Conectar
by Grace Kyule, Samuel Iddi, Noreen Dadirai Mdege, Lyagamula Kisia, Terefe Gelibo Argefa, Olatunbosun Abolarin, Didier M. Mirindi, Retselisitsoe Pokothoane, Boscow Okumu, Nelson Mbaya, Franklin Koech, James Kavai, Akinsewa Akiode, Thompson Ademola, Uche Okezie, Fakorede J.I, Christelle Tchoupé, Damazo T. Kadengye, Shukri F. Mohamed
Tobacco use often begins during adolescence, increasing the risk of lifelong nicotine dependence and future non-communicable diseases. In sub-Saharan Africa, concerns are rising due to aggressive tobacco industry marketing and expanding nicotine product markets, yet nationally representative data covering both in-school and out-of-school adolescents remain limited. Understanding tobacco use patterns during early and mid-adolescence, a critical period for experimentation and initiation, is essential for informing prevention strategies. We conducted nationally representative cross-sectional household surveys between March and June 2024 using harmonized tools and multistage stratified cluster sampling in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Kenya. Adolescents aged 10–17 years completed standardized face-to-face interviews with response rates of 96% in DRC, 94% in Nigeria and 96% in Kenya. The outcomes were current use of any tobacco, smoked tobacco and smokeless tobacco. Current tobacco use was defined as self-reported use in the past 30 days of any tobacco product including cigarettes, cigars, shisha/waterpipe and smokeless-tobacco (snuff/chewing). Analyses incorporated sampling weights to estimate prevalence, assessed subgroup differences using Rao-Scott chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted separately for each country and outcome. Among 18,612 adolescents (4,675 in DRC, 7,502 in Nigeria, 6,435 in Kenya), 6·5% (95% CI: 4·9–8·6) reported current tobacco use, with variations across countries (11·9% in DRC, 3·6% in Nigeria, and 2·5% in Kenya). Similar patterns were observed for smoked and smokeless tobacco use. Tobacco use was higher among boys, older adolescents, and those engaged in work. In adjusted analyses, being a boy and older was associated with higher odds of use. Being enrolled in school was linked to lower odds of use in DRC and Kenya, while having both parents alive reduced odds of use in DRC and Nigeria. Higher parental education was associated with lower odds of tobacco use in Kenya but higher odds of use in DRC and Nigeria. Overall, adolescents’ tobacco use remains a critical public health challenge and observed cross-country differences highlight the need for tailored, context-specific interventions and strengthened tobacco control efforts.Policies promote patient-centred tuberculosis (TB) care in Kenya, a high-burden TB country, but implementation remains limited. This study sought to understand the experiences of TB healthcare workers in implementing patient-centred TB services in primary health facilities in Nairobi and explore how the challenges they face can be addressed.
Using collaborative research design, we recruited healthcare workers (n=29) from primary health facilities across three densely populated subcounties in Nairobi and TB stakeholders (n=24) including policymakers and managers. From March to April 2024, we collected data through three workshops with nurses (n=19) and clinical officers/doctors (n=10) and a joint workshop with stakeholders. Participants engaged in group discussions and participatory visual methods to define person-centred care, document practices, identify challenges and develop solutions. Our data analysis applied a framework approach drawing on the social–ecological, TB care cascade and health systems building blocks models.
Healthcare workers identified practices for differentiated TB care across age groups, genders, occupations and comorbidities. Implementation faced multiple challenges including structural, health system, community and patient’s individual constraints. Shortages of funding, workforce and capacity affected close-to-community TB screening (Theme 1). Insufficient testing capacity at lower-level facilities led to diagnostic delays (Theme 2). Inflexible clinic hours and medication stockouts requiring frequent facility visits undermined TB treatment and adherence among working populations (Theme 3). Weak collaboration and referral systems limited support for people facing homelessness, substance use or poverty. Healthcare workers proposed enhanced TB training, increased TB workforce, flexible medication delivery, integrated TB services and strengthened intersectoral collaboration with education, labour and social protection sectors (Theme 4).
Healthcare workers demonstrate willingness and capacity to deliver patient-centred TB care but require strengthened health systems, ongoing training and sustainable intersectoral partnerships. Scaling up identified practices and innovative tools while addressing systemic barriers could improve TB care delivery and outcomes for underserved populations.
by Vivian Hoffmann, Boaz Ndisio, Allan Barasa, Sheila Okoth, Mike Murphy
Foodborne illness is a major source of the global burden of disease, but public monitoring of hazards in food systems is overwhelmingly focused on the formal sector in high income countries. We contribute to the development of an evidence base on food safety risk in low-income and informal settings by monitoring aflatoxin prevalence in maize flour in Kenya. Aflatoxin is a contaminant which causes liver cancer and has been linked to childhood stunting. We carry out systematic monitoring of formally and informally processed maize flour from a range of retail vendors across ten urban sites in Kenya and analyze aflatoxin levels in commercial samples. Samples were obtained every two months from February-December 2021 and 1255 samples in total were analyzed. Almost all samples (97%) showed detectable levels of aflatoxin, with 16% of tested samples exceeding the national regulatory limit of 10 ppb. Mean contamination levels are significantly higher (p
FreshRSS 