Category: Statistics

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Mar;26(3):63-73. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.8.

ABSTRACT

Infertility, an obstacle to healthy living, makes its victims patronize traditional methods of infertility treatment (TMIT) in spite of associated complications. They turn to hospitals when this method fails. This is actually a serious issue because the presence of contaminated herbal products and the relationship between the use of TMIT and noncompliance with biomedical treatment regimens constitutes a major concern in medical practice. And the use of traditional methods of infertility treatment has been correlated with severe and fatal consequences. Therefore, the study assessed prevalence/determinants of TMIT use among patients visiting the gynaecology clinic at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA). Descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for the research. Only 263 women took part in the study. The research instrument was questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that 95.4% of these women have used traditional methods for infertility treatment and factors influencing infertile women’s use of TMIT are demographic characteristics, infertility duration, husbands’ relatives’ pressure and cheap cost of traditional medical treatment. Again, inability of infertile women to disclose TMIT use to healthcare providers makes effective treatment difficult. Therefore, these impediments expose infertile women to use TMIT. The result is a guide to healthcare providers who are expected to know the extent of their parents’ use of TMIT.

PMID:37585113 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.8

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Mar;26(3):46-53. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.6.

ABSTRACT

Vaginal Candidiasis and associated epidemiological risk factors prevalent among a cross section of pregnant women attending tertiary hospital in Trinidad and Tobago was evaluated. Standardized questionnaire was used to survey 492 pregnant women over a period of 10 months in 2019. Vaginal swab was collected and processed using standard microbiological laboratory methods for phenotypic identification. Data were analyzed using SPSS to identify potential risk factors. Chi-squared (ꭓ2) test and logistic regression tests examined associations and odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis was 44.9% with Candida albicans as predominant species identified (62%, N=492). Vaginal candidiasis was statistically significant for several risk factors, including second trimester (p = 0.03), age group 26 – 34 years (p=003), history of masturbation especially during the last 48hours prior to the swabbing (p=0.05), and wearing of pants as opposed to skirt clothes (p=0.04). In conclusion, several epidemiological risk factors are associated vaginal candidiasis among cross section of pregnant women in the country. Patient education, microbiological investigations and appropriate treatment will improve antenatal healthcare delivery in the country.

PMID:37585111 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.6

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Mar;26(3):9-12. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.1.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37585106 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i3.1

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 May;26(5):90-95. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i5.10.

ABSTRACT

Descriptive cross-sectional, hospital-based study carried out at the Maternal and Childbirth Hospital, Najran, Saudi Arabia, from May 2020 to May 2021 Using Ultrasonography. This study assessed the causes of female infertility by evaluating 100 women with infertility who attended the hospital. The mean age of the women with infertility was 34.8 ± years, with most between 35 -44 years 49%, 31% between 25-34 years old, 11% between 15 – 24 years old and 19% were ≥45were. Of the sample, 65% had primary infertility, while 35% had secondary infertility. A statistical significant association was found between age and the type of infertility (p < 0.05) with polycystic ovary disease being the most common cause of infertility 56%, followed by fibroids 22%, Endometrial polyps 9%, Adenomyosis 5%, Hydrosalpinx 4%, Congenital abnormality 2% and other causes was 1%. Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of ultrasound in diagnosing and evaluating female infertility. The cause of female infertility are polycystic ovary disease, fibroids, Endometrial polyps, Adenomyosis, Hydrosalpinx and congenital anomalies.

PMID:37585101 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i5.10

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 May;26(5):28-40. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i5.3.

ABSTRACT

Postabortion care services provide lifesaving treatment for abortion-related complications and addresses women’s needs by offering family planning (FP) counseling and voluntary access to contraception. Between 2016 and 2020, the Government of Tanzania sought to strengthen its PAC program by enhancing FP counseling and clients’ access to a wide range of contraceptive options. The project team conducted a pre-post evaluation in 17 public sector healthcare facilities in mainland Tanzania and 8 in Zanzibar. It comprised structured client exit interviews (CEIs), completed first in 2016 (n=412) and again in 2020 (n=484). These data complemented an evaluation that used routine service statistics to demonstrate the intervention’s effects on client-reported outcomes. Primary outcomes of the CEIs reflected client experience and satisfaction with services, and researchers compared pre-post differences using chi-square tests. There were improvements in numerous indicators, including client waiting times, recall of emergency procedure counseling, contraceptive uptake, and satisfaction with the quality of overall counseling and FP information and services; however, triangulation of CEI data with service statistics indicated that some outcomes, though still improved since baseline, attenuated. Strengthening the FP component of PAC is feasible in Tanzania and Zanzibar, but strategies to sustain quality improvements over time are needed.

PMID:37585094 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i5.3

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Dec;26(12):90-96. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i12.10.

ABSTRACT

Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) are rare. A retrospective comparative study was conducted between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018. Group A comprised 117 women who developed IUAs after open myomectomy, while Group B comprised 113 women who developed IUAs following uterine trauma caused by uterine instrumentation after a termination of pregnancy (TOP) or spontaneous miscarriage. The IUA grade and pregnancy rates and outcomes were compared using the March classification system. All patients underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis. The adhesions tended to be more severe (45/117, 38.5%) in Group A than in Group B (29/113, 25.7%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (Chi-Suare 5.047; p = .080). The period of observation was 24 months from the last hysteroscopy. The pregnancy rate in Group A (26, 22.2%) was significantly lower than in Group B (46, 40.7%) (OR: 2.403, 95% CI: 1.352-4.271; p = .003). Open myomectomy was the preceding aetiological factor in a greater proportion of women with IUA in our study. In cases where pregnancy is desired after open myomectomy, especially where the endometrial cavity is breached, postoperative hysteroscopy to exclude IUAs is recommended.

PMID:37585089 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i12.10

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Sep;26(9):76-84. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.8.

ABSTRACT

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a form of Gender-based violence that is a public health problem. The health outcomes of IPV have cascading effects on the family’s financial, emotional, sexual, and physical wellbeing. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a significant burden of IPV. In The Gambia, domestic is prevalent, with more than 80% of the women believing that it is justified for a man to beat his wife. Men are the predominant perpetrators of IPV in the Gambia. The study employed a cross-sectional design using a qualitative approach utilizing phenomenology focused on the participants lived experiences. The study was conducted in Basse in the Upper River Region in The Gambia. The study purposefully sampled 26 respondents, all of whom were married. Semi-Structured in-depth interviews were administered to the respondents in Mandinka, Wolof and Serahuli to collect the study data. Both deductive and inductive approaches were used to develop the codebook and themes relevant to the study data. The participants expressed various ideas regarding IPV, with the general perspectives suggesting the causes, effects, and ultimate probable solutions to the phenomenon. The respondents interviewed believed that both women and men bared the responsibility of IPV. Varying connotations were placed on the individual’s responsibility towards perpetrating IPV with men seen as physically and financially violent compared to women. Solutions to the IPV problem were seen as both external and internal, with government intervention being offered up as a solution. The overall response in the study indicated that there was a general understanding of IPV and a need to educate both men and women of its dangers to the overall health. The finding of this study shows that further needed on a large scale to understand the dynamics of IPV in The Gambia. This will help in designing sustainable solutions to the IPV problem.

PMID:37585072 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.8

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Sep;26(9):48-54. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.5.

ABSTRACT

Adolescents’ and youths’ death in sub-Saharan Africa was the highest in the world according to the 2019 WHO fact sheet report. About 80% of the global youth in the age range of 15-24 years are living with unmet needs for sexual and reproductive health services. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from the 1st of September 2020 to the 30 of June 2021 in the Dawuro Zone, to assess the prevalence of sexual and reproductive health service utilization and factors associated with employing the binary logistic regression model. The prevalence of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service utilization was 26% in this study. Discussion with family/peers on the SRH service issues, exposure to media, having pocket money, and previous awareness creation on SRH service issues were variables statistically significant with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.81(1.27-2.26),1.47(1.04-2.09),1.54(1.09-2.2), and 2.82(2.01-3.95) respectively at p value< 0.05. The 26% was the low utilization of SRH service.

PMID:37585069 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.5

Afr J Reprod Health. 2022 Sep;26(9):31-47. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.4.

ABSTRACT

A myriad of demand-side factors hamper childbearing women from utilizing needed skilled birth care in low and lower-middle-income countries. The objective of this scoping review is to explore the extent of evidence available on the subject matter and identify knowledge gaps in the reviewed literature. We used the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework as a guide for this review and conducted searches on four electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and Google Scholar. Eligible studies were those published in English and French languages between 2013 and 2022 that discussed demand-side barriers to access and utilization of skilled birth care in low and lower-middle-income countries. Five themes emerged as major types of barriers influencing the utilization of skilled birth care in low and lower-middle-income countries. These were socio-economic and socio-demographic status of women; lack of access to healthcare facilities; cost of healthcare services; ineffective healthcare systems and socio-cultural/religious factors. The identified gap in the literature was the lack of studies on the influence of women’s behaviour and psychological traits as barriers to the use of skilled birth care among reviewed publications. To design effective interventions, it is important to consider all influential factors that determine the utilization of skilled birth care by women in low-resource settings.

PMID:37585068 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i9.4

Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2023 Aug 16:e32061. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.32061. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

With the advances in computer vision, computational facial analysis has become a powerful and effective tool for diagnosing rare disorders. This technology, also called next-generation phenotyping (NGP), has progressed significantly over the last decade. This review paper will introduce three key NGP approaches. In 2014, Ferry et al. first presented Clinical Face Phenotype Space (CFPS) trained on eight syndromes. After 5 years, Gurovich et al. proposed DeepGestalt, a deep convolutional neural network trained on more than 21,000 patient images with 216 disorders. It was considered a state-of-the-art disorder classification framework. In 2022, Hsieh et al. developed GestaltMatcher to support the ultra-rare and novel disorders not supported in DeepGestalt. It further enabled the analysis of facial similarity presented in a given cohort or multiple disorders. Moreover, this article will present the usage of NGP for variant prioritization and facial gestalt delineation. Although NGP approaches have proven their capability in assisting the diagnosis of many disorders, many limitations remain. This article will introduce two future directions to address two main limitations: enabling the global collaboration for a medical imaging database that fulfills the FAIR principles and synthesizing patient images to protect patient privacy. In the end, with more and more NGP approaches emerging, we envision that the NGP technology can assist clinicians and researchers in diagnosing patients and analyzing disorders in multiple directions in the near future.

PMID:37584245 | DOI:10.1002/ajmg.c.32061