Community Education Challenges in Young Adults of South Western Uganda

The aim of this study was to identify the major challenges to community education and any health problem in Bushenyi district of South Western Uganda. Data collection was done through questionnaire and participants were randomly selected. This was a cross-sectional study carried out for a period of three months in 2012. A questionnaire was used to collect data and using onsite observations the responses were validated. A total of 260 participants from 65 homesteads were included in the study from 52 households. 144 were females and 116 males, of which 52.4% of the children were female and the rest male. The mean ± SEM age of females and males was 36 ± 8.6 and 29 ± 8.6 years respectively. In all the homesteads, 71% were headed by an adult male and only 29% were found to be headed by an adult female while none was headed by children. Inferential analysis showed (P = 0.02) that there are more females than male in the homesteads. Majority of the homesteads are being taken care of by women instead of men probably as a result of the high mortalities due to HIV/AIDS in the past decade and above all the movement of most men to urban centers in search of better sources of employment to support their families. Among school going age participant’s i.e. children and adolescents, only 59.6% were found to be attending school. There was no statistical significance (P = 0.16) between school attendance and age. Family responsibilities such as cooking for younger siblings by female participants, obligations on open market days are thought to be secondary limiting factors for community development and livelihood amongst young persons;thus a follow up study would be conducted to assess their associations in this community as this would raise major child abuse concerns which would need to be reported to the legal authorities for follow up.

A Study to Investigate Major Community Health Challenges and Their Predisposing Factors in Bushenyi District of South Western Uganda

Poor health care systems have contributed to poor standard of living in Uganda. The aim of the study was to assess major health challenges to community health and identify major predisposing factors. This was a cross sectional study in Kyakagina Village of Bushenyi of South Western Uganda. A total of 39 households which included 102 children (19 years) were included in the study and a semi structured questionnaire was used. It was shown that there were 39 homes and 182 members with more males than females. Age and gender were shown not to be associated (P = 0.157). The majority of participants who boiled water in the community were showed to be of both primary and secondary level of education at 48.7% and 51.3%, respectively, while a significant proportion was found to drink only filtered and sedimented water without treatment at levels of 87.2% and 82.1% who were of only secondary level of education. The adoption of modern contraceptive pills, tube ligation and injections especially amongst the secondary educated level was found to be high, i.e. 94.9%, 87.2%, 82.1%, respectively. Inferential analysis showed that there existed marked differences (P < 0.001) in the health practices between persons of different education levels. Major health challenges identified included malaria, cough and cold, diarrhea which were most prevalent amongst children at 19.6%, 13.7%, and 10.8%, respectively. In conclusion, failure to clear bushes, boil drinking water and cover pit latrines (P = 0.213) were the major risk factors identified independent of age and education status in the various homesteads.