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<p>Background: Malaria is the leading cause of death of Uganda&rsquo / s children under 5 years of age and the number-one cause of illness in adults in Uganda. The success of malaria treatment strategies is closely linked to the behavior of patients and caretakers of young children. In the case of malaria this includes accessing appropriate treatment for&nbsp / suspected malaria in time. In Bungokho Sub County, in spite of the efforts by district health workers and the Ministry of Health to implement the malaria control, prevention and treatment strategies, pregnant women and caretakers of children under 5 years of age continue to present late for treatment in the health units resulting in possible avoidable&nbsp / death or disability. Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the factors that lead to late presentation of children and pregnant women with malaria for treatment at health units. This was done by exploring the perceptions of caregivers of children under five years and pregnant women on the community&rsquo / s knowledge and understanding of the&nbsp / symptoms and treatment of malaria / and describing perceptions of caregivers and pregnant women on health care provision at the health units and alternative treatment for malaria. Methods :The study was conducted in Bungokho Health sub-district, in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda over a two month period in 2009. It was a descriptive exploratory study using qualitative research methods. Four focus groups were carried out, two with caregivers of children under 5 years and two with pregnant women, with each focus group consisting of eight participants. Two caregivers and two pregnant women were identified from the focus groups for further indepth interviews. Four in-depth interviews were conducted with health unit staff from Bungokho HCVI. Notes were taken and observations made during the focus groups and interviews. The proceedings were audio-taped and recordings used to expand and clarify notes. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data and identify recurrent themes from the focus group discussions and&nbsp / interviews of the reasons for late presentation for malaria treatment. Results: All caregivers were women, a significant majority of whom were peasants who had not gone beyond the primary education. Caregivers were aware of the general symptoms of malaria but associated more serious or dangerous symptoms with other causes including&nbsp / witchcraft. Pregnant women, on the other hand, seemed to have sound knowledge of both the general and dangerous symptoms of malaria and were likely to attend the health&nbsp / units timeously for reatment. Religious beliefs and practices, particularly belief in the healing ability of prayers prevented early reporting of malaria cases to health units leading&nbsp / to late presentation. Alternative treatment of malaria from traditional herbalists was also sought by the communities particularly when the intensity of malaria was at its peak during the rainy season. Poverty in the community seemed to play a big role in shaping community preference for treatment sources, as well as early presentation to the health&nbsp / units. It was found that the anticipated cost of laboratory tests and sundries at the health units deterred caregivers from taking children under five to health units. There was therefore a strong reliance (and preference for) community medicine distributor&rsquo / s (CMDs) because of free services and easy access. Lack of support from spouses (in particular husbands) coupled with the rude behavior of health workers towards caregivers and pregnant women discouraged visits to health units. The long waiting time and intermittent drug stock-outs also created a negative perception of service at the health units. Conclusions and recommendations: There is need for further sensitization of communities on the need to seek prompt treatment for children under five years of age at the health units (that is, within 24 hours of the onset of fever). Training and supervision of CMDs should be strengthened to ensure consistent supply of drugs, correct dosage of anti-malarial medication and improvements in the referrals to the health units. In order to improve&nbsp / service delivery at the health units, there is need to review and strengthen human resource management of the health units, including staffing requirements and management&nbsp / practices, such as support and supervision, patient care standards and client feedback mechanisms. It is also important that there are adequate stocks of anti-malarial drugs&nbsp / and laboratory supplies at health units.</p>

<p>Background: Malaria is the leading cause of death of Uganda&rsquo / s children under 5 years of age and the number-one cause of illness in adults in Uganda. The success of malaria treatment strategies is closely linked to the behavior of patients and caretakers of young children. In the case of malaria this includes accessing appropriate treatment for&nbsp / suspected malaria in time. In Bungokho Sub County, in spite of the efforts by district health workers and the Ministry of Health to implement the malaria control, prevention and treatment strategies, pregnant women and caretakers of children under 5 years of age continue to present late for treatment in the health units resulting in possible avoidable&nbsp / death or disability. Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the factors that lead to late presentation of children and pregnant women with malaria for treatment at health units. This was done by exploring the perceptions of caregivers of children under five years and pregnant women on the community&rsquo / s knowledge and understanding of the&nbsp / symptoms and treatment of malaria / and describing perceptions of caregivers and pregnant women on health care provision at the health units and alternative treatment for malaria. Methods :The study was conducted in Bungokho Health sub-district, in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda over a two month period in 2009. It was a descriptive exploratory study using qualitative research methods. Four focus groups were carried out, two with caregivers of children under 5 years and two with pregnant women, with each focus group consisting of eight participants. Two caregivers and two pregnant women were identified from the focus groups for further indepth interviews. Four in-depth interviews were conducted with health unit staff from Bungokho HCVI. Notes were taken and observations made during the focus groups and interviews. The proceedings were audio-taped and recordings used to expand and clarify notes. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data and identify recurrent themes from the focus group discussions and&nbsp / interviews of the reasons for late presentation for malaria treatment. Results: All caregivers were women, a significant majority of whom were peasants who had not gone beyond the primary education. Caregivers were aware of the general symptoms of malaria but associated more serious or dangerous symptoms with other causes including&nbsp / witchcraft. Pregnant women, on the other hand, seemed to have sound knowledge of both the general and dangerous symptoms of malaria and were likely to attend the health&nbsp / units timeously for reatment. Religious beliefs and practices, particularly belief in the healing ability of prayers prevented early reporting of malaria cases to health units leading&nbsp / to late presentation. Alternative treatment of malaria from traditional herbalists was also sought by the communities particularly when the intensity of malaria was at its peak during the rainy season. Poverty in the community seemed to play a big role in shaping community preference for treatment sources, as well as early presentation to the health&nbsp / units. It was found that the anticipated cost of laboratory tests and sundries at the health units deterred caregivers from taking children under five to health units. There was therefore a strong reliance (and preference for) community medicine distributor&rsquo / s (CMDs) because of free services and easy access. Lack of support from spouses (in particular husbands) coupled with the rude behavior of health workers towards caregivers and pregnant women discouraged visits to health units. The long waiting time and intermittent drug stock-outs also created a negative perception of service at the health units. Conclusions and recommendations: There is need for further sensitization of communities on the need to seek prompt treatment for children under five years of age at the health units (that is, within 24 hours of the onset of fever). Training and supervision of CMDs should be strengthened to ensure consistent supply of drugs, correct dosage of anti-malarial medication and improvements in the referrals to the health units. In order to improve&nbsp / service delivery at the health units, there is need to review and strengthen human resource management of the health units, including staffing requirements and management&nbsp / practices, such as support and supervision, patient care standards and client feedback mechanisms. It is also important that there are adequate stocks of anti-malarial drugs&nbsp / and laboratory supplies at health units.</p>

This thesis is based on the belief that representations of women in contemporary Ugandan art serve cultural and political purposes. The premise is that the autonomous woman (seen as the new woman in this study), emerging in Uganda in the mid-1980s, agitated for the social, economic and political emancipation of women in Uganda. It has been demonstrated that the patriarchy attempted to subordinate, confine and regulate this new woman. The press, drama, music and film became powerful tools to force her into silence. This study posits that contemporary Ugandan art was part of this cultural discourse. Adopting a feminist art historical stance, it examines and assesses the gendered content of Uganda’s contemporary art masked as aesthetics. On the one hand, the study exposes the view that some men artists in Uganda use their works to construct men’s power and superiority as the necessary ingredients of gender difference. I demonstrate that some artists have engaged themes through which they have constructed women as being materialistic, gold-diggers, erotic and domesticated. I argue that this has been a strategy to tame Uganda’s new woman. On the other hand, the thesis attempts to show that some women artists have used visual discourse to challenge their marginalisation and to reclaim their ‘agency’ while revising some negative stereotypes about the new woman. This study makes an interdisciplinary contribution to Uganda’s art history, cultural studies and gender studies. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Art History)

This thesis is based on the belief that representations of women in contemporary Ugandan art serve cultural and political purposes. The premise is that the autonomous woman (seen as the new woman in this study), emerging in Uganda in the mid-1980s, agitated for the social, economic and political emancipation of women in Uganda. It has been demonstrated that the patriarchy attempted to subordinate, confine and regulate this new woman. The press, drama, music and film became powerful tools to force her into silence. This study posits that contemporary Ugandan art was part of this cultural discourse. Adopting a feminist art historical stance, it examines and assesses the gendered content of Uganda’s contemporary art masked as aesthetics. On the one hand, the study exposes the view that some men artists in Uganda use their works to construct men’s power and superiority as the necessary ingredients of gender difference. I demonstrate that some artists have engaged themes through which they have constructed women as being materialistic, gold-diggers, erotic and domesticated. I argue that this has been a strategy to tame Uganda’s new woman. On the other hand, the thesis attempts to show that some women artists have used visual discourse to challenge their marginalisation and to reclaim their ‘agency’ while revising some negative stereotypes about the new woman. This study makes an interdisciplinary contribution to Uganda’s art history, cultural studies and gender studies. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Art History)

This study is designed to assess the causes and the effects of poverty and HIV/AIDS on women's spirituality. A case study of Mpererwe Township in Kampala, Uganda was chosen because this researcher has been staying in this township now for 7 years; and has seen most women experiencing difficulties in their daily lives. Poverty and HIV/AIDS among women of Mpererwe Township is a much-needed area of study because the majority of women's lives and their contribution to development have been hampered by economic, religious, political, social and cultural structures. However, all in all, the purpose of this social analysis was first, to identify the factors that render Mpererwe women to be vulnerable to ill situations that pave the way to poverty and HIV/AIDS conditions. Then thereafter, to suggest strategies that may transform the physical, political, religious, economic and social life of women in Mpererwe Township. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Text in English / Malaria is endemic throughout Uganda and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Malaria causes complications in 80.0% of all pregnancies in Uganda. This study attempted to identify factors that influence pregnant women’s utilisation of anti-malaria services in the Buikwe district of Uganda. These factors were contextualised within the Social Learning Theory’s major concepts. The target populations comprised pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (phase 1) and midwives providing antenatal services (phase 2) at 16 clinics in the Buikwe district of Uganda during the data collection phase of the study. Structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 400 randomly selected pregnant women and with the accessible population of 40 midwives. Pregnant women, who had progressed beyond primary school level education, were more likely to take intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) drugs and to use long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) to prevent malaria. Pregnant women were more likely to implement malaria-preventive actions if they lived within five kilometres of clinics, were satisfied with available health services, were knowledgeable about the malaria preventive measures and had used IPT during previous pregnancies. Pregnant women who implemented one malaria-preventive action were likely to implement other actions as well (Pearson’s correlation coefficient was 0.65; p<0.05). Midwives’ provision of malaria-preventive services to pregnant women were influenced by the availability of IPT drugs, accessibility of safe drinking water, frequency of giving health education to pregnant women, cooperation with village health teams, malaria-related in-service training, midwives’ education level and experience. Although 97.9% of the pregnant women had taken IPT and 84.2% of those who had received LLINs, utilised these nets, malaria prevention during pregnancy could be improved. All pregnant women should attend antenatal clinics at least four times during each pregnancy, commencing during the first trimester of pregnancy to receive adequate health education and prenatal services, including IPT and LLINs. All midwives should receive malaria-related in-service training. Regular audits of midwives’ records should identify and address strengths and weaknesses related to the prevention and management of malaria during pregnancy. Such actions could enhance the prevention and management of malaria, estimated to affect 80% of pregnant women in Uganda. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)