Use of contraceptive methods in rural areas in Cote d'Ivoire: a cross-sectional study

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional survey took place in May, 2018 in Kodjokro, a village in the south-east of Côte d'Ivoire. The study population consisted of women of reproductive age, from 15 to 49 years old. A questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic, gyneco-obstetrical characteristics, knowledge and attitudes and he use of contraceptive methods. The chi-square test was used to measure the associations between the use of contraceptive methods and each of the characteristics studied

Midwives' perceptions of and attitudes towards prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV

Background: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV services has become an integral part of antenatal services. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission was introduced in all the regions of Ghana, but mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) continued to increase. Objectives: To explore and describe midwives' perceptions and attitudes towards PMTCT of HIV services. Method: Quantitative research approach and descriptive cross-sectional design were used. The population includes all midwives between the ages of 21 and 60 years who work in antenatal care (ANC) clinics in 11 district hospitals in the Central Region of Ghana where the study was conducted. Forty-eight midwives were interviewed using a census sample process. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21. Correlation analysis was performed to find the relationships between the attitudes and the perceptions of the midwives on PMTCT of HIV services. Results: Seventy percent of midwives had positive perceptions of PMTCT of HIV services and 85% had positive attitudes towards the provision of PMTCT of HIV services. Midwives were screening all pregnant women who visited the ANCs and referring those who tested positive to other institutions where they can be monitored. Some of the concerns considered were views on retesting HIV-infected pregnant women throughout their pregnancy. There was a positive correlation between attitudes and perceptions of midwives on PMTCT of HIV services. Conclusion: Midwives had positive perceptions and positive attitudes towards the PMTCT of HIV services that they were providing to antenatal attendees. Also, as the attitudes of the midwives towards PMTCT of HIV services improved, their perceptions of PMTCT services also improved. Contribution: Decentralisation of PMTCT of HIV services to community-based health facilities is appropriate to enable sub-district health facilities to test for HIV and provide counselling services to pregnant women.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards drug-food interactions among patients at public hospitals in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Drug-food interactions can lead to adverse drug reactions and therapy failure which can potentially impact patient safety and therapy outcome. Objectives: This study assessed patients' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding drug-food interactions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients at three public hospitals in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS® version 25. The association between demographic variables and patients' knowledge, attitudes and practices were assessed. Results: Of the 342 patients, 70.5% were female, and the mean age was 42.87±0.89 years. Almost 50% of patients had secondary level education, and 64% were unemployed. About 52% of patients had high knowledge of drug-food interactions; however, only 30-50% of the patients could identify potential drug-food interactions of their drugs. More than half of the patients (51.5%) answered that they took multivitamin pills with medications and 61.7% responded they consulted healthcare professionals for drug-food interactions' information before taking new medications. Few patients (15.2%) had experienced drug-food interactions. Conclusions: Overall, patients had gaps in their knowledge and practices, and positive attitudes towards drug-food interactions. Many patients could not identify food items that can potentially interact with their drugs. It is important that education and medication counselling are provided to patients to prevent drug-food interactions, ensure optimal drug therapy and patient safety

Religion and non-marital fertility: A qualitative study of the perspectives and experiences of South African Muslim women

In light of the rising number of children born outside of formal marriage, there is increasing concern about the well-being of these mothers and children, especially since they mostly come from disadvantaged populations. This study aims to determine the role religion plays in the experience of non­marital fertility. This study draws on data from ten in-depth interviews with women in Durban, South Africa. The study found that women did not anticipate the negative impact of non­marital fertility prior to experiencing their first birth. The main reason contributing to the experience of non­marital fertility was the lack of sex education.Many women believed that Islam allowed only married women to use contraceptives because unmarried women are expected to practice celibacy and their religion advocates for a two-parent household. As a result, unmarried women with children found themselves often ostracised from their community. The study recommends a comprehensive sexual education regime to address the challenges associated with non-marital fertility. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[7]: 49-58).

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice on family planning among women of reproductive age at hospitals and clinic centers in the rural Western Sierra Leone

Informed decisions about one's sexual and reproductive health can be made through family planning. Women of reproductive age in rural Sierra Leone's Western area were asked to participate in a survey to determine their attitudes and knowledge toward family planning and the use of contraceptives. A descriptive cross-sectional study survey was conducted in the Western Area Rural of Sierra Leone. Females in the range of 15 to 49 years old were included in the study. The research was conducted from November 2021 to December 2021. Using a pre-designed and pretested questionnaire, 180 women were assessed for their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding family planning. According to the study, all participants knew about family planning, but only 68.3% had used contraceptives. There were more than half who learned about it from the media. The study found that 95% of participants had a positive attitude towards contraceptives. Most commonly, contraceptives used were oral pills (31.6), injections (21.1%), implants (19.1%), lactational amenorrhea (13.8%), condoms (8.8%), and intrauterine devices (5%). In our study, the most common reasons given by participants for not using contraceptives were; not willing to disclose 52.6%, a desire for a child 19.2%, fear of side effects 15.7%, currently pregnant 8.7%, and against religious beliefs 3.5%. The study shows that even if people are aware and educated about contraceptives, they may not use them. Educating and motivating people and improving access to family planning services are still necessary to improve the effectiveness and appropriateness of contraceptive use and halt the population growth trend. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26 [6]:15-21).

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of dental patients presenting at a secondary health care facility in southern Nigeria towards covid-19

With the emergence of the COVID-19 disease, ascertaining the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of patients will lead to effective patient education, creation of gaps in the life cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and a decrease in the spread of the infection. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental patients presenting at a secondary healthcare facility in Southern Nigeria towards COVID-19.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of dental patients presenting at the Dental department, Central Hospital Benin, Edo State, Nigeria between August 2020 and February 2021. Data on knowledge, attitude and practices were collected using a researcher-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Analysis of data was done using the IBM®SPSS® Statistics version 25 software. Data on categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Mean percentage knowledge, attitude and practices was expressed as poor: < 50%, fair: 50% ­ 69.99%, good: ≥ 70%. Results: In this study, 244 questionnaires were analysed. The respondents' age ranged from 18 ­ 93, with a mean and median age of 34.93 ± 13.15 years and 32.00 years, respectively. The mean percentage knowledge (74.81%), attitudes (68.93%), and practices (63.99%) among patients concerning COVID-19 were good, fair, and fair, respectively. Conclusion: The respondents' knowledge concerning COVID-19 was good; meanwhile, attitudes and practices were fair. There is a need for a more robust health education and promotion programme on COVID-19, due to gaps in relevant sensitisation pathways

The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Kenya: an investigation into the perceptions of Kenyans toward people living with HIV/AIDS and government programmes

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is compounded by the continued stigmatization of the virus/disease and of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Employing structuration theory, this study sought to examine the perceptions of Kenyans toward their government's efforts to curtail HIV/AIDS as well as their attitudes toward PLWHA. Data for this study were collected using an open-ended online survey. In total, 103 participants (25.3%) completed the survey. We used snowball sampling to select prospective participants known to the researcher; they were sent a link to the survey via email or direct message on a social networking site like Facebook or WhatsApp, and were asked to share the survey with people in their social circles. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that some participants had confidence in the Kenyan government's efforts to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic, while others showed no confidence in government-led initiatives. Consistent with previous research, this study found that stigma towards HIV/ AIDS and PLWHA still exists. Practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed

Readiness of allied health students towards interprofessional education at a university in Ghana

Background. Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important academic approach for preparing healthcare students to provide patient care in a collaborative team environment, which improves patient care outcomes and increases patient satisfaction. IPE has been shown to eliminate segmented education between healthcare professionals, and thus renounces hierarchies, misperceptions and miscommunications.Objectives. To determine the readiness of allied health students towards IPE.Methods. This was a cross-sectional study that involved 299 second- to fourth-year allied health students recruited from various departments at the University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale was used to obtain data regarding readiness of allied health students towards IPE. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp., USA). Differences between groups based on the levels and programmes of study, respectively, were determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. The majority of participants (n=155; 67.7%) had previous experience in the health environment. The overall response of allied health students' readiness towards IPE was high. This readiness did not differ between the different levels of study (p=0.985) and the various programmes of study (p=0.726). Conclusion. The study revealed that allied health students value teamwork and collaboration and appear ready for participation in IPE activities. Formatively planning IPE activities may be helpful in developing multidisciplinary teamwork

Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices of sexually transmitted infections among unmarried youths in an urban community in Lagos State, Nigeria

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are of public health importance as over 1 million STIs are acquired daily worldwide. One-third of the new cases of curable STIs affect younger persons aged less than 25 years. Sexually transmitted infections can lead to severe complications beyond the immediate impact of infections as such. Aim: This study assessed knowledge of, attitude towards and preventive practices of STI among young unmarried persons in Surulere local government area (LGA) of Lagos State, Nigeria. Setting: The study was conducted among young unmarried persons in Surulere LGA, Lagos State, Nigeria, between June and November 2018. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 450 young unmarried persons selected using a multistage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain data. Analysis was carried out with Epi-Info 7.2.2.2 software. Chi-square was used to test for associations. Level of significance was at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The mean age was 19.9 + 2.5 years. Majority of the respondents (84.7%) had heard of STIs. About two-third (65.6%) had good knowledge, while majority (98.6%) had good attitude towards the prevention of STIs, but less than half (34.0%) had good preventive practices. Knowledge of STI was statistically significantly associated with age, level of education, attitude and preventive practices of the respondents. Conclusion: Most of the respondents were aware and had good attitude towards prevention of STI, but gaps exist in knowledge and preventive practices. Hence, targeted education to improve the knowledge and preventive practices against STI among young unmarried persons is recommended

A Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) analysis of lassa fever media campaigns among residents of South-East Nigeria

Background: In as much as studies have been conducted on Lassa fever in Nigeria, the studies had no media angle and were carried out mainly in the Northern and Western regions of the country. This study examined how mass media intervention messages on Lassa fever have influenced the level of knowledge, attitudes and health practices of people living in South-East Nigeria towards controlling and eradicating this disease. Methods: The study adopted survey research design. Multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting 428 respondents while structured questionnaire was used for data collection.Data analyzed was by descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation technique. Result: The level of exposure to and knowledge of Lassa fever media campaigns among South-East residents were high as confirmed by 90% and 51.1% respectively of the responses. Media campaigns against Lassa fever positively influenced the attitudes of 56.3% of the respondents towards prevention and control of this disease.There is positivesignificant relationship (0.93 with 0.01 level of significant) between exposure level to Lassa fever media campaigns and knowledge level of the disease among South-East residents. Conclusion: Mass media campaigns aimed at sensitizing the public on Lassa fever disease was adjudged effective. There is also need to employ more of interpersonal communication strategies to enhance effective delivery of this health messages

Attitudes toward violence against women and the factors that affect them in Kutahya, Turkey

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to determine the attitudes of women and men living in Kutahya, Turkey towards violence against women, and the factors that affect them. The data were collected using an Information Form for Women, an Information Form for Men, and the Attitude towards Violence Scale. The study was completed with 2959 participants; 1481 women and 1478 men. In the study, 41.3% of the women and 22.6% of the men reported being subject to violence. The mean score of the attitude towards violence scale was 41.57±11.83 for women and 49.38±11.52 for men (p<0.001). The mean scores on the attitude towards violence scale were found to be statistically significantly related to gender, education status, occupation, income status, co-educational status, co-occupation, marital age, family type, and subjection to violence (p<0.05). Socio-demographic and socio-cultural factors were found to influence the attitudes of women and men towards violence against women. The attitudes towards violence against women were found to be more positive in women. The rate of accepting violence as natural (acceptable) phenomena was found to be higher among men. That is, the attitudes of men towards violence against women are closer to the traditional approach, away from the modern approach

Knowledge, attitude, and perception of pregnant women toward anesthesia for cesarean section at Aminu ano Teaching hospital

Background: Anesthesia is regarded as an integral part of cesarean section due to its elimination of pain and discomfort. Pregnant women need to have awareness of anesthesia for cesarean section. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude, and perception of pregnant women toward anesthesia for cesarean section. Materials and Methods: This was a cross­sectional study among consenting pregnant women at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. A structured pretested questionnaire was used to obtain information from the participants. Ethical approval was obtained from the hospital ethics committee. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 2012, US). Fischer's exact test was used for categorical data and P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation was 28.71 ± 5.635 years. Two hundred and thirty­two (68.8%) had knowledge of anesthesia for surgical procedures, and in up to 221 (65.5%), the anesthesia known to them was for cesarean section. Main sources of knowledge were from the clinic (195, 44.5%) and previous experience/exposure (180, 41.1%). The main anesthetic side effects were headache (24, 64.9%) and delayed recovery (11, 29.7%). Regional anesthesia was preferred (246, 73.0%) over general anesthesia (91, 27.0%) because of safety (258, 44.3%), fear of death (240, 41.2%), and the desire for being awake during the procedure (85, 14.5%). Knowledge of anesthesia was statistically associated with the age groups of the respondents (P = 0.027) and their occupation (P = 0.003). Conclusion: The study revealed high knowledge and awareness of anesthesia for cesarean section among pregnant women and regional anesthesia was preferred over general anesthesia

Knowledge of cervical cancer and attitude to cervical cancer screening among women in Somolu Local Government Area, Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Cancer of the cervix is the second most common cancer in women globally, and a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women in developing countries. The study was carried out to determine the knowledge of cervical cancer and attitude to its screening among women in Somolu Local Government Area (LGA), Lagos State, Nigeria. Methods: The study employed a descriptive design. A pre-tested, self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 260 women who were recruited by multi-stage sampling method. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 28.3 ± 8.36 years with 161 (61.9%) being single. One hundred and fifteen (44.2%) were aware of cervical cancer and 47 (18.1%) had good knowledge. Among those aware of cervical cancer, 37 (32.2%) had negative attitude while 78 (67.8%) had positive attitude to cervical cancer screening. Conclusion: The respondents had a poor knowledge of cervical cancer but a positive attitude to its screening. Using the electronic media, the LGA authority should intensify public educational programmes about cervical cancer among women of all ages

Assessment of patients knowledge and attitude towards diabetes and its relationship with glycemic control: a cross-sectional study in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

BACKGROUND: It is postulated that increased knowledge of patients about diabetes as well as a positive attitude will lead to improved glycaemic control and better outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude of diabetic patients in a tertiary hospital in Enugu and the relationship with their glycaemic control.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done using a structured questionnaire to obtain socio-demographic data and assess knowledge and attitude to diabetes on consecutive patients attending the outpatient clinic in a tertiary hospital. Responses were scored with equal weighting. The fasting blood glucose of the patients was measured and recorded.RESULT: There were 51(60.7%) females and 33 (39.3%) males, with majority (63.1%) in the age range 41 -64 years and 32(38.1%) had only primary education. The mean knowledge score was 6.19 ± 2.08 and 33(39.3%) demonstrated good knowledge. Knowledge did not differ between males and females (p=0.34), but was highest in those with tertiary education (p = 0.02). Positive attitude to the condition was recorded in 63(75%) subjects. There was poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = -0.161, p= 0.14). Those with good knowledge scores were 2 times more likely to have good glycaemic control compared with those with poor knowledge; OR = 2.015, p = 0.02. Therewas no significant difference between the glycemic control of those with good attitude and those with poor attitude (p= 0.08).CONCLUSION: Although overall knowledge was poor, patients had a good attitude to their illness. Knowledge, but not attitude was significantly positively associated with glycemic control

Knowledge and attitude of undergraduates towards blood donation: a cross sectional study of the University of Benin, Benin City

Background: Blood is an essential but scarce therapeutic element. The youth constitute an important age group that can contribute significantly to donor blood availability in health institutions. Their knowledge and attitude towards blood donation may influence their disposition to blood donation practices. Objective: The study seeks to determine the knowledge, attitude and blood donation practices among undergraduate students of the University of Benin. Methodolgy: This is a cross sectional study, conducted at the University of Benin, Benin City. Two hundred pretested questionnaires on knowledge, attitude and practice of blood donation were distributed among consenting undergraduate students across different faculties of the university. Data was analyzed with the statistical package for social science (SPSS IBM) version 20. Result: A total of 155 (79.5%) males and 40 (20.5%) females (M:F of approximately 3.8:1) completed the questionnaires. Their modal age group was 16 ­ 20 years. Sixty eight (34.9%) had good knowledge of blood donation process, 43 (22.1%) had average knowledge and 84 (43.0%) had poor knowledge. Repeat donation rate was 11.3% among the respondent. The practice of blood donation was significantly associated with good knowledge of blood donation process (p = 0.001). Blood donation was higher in those between the age groups of 21 ­ 25 years. Conclusion: Good knowledge of blood transfusion is below average. Blood donation practices is low among undergraduate students of the University of Benin and there is high disposition to family replacement donation

Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques des soins après avortement au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Départemental du Borgou-Alibori

Introduction : L'avortement constitue un problème de santé publique par sa fréquence et la gravité de ses complications. Cette situation a conduit le Bénin à introduire les soins après avortements dans les Soins Obstétricaux et Néonataux d'Urgence. Objectif : Evaluer la connaissance l'attitude et la pratique des soins après avortement auprès des sage femmes et gynécologues de la maternité Cadre et méthode : Etude transversale et descriptive à la Maternité du CHUD-B/A de Février à mai 2016. Seize (16) prestataires dont dix (10) sages-femmes et six (6) gynécologues ont été évalués sur 68 patientes présentant un avortement. Résultats : la fréquence des avortements est de 7,9%. Les avortements spontanés restent les plus fréquents (61,7%). Les prestataires ayant le niveau de compétences théoriques requis sur les SAA représentent 61,7%. L'asepsie est respectée dans 83,8% des cas. L'AMIU reste la méthode d'évacuation utérine la plus utilisée (83,8%) suivie par le Misoprostol (16,2%). L'antibiothérapie et la prévention de l'allo-immunisation sont respectivement pratiquées dans 94,1% et 100%. Le counseling et la planification familiale ont été réalisés dans tous les cas d'avortement. Les services de santé de reproduction dont les patientes ont bénéficié sont : le service de gynécologie (68,1%) ; le dépistage du cancer du col (10,3%) ; le dépistage des IST (50%). L'implication de la communauté s'est faite dans tous les cas de prise en charge d'avortements. Nous n'avons enregistré aucune complication majeure ni aucun décès maternel. Conclusion : la majorité des prestataires ont les connaissances requises par rapport aux SAA. La pratique des SAA à la maternité du CHUD-B/A répond presque entièrement aux normes requises. Cependant certains points importants restent encore à corriger

Awareness and attitude to deceased kidney donation among health-care workers in Sokoto, Nigeria

Background: Access to renal replacement therapy by the increasing population of patients with end-stage kidney disease across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, has become a major public health challenge. Although deceased kidney donation constitutes a viable source, its uptake by patients is contingent on its acceptance by health-care workers. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the awareness and attitude to deceased kidney donation among health-care workers in Sokoto, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 470 staff of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria (attending a 1-week seminar), selected by universal sampling. Data were collected with a set of pretested, self-administered, and semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 34.1 ± 7.8 years, and most of them (77.7%) were aged <40 years. Majority of respondents were males (60.6%), married (76.5%), and Moslems (73.5%). While almost all the respondents (98.1%) were aware of deceased kidney donation, only about half (51.9%) were willing to accept deceased kidney donation. Furthermore, 43.4% were willing to give consent to donate deceased relative's kidney, and 26.1% were willing to carry an organ donation card. Predictors of willingness to accept deceased kidney donation were male sex, being a medical doctor or laboratory scientist and being a Moslem (Odds ratio >2, P < 0.05). The major disincentives reported were fear that it may not work (42%) and fear of disease transmission (37.0%). Conclusion: Periodic education of health-care workers on effectiveness and safety of deceased kidney donation is crucial to promoting its acceptance among them

Factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia: findings from a nationwide qualitative study

Introduction: while the routine childhood immunization program might be affected by several factors, its identification using qualitative evidence of caretakers is generally minimal. This article explores the various factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia and provides possible recommendations to mitigate them.Methods: in this study, we used a qualitative multiple case study design collecting primary data from 63 focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with a purposefully selected sample of children's caretakers (n = 630).Results: according to the results of this study, the use of routine childhood immunization is dependent on four major factors: caretakers' behavior, family characteristics, information and communication and immunization service system. In addition, the participants had some misperceptions about routine childhood immunization. For example, immunization should be taken when the child gets sick and a single dose vaccine is enough for a child. These factors and misperceptions are complex and sometimes context-specific and vary between categories of caretakers.Conclusion: our interpretations suggest that no single factor affects immunization service uptake alone in a unique way. Rather, it is the synergy among the factors that has a collective influence on the childhood immunization system. Therefore, intervention efforts should target these multiple factors simultaneously. Importantly, this study recommends improving the quality of existing childhood immunization services and building awareness among caretakers as crucial components

Evaluation of Knowledge; Attitude and Practices of Pharmacy Professionals towards Reporting Adverse Drug Reactions in Sierra-Leone

Background: Knowledge of reporting adverse drug reactions by health professionals remains unresolved. Objectives: To determine the knowledge; attitude and practices (KAP) of practicing pharmacy professionals to the reporting of adverse drug reaction (ADR) as well as evaluate the factors that influence ADR reporting in Sierra-Leone. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 practicing pharmacy professionals using a pretested questionnaire which elicited appropriate responses on the objectives of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. The relationship between KAP of ADR reporting and demographic variables was analyzed with the chi-square statistics at P .05 level of significance. Results: The response rate was 90%. There was no significant difference between knowledge of ADR reporting and qualification of respondents (x2

The forensic autopsy as a teaching tool: attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate medical students at the University of Pretoria, South Africa

Background. Numerous articles have been published on the use of autopsies in training medical students in anatomy and different branches of pathology. Some authors have described the emotional response of students who attend such postmortem sessions. Forensic pathology is an important subdivision of pathology. In some countries undergraduate medical students are expected to attend postmortem examinations on persons who died from traumatic causes. Objective. To determine the attitudes and perceptions of 5th-year medical students with regard to forensic postmortem examinations at the University of Pretoria; South Africa. Methods. A questionnaire was voluntarily completed by medical students on the last day of the practical rotation.Results. The overall rating of the practical rotation was 82%. The strengths; weaknesses; opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis indicated the following as strengths: record keeping; legislation review and traumatology description; as weaknesses: emotional trauma and nightmares; as opportunities: the attendance of autopsies; and as threats: physical dangers. Conclusion. The current study was similar to international studies with regard to students' emotional response to attending autopsies. The autopsy remains a valuable teaching tool for undergraduate students. Emotional support is currently available for all students to assist them in overcoming their fear of attending forensic autopsy sessions