Browsing by Author "Ainamani, Herbert E"

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    Cognitive impairment and the associated factors among women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda
    (PLOS ONE, 2023-10-30) Kihumuro, Raymond Bernard; Peace, Kellen; Chun, Sarah; Wakida, Edith K.; Obua, Celestino; Ainamani, Herbert E
    Background Worldwide, there is a growing concern about the rising number of people with declining cog nitive functioning. However, findings on this phenomenon are inconclusive. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of cognitive impairment and the associated factors in women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda. Methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out among women above 40 years of age in the greater Kabale district of southwestern Uganda between March and April 2022. Study par ticipants were identified using a consecutive sampling method. Predictor variables included pregnancy complications and other social demographic factors that were assessed by semi structured interviews while cognitive functioning as an outcome variable was assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-B) tool. Data were analyzed using STATA at a 95% Confidence level. Logistic regression analyses were selected for statistical modelling while odds ratios were calculated to assess the strength of associations between the predictor and outcome variables.Results In total, 75% (212/280) of participants had some form of cognitive impairment, with 45% (123/280) falling into mild CI, 31% (86/280) moderate CI and 4% (10/280) severe CI. Twenty-three percent (68/280) of participants fell into category of normal cognitive function ing. Participants with >65 years of age had higher odds of developing cognitive impairment (OR = 2.94; 95%CI: 0.96–9.04, p = 0.06) than those with < 65 years of age. Protective factors to cognitive impairment include delivering from a health facility (OR = 0.31,95% CI:0.16–0.60, p = < .001), primary and post primary levels of education (OR = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02–0.13, p<0.001, OR = 0.04; 95%CI: 0.02–0.23, p<0.001) respectively. Conclusion Results from this study show a high prevalence of cognitive impairment among women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda. Interventions geared toward preventing cognitive impairment among females with a history of pregnancy compli cations should be emphasized.
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    Prevalence Of Violence-Related Traumatic Events And Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among The Congolese Refugees In Uganda.
    (Makerere University College of Health Sciences, 2016-08-15) Ainamani, Herbert E; Elbert, Thomas; Olema, David K; Hecker, Tobias
    Introduction: Following the waves of violence in Congo after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, there has been an influx of Congolese refugees into Uganda and more have continued to flock into the country up to date. These refugees were exposed to multiple traumatic events that continue to be detrimental to their psychological well-being. Whereas there has been vast research on the prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on a single most traumatizing event, literature on the relative contribution of cumulative exposure to different traumatic events and PTSD symptom severity is still scanty in refugee or trauma studies. Objective: In this study, we investigated the prevalence and association of violence-related traumatic events of war to PTSD symptom severity among the Congolese refugees in Nakivale refugee settlement in Uganda. Methods: Using the Post-traumatic Symptom Scale Interview (PSSI)and a prepared checklist of war and non-war traumatic events, exposure to different types of traumatic events and their association with PTSD symptom severity was assessed. Results: We found a high prevalence of different types of violence-related traumatic events among our sample of the Congolese refugees with 99%, 98.2% and 98.2% of the participants having experienced or witnessed War, Community, and Family related traumatic events respectively. Additionally the prevalence of Community and Family related traumatic events within one month prior to the interview was at 84.7% and 57.7% respectively. PTSD symptom severity was positively associated with a higher number of and the type of traumatic events. Conclusion: Congolese refugees experienced a number of violence-related traumatic events and they continued to experience the same in the form of community and family related traumatic events in re-settlement. Repeated number of traumatic events was associated with increasing severity of PTSD symptoms. Our results highlighted the need for better provision of psychological services among refugee populations as well as their protection against continued violence-related traumatic events in their families and communities of resettlement.