Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Call For Emergency Action To Limit Global Temperature Increases, Restore Biodiversity And Protect Health: Wealthy Nations Must Do Much More, Much Faster, Lukoye Atwoli, Abdullah H. Baqui, Thomas Benfield, Raffaella Bosurgi, Fiona Godlee, Stephen Hancocks, Richard Horton, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, Carlos Augusto Monteiro, Ian Norman

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The UN General Assembly in September 2021 will bring countries together at a critical time for marshalling collective action to tackle the global environmental crisis. They will meet again at the biodiversity summit in Kunming, China, and the climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK. Ahead of these pivotal meetings, we— the editors of health journals worldwide— call for urgent action to keep average global temperature increases below 1.5, halt the destruction of nature and protect health

Integrating Telepsychiatry Services In A Care Setting In Kenya: A Case Report, Frank Njenga, Linnet Ongeri, Anna Nguithi, Jacqueline Anundo, Maryann Mugane, Zawadi Kimari, Gathoni Mbugua, Cushny Kaigwa, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Globally, health providers and patients alike have been forced to adapt rapidly to the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although telepsychiatry has been tested and found just as effective as face-to-face care, there still remains little uptake of this form of care provision in sub-Saharan Africa. This case study highlights the use of telepsychiatry in a previously telemedicine-naive private mental health facility in Kenya. We describe the challenges and lessons learned from the experience. We conclude on the need to test the effectiveness and acceptability of this mode of therapy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Covid-19 And Mental Well-Being Of Nurses In A Tertiary Facility In Kenya, Sayed Karar, Jasmit Shah, Zohray Talib

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic is a global health emergency which has been shown to pose a great challenge to mental health, well-being and resilience of healthcare workers, especially nurses. Little is known on the impact of COVID-19 among nurses in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out between August and November 2020 among nurses recruited from the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The survey questionnaire consisted of six components- demographic and work title characteristics, information regarding care of COVID-19 patients, symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, distress and burnout, measured using standardized questionnaires. Multivariable logistic …

Mental Health Disorders Among Healthcare Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey From Three Major Hospitals In Kenya, Jasmit Shah, Aliza Monroe-Wise, Zohray Talib, Alphonce Nabiswa, Mohammed Said, Abdulaziz Abeid, Sood Mohamed, Mohamed Ali Mohamed, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: COVID-19 is an international global health emergency and has posed a great challenge to mental well-being and resilience. Little is known about the mental health impact of COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCWs) in sub-Saharan Africa or other low-resource settings.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between August and November 2020 among HCWs recruited from three major hospitals in Kenya. The survey questionnaire consisted of six components: demographic and work title characteristics; information regarding care of patients with COVID-19; and symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, distress and burnout, measured using standardised questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed …

Harnessing Social Media In Mental Health Practice In Kenya: A Community Case Study Report, Linnet Ongeri, Gathoni Mbugua, Frank Njenga, Anna Nguithi, Jacqueline Anundo, Maryann Mugane, Zawadi Kimari, Loice Wanjiru Cushny Kaigwa, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The use of social media to increase awareness on mental health is rapidly gaining momentum globally. However, despite evidence of a growing trend in social media use in sub Saharan Africa, little has been reported on tapping the potential of social media within a mental health practice to not only increase awareness but also facilitate linkage to specialist care. We describe one such mental health practice and its process of integration of the different social media platforms to promote mental health and increase linkage to specialist care. We further highlight the challenges and practical implication of social media use in …