public health challenge worldwide, including Zambia. Despite the availability of many treatment alternatives, people with epilepsy still experience seizures. There is paucity of information on the control of seizures and associated factors in Zambia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among epileptic patients at Kitwe and Ndola Teaching Hospitals, two referral hospitals in Northern Zambia, from September 2 to September 23, 2019. We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of seizure control. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals are reported. Results: A total of 220 epileptic patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, 23.6% had controlled seizures while 76.4% had uncontrolled seizures. Occupation (p value=0.018), level of education (p value<0.001), clinic attendance (p value<0.001), drug adherence (p value<0.001), b...
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Introduction: Climate change may worsen existing indoor air problems and create new problems by altering outdoor conditions that affect indoor conditions. Since climate change is due to both natural variability and human-induced... more
Introduction: Climate change may worsen existing indoor air problems and create new problems by altering outdoor conditions that affect indoor conditions. Since climate change is due to both natural variability and human-induced contributions, public health professionals through their expertise in health promotion and behavior change can play a vital role in promoting lifestyle choices that will decrease greenhouse gas emissions. This study, therefore, aims at presenting the health effects of indoor air pollutants from biomass use. Methods: A cross sectional study involving 1,170 consenting women was conducted in Masaiti and Ndola districts of Zambia. Data collection tools included a structured questionnaire; foobot (indoor air quality monitoring device) and spirometer (lung function test device). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 and analyses were done at Univariate, bivariate and multivariate level at 5% statistical significant level. Results: Population using biomass as coo...
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ObjectiveThe objective of the paper was to investigate the spatial distribution and correlates of tobacco smoking in various regions of Zambia.MethodsThis paper adopts a cross-sectional study design. The study used data from the 2013/2014... more
ObjectiveThe objective of the paper was to investigate the spatial distribution and correlates of tobacco smoking in various regions of Zambia.MethodsThis paper adopts a cross-sectional study design. The study used data from the 2013/2014 Zambia Demographic Health Survey which is a nationwide health survey conducted in all the 10 provinces. A random sample of men and women from 15 920 households was successfully selected and interviewed. All women aged 15–49 and men aged 15–59 who were either permanent residents of the households or visitors present in the households on the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed.ResultsThe results show that 8.2% and 11% of Zambians in urban and rural areas smoke, respectively. In urban areas, the risk of being a cigarette smoker was 2.31 (CI: 1.69 to 3.16) and 2.03 (CI: 1.36 to 3.02) times higher for the divorced and separated. However, the risk of being a cigarette smoker was lower for those with some formal education. In rural are...
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Background and Purpose: It has been demonstrated that obesity is a condition which is associated with a number of factors andstudies show that individuals who are overweight or obese run a greater risk of developing diabetes mellitus,... more
Background and Purpose: It has been demonstrated that obesity is a condition which is associated with a number of factors andstudies show that individuals who are overweight or obese run a greater risk of developing diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some forms of cancer. The objective of this study was to identify the factors that are associated with obesity among adults at Ndola Central Hospital (NCH), Zambia.Methods: All clients aged18 years and above who were coming for medical clinic at NCH in a period of 2 months (01/01/2016 to 28/022016.) were captured in the study. A case control study was conducted. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data and anthropometric measurements were done. Data entry and analysis were conducted using Epi Data version 3.1 and SPSS version 16.0, respectively. The Pearson’s Chi-square and the Fisher’s exact tests were used to establish associations. The cut off point for statistical significance was set at the 5% level. Results: A total of 80 individuals participated in this study. In this population 40 were obese and 40 had normal BMI. Among the obese, 26(65.0%) were aged 40+, while those who had normal BMI 22(55.0%) were <40 years old. It was also found that of the obese patients 32(80.0%) were females and only 8(20.0%) were males, while in the normal population 23(57.5%) were male and 17(42.5%) were female [Table2]. 26(81.2%) of obese patients who had their blood pressure measured were hypertensive (blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg while only 9(27.3%) of the normal population were hypertensive. It was noticed that the majority 27(67.5%) of obese patients either did less than moderate exercise or no exercise at all, while the majority 23(57.5%) in normal population did exercise. Results also showed that 10(25%) of obese population used vegetable oil while 30(75.0%) used non vegetable oil.Conclusions: In conclusion, it was found that Hypertension was independently associated with obesity among adults attending medical clinic at NCH, other factors which were associated with obesity were Exercise, Type of cooking oil used and sex.
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Background: Neonatal mortality has been a public health concern for a long time and remains relatively unchanged especially in developing countries. In Zambia, 34% of all under-five deaths occur in the neonatal period. Methods: The study... more
Background: Neonatal mortality has been a public health concern for a long time and remains relatively unchanged especially in developing countries. In Zambia, 34% of all under-five deaths occur in the neonatal period. Methods: The study was designed as a comparison of cases and controls – new-born children who died before the age of 28 days and those who survived (treated) beyond 28 days respectively. Data was extracted from the 2014 and 2015 summary reports from the HMIS at Arthur Davison’s Children Hospital in Ndola Zambia. A multivariate logistic regression model was built through a back-wards step process to determine the factors associated with neonatal deaths.Results: A total of 1,534 records were extracted from the 2015 HMIS and 924 from the 2014 HMIS. Out of the total, 1,272 were treated whilst 262 died in 2015 and 726 were treated and 198 died in 2014. In 2015, infections caused less neonatal deaths than prematurity (AOR=0.29, CI 95% (0.21, 0.38)). In 2014, the sex of a child was significantly associated with surviving the first week of life; females were less likely to die than males (AOR= 0.62, CI 95 %( 0.44, 0.89)). Also in 2014, infections caused less neonatal deaths than prematurity (AOR=0.25, CI 95% (0.18, 0.36)).Conclusion and recommendations: This study revealed that factors associated with neonatal mortality include cause of death and sex. The sex of a neonate was significantly associated with surviving the first week of life. Further classification of cause of death would be beneficial in policy formulation.
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Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are among the leading causes of acute illnesses worldwide and remain the most important cause of infant and young children mortality especially in developing countries. In Zambia, ARI are... more
Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are among the leading causes of acute illnesses worldwide and remain the most important cause of infant and young children mortality especially in developing countries. In Zambia, ARI are among the top ten leading causes of morbidity leading to hospital visitations and admissions of children under five years of age. The objective of the study was to determine the risk factors associated with acute respiratory infections. Methods: A case-control study of hospitalized under-five children at Arthur Davison children’s hospital in Ndola was conducted. Results: The study comprised 220 participants of which 107 were cases and 113 were controls. A total of 126 (57.3%) were male children (56.1% of cases and 58.4% of controls). Factors associated with ARI were: mothers with history of ARI (AOR=2.31; 95%CI [1.57, 3.42]); siblings with a history of ARI (AOR=1.69; 95%CI [1.12, 2.55]); household with a separate room for cooking (AOR=2.86; 95% CI [1.54,5.32]); families that usually did not use any transport media (AOR=0.57;95% CI [0.32, 1.02]); families that used public transport (AOR=2.51; 95% CI [1.56, 4.05]); and households comprising of less or equal to 3 people (AOR=0.31;95% CI [0.16,0.63]).Conclusion: In a study of under-five children at Arthur Davison Children Hospital, ARIs were negatively associated with low socio-economic status and family history of respiratory infections. The present findings reiterate the need to intensify the administration of health education on the prevention measures for ARI