Adherence to iron and folic acid supplementation and associated factors amongmothers receiving antenatal care in Lira district, Uganda

Background:Prenatal iron and folic acid supplementation is an economical strategy for reducing iron and folic acid deficiency anemia among expectant mothers in resource-limited countries like Uganda.This study aimed to assess the level of compliance with iron and folic acid supplementation(IFAS)and identify associated factors among mothers receiving prenatal services in Lira district,Uganda.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted at the antenatal clinic of Lira Regional Referral Hospital,involving 252 pregnant mothers.Adherence levels to IFAS were evaluated using a visual analogue scale,and associated factors were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire.The data were analyzed using SPSS software,and the results were presented in tables.Results:Only 46%of the mothers attending the antenatal clinic adhered to IFAS during the 30 days preceding the study.Participants who had good knowledge of IFAS before recruitment(odds ratio(OR)1.49,95%confidence interval(CI)1.12–1.97),utilized reminder techniques(OR 1.05,95%CI 1.02–1.09),and received support from their partners or relatives(OR 1.56,95%CI 1.07–2.29)were more likely to have good adherence.The main reasons for missing IFAS were forgetfulness and fear of taking too many tablets.Conclusions:There was a low adherence rate to IFAS among mothers attending antenatal clinics in Lira district.Further investigations are recommended to identify barriers to adherence,and comprehensive health education programs should be provided to pregnant mothers.

Practice and knowledge of the dangers of self-medication among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Iganga District (Uganda)

Background:Self-medication is a common practice among pregnant mothers in many developing countries Uganda inclusive.Despite its adverse effects to the pregnant mother and the developing fetus,limited efforts are in place to reduce the practice.This study was conducted to assess the practices and knowledge of the dangers of self-medication among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Iganga district,Uganda.Method s:A cross sectional approach was employed using convenient sampling technique among 181 pregnant mothers at the antenatal clinic.An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data that was analyzed descriptively using SPSS software.Results:Out of the 181 respondents,119(65.75%)self-medicated during their current pregnancy obtaining drugs from pharmacies 42(23.20%).Majority of the mothers 129(71.27%)had good knowledge concerning the dangers of self-medication with 66.85%reporting that it was a bad practice.Regarding the dangers of self-medication,23.76%reported fetal death while 24.86%stated miscarriages.There was a significant association between self-medication practice and occupation(P-value=0.04;OR=1.21 at 95%CI).Conclusion:Self-medication remains a common practice among pregnant mothers in Iganga district despite the fact that a large proportion of them have good knowledge regarding the dangers of self-medication.Therefore,further investigations into the associated factors and strict measures to combat the risks of self-medication during pregnancy should be embarked on.

Traditional herbal remedies for managing COVID-19 major symptoms: A case study of Kole district, Northern Uganda

Background:Today,the world is battling COVID-19 which has claimed millions of lives within a short period.As biotechnological research is in progress,it’s expedient to explore alternative sources of medication.Exploring plants that have been used in the management of COVID-19 related symptoms for ages may unveil a potential treatment option for this pestilence.We,therefore,conducted a study in Kole district,Northern Uganda to document the plants that are used in the management of the four key COVID-19 related symptoms including flue,cough,sore throat,and difficulty in breathing.Materials and Methods:We employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design.We used stratified sampling to select 50 participants from each of the five sub-counties in the district,and convenience sampling to select a total of 250 participants and administered interviewer-administered questionnaires.Results:We identified over 50 herbs that are used in the treatment of COVID-19 related symptoms.However,we were able to report on the fourteen most common ones that belonged to 12 families in this paper.Clematis hirsute Perr.&Guill,(68.0%)and Citrus limon burm.F.(30.8%);Eucalyptus grandis M.,(49.2%)and Zingibar officinalis,(28.0%);Conyza floribunda H.B.K.(26.4%)and Allium sativum A.(23.6%);Capparis tomentosa Lam.(19.4%)and Acacia hockii De Wild,(17.4%):for the treatment of flu,cough,sore throat and breathing difficulties respectively.Different plant parts of the diverse plant species were used in treating the symptoms.For Clematis hirsute Perr.&Guill,all plant parts were used differently to treat each of the 4 symptoms.Conclusion:Kole district possesses a multitude of herbs with the potential of treating COVID-19 symptoms.There is a need for further pharmacological investigations to validate their activity and possible development for clinical use in the management of COVID-19.