Publications

The treatment of HIV-patients is a key component to HIV/aids control strategies. Since 2007, Cameroon is treating HIV-patients for free within decentralized treatment units created in functional health districts. This study aimed to map the geographical distribution of HIV-patients with respect to that of treatment units in Cameroon. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which functional health districts with HIV-treatment units were exhaustively sampled to map the local access to antiretroviral care in the Cameroon West region. Patients from these units were randomly selected and recruited during their monthly period of receiving antiretroviral drugs. Four hundred and seventy-two patients were included. The mean age of participants was 42 (± 10) years with a sex ratio male/female of 1/3. Fourteen units were distributed in 09 health districts (45% coverage) and 11/20 districts had no Treatment unit. Sixty two percent (294/472) of participants resided in the health district of thei Read more...

: La malnutrition est un problème majeur de santé publique en Afrique et au Cameroun. L’étude des pratiques alimentaires des mères permettrait d’identifier et optimiser les interventions à éradiquer la malnutrition infantile. Il s’agissait d’une étude analytique de type cas/témoin avec un échantillonnage de type aléatoire simple. Les sources de données étaient la revue documentaire pour l’obtention de la prévalence de la malnutrition chez les enfants référés au centre nutritionnel ambulatoire, un recrutement consécutif des cas jusqu’à obtention du nombre de cas requis et une recherche communautaire des témoins de ces cas. Au total 386 enfants et leurs mères ont été inclus dans l’étude. La prévalence de la malnutrition infantile référée était de 47,89% (IC à 95% [45,58 ; 50,2]). La classe d’âge la plus touchée était celle des enfants de 6 à 29 mois. Les pratiques alimentaires inappropriées augmentaient significativement le risque de malnutrition chez les enfants avec un OR=3,44 [2,05 Read more...

Background Previous evaluation of the state of ethics regulation in Cameroon revealed: law regulating clinical research is lacking; existing committees lack infrastructure and financial support to sustainably review and effectively monitor approved protocols. The present Cameroon National Ethics Committee (CNEC)-EDCTP project aimed at implementing and evaluating active monitoring of clinical research in Cameroon.

Methods Between 2011–2013, approved clinical trials and protocols involving transfer of biological materials abroad were consecutively monitored. The monitoring tool, a questionnaire on the conformity of key documents e.g. research protocols, ethical clearance, informed consent documents, investigator’s brochure, with a focus on GCP standards was sent to promoters/investigators ten days prior to the field visit. Teams of two-three monitors, made up of CNEC members and independent consultants, were mobilised per site (hospital/resear Read more...

Background: Smartphones are an integral part of modern communication but addiction to these devices could predispose to common mental disorders. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of smartphone addiction and common mental disorders as well as the association between smartphone addiction and these mental disorders in Dschang university students who use smartphones. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Randomly selected students completed a survey comprising Patient Health Questionnaires seven and nine (PHQ-9 and PHQ-7) to screen for depression and anxiety respectively, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) to grade smartphone use. The association between smartphone use and common mental disorders was assessed using logistic regression modelling. Results: We recruited 634 participants. The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 20.98% [C.I:17.99%-24.32%]. The prevalence of depression and anxiety were 34.86% [95% CI: 31.25-38.65] and 19.27% [95% CI: Read more...

L'incidence des accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) est sans cesse croissante en Afrique. La morbidité et la mortalité liées à cette maladie dépendent de la prise en charge des patients aussi bien en communauté que dans les formations sanitaires (FOSA). L'objectif était de décrire la distribution de l'évolution et l'itinéraire thérapeutique des patients reçus pour AVC à l'hôpital régional de Bafoussam (HRB).

Il s'agissait d'une étude de cohorte non contrôlée ciblant les patients qui ont été diagnostiqués pour AVC. Les données étaient collectées à l'aide de deux outils dont un questionnaire anonyme adressé au patient ou à son garde sur la prise en charge pré-hospitalière du patient et une grille pour la collecte des données sur les documents de suivi du patient pendant son hospitalisation. Les données ont été analysées en décrivant la distribution des fréquences des sources et types de soins sollicités avant et pendant l'hospitali Read more...

Du fait de l'accès limité au laboratoire au Cameroun, la prise en charge des cas de diarrhée dans la plus part des formations sanitaires est basée sur le diagnostic de présomption. L'objectif de notre étude était de déterminer la distribution et la sensibilité aux antibiotiques habituellement prescrits contre les bactéries pathogènes associés aux diarrhées à l'Hôpital Régional Annexe de Kousseri(HRAK) de Juillet à Octobre 2015.

Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive et transversale ciblant toute personne consentante consultant pour diarrhée à l'HRAK pendant la période d'étude. De chaque patient était collectés un échantillon de selles et les données par questionnaire anonyme administré en face à face. Chaque échantillon de selles était cultivé sur milieu spécifique aux enterobactéries et analysé suivant la méthode standard de coproculture. La sensibilité des souches isolées aux antibiotiques fréquemment prescrits, a été évaluée et les proportions des p Read more...

Cold chain monitoring is a precondition to ensure immunization quality, efficacy and safety. In Cameroon, the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has National Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that describes the vaccines, the cold chain system and equipment, its use and recommended procedures to control and monitor the temperatures and the cold chain. This study was conducted to assess the status of cold chain in eight health districts in Cameroon.

The study was carried out in eight health districts out of fifty with poor immunization coverage rate. Data were collected using a validated form by observation and consultation of related documents. District Health Services (DHS) and four Integrated. Health Centers (IHC) randomly selected were targeted per health district. Forty health facilities were included. Twenty eight (70.0%) had at least one functional refrigerator for EPI activities. The power supply was reported to be permanent in 7 (20.6%) out Read more...

 
Fever in newborn remains one of the major reasons of pediatric consultations. Utilization of the healthcare facility is sometimes late leading to the increased risk of death. The aim of our study was to evaluate knowledge and practices of nursing mothers attending the immunization ward and to identify influencing factors. This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study conducted in February 2014 in Biyem-Assi health district, center region, Cameroon. The interview was done using a standard paper-based questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was performed using EPI Info software version 3.5.3. A total of 275 mothers was interviewed. The median age was 26, IQR [23; 30) years. About 82.9% (n=228) had attended at least secondary school and 1.5% had not been to school. About 54.6% (n=149/273) of children present for immunization were females; median age was 03 months, IQR [2; 9]. Half (137) of our respondents had good knowledge of fever in newborn. Concerning managemen Read more...

Introduction: Low birth weight (LBW) is an important predictor of newborn survival and development. Given its pathophysiology, malaria is presumed to be one of the risk factors for low birth weight. This study aims to determine the association between malaria in pregnant women (PW) and LBW (weight < 2500 g). Methods: we conducted a case-control analytical study based on the administration of a questionnaire and an observation chart. We calculated the crude odds ratio (OR) and the adjusted odds ratio to determine this association. Logistic regression was applied to recognize the variables which act as determinants of the issue under discussion. Results: this study involved 156 women (78 cases and 78 controls). The prevalence of LBW was 12.32% (105/852); 41.02% (64/156) of women had had malaria during pregnancy and 42.14% of parturients had received three doses of IPT (intermittent preventive treatment). A significant association between malaria and LBW emerged. Crude odds ratio= 3 Read more...

Risk factors for HIV transmission within a hospital setting were assessed using pre-structured questionnaires and observations. Of 409 respondents, 66.3% corresponded to the nursing staff, 14.4% doctors and 8.3% laboratory staff. The irregular use of gloves and other protective clothing for risky tasks, and recapping of needles after use were some of the risk factors identified, especially amongst nurses. Preventive measures were not always implemented by health personnel. More emphasis should be placed not only on diffusing universal precautions and recommendations for hospital staff safety, but accompanying measures for monitoring and evaluation of implementation of these standards are also indispensable.

Keywords: HIV transmission; health personnel; safety measure.