African Health Sciences Makerere University Medical School ISSN: 1680-6905 EISSN: 1729-0503 Vol. 6, Num. 4, 2006, pp. 193-193

African Health Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 4, Dec, 2006, pp. 193

EDITORIAL

Code Number: hs06044

I am pleased to write this editorial for our Christmas issue of African Health Sciences. In this issue we bring you a diverge range of articles that make a real good read over the festive season. In our lead article Ugandan and Swedish researchers report results of their study of awareness of emergency contraception among University students in Kampala. Less than half had heard about emergency contraception and only a mere 2% had used emergency contraception. They conclude that emergency contraception and fertility awareness among first year female students is low.

In another reproductive health paper, Nakku et al report that the prevalence of post partum depression in Kampala is 6%. Postnatal depression was largely associated with unplanned pregnancy, sex of the baby and current illness of the mother and child. From South Africa we have an article on translation and cross-cultural adaptation of mental health battery, while Lea Berrang revisits the current and historical distribution of sleeping sickness in Uganda.

Cameroonian authors report on the antimicrobial activity of gram negative bacilli, while Thanni writes on geographical differences in pathogens of bacterial osteomyelitis among sickling haemoglobinopathies. Kibe and colleagues found that community groups in Kenya were willing to participate in vector control activities but lacked government support. Bimenya and colleagues report on reference population reference values for blood glucose and lipids in Makerere undergraduate students in a bid to contribute to the on going campaign against diseases of affluence such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

We wish you good reading as we enter this festive season.Take care.

James K Tumwine Editor in chief.

References

1. Josephat K Byamugisha, Florence M Mirembe, Elisabeth Faxelid Kristina, Gemzell-Danielsson. Emergency contraception and fertility awareness among university students in Kampala, Uganda African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 194-200
2. Christopher Paul Szabo & Clifford W.Allwood. Body figure preference in South African adolescent females: a cross cultural study. African Health Scien-ces 2006; 6(4): 201-206
3. Juliet. E.M. Nakku, Grace Nakasi, Florence Mirembe. Postpartum major depression at six weeks in primary health care: prevalence and associated factors. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 207—214
4. J Smit, CE van den Berg, L-G Bekker, S Seedat, DJ Stein^. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of a mental health battery in an African setting. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 215-222
5. Lea Berrang-Ford, Martin Odiit, Faustin Maiso, David Waltner-Toews, John McDermott. Sleeping sickness in Uganda: revisiting current and historical distributions. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 223231
6. Joseph Gangoue-Pieboji, Sinata Koulla-Shiro Pierre Ngassam Dieudonne Adiogo Peter Ndumbe. Antimicrobial activity against gram negative bacilli from Yaounde Central Hospital, Cameroon. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 232-235
7. L.O.A. Thanni. Bacterial osteomyelitis in major sickling haemoglobinopathies: geographic difference in pathogen prevalence. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 236-239
8. Lydiah W. Kibe, Charles M. Mbogo, Joseph Keating, Sassy Molyneux, John I. Githure & John C. Beier. Community based vector control in Malindi, Kenya African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 240-247
9. G. S. Bimenya,W .Byarugaba, S. Kalungi, J. Mayito, K. Mugabe, R. Makabayi, E.Ayebare, H.Wanzira and M. Muhame Initial attempt to establish population reference values for blood glucose and lipids in Makerere University undergraduate students. African Health Sciences 2006; 6(4): 248-253

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