Mengo Hospital, also known as Namirembe Hospital, is a private, faith-based, community, teaching hospital in Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda.
INTRODUCTION:This study examined the factors linked to all-cause mortality and morbidity from neurological and musculoskeletal injuries during motorcycle accidents in Uganda. METHODS:The study was part of a two-armed, parallel, multi-period, cluster-randomised controlled trial of 1003 motorcycle crash victims. Morbidity was assessed using various scoring systems, and mixed effects regression models were employed for analysis. RESULTS:Ninety-day all-cause mortality was 9.2% (82/887). Factors associated with mortality included referral-to-dispatch >1 hour (OR 4.215 (1.802-9.858), p=0.001), Kampala Trauma Score (KTS) ≤6 (OR 7.696 (1.932-30.653), p=0.004), GCS 9-12 (OR 3.432 (1.194-9.870), p=0.022), GCS ≤8 (OR 6.919 (2.212-21.645), p=0.001), intra-axial lesions (OR 78.647 (9.871-626.587), p<0.001), extra-axial lesions (OR 11.933 (1.386-102.750), p=0.024), skull fracture (OR 11.366, (1.197-107.977), p=0.034) and craniotomy (OR 0.260 (0.095-0.706), p=0.008).A percentage of 14.5% had unfavourable Glasgow Outcome Scale (1-3); associated factors included increasing age (OR 1.02 (1.013-1.045, p<.001), multiple injuries (OR 4.559 (1.185-17.531), p=0.027), KTS 7-8 (OR 2.755 (1.285-5.906), p=0.009), KTS ≤6 (OR 7.551 (2.815-20.255), p=0.001), GCS 9-12 (OR 4.07 (1.901-8.719), p=0.001), GCS ≤8 (OR 13.779 (5.643-33.645), p<0.001) and craniotomy (OR 0.149 (0.075-0.295), p<0.001).Factors associated with unfavourable patient-reported musculoskeletal outcomes included being married (OR 1.984 (1.322-2.976), p=0.001), multiple injuries (OR 1.762 (1.001-3.100), p=0.049) and enrolment after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (OR 2.095 (1.199-3.659), p=0.009]. CONCLUSIONS:The key determinants of mortality and adverse neurological and musculoskeletal injury outcomes observed in this study are essential for establishing core outcome sets in future research and predictive models. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202308851460352).
Background Burnout is a widely recognised occupational phenomenon, with emergency department (ED) healthcare workers globally facing a heightened risk. Despite this, data on the burden of burnout among ED healthcare workers, especially in low-resource settings, are limited. Our study sought to establish the prevalence and factors associated with burnout and workplace stressors among ED healthcare workers in Uganda.Methods An online-based survey was conducted among ED professionals across four private and public hospitals. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey tool. Data were analysed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.Results Data from 82 participants were analysed (response rate of 88%), with approximately equal numbers of males and females, just over half providing care to both adult and paediatric patients and 61% working in public facilities. Overall, 9.7% of participants met the criteria for burnout. In total, 48.7% (n=40) reported high emotional exhaustion, 21.9% (n=18) reported high depersonalisation and 35.4% (n=29) reported low personal accomplishment. At least 80% of participants identified key ED stressors including work-related fatigue, patients' financial problems, work overload, equipment shortages and challenges in balancing professional and personal responsibilities. After adjusting for covariates such as overload of health professional literature needed to be read, patients' financial problems, educational issues, lack of sufficient clinical skills and ED violence, burnout was positively associated with poor communication with colleagues in the ED (adjusted OR (AOR) 9.90; 95% CI 1.60 to 61.17; p=0.014) and with caring for the old and terminally ill patients (AOR 7.54; 95% CI 1.38 to 41.29; p=0.020). These associations were consistent with the high depersonalisation domain of burnout.Conclusion Burnout, particularly in the emotional exhaustion domain, is notably prevalent among ED healthcare workers in Uganda. There is a pressing need for context-specific interventions aimed at improving early recognition of burnout and addressing persistent ED stressors. Such measures are essential to enhance ED healthcare workers' well-being, and ultimately improve in-hospital emergency care in Uganda.
Clinical students face hazards, such as needlestick injuries and blood spills. While healthcare workers’ exposure to such hazards is well-documented, there is limited data on medical students, particularly in Uganda. We explored the prevalence and factors associated with biological occupational hazards among clinical university students. This cross-sectional study examined biological occupational hazards among 384 randomly selected undergraduate clinical medical students at a university in Southwestern Uganda. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Categorical and numerical data were summarised descriptively using frequencies and means. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors independently associated with hazard exposure. Adjusted odds ratios with 95
Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a significant public health problem associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. This study aims to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Mengo Hospital in Kampala District. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 pregnant women attending antenatal care at Mengo Hospital. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and laboratory testing using the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) based on WHO 2013 diagnostic criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and presented using tables, charts, bar graphs, and descriptive statistics. Result The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus among the study participants was 12%. A higher proportion of GDM cases occurred among women aged 35 years and above (45%). Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) accounted for 15.6% of all GDM cases. Other important factors included family history of diabetes (58.3%), multiparity (50%), previous macrosomia (41.7%), previous history of GDM (33.3%), and hypertension (41.7%). Most GDM cases were observed among married women and those with tertiary education. Conclusion The prevalence of GDM at Mengo Hospital is notably high. Both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors significantly contribute to its occurrence, highlighting the need for routine screening and targeted interventions during antenatal care. Recommendations Routine universal screening for GDM should be strengthened during ANC visits, with emphasis on high-risk groups such as older mothers, obese women, and those with a positive family history of diabetes.
