University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Smallholder Cotton Producers in Zambia","authors":"S. Kabwe","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.1.1.332","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.1.1.332","url":null,"abstract":"Agriculture in Sub-Sahara Africa is considered as an engine of economic growth and has the potential to reduce rural poverty of smallholder farmers through increased food security and household income. However, most of Sub-Sahara Africa countries are faced with low agricultural productivity and this has undermined the potential to reduce rural poverty. The study focused on smallholder cotton producers in Zambia. Cotton is grown in Central, Eastern and Southern Provinces of Zambia and is an important cash crop which contributes over $60 million to the economy. It also supports over 150,000 households. However, productivity of smallholder cotton farmers in Zambia is low, around 800 kg per hectare or less. While in West Africa productivityis over 1000 kg perhectare. Agriculturalproductivity is defined as a measure of value of output for a given level of inputs. Efficiency is defined as the actual productivity of a farm relative to a maximal potential productivity.Thisshowsthatefficiencyisrelatedtoproductivity though it is productivity at maximum or minimum values. The study used the 2008 supplemental survey data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Central Statistics and Food Security Research Project. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) this study determines the technical, allocative and economic efficiency indices of a sample of 812 (population estimates 150,801) cotton producers in Zambia. Using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, the study determinesthe factors influencing technical,allocative and economic efficiency variations. Results show that the mean technical, allocative and economic efficiency indices in cotton production are 46%, 37% and 20% respectively. This means that Zambian cotton farmers could reduce input use and production cost without altering the output by improving technical and allocative efficiency by 54% and 63% respectively. Female headed households, number of years spent in school by the household head, leaving crop residues, value of productive assets and off farm income are some of the factors found to positively influence the technical, allocative and economic efficiency. The study found that cotton farmers are relatively inefficient and there is room to improve efficiency among smallholder cotton farmers in Zambia. Some socio-economic and farm specific factors have a positive influence on efficiency. The study recommends that cotton stakeholders should devise strategies of involving more women in cotton production, improve access to productive assets, and encourage adoption of conservation farming crop residue retention as the means to improve cotton production efficiency","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124839118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Publish or Perish: Ushering in UNZA-JABS","authors":"J. Chipeta, B. Chishala, C. Hankanga","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.1.1.321","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.1.1.321","url":null,"abstract":"As we usher in this first issue of the University Of Zambia Journal Of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences (UNZA-JABS), JABS Volume 1 Issue 1 2012, we feel compelled to take you into a brief discourse on the essence of a university and the current state of African Universities as a way of ably explaining why we are introducing UNZA-JABS.","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117205467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Burden and Risk Factors of Chronic Kidney Disease in Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia Aged 5 – 16 Years at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka - Zambia","authors":"N. Machila, C. Chabala, C. Mwaba, C. Chunda-Liyoka","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.3.397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.3.397","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Improved medical care has led to the improved life expectancy of sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients hence complications associated with SCA such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) are being seen more frequently. Globally, nephropathy of varying severity occurs in 5 to 18 % of the SCA population across all age groups with a third of the adults proceeding to develop CKD while over 30 % of paediatric SCA patients have CKD in Africa. The mortality rate in SCA patients CKD is high. This study sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors of CKD in SCA, information that was not available in Zambia prior to this study. This information will guide in targeting and timing of screening for CKD in SCA in children in our population. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of haematuria, proteinuria, abnormal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), CKD, and risk factors of CKD among the steady-state SCA patients aged 5 to 16 years at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka. Methodology: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 197 children aged 5 to 16 years with SCA at the UTH - Lusaka conducted from August 2014 to July 2015. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Urine and blood samples were used to determine the urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) and full blood count /blood biochemistry respectively. CKD was defined and determined using the Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative 2012 guidelines employing urine ACR, dipstick urinalysis and eGFR. In this study, spot urine ACR and dipstick urinalysis were done and repeated three months later if initial tests were abnormal. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square and t-test were used to compare proportions between groups. Relation between study variables and CKD were examined using logistic regression. Results: The mean age of the participants was 9.6 years (SD ±3.6). Male to female ratio was 1:1. The median age at diagnosis of SCA was 22 months (IQR = 44). The prevalence of haematuria, proteinuria and CKD among the study participants was 14.2%, 36% and 36 % respectively. Low haemoglobin and elevated mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were associated with CKD-AOR 0.62, 95% CI; 0.46-0.84 and 1.04, 95% CI; 1.01 – 1.08 respectively. Recurrent admissions (due to VOCs, severe anaemia and febrile illness) were also risk factors associated with CKD- AOR 0.52, 95% CI; 0.27-0.98. CKD was not associated with age at enrolment, sex, age at diagnosis of SCA, recurrent Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOCs) or abnormal liver function tests. Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD among the SCA patients at UTH- Lusaka is high (36%) with lower Haemoglobin, elevated MCV and recurrent admissions being risk factors for developing CKD. SCA patients should be screened for CKD routinely at least once a year. Interventions such as the early introduction of hydroxyurea, proactive blood transfusions and ACE inhibitors can reduce the risk of CKD and its progression t","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116265634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neonatal Apgar Score Outcomes in Spinal Versus General Anaesthesia at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka.","authors":"C. Muloshi","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.339","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.339","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The knowledge gap was from the fact that the type of anaesthetic drug administered during caesarean section can have effects on neonatal outcome like low Apgar score with most hospitals in developed countries now using more modern inhalational anaesthetic agents with fewer or no cardio-respiratory depressant effects e.g. Isoflurane or Sevoflurane. However at UTH, halothane is still being used for maintenance of general anaesthesia despite well documented cardio-respiratory depressant effects with very limited research done on its effects on neonatal Apgar score. The Apgar score is a means of rapid evaluation of the physical condition of infants shortly after birth. Thus this study investigated the effects of general anaesthesia with halothane versus spinal anaesthesia on neonatal Apgar score. Objective and study design: With the view of determining the type of anaesthesia administered during caesarean section with the least effects on neonatal wellbeing shortly after birth, a prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the University Teaching Hospital between May 2015 and January 2016.The scientific objective was to determine the effects of general anaesthesia with halothane versus spinal anaesthesia on neonatal Apgar score. This study involved 70 neonates, 54 were born from mothers that had undergone caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia and 16 from mothers that had undergone general anaesthesia. The data was analysed using SPSS version 16.0. Inferential analysis was conducted using logistic regression. Results: 20 neonates out of 54 (37%) in the spinal anaesthetic group had an Apgar score less than 8 at 1 minute[Fig 1]. Out of the 16 neonates in the general anaesthesia group, 14 (87.5%) had Apgar score less than 8 at 1 minute[Fig 1]. One (1.9%) neonate had an Apgar score less than 8 at 5 minutes in the spinal anaesthesia group. While 4 (25%) neonates had Apgar score less than 8 in the GA group[Fig2] The logistic regression at 1 minute Showed that it is over 11 times more likely to get a low Apgar with a general anaesthetic as compared to a spinal anaesthetic (OR 11.9), [Table 3]. The Apgar score at 1 minute in the Spinal anaesthesia group was statistically significantly higher than the general anaesthesia group (p=0.002). The logistic regression at 5 minutes Showed that it is over 17 times more likely to get a low Apgar with a general anaesthetic as compared to a spinal anaesthetic (OR 17.7), [Table 4]. Further, the 5 minutes Apgar score in the spinal anaesthesia group was statistically significantly higher than the general anaesthesia group (p=0.014),[Table 4]. Conclusion: With the results pointing to the fact that there is significant difference in neonatal Apgar score outcomes in spinal versus general anaesthesia, the researcher therefore rejected the null hypothesis. It is therefore inferred that spinal anaesthesia method has better neonatal outcomes by Apgar score measure than general anaesthesia method.","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"90 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125765640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of Caregivers’ Knowledge about Medications and Medical Conditions by Time of Discharge in the Paediatric Department at University Teaching Hospital of Zambia","authors":"Paul N.C. Bowa","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.3.385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.3.385","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Discharge is a period of transition from hospital to home that transfer responsibilities from the inpatient health care providers to patients and primary Caregivers. The study assessed Caregivers’ Knowledge about medications and medical conditions by the time their paediatric patients are discharged. Methods: A Cross-Sectional Study was carried out at University Teaching Hospital, paediatric department in Lusaka city of Zambia. 369 Caregivers were assessed on level of knowledge about medical conditions and medications of their discharged paediatric patients using data collected by a Pre-Tested Interview administered questionnaire. A knowledge index was developed representing the number of correct answers. Chi-square test analysis was used to indicate the significance of the results. Results: Most Caregivers were married (78.8%),Parents (82.2%), Unemployed(57.7%) with Primary level of Education (45.5%).The study found that 35.5% were very knowledgeable,27.6% had average knowledge and 36.9 % were not knowledgeable about Medical conditions. 16.5% were very knowledgeable,35.5% were average knowledgeable and 48.5 were not knowledgeable about Medications. The overall knowledge about Medical condition and Medications was poor with only 11.9% very knowledgeable,35.5% average knowledgeable and 52.6% not knowledgeable. Study of Pearson Chi-square reviewed that there is a statistically significant association between Age(P=0.000), Gender(P=0.023), Duration of Hospital stay(0.000),of Education (0.000), Occupation (0.000) and Relationship of Caregiver (0.002) to Level of knowledge. Discussion: Generally, Caregivers were not knowledgeable about the medical conditions and medications of their paediatric patients. However, the study findings indicated that Caregivers were more knowledgeable about medical conditions than medications. Female parent Caregivers are more likely to be knowledgeable than male Caregivers. Similarly, those who stay longer in Hospital, with a high level of Education, and Health workers are likely to be knowledgeable.","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127448655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accuracy and Completeness of Medication Histories in Patients in Medical Admission Ward at the University Teaching Hospital","authors":"Melody Mutinta","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.395","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.395","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Quality documentation of medication histories at the time of hospitaladmission with regard to accuracy and completeness is not documented at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), in Zambia. The aim of our study was to assess the accuracy and completeness of medication histories obtained in patients upon hospital admission. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study at the medical admission ward, University Teaching Hospital, over a period of 3months. Our study enrolled 322 patients admitted to this ward who were above 18 years of age and were able to communicate verbally, if not, were accompanied by a caregiver. Clinical records of these patients were screened to review allmedications the patient was taking and patients/caregivers were interviewed to obtain acomplete medication history. All information obtained from patients through interviews was compared with medications recorded in the patient’s clinical records at the time of admission to the hospital. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) version 22 was used for all statistical calculations. Results: Of 287 clinical records, 175 (61%) incidents of inaccurate medication histories at the time of admission were identified and that medication histories in clinical records of patients were incomplete or poorly documented. Conclusion: Our study shows that 61% of medication histories in patients at the time of admission to hospitals are inaccurate. Quality documentation of medication histories in clinical records at the time of hospital admission is poor.","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114719746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors Influencing Utilisation of Diagnostic Counselling and Testing for HIV among Tuberculosis Patients at Monze Mission Hospital, Zambia","authors":"J. Mulenga, L. Mwape, P. Mukwato","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.4.394","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) constitute the main burden of infectious disease in resource-limited Countries6. Persons infected with HIV are particularly susceptible to tuberculosis, both from the reactivation of latent infection and from new infection with rapid progression to active disease8. An individual who is HIV-positive has 10 times increased risk of developing TB compared to an HIV-negative person the lifetime risk is 50% for an HIV-positive person and 5–10 percent for an HIV-negative9. Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that there are more than 9 million new active cases of TB and close to 2 million deaths per year and that 2.6 million new cases of HIV infection and 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths occur per year6. TB programmes have focused on TB case finding and treatment, with little attention to HIV/AIDS interventions. According to David, (2004) untreated HIV infection leads to increased susceptibility to infections including TB. Currently, global estimates show that about 42 million people are HIV infected and almost one third are also infected with TB (WHO, 2005). The dual epidemics of TB and HIV are particularly pervasive in Africa, where HIV has been the single most common factor contributing to the incidence of TB over the last 10 years. TB and HIV are also a growing concern in Asia, where TB accounts for 40 percent of AIDS deaths (WHO, 2005).Therefore, HIV testing is particularly important in TB because mortality among HIV-infected TB patients is reduced if ART are provided (WHO, 2007). Main objective: To explore factors influencing utilization of Diagnostic Counselling and Testing for HIV among TB patients. Design:.A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the utilization of Diagnostic Testing and Counselling for Human Immune Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency among tuberculosis patients. Zambia. Research design: A non-experimental which is exploratory study design was used in this study. The study employed a quantitative approach because little is known about DCT utilization. Research setting: The study was undertaken at Monze Mission Hospital chest clinic as it was selected purposively because of the convenience and ease accessibility to the facilities. It was also chosen on the basis that it conducts TB programmes on a daily basis and records showed low utilization of DCT services for HIV among TB patients. Study population: Men and women aged between 18 and 49 years will be included in the study as the above age group may give consent to DCT (MOH/NAC, 2006). The study will require 226 patients to participate. Sample: The sample size was calculated using the Epi- info version 6.0 statistical. The sampling frame will comprise all TB patients visiting chest clinic at the time of the study and who meet the set criteria. The participants were selected using simple random sampling method. The sample size was calculated basing on Krejcie and Morgan","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123293229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and outcome of hypernatraemic dehydration among under-5 children with diarrhoea at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia","authors":"Jombo Namushi, E. Mpabalwani","doi":"10.53974/unza.jabs.4.2.389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jabs.4.2.389","url":null,"abstract":"Diarrhoea is the second commonest cause of under-five mortality globally (second to Pneumonia) and kills one (10 percent) out of every 10 children who die before their fifth birthday. In Zambia dehydration due to diarrhoea is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among under-five children. Hypernatraemic dehydration is the most dangerous and fatal form of dehydration. Despite the availability of well known effective treatment modalities for dehydration in diarrhoea, mortality remains high in many developing countries. The situation is not any different in Zambia and at The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Department of Paediatrics. This study therefore sought to determine the prevalence and outcome of hypernatraemic dehydration as a possible contributing factor to the high mortality rate among children with diarrhoea.It was a cross sectional study conducted at the UTH Department of Paediatrics. The study population was under-five children presenting with acute diarrhoea with dehydration. Independent variables were age, sex, feeding modality, prior ORS therapy, rotavirus vaccine status and serum sodium. The dependent or outcome variables were discharge/mortality and duration of hospital stay. Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS version 20. There were a total of 148 participants with an almost 1:1 male/female ratio (73/75), mean age of 14.7 months ranging 1-60 months. The prevalence of hypernatraemic dehydration was approximately 19 percent (29/148) among children presenting with diarrhoea and dehydration. Hypernatraemia was associated with a high risk of mortality (7/29) with an OR 5.8 (adjusted OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.9-8.0, p 0.002), compared to (7/74) OR 1.8 (adjusted OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8-2.2, p 0.06), and (5/33) OR 3.1 (adjusted OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.7-4.4, p 0.03) for normal and low initial sodium level respectively. Hypernatraemia was also associated with longer hospital stay with a mean duration of 3.09 days (74.2hrs) compared to 2.01 days (48.2 hours) and 2.13 days (51.1 hours) for normal and low sodium respectively. Hypernatraemia is prevalent among under-five children presenting with diarrhoea at UTH department of peadiatrics and a major contributing factor to high diarrhoeal associated mortality. Recognition of its occurrence through diligent laboratory services is therefore critical for appropriate patient care.","PeriodicalId":224135,"journal":{"name":"University of Zambia Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130428073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}