BackgroundMuch of the research literature about the use of family planning generalizes contraceptive use among all women, using age as a covariate. In Uganda, a country with divergent trends in modern family planning use, this study was set to explore whether or not the predictors of contraceptive use differ by age. This was assessed by using data from the 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS).MethodsWe restricted the sample from each round to fecund, non-pregnant married women age 15–34 who were sexually active within one year prior to the survey, resulting in a sample of 2,814 women. We used logistic regression with age variable used as an interaction term to model the relationship between selected independent variables and the outcome variable (modern contraception use) for each group of women.ResultsWe found that the key factors associated with use of modern contraceptives varied among young and older married women age 15–24 and 25–34 respectively. Results showed that perception on distance to health facility, listening to radio and geographical differences exhibited significant variability in contraceptive use among the young and the older women. Other key factors that were important for both age groups in explaining contraceptive use were; desire to have children after two years and education level.ConclusionsAddressing contraceptive use among old and young women in Uganda requires concerted efforts that target such women to address the socio economic barriers that exist. There is need for increased access of family planning service to the population through strengthening the use of Village Health Teams (VHTs) whose service is currently limited in coverage (MoH, 2009). Given the variation in contraceptive use between the two age groups, our findings further suggest that there is need for variability in media targeting among the young and the older women categories for improved use of modern contraceptives, for instance using alternative media strategies to reach the young women. Family planning policies should also be tailored to address the specific needs of different age groups of women with varied geographical locations.
The World Health Organization provides guidelines on handwashing as part of the global campaign towards achieving proper hygiene. In East Africa, cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks and, most recently, COVID-19 remain a threat to public health – calling for the promotion of handwashing to prevent infection. Using data from demographic and health surveys in four East African countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda), we estimate the prevalence and identify the predictors of the availability of handwashing facilities in households. Findings indicate that the presence of a handwashing facility is not universal in the four countries: Kenya (66.4%), Rwanda (76.4%), Tanzania (80.7%) and Uganda (59.2%). Results from the pooled binary logistic regression model indicate that age, sex and education of the household head, type of place of residence, number of children, and household wealth are strong predictors of having handwashing facilities in all countries. However, the likelihood of having a handwashing facility in Uganda is lower than other countries. This study provides a rich understanding of the factors that explain the availability of handwashing facilities. Findings indicate how prepared the four countries are in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – and can guide the policy direction in the prevention of infection.
IntroductionThe proportion of older persons in developing countries is increasing with no clear evidence of improvement in physical health. The aim of this paper was to examine the factors associated with older persons’ physical health in rural Uganda.MethodsThis paper is based on a cross-sectional study of 912 older persons age 60 years and older across four major regions of Uganda. The study was conceptualized basing on World Health Organization quality of life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Analysis was done at three levels, that is, frequency distributions were generated to describe background characteristics of respondents and cross-tabulations were done to determine associations between dependent and each of the independent variables. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of physical health.ResultsThe likelihood of good physical health is high among older persons (Ops) who controlled their household assets (OR = 3.64; CI = 1.81–7.30) or the household assets controlled by their spouses (OR = 4.44; CI = 1.91–10.32) relative to those whose household assets were controlled by their children. There is high likelihood of good physical health among those who engage in physical activities (OR = 2.28; CI = 1.52–3.43) compared to those who do not.ConclusionThe findings have various policy implications, including creating an enabling environment and building capacities of older persons to remain in control of their household assets. Interventions focusing on deepening sensitization of older persons about importance of physical exercises could be a viable strategy for improving physical health of older persons.
The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 necessitated the promotion of better hygiene practices to curb the spread of the virus. Better hygiene requires that households have a stable supply of water. However, little is known about the predictors of changes in water use in emergency situations such as COVID-19 in Uganda. This study uses data from a cross-sectional survey to examine the changes in the quantities of water used by 1639 Ugandan households due to COVID-19. This article also explores the factors that are associated with changes in water use. The month March 2020 is used in this study as a cut-off because this is the month in which the government implemented a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. Results indicate that most households had an increase in the quantity of water used after March 2020 when compared to the period before March 2020. Household characteristics that were associated with a change in the quantity of water used were age, sex, education, main occupation of household head, household size and region of residence. The results can be used to inform the prediction and demand modelling of household water use for improved water interventions for equitable water supply under emergencies.
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