An exploratory study of men's companionship, perceptions and experiences during pregnancy and delivery in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Globally, low involvement of men in maternal health care services remains a problem to health care providers and policy makers. Men's support is essential for making women's world better. There are increasing debates among policymakers and researchers on the role of men in maternal health programs, which is a challenge in patriarchal societies like Uganda. The aim of the study was to assess companionship during delivery; men's perception and experiences during pregnancy and delivery. METHODS: This was a descriptive exploratory study using a qualitative approach. This study involved 16 male participants who were present in the labor room during the delivery of their child. In-depth interviews (IDIs) were the main data collection methods used in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who share particular characteristics with the potential of providing rich, relevant, and diverse data. The interviews were tape-recorded with the permission of the participants; in addition, the interviewer took notes. Each interview lasted between 30 and 45 min. The transcripts were entered into ATLAS.ti for analysis. Manifest content analysis was used. RESULTS: The major themes were; feelings about attending child birth, responsibilities during child birth, positive experiences and negative experiences about child birth. Men are willing to participate in child birth and should be encouraged as many are the decision makers in the family. Admission of men into the delivery room, improves family togetherness. The women felt loved and treasured. The men reported bondage to their partners and new born. CONCLUSIONS: Men's involvement in the child birth process was associated with a more perceived bondage with the partner and the newborn. Their presence helped to promote a calm and successful child birth process. Hospitals should work on measures encouraging male involvement.

SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI INFECTION AND THE ASSOCIATED ANTIBODY IMMUNE RESPONSE AMONGST RESIDENTS OF KIGUNGU ENTEBBE, UGANDA.

UNLABELLED: BACNKGROUND: There are many foci endemic for Schistosoma (S.) mansoni in Uganda. The immune responses to infection with the parasites in these areas have been found to vary with host sex, age and infection intensity. OBJECTIVE: To determine the profile of antibody isotypes responses against S. mansoni crude soluble egg antigens (SEA) and soluble adult worm protein (SWAP) antigens that determine the host resistance or susceptibility to reinfection. DESIGN: Cross Sectional, cohort study. SETTING: Kigugu fishing village in Entebbe, Uganda. SUBJECTS: Nine hundred and forty five (945) Kigungu residents reported forpre-treatment screening and enrolment and 626 cohorts report for post-treatment screening and enrolment 18 months later. RESULTS: Pearson's Chi-sq2 showed thatincrease in titres of anti (SWAP IgE, SEA IgE, and SEA IgG2) was not significant, but increase in anti SEA IgG3 was significant. Decrease in titres of anti (SWAP IgG1, SEA IgG1, and SEA IgG4) was not significant but decrease of anti (SWAP IgG2, SWAP IgG3 and SWAP IgG4) was significant. Positive correlation existed between age and anti SWAP IgE in before and after treatment sera. On the contrary, age was positively correlated with anti SWAP IgG4 in pre-treatment sera but was negatively correlated with anti SWAP IgG4 in the post-treatment sera. In addition there were positive correlation between higher egg counts and the immunoglobulin levels of anti SWAP IgG4 and anti SEA IgG4 but negative correlations were observed between anti SWAP IgE and anti SEA IgE. Conversely low egg counts were associated with high levels of anti SWAP IgE. Furthermore, IgG1-4, IgE antibody to SEA and SWAP antigens did not differ significantly according to sex. CONCLUSION: We concluded that praziquantel treatment of S. mansoni infected persons alter the immune responses that are influenced by age and intensity. A phenomenon that is useful in the effort to produce vaccine against schistosome.

Evidence of Long Term Benefit of Praziquantel Treatment Against Schistosoma mansoni in Kigungu Fishing Village of Entebbe, Uganda

Praziquantel (PZQ) is efficacious against all species of schistosome: Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosoma haematobium; Schistosoma japonicum and other parasites like the Taenia species. This cross-sectional cohorts study was carried out in Kigungu fishing village along Lake Victoria shore in Entebbe Uganda. Our analysis was based on examining microscopically three slides from a single stool specimen from each of base line cohorts 945.These included children and adults; participants from both sexes in Kigungu fishing village in Entebbe Uganda. Nine hundred and one (901) of the cohorts were re-examined after six months and 625 of the same cohorts who were examined at the baseline and after six months were re-examined 18 months later. The slides were prepared using modified Kato/Katz (Odongo-Aginya) method. The infection proportion with Schistosoma mansoni at baseline was 448 (47.5) but this was reduced to 244 (25.8) 18 months after treatment with a single oral dose of praziquantel at 40mg/kg. However 495 (52.5) were negative at the baseline study. The cure proportion after six was significant ///{(P=0.00); (OR4.63) CI at 95(3.53-6.06)///}. Similarly the cure proportion after 18 months was significant ///{(P=0.00); (OR2.2) CI at 95(1.87-3.34)///}. The force of re-infection after six months was significant ///{(P=0.0001); (OR 0.47) CI at 95(0.31-0.71)///}. Nevertheless the force of re-infection was not significant after 18 months ///{(P=0.766); (OR 0.95) CI at 95(0.68-1.34)///} eggs excretion did not reach the level of the pre-treatment intensity. The egg reduction was 69.3. This was associated with age and pre-treatment intensity 400 eggs per gram (epg) of faeces and age groups ? 30 years. The egg reduction also resulted in marked decrease in clinical symptoms in the participants. Our study suggests evidence of long-term benefit of praziquantel in Kigungu and that the re-infection occurred more commonly in younger age group than in the older patients