BackgroundSlow decline in the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has been observed in most high TB burden countries. Knowledge of the prevalence of different TB risk factors can help expand TB control strategies. However with the exception of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) the prevalence of the other TB risk factors are poorly studied in Uganda. We aimed to determine the prevalence of different TB risk factors and TB disease presentation among TB patients in Kampala Uganda.MethodsWe assessed 365 adult TB patients and used descriptive statistics to summarize their socio-demographic, clinical, radiological, sputum mycobacteriology and TB risk factors (HIV, diabetes, TB contact, alcohol use, tobacco smoking, poverty and overcrowding) data.ResultsA total of 158 (43.3%) patients were male and the median age was 29 (IQR 28–30). Majority of the patients (89.2%) had pulmonary TB, 86.9% were new and 13.2% were retreatment. Wasting (i.e. body mass index of <18.5 kg/m2) was found in 38.5% of the patients and 63% presented with cough. Constitutional symptoms (fever, anorexia, night sweats and weight loss) were reported by 32.1%. Most patients (78.6%) presented with non-cavity lung parenchyma disease (infiltrates, nodules, masses) but 35.2% had cavity disease. Pleural disease was detected in 19.3% of patients. Positive smear microscopy and culture (irrespective of month of treatment) was found in 52.7% and 36.5% of patients respectively. Any drug resistance was detected in 21.1% of patients while multidrug resistance (MDR) TB defined as resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid was detected in 6.3% of patients. All MDR patients were new patients.The prevalence of TB risk factors were as follows: HIV 41.4%, diabetes 5.4%, close contact 11.5%, family history 17.5%, smoking 26.37%, poverty 39.5%, overcrowding 57.3% and alcohol use 50.7%. Overcrowding increased smear positive rate, prevalence ratio 1.22, p = 0.09 but all the other studied risk factors did not affect clinical, radiological and mycobacteriological study patient characteristics.ConclusionsAmong TB patients in Kampala, Uganda, there is high prevalence of the known TB risk factors. Targeting reducing their prevalence may lead to better TB control in the country. Tuberculosis, risk factors, Uganda.

BackgroundAmbulatory, community-based care for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been found to be effective in multiple settings with high cure rates. However, little is known about patient preferences around models of MDR-TB care. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has delivered home-based MDR-TB treatment in the rural Kitgum and Lamwo districts of northern Uganda since 2009 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National TB and Leprosy Programme. We conducted a qualitative study examining the experience of patients and key stakeholders of home-based MDR-TB treatment.MethodsWe used semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions to examine patients’ perceptions, views and experiences of home-based treatment and care for MDR-TB versus their perceptions of care in hospital. We identified how these perceptions interacted with those of their families and other stakeholders involved with TB. Participants were selected purposively following a stakeholder analysis. Sample size was determined by data saturation being reached within each identified homogenous category of respondents: health-care receiving, health-care providing and key informant. Iterative data collection and analysis enabled adaptation of topic guides and testing of emerging themes. The grounded theory method of analysis was applied, with data, codes and categories being continually compared and refined.ResultsSeveral key themes emerged: the perceived preference and acceptability of home-based treatment and care as a model of MDR-TB treatment by patients, family, community members and health-care workers; the fear of transmission of other infections within hospital settings; and the identification of MDR-TB developing through poor adherence to and inadequate treatment regimens for DS-TB.ConclusionsHome-based treatment and care was acceptable to patients, families, communities and health-care workers and was seen as preferable to hospital-based care by most respondents. Home-based care was perceived as safe, conducive to recovery, facilitating psychosocial support and allowing more free time and earning potential for patients and caretakers. These findings could contribute to development of an adaptation of treatment approach strategy at national level.

BackgroundHypertension accounts for more than 212 million global disability-adjusted life-years, and more than 15 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Identifying factors underlying the escalating burden of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa may inform delivery of targeted public health interventions.MethodsAs part of the cross-sectional nationally representative Uganda National Asthma Survey conducted in 2016, we measured blood pressure (BP) in the general population across five regions of Uganda. We defined hypertension as systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or on-going use of medications for the purpose of lowering BP among adults (≥18 years of age); pre-hypertension as systolic BP between 120 and 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP bteween 80 and 90 mmHg among adolescents and adults (≥12 years of age).FindingsOf 3416 participants who met inclusion criteria, 38.9% were male, and mean age ± SD was 33.8 ± 16.9 years. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 31.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.2 to 32.8). The adjusted prevalence of hypertension was highest in the Central Region (34.3%; 95% CI 32.6 to 36.0), and it was comparable to that in the West and East Regions. However, compared with the Central Region, hypertension was significantly less prevalent in the North (22.0%; 95 CI 19.4 to 24.6) and West Nile Regions (24.1%; 95% CI 22.0 to 26.3). Adjustment for demographic characteristics (occupation, monthly income, and educational attainment) of participants did not account for the significantly lower prevalence of hypertension in the North and West Nile Regions. The prevalence of pre-hypertension was 38.8% (95% CI 37.7 to 39.8), and it was highly prevalent among young adults (21–40 years of age: 42.8%; 95% CI 41.2–44.5%) in all regions.ConclusionsHypertension is starkly prevalent in Uganda, and numerous more people, including young adults are at increased risk. The burden of hypertension is highest in the Central, Western, and Eastern regions of the country; demographic characteristics did not fully account for the disparate regional burden of hypertension. Future studies should explore the potential additional impact of epidemiological shifts, including diet and lifestyle changes, on the development of hypertension.

Objective and methods Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. In many countries, national TB prevalence surveys are the only way to reliably measure the burden of TB disease and can also provide other evidence to inform national efforts to improve TB detection and treatment. Our objective was to synthesise the results and lessons learned from national surveys completed in Africa between 2008 and 2016, to complement a previous review for Asia. Results Twelve surveys completed in Africa were identified: Ethiopia (2010–2011), Gambia (2011–2013), Ghana (2013), Kenya (2015–2016), Malawi (2013–2014), Nigeria (2012), Rwanda (2012), Sudan (2013–2014), Tanzania (2011–2012), Uganda (2014–2015), Zambia (2013–2014) and Zimbabwe (2014). The eligible population in all surveys was people aged ≥15 years who met residency criteria. In total 588 105 individuals participated, equivalent to 82% (range 57–96%) of those eligible. The prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB disease in those ≥15 years varied from 119 (95% CI 79–160) per 100 000 population in Rwanda and 638 (95% CI 502–774) per 100 000 population in Zambia. The male:female ratio was 2.0 overall, ranging from 1.2 (Ethiopia) to 4.1 (Uganda). Prevalence per 100 000 population generally increased with age, but the absolute number of cases was usually highest among those aged 35–44 years. Of identified TB cases, 44% (95% CI 40–49) did not report TB symptoms during screening and were only identified as eligible for diagnostic testing due to an abnormal chest X‐ray. The overall ratio of prevalence to case notifications was 2.5 (95% CI 1.8–3.2) and was consistently higher for men than women. Many participants who did report TB symptoms had not sought care; those that had were more likely to seek care in a public health facility. HIV prevalence was systematically lower among prevalent cases than officially notified TB patients with an overall ratio of 0.5 (95% CI 0.3–0.7). The two main study limitations were that none of the surveys included people <15 years, and 5 of 12 surveys did not have data on HIV status. Conclusions National TB prevalence surveys implemented in Africa between 2010 and 2016 have contributed substantial new evidence about the burden of TB disease, its distribution by age and sex, and gaps in TB detection and treatment. Policies and practices to improve access to health services and reduce under‐reporting of detected TB cases are needed, especially among men. All surveys provide a valuable baseline for future assessment of trends in TB disease burden.

Background Recent large-scale population data on the prevalence of asthma and its risk factors are lacking in Uganda. This survey was conducted to address this data gap. Methods A general population based survey was conducted among people ≥12 years. A questionnaire was used to collect participants socio-demographics, respiratory symptoms, medical history, and known asthma risk factors. Participants who reported wheeze in the past 12 months, a physician diagnosis of asthma or current use of asthma medications were classified as having asthma. Asthmatics who were ≥ 35 years underwent spirometry to determine how many had fixed airflow obstruction (i.e. post bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV 1 /FVC) ratio < lower limit of normal (LLN). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’ characteristics. Prevalence of asthma was calculated as a proportion of asthmatics over total survey population. To obtain factors independently associated with asthma, a random-effects model was fitted to the data. Results Of the 3416 participants surveyed, 61.2% (2088) were female, median age was 30 years (IQR, 20–45) and 323 were found to have asthma. Sixteen people with asthma ≥35 years had fixed airflow obstruction. The prevalence of asthma was 11.0% (95% CI:8.9–13.2; males 10.3%, females 11.4%, urban 13.0% and rural 8.9%. Significantly more people with asthma smoked than non-asthmatics: 14.2% vs. 6.3%, p < 0.001, were exposed to biomass smoke: 28.0% vs. 20.0%, p < 0.001, had family history of asthma: 26.9% vs. 9.4%, p , < 0.001, had history of TB: 3.1% vs. 1.30%, p = 0.01, and had hypertension: 17.9% vs. 12.0%, p = 0. 003. In multivariate analysis smoking, (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 3.26 (1.96–5.41, p < 0.001) family history of asthma, AOR 2.90 (98–4.22 p - < 0.001), nasal congestion, AOR 3.56 (2.51–5.06, p < 0.001), biomass smoke exposure, AOR 2.04 (1.29–3.21, p = 0.002) and urban residence, AOR 2.01(1.23–3.27, p = 0.005) were independently associated with asthma. Conclusion Asthma is common in Uganda and is associated with smoking, biomass smoke exposure, urbanization, and allergic diseases. Health care systems should be strengthened to provide asthma care. Measures to reduce exposure to the identified associated factors are needed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-6562-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.