Dataset Information

Health care professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in a rural district in central, Uganda.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Little/no research has been conducted in Uganda in particular and sub-Saharan Africa in general on the health professional's perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with a double burden of HIV/AIDS and mental distress.

Aim

To explore health professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in Masaka, Uganda.

Method

Qualitative research design using key informant interviews with health service managers and staff in agencies working with children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS in Masaka district, Uganda.

Results

Barriers to treatment seeking reported by health care professionals were quite enormous and are summarized under: family, individual, community and health systems level barriers. The crosscutting finding here is that the societal informal and formal systems of care had been affected by the HIV/AIDs epidemic, and, mental distress aggravates this challenge for the individuals afflicted and families affected by mental distress.

Conclusion

Children and adolescents with both HIV/AIDS and mental distress are vulnerable due to constraints at family, community and health systems levels. Effective public health interventions to address the double burden of HIV/AIDS and mental distress will be vital in the study communities addressing the constraints at family, community and institutional level. Public health interventions should aim at increased access and effective utilization of services for both HIV/AIDS and mental health services. Stigma reduction strategies at individual, family and community levels are also recommended.

SUBMITTER: Mugisha J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7271468 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Health care professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in a rural district in central, Uganda.

Mugisha James J Kinyanda Eugene E Osafo Joseph J Nalukenge Winfred W Knizek Birthe Loa BL

Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health 20200603

<h4>Background</h4>Little/no research has been conducted in Uganda in particular and sub-Saharan Africa in general on the health professional's perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with a double burden of HIV/AIDS and mental distress.<h4>Aim</h4>To explore health professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in ...[more]

PMID: 32518588

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Project description:BackgroundSnakebite envenoming causes 81,000-138,000 annual human deaths and pain, terror, or disability in 4.5-5.4 million victims. Accurate community-based epidemiological data is scarce. Our objective was to assess snakebite incidence, mortality, and health-seeking behavior, in an affected health district of Cameroon.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional multicluster household survey in Akonolinga health district, Centre Region, Cameroon, from October to December 2016. Using probability-proportional-to-size, 20 villages were randomly selected, then, all inhabited households were systematically selected. Annual incidence and adjusted odds-ratio for predictors were estimated.FindingsAmong the 9,924 participants, 66 suffered a snakebite during the past year: the resulting incidence is 665 (95%CI: 519-841) per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Victims were aged 5-75y (median: 34y), 53% were male and 57% farmer-cultivators. Two children died (case-fatality rate: 3%); 39 (59%) presented severity signs, including 2 (3%) neurotoxic syndromes, 20 (30%) systemic digestive syndromes, and 17 (26%) severe cytotoxic syndromes. Non-severe cases included 20 (30%) mild cytotoxic syndromes and 7 (11%) dry bites. Only two victims (3%) received antivenom. 59 (89%) used family traditional practices, 25 (38%) traditional healers, and 31 (47%) consulted health facilities. Median delays to these three care-options were 5, 45, and 60 minutes, respectively. Traditional treatments included incisions (n = 57; 86%), tourniquets (n = 51; 77%) and black-stones (n = 44; 67%). The two last procedures were also used in health facilities (n = 18). Consulting traditional healers was associated with severity (adjusted-OR: 19.6 (2.5-156), p = 0.005) and complications (aOR: 17.3, 2.4-123, p = 0.004). Long-term disabilities were subjective psychological trauma (n = 47; 71%), finger amputation (n = 1; 2%), ankylosis (n = 1; 2%) and chronic pain (n = 1; 2%).ConclusionsWe observed alarming levels of snakebite incidence, mortality, antivenom scarcity, and use of traditional medicine. It could represent several thousands of victims at national level. We suggested conducting a country-wide study, and improving antivenom supply, first-aid training, for traditional healers and health professionals.

Dataset Information

Health care professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in a rural district in central, Uganda.

Background

Aim

Method

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Health care professionals' perspectives on barriers to treatment seeking for formal health services among orphan children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS and mental distress in a rural district in central, Uganda.

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