Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Role Of Information And Communication Technologies In Allergic Rhinitis In Specialist Centers: Patient Perspectives On Usefulness, Value, And Impact On Healthcare, Ivan Cherrez Ojeda, Jean Bousquet, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Monica Rodriguez Gonzales, Anna Bedbrook, Nelson Rosario, Benjamin Zepeda Ortega, Guillermo Guidos, Ulbio Alcivar Molina

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) improve patient-centered care and are routinely used in Allergic Rhinitis (AR), but patients' preferences and attitudes are unexplored. This study examines AR-related information preferences and ICT use by AR patients.
Methods: A survey-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Ecuador from July to September 2019 in seven centers of reference for allergic disease. Participants were 18 years or older, diagnosed with AR and had access to ICT and the Internet. Descriptive and binomial logistic regressions were performed. A value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: 217 patients were included. 47% (n …

Microbial Profile And Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns Of Surgical Intra-Abdominal Infections At A Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, Abduel Julius Kitua

Master of Surgery

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Among infections of surgical importance, intra-abdominal infections prevail among the most common in surgical patients with considerable morbidity and mortality. The ever-rising microbial resistance to commonly available antibiotics and geographical variations in microbial profile and resistance patterns poses a challenge to the management of these surgical infections of abdominal origin. The aim of this study was to evaluate microbiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of isolates from intra-abdominal infections at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania and how these influence early treatment outcomes.

Employing Data Visualization For Effective Health Communication In Nairobi, Kenya: A Study Of Select Media Houses., Rabudi Charles Mark

Executive Masters in Media Leadership and Innovation

This capstone project analyzes how journalists use data visualization to communicate health information. With the advent of evidence-based practice in medical communication, it is necessary to provide health information in a way that raises public health awareness and changes individual behaviour for beneficial health outcomes. The use of data visualization tools such as charts, graphs, and maps aids in the presentation of data patterns and insights, improving knowledge, engagement, and decision-making in the field of health communication. The study seeks to identify the types of health data visualization commonly employed by journalists in Kenya; assess the level of training and …

Inspire : Vol 7 Issue 1, Department Of Medicine

INSPIRE – Department of Medicine Archives

• Message from the Chair
• Medicine at National and International Forums
• AKUPI-NCD Symposium "A Dialogue on NCDs"| A Triumph in Health Discourse By Zeerak Jarra
• Department of Medicine Appreciation Evening 2023
• AKU Dermatology on International Fronts
• Developing Healthcare Leaders for Tomorrow
• Poem Section
• What Academics Are Reading
• Upcoming Events

Diagnostic Utility Of Chest Radiographs In Children With Clinically Diagnosed Pneumonia As Per The Kenya Basic Paediatric Protocol, Ivy Waruguru Wakahora

Master of Medicine in Imaging and Diagnostic Radiology

Introduction; Pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in children globally, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis. While chest radiographs have traditionally been the gold standard for diagnosis, recent international guidelines discourage their routine use in paediatric community acquired pneumonia (pCAP). Despite this, chest radiographs are still regularly acquired for pneumonia diagnosis, resulting in practice variations and imaging overutilization. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic utility of chest radiographs in children with clinically diagnosed pneumonia as per the Kenya Basic Paediatric Protocol (KBPP).

Materials and methods: Data was retrospectively reviewed of 159 paediatric patients at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Nurses’ And Midwives’ Experiences In Designated Covid-19 Healthcare Facilities In Rural And Urban Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Lucy Kisaka, Loveluck Mwasha

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background:

Frontline healthcare providers, particularly nurses and midwives, are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection due to frequent patient contact. However, studies examining their experiences, particularly in low-income countries like Tanzania, are limited.

Objective:

This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses and midwives providing care in COVID-19-designated healthcare facilities in selected regions of Tanzania.

Methods:

A qualitative descriptive approach was used to investigate the experiences of nurses and midwives in COVID-19 care. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 purposefully selected participants from Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, and Pwani regions. Data were coded with NVivo 12 software and analyzed …

Towards An Engaging And Integrated Climate Change Pedagogy, Noor Ul Ain, Fozia Parveen, Nighat Rabbani, Afsana Shaheen

Books

Note Three years ago, we embarked on a journey to create open and free resources for teachers. We were overwhelmed by the positive response to each of our publications, whether in the form of activity booklets, dictionary, fiction, or early childhood lesson plans.
We were fortunate to receive a grant under the Climate Action Fellowship project from the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar. Initially, the project aimed to create a resource booklet of lessons and activities focused solely on climate change and climate change pedagogy. However, as we progressed, we realized the importance of first meeting with teachers to understand their …

Regulatory Approval Of Clinical Trials: Is It Time To Reinvent The Wheel?, Mansoor Saleh, Karishma Sharma, Aisleen Shamshudin, Innocent Abayo, Stacey Gondi, Noureen Karimi

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Less than 1% of all clinical trials are conducted in Africa. In 2019, only six of 26 oncology clinical trials conducted in Africa were conducted in countries with subjects of African ancestry. There are multiple barriers that hinder the conduct of cancer clinical trials in Africa. Time to trial activation (TTA) is the administrative and regulatory process required before a study can be activated—an important metric and often a major barrier for site selection. In Kenya, TTA involves review by Institutional Review Board (IRB), Pharmacy and Poisons Board, National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation and Ministry of Health, all …

Institute For Global Health And Development : Annual 2024, Institute For Global Health And Development

IGHD Newsletters

• Message From The Director
• Workshops & Conferences
• Climate Change, Agriculture, Human Nutrition & Development in Pakistan
• What Works Climate Solutions Summit, Berlin
• IGNIT3 Consultative Workshop on Nutrition for Health Professionals
• Climate Change and Health Symposium
• Collaborating For Change
• IGHD Hosts Workshop on Research Concepts & Basic Methodology
• SDSN Pakistan Leadership Council Meeting – 2024
• AKDN Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting 2024
• Projects In the Spotlight
• Shining Light On Achievement
• Education And Capacity Building
• Team Building Activities
• Research Insights

Fungal Empyema Thoracis, A Rare But An Emerging Entity: A Retrospective Case Series From Pakistan, Nousheen Iqbal, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Aqusa Zahid, Kauser Jabeen, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Background and objective: Fungal empyema is a rare entity which is associated with high mortality. It is mostly seen in immune-compromised hosts. However, there is limited data available on fungal empyema from developing countries regarding risk factors, treatment, and outcome. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, clinical features, treatment, and outcome of fungal empyema.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed on proven fungal empyema cases, admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan during January 2018 to May 2021. We excluded all those patients with polymicrobial bacterial and fungal empyema or with negative pleural fluid cultures. …

Social Determinants Of Health And Disparities In Hypertension And Cardiovascular Diseases, Abhishek Chaturvedi, Anqi Zhu, Naga Vaishnav Gadela, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Tazeen Jafar

Department of Medicine

High blood pressure causes over 10 million preventable deaths annually globally. Populations in low- and middle-income countries suffer the most, experiencing increased uncontrolled blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. Despite improvements in high-income countries, disparities persist, notably in the United States, where Black individuals face up to 4× higher CVD mortality than White individuals. Social determinants of health encompass complex, multidimensional factors linked to an individual's birthplace, upbringing, activities, residence, workplaces, socioeconomic and environmental structures, and significantly affect health outcomes, including hypertension and CVD. This review explored how social determinants of health drive disparities in hypertension and related CVD …

Determinants Of Immunization In Polio Super High-Risk Union Councils Of Pakistan, Ahmad Khan, Imtiaz Hussain, Dale A. Rhoda, Muhammad Umer, Uzair Ansari, Imran Ahmed, Caitlin Clary, Rana Muhammad Safdar, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: The current polio epidemiology in Pakistan poses a unique challenge for global eradication as the country is affected by ongoing endemic poliovirus transmission. Across the country, 40 union councils (UCs) which serve as core reservoirs for poliovirus with continuous incidences of polio cases are categorized as super-high-risk union councils (SHRUCs).
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 39 SHRUCs using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique. 6,976 children aged 12-23 months were covered. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using STATA version 17.
Results: Based on both vaccination records and recall, 48.3% of children …

Postmortem Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling In Communities: Exploring Perceptions Of Families, Funeral Workers, Religious And Community Leaders And Healthcare Providers From Pakistan, Nazia Ahsan, Fauzia Aman Malik, Waliyah Mughis, Rawshan Jabeen, Shaheen Mehboob, Raheel Allana, Syeda Quratulain, Saima Jamal Saima Jamal, Christina R. Paganelli, Abdul Momin Kazi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) has increasingly been used to improve the diagnosis of disease and identification of the cause of death, particularly in underserved areas. However, there are multiple barriers to accessing those who die within the community, our study aimed to explore the perceptions and insights of community members and healthcare providers regarding the feasibility of implementing MITS in community settings.
Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted. A total of twenty one in-depth interviews were conducted with deceased infants' parents, elders of the family, religious leaders, community leaders, and funeral workers. Focus group discussions were conducted …

Feasibility, Enablers And Challenges Of Using Timeliness Metrics For Household Contact Tracing And Tb Preventive Therapy In Pakistan, Bushra Jamil, Divya Nair, Pruthu Thekkur, Neelofar Laeeq, Anum Adil, Mohammed Khogali, Rony Zachariah, Selma Dar Berger, Srinath Satyanarayana, Ajay M V Kumar

Department of Medicine

Introduction: Screening household contacts of TB patients and providing TB preventive therapy (TPT) is a key intervention to end the TB epidemic. Global and timely implementation of TPT in household contacts, however, is dismal. We adapted the 7-1-7 timeliness metric designed to evaluate and respond to infectious disease outbreaks or pandemics, and assessed the feasibility, enablers and challenges of implementing this metric for screening and management of household contacts of index patients with bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary TB in Karachi city, Pakistan.
Methods: We conducted an explanatory mixed methods study with a quantitative component (cohort design) followed by a qualitative component (descriptive …

Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections In Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study By The Covid-19 Vaccination In Autoimmune Diseases (Covad) Group, Suhrud Panchawagh, Naveen Ravichandran, Bhupen Barman, Arvind Nune, Mahnoor Javaid, Abraham Edgar Gracia-Ramos, Jessica Day, Mrudula Joshi, Masataka Kuwana, Sreoshy Saha

Medical College Documents

To investigate the frequency, profile, and severity of COVID-19 breakthrough infections (BI) in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to healthy controls (HC) after vaccination. The second COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD-2) survey is a multinational cross-sectional electronic survey which has collected data on patients suffering from various autoimmune diseases including T1DM. We performed a subgroup analysis on this cohort to investigate COVID-19 BI characteristics in patients with T1DM. Logistic regression with propensity score matching analysis was performed. A total of 9595 individuals were included in the analysis, with 100 patients having T1DM. Among the fully vaccinated …

Morphological And Metabolic Criteria Of Covid-19 Vaccine Associated Axillary Nodes On 18-Fluorodeouxyglucose Pet/Ct Imaging In Breast Cancer Patients, Nosheen Fatima, Unaiza Zaman, Areeba Zaman, Sidra Zaman, Rabia Tehseen, Maseeh Uz Zaman

Department of Radiology

Background: In the current era vaccine-associated lymphadenopathy (VAL) is not an uncommon presentation on 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations in patients inoculated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. In this study, we are presenting data of VAL on 18F-FDG PET/CT regarding its prevalence, temporal response to vaccination and imaging characteristics of VAL.
Methods: Seventy-eight (78) consecutive vaccinated breast cancer (BC) patients who had 18FDG PET/CT were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had COVID-19 vaccine shots in contralateral arms and none in breast cancer site axilla (BSA). In 35 patients 18FDG avid nodes were found in vaccine site axilla (VSA). In 25 patients 18FDG …

Labrad : Vol 48, Issue 2 - December 2023, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

LABRAD - Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Radiology Archives

• Editorial
• Articles
• Navigating Lab Excellence in LARAD
• Lab Resilience in a Changing Climate: Sustainable Strategies for Future-Proof Clinical Laboratories
• Professional Insights from a Pioneer in Autoimmune Disease Testing: The Future of Antinuclear/Anticellular Antibody Testing
• Insights into CCHF and Other Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
• Bombay Blood Group
• Role and Application of Cytogenetics in Multiple Myeloma
• Low-grade Nasopharyngeal Papillary Adenocarcinoma in a Deceivingly "blue" Biopsy
• Transplant Immunology – Diagnostics
• The Best of the Past
• Farewell Chronicles: Celebrating Dr Anila Rashid's Journey
• The Best of the Past
• Farewell Chronicles: Celebrating Dr Anila Rashid's Journey
• Polaroid
• Chemical Pathology
• Radiology
• Hematology
• Histopathology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Pathology
• Tests …

Burden Of Bradycardia And Barriers To Accessing Bradycardia Therapy In Underserved Countries, Diego Egas, Francisco Rodriguez, Aparna Jaswal, Jeilan Mohamed, Goran Milasinovic, Ahmed Al Fagih

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Bradycardia, a condition characterized by an abnormally slow heart rate, poses significant challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment. While it is a concern world-wide, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face substantial barriers in accessing appropriate bradycardia therapy. This article aims to explore the global aetiology and incidence of bradycardia, compare the prevalence and management of the condition in high-income countries versus LMICs, identify the key reasons behind the disparities in access to bradycardia therapy in LMICs, and emphasize the urgent need to address these disparities to ensure equitable healthcare on a global scale

Surgical Site Infections Post Cesarean Section And Associated Risk Factors: A Retrospective Case-Control Study At A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya, David Odada, Jasmit Shah, Annastacia Mbithi, Reena Shah

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Surgical site infection is a common healthcare-associated infection that affects maternal health, yet it can be prevented or controlled. Caesarian sections are most likely to develop surgical site infections. The rates of delivery by caesarian section in reported to be higher that the acceptable rates in some healthcare facilities. Risk factors for surgical site infections can be identified and modified to reduce the occurrence of surgical site infections. This study aims to determine the risk factors that contribute to surgical site infections post caesarian section in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kenya.

Methods: This was a retrospective …

Sars-Cov-2 Seroprevalence In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya From March 2020 To March 2022, Angela Koech, Geoffrey Omuse, Alex Mugo, Isaac Mwaniki, Joseph Mutunga, Moses Mukhanya, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background: Seroprevalence studies are an alternative approach to estimating the extent of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the evolution of the pandemic in different geographical settings. We aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from March 2020 to March 2022 in a rural and urban setting in Kilifi County, Kenya.

Methods: We obtained representative random samples of stored serum from a pregnancy cohort study for the period March 2020 to March 2022 and tested for antibodies against the spike protein using a qualitative SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kit (Wantai, total antibodies). All positive samples were retested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (Euroimmun, ELISA kits, NCP, …

Improving Implant Training For Physicians And Their Teams In Under-Represented Regions, Jeilan Mohamed, Mohamed Varwani, Abdul Raqib, Emin Evren Ozcan

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing globally, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) absorbing most of the burden while lacking the necessary healthcare infrastructure to combat the increase. In particular, the disparity in pacemaker implants between high-income countries and LMICs is glaring, partially spurned by reduced numbers of physicians and supporting staff who are trained in pacemaker implant technique. Herein, we will discuss current pacemaker implant training models, outline training frameworks that can be applied to underserved regions, and review adjunctive training techniques that can help supplement traditional training models in LMICs.

Prevalence And Missed Cases Of Respiratory Distress Syndrome Disease Amongst Neonatal Deaths Enrolled In The Kenya Child Health And Mortality Prevention Surveillance Network (Champs) Program Between 2017 And 2021, Harun O. Owuor, Victor Akelo, Florence Murila, Dickens Onyango, Magdalene Kuria, Emily Rogena, Gunturu Revathi, Paul Mitei, Solomon Sava, Joyce Were

Pathology, East Africa

Objectives: To describe RDS in neonatal deaths at the CHAMPS-Kenya site between 2017 and 2021.

Methods: We included 165 neonatal deaths whose their Causes of death (COD) were determined by a panel of experts using data from post-mortem conducted through minimally invasive tissue specimen testing, clinical records, and verbal autopsy.

Results: Twenty-six percent (43/165) of neonatal deaths were attributable to RDS. Most cases occurred in low birthweight and preterm neonates. From these cases, less than half of the hospitalizations were diagnosed with RDS before death, and essential diagnostic tests were not performed in most cases. Most cases received suboptimal levels …

Isolated Small Airways Obstruction Predicts Future Chronic Airflow Obstruction: A Multinational Longitudinal Study, Ben Knox Brown, James Potts, Valentina Quintero Santofimio, Cosetta Minelli, Jaymini Patel, Peter Gj Burney, Andre Fs Amaral, Najlaa Mohammed Abass, Dhiraj Agarwal, Asaad A. Nafees

Community Health Sciences

Background: Chronic airflow obstruction is a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We investigated whether isolated small airways obstruction is associated with chronic airflow obstruction later in life.
Methods: We used longitudinal data from 3957 participants of the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. We defined isolated small airways obstruction using the prebronchodilator mean forced expiratory flow rate between 25% and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEF25-75) if a result was less than the lower limit of normal.
Results: Median follow-up time was 8.3 years. Chronic airflow obstruction was more likely to develop in participants with …

Role Of Soluble Urokinase Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (Supar) In Predicting Mortality, Readmission, Length Of Stay And Discharge In Emergency Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Hassan Ul Hussain, Eman Ali, Kanwal Ashok Kumar, Shehroze Tabassum, Muhammad Hasanain, Asim Shaikh, Gibran Ali, Zohaib Yousaf, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an inflammatory biomarker that is used to predict mortality, readmission, early discharge, and LOS, thus, serves as a useful tool for ED physicians. Our study aims to analyze the efficacy of suPAR in predicting these prognostic markers in ED.
Methods: We performed a comprehensive search on 6 databases from the inception to 30th November 2022, to select the following eligibility criteria; a) observation or triage trial studies investigating the role of suPAR levels in predicting: 30 day and 90-day mortality, 30-day readmission, early discharge (within 24hr), and LOS in patients coming to …

Novel Size-Based High-Density Lipoprotein Subspecies And Incident Vascular Events, Austin Deets, Parag H. Joshi, Alvin Chandra, Kavisha Singh, Amit Khera, Salim S. Virani, Christie M. Ballantyne, James D. Otvos, Robin P F. Dullaart, Eke G. Gruppen

Office of the Provost

Background: High‐density lipoprotein (HDL) particle concentration likely outperforms HDL cholesterol in predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular events. Whether size‐based HDL subspecies explain the atheroprotective associations of HDL particle concentration remains unknown. Our objective was to assess whether levels of specific size‐based HDL subspecies associate with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a multiethnic pooled cohort and improve risk prediction beyond traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Methods and Results: Seven HDL size‐based subspecies were quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance (LP4 algorithm; H1=smallest; H7=largest) among participants without prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities), MESA (Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), PREVEND (Prevention of …

Frequency Of Dysnatremia In Patients Admitted With Covid-19 Infection And Its Prognostic Implication, Farah Gul Khan, Saadia Sattar, Muhammad M. Yaqoob, Nida Vallani, Maryam Asad

Section of Nephrology

Objective: We aimed to investigate the frequency of dysnatremia among patients admitted with COVID-19 infection and its association with inpatient mortality.
Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study was conducted for 12 weeks. Serum sodium levels were recorded at admission, during the hospital stay, and within 48 hours of discharge or death. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of mortality.
Results: This study included 574 patients (69.7% men, age 55.6 ± 14.4 years). On admission, mean sodium was 135.9 ± 6.4 mEq/L; 39% had hyponatremia and 4.7% had hypernatremia. During admission, hypernatremia increased to 18.8%; maximum sodium in patients who …

Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus And Covid-19 In Two University Teaching Hospitals In Nairobi County, Kenya, Purity Kibathi

MSc in Advanced Practice Nursing

Diabetes Mellitus corresponds with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection and high morbidity and mortality rates. Persons living with diabetes are more likely to encounter psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress than the broader population. As the global pandemic unfolded, it was paramount to determine the health-related quality of life (QoL) and explore the experiences of patients with diabetes and COVID-19 to enable healthcare providers to recognize the components influencing HRQoL and identify the interventions to improve the health outcomes. The study was done to determine the health-related quality of life and experiences of patients with diabetes …

Neurocognitive And Mental Health Outcomes In Children With Tungiasis: A Cross-Sectional Study In Rural Kenya And Uganda, Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri)-Wellcome Trust Programme, Kenya, Lynne Elson, Abneel K. Matharu, Naomi Riithi, Esther Chongwo, Khamis Katana, Carophine Nasambu, Francis Mutebi, Herman Feldmeier, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Tungiasis, a neglected tropical parasitosis, disproportionately affects children. Few empirical studies have reported neurocognitive and mental health outcomes of children with ectoparasitic skin diseases like tungiasis. Pathophysiology of tungiasis suggests it could detrimentally affect cognition and behaviour. This study pioneered the investigation of neurocognitive and mental health outcomes in children with tungiasis.

Methods: This was a multi-site cross-sectional study including 454 quasi-randomly sampled school-children aged 8–14 from 48 randomly selected schools in two counties in Kenya and a district in Uganda. The participants were stratified into infected and uninfected based on the presence of tungiasis. The infected were further …

Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude, And Practices Towards Trauma Care Among Patients Admitted In The Surgical Wards At Kenyatta National Hospital, Shemmy Hussain Sharafat

MSc in Advanced Practice Nursing

Trauma-related injuries contribute to a higher mortality rate than the combined impact of prevalent infectious diseases. Notably, mortality secondary to trauma is disproportionately elevated in low- to middle-income countries compared to their developed counterparts. In these resource-constrained settings, trauma care stands out as one of the least developed aspects of healthcare, hindered by an uncoordinated system and limited resources. Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), positioned publicly and proximate to significant roadways, experiences a substantial influx of patients with trauma-related injuries. Despite preventive initiatives, the incidence of trauma-related injuries has surged significantly, placing a heavy burden on KNH. This study aims to …

The Pattern Of Admission, Clinical Characteristics, And Outcomes Among Patients Admitted To The Intensive Care Unit Of A Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania: A 5-Year Retrospective Review, Nadeem Kassam, Philip Adebayo, Iris Martin Matei, Eric Aghan, Samina Somji, Samwel Paul Kadelya, Yasson Abha, Frank Elton Swai, Mangaro Mabusi, Kamran Hamid

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Despite the implementation of complex interventions, ICU mortality remains high and more so in developing countries. The demand for critical care in Sub-Saharan Africa is more than ever before as the region experiences a double burden of rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the background battle of combating infectious diseases. Limited studies in Tanzania have reported varying factors associated with markedly high rates of ICU mortality. Investigating the burden of ICU care remains crucial in providing insights into the effectiveness and challenges of critical care delivery.

Material and Methods: A single-center retrospective study that reviewed records of all …