Hypertension in Africa was estimated to 30.8% in 2010 with dramatic increase in some regions ranging between 36.2%-77.3% (Adeloye & Basquill, 2014). In Rwanda, the prevalence of hypertension was estimated to 15.3%, but the factors associated with screening uptake were not explored (Nahimana et al., 2017). The study objectives were: (1) to determine the prevalence of hypertension among the population attending the monthly community work” Umuganda” in a selected sector, and (2) to identify the factors associated with screening uptake. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire, the blood pressure was at the same time measured, and analytic cross-sectional design was adopted. The respondents were 383, of them 60.3% were female and 39.7% were male, aged between 18-34 years old (30.5%), 35-49 years old (39.4%), and 50 years and above (30.0%). The prevalence of hypertension was 17.5%, and 46.5% have never been tested before. The majority (96.3%) planned to get tested regularly, 95.6% perceived hypertension as a serious disease, and 64.8% perceived themselves susceptible to get hypertension. Sources of information were media (89.6%), health staff (79.4%), campaigns (73.1%), Community Health Workers (CHWs) (67.1%), and neighbors (57.7%). Reported barriers to screening were lack of information (87.5%), delay of health insurance (79.1%), lack of readiness of the health care staff (75.7%), perceived quality of health care delivery (52.2%), and the perceived cost (46.5%). Factors influencing the screening were gender (Chi-square 7.82, p=0.004), age (Chi-square 8.35, p=0.015), and occupation (Chi-square 19.53, p˂0.000). The perceived susceptibility influenced the perceived severity (Chi-square 33.51, p˂0.000), community sensitization (Chi-square 5.52, p=0.019), and perceived benefits (Chi-square 9.08, p=0.003). Hypertension prevalence was higher than the national estimates. Perceived susceptibility, community sensitization, age, gender and occupation were the key factors influencing the screening uptake. Community-based interventions to increase awareness and screening of hypertension are highly recommended.
Tree cavities, formed by animal excavation or processes of fungal decay and mechanical damage, may provide nesting, roosting, or resting opportunities to many invertebrate and vertebrate species. Although cavity availability has been linked to patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning elsewhere, there have been few such studies in the Afrotropics. Here, we present a baseline survey of cavity availability inside the high elevation (2200-3714 m) Afromontane forest ecosystems of Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda. We aimed to provide such reference data in the form of summary statistics on cavity density and characteristics in a collection of 400 m 2 plots that together cover 8.8 ha inside and 0.68 ha outside VNP. We also explored the relative importance of fungal decay vs. excavators in the formation of cavities, tested for the relative role of standing dead trees and living trees as cavity substrates, considered differences in diameter and height between cavity-bearing trees and trees without cavities, tested whether cavity density varies across elevation, and determined the orientation of cavity entrances. We found 109 cavities in 52 cavity-bearing trees (dominated by Hagenia abyssinica) inside VNP, for a density of 12.4 cavities and 5.9 cavity-bearing trees per hectare, and none outside the park. More cavities were decay-formed (n = 90) than excavated (n = 19), and though most cavities were found in living trees (n = 44), the number of cavities in dead trees (n = 8) was high relative to dead tree substrate availability. We also found that cavity-bearing trees were larger than those without cavities, that excavated cavities were predominantly oriented toward the southeast and decay-formed cavities to the northeast, and that cavity density declined with increases in elevation. Our results show that large and dead trees of particular species are important cavity substrates that need to be given attention in conservation and management, as is clearly illustrated by the lack of cavities in the highly managed Eucalyptus stands outside VNP.
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Sub-Saharan Africa was 13.7% in 2016 (Werfalli, Engel, Musekiwa, Kengne, & Levitt, 2016), which is higher than 8.7%, the global diabetes prevalence in 2015 (WHO, 2016). Fewer studies explored the factors associated with diabetes early detection for its prevention and control (WHO, 2016). Study objectives were: (1) to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the population attending the monthly community work in a selected sector, and (2) to identify the factors associated with diabetes screening and early detection. All 383 respondents who were attending the community monthly work were invited to be screened for diabetes and to be surveyed using an interview-guide questionnaire. Out of 383 respondents, 60.3% were female and 39.7% were male. The prevalence of diabetes was 8.6%, and only 27.9% have been tested before. The majority (95.3%) perceived regular testing beneficial, 62.4% perceived themselves susceptible to get diabetes, and 94.8% perceived diabetes as a serious disease. The sources of information were radio and television (89.6%), health care staff (79.4%), mass campaigns (73.1%), Community Health Workers (CHWs) (67.1%), and the neighbors (57.7%). Reported barriers to screening were lack of information (87.5%), delay of health insurance (79.1%), lack of readiness of the health care staff (75.7%), perceived quality of health care (52.2%) and the perceived cost (46.5%). The factors associated with the screening were the age (p=0.01), occupation (p<0.000), the perceived susceptibility (p˂ 0.000), the perceived threat (p=0.005), community sensitization by CHWs (p=0.003), mass campaign (p=0.001), and neighbors (p=0.009). Diabetes prevalence was lower than the Sub-Saharan prevalence estimates. Community sensitization through CHWs, mass campaigns and neighbors, information provision, disease perception, age, occupation, and quality of health care were the predictors of diabetes screening. Decentralized community sensitization and screening programs are highly recommended.
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