Prevalence and factors associated with lumbopelvic pain among pregnant women in their third trimester: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: pregnancy related lumbopelvic pain, which refers to low back pain and pelvic girdle pain, is a common musculoskeletal disorder affecting quality of life. The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence and the factors associated with lumbopelvic pain among pregnant women in their third trimester. Methods: four hundred and nineteen pregnant women were included in this institutional-based cross-sectional study. The study was carried out from October 2018 to March 2019 at Kawempe national referral hospital in Uganda. Pregnant women in the third trimester participated in the study. Pregnant women with preexisting backache, a fracture or surgery to the back, hip or pelvic area in the preceding 12 months were excluded. Lumbopelvic pain was defined as low back pain and pelvic girdle pain. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were carried out to establish the factors associated with lumbopelvic pain. The presence of lumbopelvic pain was assessed for and diagnosed using the illustrations in the pelvic girdle questionnaire. Results: the prevalence of pregnancy related lumbopelvic pain was 46% (95% CI: 40.8-50.4). Most women who had pregnancy related lumbopelvic pain experienced lumbar pain. The factors independently associated with pregnancy related lumbopelvic pain (PLPP) were being HIV sero positive [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.25, 95% CI: 1.17-4.35] and having no monthly income (AOR 0.53, 95% CI: 0.30-0.94). Conclusion: in this study, PLPP is common in women attending antenatal clinic in their third trimester. The factors associated with PLPP were being HIV positive and having no income. In future pregnant women who come for antenatal care with pregnancy related lumbopelvic pain should be given appropriate advice and support.

Over-nutrition and associated factors among 20 to 49-year-old women in Uganda: evidence from the 2016 Uganda demographic health survey.

INTRODUCTION: low- and middle-income countries are currently faced with a double burden of malnutrition. There has, however, been little focus on research and interventions for women with over-nutrition. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with over-nutrition among 20 to 49-year-old women in Uganda. METHODS: we used the Uganda demographic and health survey (UDHS) 2016 data of 4,640 women. We analysed data using SPSS (version 25), and we used multivariable logistic regression to determine factors associated with over-nutrition among 20 to 49-year-old women in Uganda. RESULTS: the prevalence of over-nutrition was 28.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 26.8-29.4) with overweight at 19.3% and obesity at 8.9%. Women belonging to the poorer (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.63; 95% CI: 1.17-2.28), middle (AOR=2.24; 95% CI: 1.61-3.13), richer (AOR=3.02; 95% CI: 2.14-4.25) and richest (AOR=6.35; 95% CI: 4.52-8.93) wealth index quintiles were more likely to be over-nourished compared to women in the poorest wealth index quintile. Married women (AOR=1.52; 95% CI: 1.26-1.83) were more likely to be over-nourished compared to non-married women. Older women were more likely to be over-nourished compared to younger women. Women in the Western (AOR=2.12; 95% CI: 1.66-2.71), Eastern (AOR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.04-1.88) and Central (AOR=2.25; 95% CI: 1.69-2.99) regions were more likely to be over-nourished compared to women in the Northern region. CONCLUSION: the design of multi-faceted over-nutrition reduction programs with an emphasis on older, married, financially stable women, and those living in the Western, Eastern and Central regions of the country is needed.

Prevalence and factors associated with sexual violence among women aged 15-49 years in rural Uganda: evidence from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

OBJECTIVES: Sexual violence is a serious global health problem with short- and long-term physical, mental, and reproductive adverse effects. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with sexual violence among women of reproductive age in rural Uganda. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study based on the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) 2016 data. METHODS: UDHS 2016 data for 5259 rural women aged 15-49 years were used in this study. Multistage stratified sampling was used to select participants, and data were collected using validated questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with sexual violence. All analyses we carried out in SPSS (version 25). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sexual violence among rural women was 24.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.4-25.7) compared with 18.4% (95% CI: 17.0-20.7) among urban women. Rural women who had received only primary education had higher odds of sexual violence compared with those who had received tertiary education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.17-7.72). Women living in the Western region were more likely to experience sexual violence than those living in the Northern region of Uganda (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.41-2.87). In addition, women in the poorest wealth quintile had higher odds of sexual violence compared with those in the richest quintile (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.02-4.17). Women justifying beating, health care decision-making, and husband's/partner's frequency of getting drunk were also significantly associated with sexual violence. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sexual violence among rural Ugandan women was high and is associated with factors such as educational level, region, wealth index, justified beating, health care decision-making, and husband's/partner's frequency of getting drunk. Thus, there is a need to improve the livelihoods and income of rural women, including the promotion of continued education for girls, as well as to strengthen protective laws and policies to curb this public health issue.

Perinatal death triples the prevalence of postpartum depression among women in Northern Uganda: A community-based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Deaths during the perinatal period remain a big challenge in Africa, with 38 deaths per 1000 pregnancies in Uganda. The consequences of these deaths can be detrimental to the women; some ending up with postpartum depression. We examined the association between perinatal death and postpartum depression among women in Lira district, Northern Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study of 1,789 women. Trained research assistants screened women for postpartum depressive symptoms on day 50 postpartum using the Edinburgh postpartum depression scale (EPDS). Socio-demographic, economic, birth and survival status of the neonate were collected during pregnancy and within one week postpartum. We used generalized estimating equation for the Poisson family with a log link using Stata to estimate the prevalence ratio of the association between postpartum depressive symptoms (EPDS scores ≥14) and perinatal death. Mothers who lost their babies between 7-49 days postpartum were excluded. RESULTS: Of the 1,789 participants symptomatically screened for postpartum depression, 377 (21.1%) [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 17.2%, 23.0%] had probable depressive symptoms. The prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms among the 77 women who had experienced perinatal death (37 stillbirths and 40 early neonatal deaths (≤7 days of life)) was 62.3% [95% CI: 50.8%, 72.6%] compared to 19.2% [95% CI: 17.4%, 21.2%], among 1,712 with live infants at day 50 postpartum. Women who had experienced a perinatal death were three times as likely to have postpartum depressive symptoms as those who had a live birth [adjusted prevalence ratio 3.45 (95% CI: 2.67, 4.48)]. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms, assessed by EPDS, was high among women who had had a perinatal death in Northern Uganda. Women experiencing a perinatal death need to be screened for postpartum depressive symptoms in order to intervene and reduce associated morbidity.