Knowledge and management of female genital schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol.

Background: Approximately 20 to 120 million women of reproductive age worldwide are thought to be affected by female genital schistosomiasis (FGS). It is a preventable manifestation of schistosomiasis in adolescent girls and women, which remains underreported, underdiagnosed, or misdiagnosed, and largely untreated. Objective: This study aimed to map evidence on the knowledge and management of FGS from 1950 to 2022 in sub-Saharan Africa. Method: The Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. framework suggestions and a guideline from Joanna Briggs Institute will be employed. Search for literature will be in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, MEDLINE via PubMed, and Google Scholar from 1950 to 2022 for useful published research articles using key phrases or search terms and grey literature with limitations for studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Two reviewers will screen the articles. Kappa coefficients by Cohen statistics will be computed for inter-screener agreement, and the selected articles will be evaluated using Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: The researchers will map and explore the evidence of the knowledge and management of FGS in the subregion. The years of publications, countries of study, and settings will be reported, and the identified research gaps will be reported. Conclusion: The researchers anticipate that this study will determine and map the evidence on the knowledge and management of FGS in sub-Saharan Africa; identify knowledge and management gaps, and direct future research. Contribution: This study will add to the literature on FGS and direct future research regarding the knowledge and management of FGS.

Epidemiology of maxillofacial injury among adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Injuries remain one of the leading causes of death globally. These disproportionately affect young adults and are particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Maxillofacial injuries (MI) pose significant challenges to public health systems. However, much remains unknown regarding the epidemiology and extent of the financial burden in resource-limited areas, such as SSA, further necessitating more research and support. This scoping review aims to investigate the mechanism, distribution, and financial impact of MI in adults aged ≥ 18 years in SSA. MAIN BODY: The scoping review was guided by the methodological frameworks of Arksey and O'Malley and Levac. An electronic literature search for English-published articles on maxillofacial injuries in adults ≥ 18 years was conducted in Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and grey literature. The PRISMA chart was used to document database searches and screening outcomes while reporting was guided by PRISMA-ScR. The data extraction process revolved around the predefined study outcomes, which encompassed the study characteristics and epidemiological parameters. The review used a narrative approach to report findings and evaluate publication quality using the STROBE checklist. The database search yielded 8246 studies, of which 30 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 7317 participants were included, 79.3% of whom were males. The peak age range for incidence was between 18 and 40 years. Road traffic collision (RTC) was the leading cause of MI, 59% of which resulted from motorcycle collisions. Assault/interpersonal violence ranked as the second leading cause of MI. The mandible was MI's most frequently affected hard tissue, followed by the midface. Factors such as alcohol/illicit drug use, poor knowledge of traffic regulations, and non-observance of these regulations were associated with MI. In our study, the cost range for mandibular fractures was $200-$468.6, borne by victims and their families. CONCLUSIONS: Maxillofacial injuries are predominantly caused by road traffic collisions and assaults in SSA. The findings can provide valuable insights into policy decisions and prevention strategies aimed at reducing injury burden. Further research is warranted to explore the psychological impact of MI, including PTSD, for tailored support and intervention. Scoping Review Registration The protocol has been registered on the Open Science Framework. Registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BWVDK .

Food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices regarding safe food handling in charitable food assistance programmes in the eThekwini District, South Africa: cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess food handlers' knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices towards safer donated foods. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2021. SETTING: This study was conducted in the eThekwini District, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sampling-based cross-sectional survey of food handlers (n=252) served as the study's main source of data. A total of eight study sites across five municipal planning regions of eThekwini District were visited. The principal investigator administered the validated structured standardised questionnaire, using participants' language of choice, which was either English or isiZulu. All the questions in the questionnaire were asked in exactly the same manner, following the same flow, in order to avoid bias and ensure consistency. Furthermore, the close-ended nature of questions in the questionnaire mitigated the risks of question manipulation. The questionnaire was adapted from the WHO's five keys to a safer food manual. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices towards safer donated foods. The secondary outcomes were the sanitary conditions of infrastructure and facilities, food handlers' observed food handling behaviour and nutritional information/labelling. RESULTS: The results show that the food handlers had good knowledge, positive attitude and acceptable behaviours towards safe food handling and general hygiene, with mean scores (SD) of 62.8 (14.6), 92.5 (14.1) and 80.4 (13.3), respectively. Significant correlations were found between knowledge and attitudes (p=0001), knowledge and practices (p<0001), and attitudes and practices (p=0.02). However, the correlations between knowledge versus attitude and attitude versus practice were poor (Spearman's r<0.3), and the association between knowledge versus practice was moderate (0.3-0.7). The majority of food handlers (92.5%) did not understand the value of thorough cooking and temperature control. About 53% of respondents acknowledged to never adequately reheating cooked meals, 5% did not see the significance of preventing cross-contamination and 5% were unsure. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the relatively positive knowledge, attitude and practice levels of the food handlers, safe food handling and hygiene practices, such as thorough cooking and temperature control, properly reheating cooked meals and taking precautions to prevent cross-contamination, require some emphasis.

Global overview of pharmacy support personnel training programmes: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: A global variation in the pharmacy support personnel training programmes has been observed. The objective of this scoping review is to map out global evidence available on the pharmacy support personnel training programme characteristics, and interface between knowledge, practice and regulatory requirements. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The scoping review will be undertaken by two independent reviewers. Peer-reviewed journal articles of any study design and grey literature will be included with no publication time limit. All literature published in English focusing on pharmacy support personnel training programmes, entry-level certification requirements, ongoing professional development and apprenticeship will be included. We will search MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, (EBSCOhost) and Dissertation and Thesis (ProQuest), ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis Global and Google Scholar, and reference list of all included studies. We will also search grey literature from websites of international professional regulatory bodies and associations. All studies that meet the inclusion criteria will be imported into a reference management package (EndNote V.20) that facilitates study selection, screening and de-duplication. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers using a jointly developed and piloted data charting form. Data items will include skills, knowledge, competencies, admission criteria, content, duration, qualification options, accreditation status, delivery models and approaches. Data extracted from the included studies will be collated, and quantitative results presented using descriptive statistics such as percentages, tables, charts and flow diagrams as appropriate. A narrative account of findings from the literature will be presented following qualitative content analysis of the extracted information using NVivo V.12. Quality appraisal of included studies will not be assessed as the purpose of the scoping review is to give a descriptive global overview of the pharmacy support personnel training programmes, and evidence will also be sourced from grey literature. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is needed for this study as it does not include animals or human participants. The study findings will be disseminated electronically and in print with presentations done at relevant platforms, that is, in peer-reviewed journals, in print and in conferences. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework (ofs.i0/r2cdn; registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/F95MH; internet archive link: https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-f95mh-v1; registration type: OSF-Standard Pre-Data Collection Registration).

Mapping Evidence on the Epidemiology and Cost Associated with Maxillofacial Injury among Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol.

(1) Background: Maxillofacial injury (MI) occurs universally, for it disregards preference for age, gender, and geographical region. The global incidence and prevalence of facial fractures rose by 39.45% and 54.39%, respectively, between the years 1990 to 2017. Projections indicate that the burden of injuries will persist in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the next twenty years. This scoping review aims to map the literature on MI epidemiology and the economic burden on society in SSA. (2) Methods: The methodology presented by Arksey and O'Malley and extended by Levac and colleagues will be employed in the scoping review. The researcher will report the proposed review through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review, and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The review will include studies encompassing MI in sub-Saharan African adults 18 years and above. (3) Results: This will be presented as a thematic analysis of the data extracted from the included studies, and the Nvivo version 12 will be employed. (4) Discussion: We anticipate searching for related literature on the prevalence, incidence, risk factors, mortality, and cost associated with MI in the adult population of SSA. The conclusion from the review will assist in ascertaining research gaps, informing policy, planning, authorizing upcoming research, and prioritizing funding for injury prevention and management.

Linkage to HIV Care Following HIV Self-testing Among Men: Systematic Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Studies from Six Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Gender disparities are pervasive throughout the HIV care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa, with men testing, receiving treatment, and achieving viral suppression at lower rates, and experiencing mortality at higher rates, compared with women. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has been shown to be highly acceptable among men in sub-Saharan Africa. However, evidence on linkage to HIV care following a reactive HIVST result is limited. In this systematic review, we aimed to synthesize the quantitative and qualitative literature from sub-Saharan Africa on men's rates of linkage to HIV care after receiving a reactive HIVST result. We systematically searched 14 bibliometric databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) flow diagram was used to document the screening results. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Of 22,446 references screened, 15 articles were eligible for inclusion in this review. Linkage to HIV care following a reactive HIVST result was subject to several barriers: financial constraints due to travelling costs, potential long waiting hours at the clinics, stigma, discrimination, and privacy concerns. Men's rates of seeking confirmatory testing and linking to HIV care following a reactive HIVST result were inconsistent across studies. Combining financial incentives with HIVST was found to increase the likelihood of linking to HIV care following a reactive HIVST result. The variable rates of linkage to HIV care following a reactive HIVST result suggest a need for further research and development into strategies to increase linkage to HIV care.

Evidence on factors influencing contraceptive use and sexual behavior among women in South Africa: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Contraceptive use and sexual health behavior remain a prominent public health concern in South Africa (SA). Despite many government interventions, unintended pregnancies and termination of pregnancies remain relatively high. This review aimed to map evidence on factors influencing contraceptive use and sexual behavior in SA. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. We searched for articles from the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, American Doctoral Dissertations via EBSCO host, Union Catalogue of Theses and Dissertations (UCTD) and SA ePublications via SABINET Online and World Cat Dissertations, Theses via OCLC and Google Scholar. Studies published from January 1990 to March 2018 were included. We used the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework and the PRISMA chart to report the screening of results. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 11 and ACCODS tools were used to determine the quality of the included studies. RESULTS: A total of 2030 articles were identified by our search criteria for title screening. Only 21 studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in quality assessment stage. We found that knowledge of a contraceptive method, length of a relationship, sexual debut, age difference between partners availability of a contraceptive method, long waiting hours, and nurse's attitudes toward human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive or younger clients predict whether or not women use a contraceptive method or improve sexual behavior. CONCLUSION: There remains a necessity for improving educational programs aimed at transferring knowledge on contraceptives and sexual behavior to both women and their male counterparts, alongside the public health systems' improvements.

Barriers to HIV testing uptake among men in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Introduction: HIV testing among men remains low globally and in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular, when compared with their female counterparts. The aim of this study was to synthesise evidence on barriers to HIV testing among men in SSA using a scoping review method.Methods: A scoping review was conducted, guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. A search was made in PubMed, American Doctoral Dissertations via EBSCOhost, Union Catalogue of Theses and Dissertations and SA ePublications via SABINET Online and World Cat Dissertations, Theses via OCLC and Google Scholar. The PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) chart was used to document the review process. The PRISMA extension for scoping reviews - PRISMA-ScR: checklist and explanation - was also used. The mixed method appraisal tool version 2018 was used to determine the methodological quality of the included studies. Thematic analyses were conducted using NVivo version 11.Results: Key barriers to HIV testing among men in SSA were knowledge of HIV, fear of testing positive for HIV, stigma associated with HIV, healthcare providers' services, confidentiality, and clinic setting.Conclusion: Structural and individual factors present barriers to HIV testing uptake among men in SSA. Community and home-based initiatives have the potential to improve the uptake of HIV testing among men in SSA, considering the confidentiality concerns posed by clinic settings.

Men's perspectives on HIV self-testing in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the many HIV testing models implemented in Africa, the level of HIV testing uptake remains relatively poor, especially among men. The HIV self-testing (HIVST) model offers an additional approach for encouraging men to get tested. This study aimed to synthesise evidence on men's perspectives regarding HIVST in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: The databases searched included PubMed/MEDLINE, American Doctoral Dissertations via EBSCO host; Union Catalogue of Theses and Dissertations; SA ePublications via SABINET Online; World Cat Dissertations; Theses via OCLC; ERIC; CINAH; PsychInfo; Embase, Sociological Abstract, Scopus; and Google Scholar. The World Health Organization (WHO) and The Joint United Nations' Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) websites were further searched. We only extracted qualitative information from the included studies, despite the research method used (qualitative or mixed methods). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), as well as the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018, were used to determine the methodological quality of the included studies. NVivo version 11 was used for thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 21,184 articles were identified by the initial search criteria, but only 16 articles were included in the data extraction and quality assessment stage. The following key themes emerged: knowledge of HIVST; acceptability of HIVST; need for HIVST counselling; confidentiality of HIVST; convenience of HIVST; and accuracy of HIVST. The study shows that while HIVST provides men with an alternative, confidential and convenient testing model, the potential for psychological and physical harm remains a challenge. CONCLUSION: The introduction of the HIVST strategy has the potential of improving men's uptake in HIV testing services, thereby contributing towards addressing the first cascade of the 90-90-90 strategy. While HIVST has a potential for addressing men's barriers to attending clinic settings, such as confidentiality and convenience, it barely addresses the HIVST counselling and accuracy concerns.

Evidence on food control in charitable food assistance programs: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Food control is defined as a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement aimed at ensuring that all foods during production, handling, storage, processing, and distribution are safe, wholesome, and fit for human consumption; conform to safety and quality requirements; and are honestly and accurately labeled as prescribed by law. This applies to food served by the conventional food supply chain as well as the charitable food assistance programs (CFAPs). This review sought to map the available evidence on the food control in the CFAPs globally. METHODS: In order to identify the literature, we developed a series of search terms, as well as parameters for including articles to review the literature using African Index Medicus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost (MEDLINE with full text, Academic search complete, MEDLINE) search engines. Articles were also searched through the "Cited by" search as well as citations included in the reference lists of included articles. We included studies reported in all languages and published from inception to 2018. We included studies if they presented evidence of the CFAPs, namely food banks, food charitable organizations (FCOs), pantries, community soup kitchens, and emergency shelters. We presented the results of our search using thematic analysis in order to reveal the emerging themes. RESULTS: Beyond inconsistencies with the classification of the CFAPs, our study found significant knowledge gaps in crucial areas, namely food vulnerability, food traceability, vulnerability of beneficiary populations, and lack of food control. Our search yielded a total of 23 articles, which we included in the analysis. Results show that while food is the critical commodity to saving lives, if not controlled properly, it can have an adverse effect, especially on people it is meant to benefit (the vulnerable). CONCLUSION: With no previous comprehensive review to assess what is known about food control in the CFAPs, we undertook a scoping review, focusing on mapping the key concepts, including the main sources and types of evidence available. By drawing conclusions about the overall state of research activity and identifying research gaps and priorities in the existing literature, this study provides a baseline assessment of the CFAP research published in peer-reviewed journals from inception to 2018.

Mapping evidence of intervention strategies to improving men's uptake to HIV testing services in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: HIV testing serves as a critical gateway for linkage and retention to care services, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries with high burden of HIV infections. However, the current progress towards addressing the first cascade of the 90-90-90 programme is largely contributed by women. This study aimed to map evidence on the intervention strategies to improve HIV uptake among men in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework and Levac et al. (2010) recommendation for methodological enhancement for scoping review studies. We searched for eligible articles from electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE; American Doctoral Dissertations via EBSCO host; Union Catalogue of Theses and Dissertations (UCTD); SA ePublications via SABINET Online; World Cat Dissertations; Theses via OCLC; and Google Scholar. We included studies from January 1990 to August 2018. We used the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool version 2018 was used to determine the methodological quality of the included studies. We further used NVivo version 11 to aid with content thematic analysis. RESULTS: This study revealed that teaching men about HIV; Community-Based HIV testing; Home-Based HIV testing; Antenatal Care HIV testing; HIV testing incentives and HIV Self-testing are important strategies to improving HIV testing among men in sub-Saharan Africa. The need for improving programmes aimed at giving more information to men about HIV that are specifically tailored for men, especially given their poor uptake of HIV testing services was also found. This study further revealed the need for implementing Universal Test and Treat among HIV positive men found through community-based testing strategies, while suggesting the importance of restructuring home-based HIV testing visits to address the gap posed by mobile populations. CONCLUSION: The community HIV testing, as well as, HIV self-testing strategies showed great potential to increase HIV uptake among men in sub-Saharan Africa. However, to address poor linkage to care, ART should be initiated soon after HIV diagnosis is concluded during community testing services. We also recommend more research aimed at addressing the quality of HIV self-testing kits, as well as, improving the monitoring systems of the distributed HIV self-testing kits.

Mapping evidence on charitable food assistance system's compliance with safety and general hygiene requirements in Africa and the rest of the world: a systematic scoping review protocol.

BACKGROUND: The charitable food assistance system has an influential role in the larger effort to curtail the problem of food insecurity globally. They often play a crucial role in meeting the food security needs of the poor, particularly resource-limited settings where food security is a challenge. The aim of our study is to compare evidence on the safety and general hygiene of charitable food assistance system in Africa and the rest of the world. METHODS: This study will be conducted through a systematic scoping review. We will search for literature from the following electronic databases: African Index Medicus, PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost (MEDLINE with full text, Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE) and open access for unpublished theses and dissertations. Articles will also be searched through the 'Cited by' search as well as citations included in the reference lists of included articles. Websites, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Departments of Health websites, will be searched for policies and guidelines for food charity practice. Studies will be identified by searching literature published in any language between 1967 and 2018. Then, following title screening, eligible studies will be exported to EndNote library where duplicates will be removed before the parallel screening of abstracts and full articles by two independent reviewers. Screening will be guided by the study eligibility criteria. Data from the included studies will be extracted, and the emerging themes will be analysed. The relationship of the emerging themes to the research question will be critically examined. The quality of the included studies will be determined by the use of Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT)-version 2011. The search results will be presented through the use of the adapted PRISMA-P chart. DISCUSSION: We hope to find relevant studies that highlight evidence of charitable organisations' food safety and general hygiene practices, in order to effectively compare their performance to those of formal and informal food establishments. Findings of this study will be disseminated electronically, in print and through peer presentation, conferences and congresses on synergies between efforts to reduce food loss and waste and those practices of public health concern.