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SummaryIn northern Uganda, unerupted primary canine teeth are commonly extracted because they are believed to cause diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever. This practice, known as ebino, is performed under very crude conditions often using unclean tools. To evaluate the morbidity and mortality of complications related to ebino, we retrospectively analysed discharge records from the paediatric ward of Lacor Hospital, Gulu. In the period 1992-98, ebino-related complications, mainly sepsis and anaemia, were among the leading causes of admission (n ϭ 740) and hospital death (n ϭ 156, case fatality rate ϭ 21.1%, proportional mortality rate ϭ 3.3%). Discouraging the adoption of deeply rooted traditional practices that are potentially hazardous to health should be a public health priority in northern Uganda. This could be done by educating not only the general public, but also traditional healers and community and religious leaders, who could convey the knowledge to their people.keywords ebino, hospital, Africa correspondence Silvia Declich,

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To inform our understanding of male and female health care use, we assessed sex differences in hospital admissions by diagnosis and for in-patient mortality using discharge records for 210319 patients admitted to the Lacor Hospital in northern Uganda in the period 1992-2004. These differences were interpreted using a gender framework. The overall number of admissions was similar by sex, yet differences emerged among age groups. In children (0-14 years), malaria was the leading cause of admission, and the distribution of diseases was similar between sexes. Among 15-44 year olds, females had more admissions, overall, and for malaria, cancer and anaemia, in addition to delivery and gynaeco-obstetrical conditions (25.7% of female admissions). Males had more admissions for injuries, liver disease and tuberculosis in the same age group. In older persons (>or=45 years), women had more admissions for cancer, hypertension, malaria and diarrhoea, while, as for the previous age group, males had more admissions for injuries, liver disease and tuberculosis. This study provides insight into sex- and gender-related differences in health. The analysis and documentation of these differences are crucial for improving service delivery and for assessing the achievement of the dual goals of improving health status and reducing health inequalities.

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