UNASSIGNED: East African countries have high rates of maternal and child mortality and morbidity. Studies have shown that the involvement of male partners in reproductive health can benefit maternal and child health (MCH). This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the evidence across East Africa that describes male partner involvement and its effect on maternal, reproductive, and child well-being.
UNASSIGNED: Ten databases were searched to identify quantitative data on male\'s involvement in East Africa. Studies reporting qualitative data, \"intention to use\" data or only reporting on male partner\'s education or economic status were excluded. Studies were organized into five a priori categories: antenatal care (ANC), human immunodeficiency virus, breastfeeding, family planning, and intimate partner violence with further categories developed based on studies included.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 2787 records were identified; 644 full texts were reviewed, and 96 studies were included in this review. Data were reported on 118,967 mothers/pregnant women and 15,361 male partners. Most of the studies (n = 83) were reported from four countries Ethiopia (n = 49), Kenya (n = 14), Tanzania (n = 12) and Uganda (n = 10). The evidence indicates that male partner involvement and support is associated with improved reproductive, MCH across a wide range of outcomes. However, the studies were heterogeneous, using diverse exposure and outcome measures. Also, male partners\' lack of practical and emotional support, and engagement in violent behaviors towards partners, were associated with profound negative impacts on MCH and well-being.
UNASSIGNED: The body of evidence, although heterogeneous, provides compelling support for male involvement in reproductive health programs designed to support MCH. To advance research in this field, an agreement is needed on a measure of male partner \"involvement.\" To optimize benefits of male partners\' involvement, developing core outcome sets and regional coordination are recommended.

BACKGROUND: The second most common cause of death for children under five is diarrhea. Early Predicting diarrhea disease and identify its determinants (factors) using an advanced machine learning model is the most effective way to save the lives of children. Hence, this study aimed to predict diarrheal diseases, identify their determinants, and generate some rules using machine learning models.
METHODS: The study used secondary data from the 12 east African countries for DHS dataset analysis using Python. Machine learning techniques such as Random Forest, Decision Tree (DT), K-Nearest Neighbor, Logistic Regression (LR), wrapper feature selection and SHAP values are used for identify determinants.
RESULTS: The final experimentation results indicated the random forest model performed the best to predict diarrhea disease with an accuracy of 86.5%, precision of 89%, F-measure of 86%, AUC curve of 92%, and recall of 82%. Important predictors\' identified age, countries, wealth status, mother\'s educational status, mother\'s age, source of drinking water, number of under-five children immunization status, media exposure, timing of breast feeding, mother\'s working status, types of toilet, and twin status were associated with a higher predicted probability of diarrhea disease.
CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, child caregivers are fully aware of sanitation and feeding their children, and moms are educated, which can reduce child mortality by diarrhea in children in east Africa. This leads to a recommendation for policy direction to reduce infant mortality in East Africa.

Bacterial zoonoses are established causes of severe febrile illness in East Africa. Within a fever etiology study, we applied a high-throughput 16S rRNA metagenomic assay validated for detecting bacterial zoonotic pathogens. We enrolled febrile patients admitted to 2 referral hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania, during September 2007-April 2009. Among 788 participants, median age was 20 (interquartile range 2-38) years. We performed PCR amplification of V1-V2 variable region 16S rRNA on cell pellet DNA, then metagenomic deep-sequencing and pathogenic taxonomic identification. We detected bacterial zoonotic pathogens in 10 (1.3%) samples: 3 with Rickettsia typhi, 1 R. conorii, 2 Bartonella quintana, 2 pathogenic Leptospira spp., and 1 Coxiella burnetii. One other sample had reads matching a Neoerhlichia spp. previously identified in a patient from South Africa. Our findings indicate that targeted 16S metagenomics can identify bacterial zoonotic pathogens causing severe febrile illness in humans, including potential novel agents.

UNASSIGNED: Although global mortality rates in children under 5 years have decreased substantially in the last 30 years, there remain around 2.6 million stillbirths and 2.9 million neonatal deaths each year. The majority of these deaths occur in Africa and South Asia. To reduce perinatal deaths in East Africa, knowledge of the burden, but also the risk factors and causes of perinatal deaths are crucial. To the best of our knowledge, reviews have previously focused on the burden of perinatal deaths; here we aim to synthesize evidence on the burden, causes, and risk factors for perinatal mortality in East Africa.
UNASSIGNED: We will conduct a systematic literature search in Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, Global Health, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, HINARI, African Index Medicus, African Journals Online (AJOL), and WHO African Regional Office (AFRO) Library. The study population includes all fetuses and newborns from ≥22 weeks of gestation (birth weight ≥500gm) to 7 days after birth, with reported causes or/and determinants as exposure, and perinatal mortality (stillbirths and/or early neonatal deaths) as an outcome. We will include studies from 2010 to 2022, and to facilitate the inclusion of up-to-date data, we will request recent data from ongoing surveillance in the region. To assess the quality of included studies, we will use the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool for observational and trial studies. We will analyze the data using STATA version 17 statistical software and assess heterogeneity and publication bias by Higgins\' I 2 and funnel plot, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: This systematic review will search for published studies, and seek unpublished data, on the burden, causes, and risk factors of perinatal mortality in East Africa. Findings will be reported, and gaps in the evidence base identified, with recommendations, with the ultimate aim of reducing perinatal deaths.
UNASSIGNED: PROSPERO-CRD42021291719.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to describe the magnitude and pattern of congenital anomalies on routine second-trimester ultrasound and its practical implication in the management of pregnant women with fetal anomalies at a novice center in East Africa.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to May 2022 among women who had second-trimester anatomic scanning. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.1. Ethical clearance was obtained from the hospital\'s institutional review board and informed consent was obtained.
RESULTS: The number of congenital anomalies was 45 of 1764 (2.55%). Most (41%) were in the age group 26-30 years and multigravida (62%). Average gestational age at anatomic scanning was 24 weeks. One or more risk factors for congenital anomalies were reported in 19 (31.0%) of the mothers. Most sonographic fetal abnormalities (51.7%) were reported in the central nervous system, followed by renal (18.0%) and skeletal (11.5%). Among the central nervous system anomalies, severe ventriculomegaly was the most common (38.7%), followed by Arnold-Chiari malformation (19.4%). Thirty-five (2%) of the mothers had a lethal fetal congenital anomaly and their pregnancy was terminated after counseling and informed consent.
CONCLUSIONS: The rate of congenital anomalies in this study is comparable with most international data. The introduction of second-trimester anatomic scanning has led to timely termination of anomalous pregnancies, which contributes to reduction in direct and indirect costs of care and family\'s psychosocial distress and the stigma associated with the birth of and caring for a child with disability.

BACKGROUND: The Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for water supply and sanitation developed by the WHO and UNICEF defines safe child feces disposal practices as either burial or defecation into a toilet. Children become exposed to fecal-oral illnesses when their stools are not disposed of appropriately, and this vulnerability persists until all children\'s stools are properly disposed of. Data on the elements influencing child feces disposal in East Africa is scarce. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of safe child feces disposal in East Africa.
METHODS: Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, which were collected between 2015 and 2022 in 10 East African nations, were used in this analysis. For a weighted 44,821 children under the age of two, we examined additional features as well as how child feces were disposed of. Both bivariable and multivariable multilevel logistic regression were carried out to choose potential components and identify important explanatory variables connected to the outcome variable. With 95% confidence intervals, adjusted odd ratios (AORs) were used to present the results. P values of ≤ 0.2 and < 0.05 were used to investigate significant factors in the binary and multivariable multilevel logistic regression models respectively.
RESULTS: Approximately 65.54% (95% CI: 65.10, 65.98) of children\'s waste was disposed of properly. Women age from 35 to 49 years (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.19) 15-24 years old, primary (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI, 1.53,1.72), and secondary/higher education (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI, 1.14,1.31), women from highly educated community (AOR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.22,1.46), employed (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI, 1.24,1.35), poorer(AOR = 1.51,95% CI, 1.42,1.61), middle(AOR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.56,1.78), richer(AOR = 1.96,95% CI, 1.82,2.11), and richest(AOR = 2.08, 95% CI, 1.91,2.27), mass media exposure (AOR = 1.37,95% CI,1.31,1.44), community level mass media exposure (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.34,1.34), had ANC visit(AOR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.55,1.88), modern contraceptive(AOR = 1.17, 95% CI, 1.12,1.23), health institution delivery (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI, 2.09,2.34), had an improved toilet facility (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI, 1.07,1.17), children who\'s their age group from 6 to 11 months old, (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI, 2.01,2.25) and 12-23 months old (AOR = 3.10,95% CI, 2.94,3.27) were the factors associated with higher odds of safe child feces disposal as compared to less than six months old children respectively. Finally, women from high community poverty level (AOR = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.79,0.95), and rural women were the factors associated with lower odds of safe child feces disposal (AOR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.85-0.98) compared to their counterparts respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: East Africa has a Slightly lower proportion of properly disposing of child feces. There was a strong correlation between characteristics such as residence, mother\'s age, education level, work status, place of delivery, ANC visit, child\'s age, wealth index, media exposure, and poverty. Acting on these factors and strengthening and using links between mother and child health care is, thus, strongly advocated.

UNASSIGNED: Community engagement and involvement (CEI) in research usually depends on face-to-face interactions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented such interactions because of national lockdowns and social distancing. This paper highlights the ways in which early career researchers from East Africa tackled CEI activities during the pandemic.
UNASSIGNED: We provide four case examples that illustrate how early-career researchers based in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, deployed different approaches and initiatives to community-engaged research during the pandemic to encourage participation and uptake of research findings.
UNASSIGNED: All the three early-career researchers attempted to use virtual/digital means to implement the CEI. However, in each country, this attempt was unsuccessful because of poor connectivity, as well as many poorer students lacking access to telephones and computers. Nevertheless, the researchers effectively engaged the students using different activities (making up songs, drawing comics, and taking part in quizzes) once the schools reopened.
UNASSIGNED: These results highlight the complexity of implementing community engagement and involvement in health research when face-to-face interaction is not possible. The findings are relevant to researchers who wish to incorporate community engagement in their research and initiatives.

UNASSIGNED: Population-based research on the prevalence and determinants of dementia, Alzheimer\'s disease, and cognitive impairment is scarce in East Africa.
UNASSIGNED: To provide an overview of community- and population-based studies among older adults on the prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in East Africa, and identify research gaps.
UNASSIGNED: We carried out a literature search using three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) using pertinent search terms.
UNASSIGNED: After screening 445 publications, we identified four publications on the population-based prevalence of dementia, and three on cognitive impairment. Prevalence rates varied from 6- 23% for dementia, and 7- 44% for cognitive impairment, among participants aged≥50-70 years. Old age and a lower education level were risk factors for dementia and cognitive impairment. Physical inactivity, lack of a ventilated kitchen, and history of central nervous system infections and chronic headache were associated with increased odds of dementia. Female sex, depression, having no spouse, increased lifetime alcohol consumption, low income, rural residence, and low family support were associated with increased odds of cognitive impairment. Potential misclassification and non-standardized data collection methods are research gaps that should be addressed in future studies.
UNASSIGNED: Establishing collaborative networks and partnering with international research institutions may enhance the capacity for conducting population-based studies on dementia and cognitive impairment in East Africa. Longitudinal studies may provide valuable insights on incidence, as well as potential risk and protective factors of dementia and cognitive impairment, and may inform the development of targeted interventions including preventive strategies in the region.

The histories of African crops remain poorly understood despite their contemporary importance. Integration of crops from western, eastern and northern Africa probably first occurred in the Great Lakes Region of eastern Africa; however, little is known about when and how these agricultural systems coalesced. This article presents archaeobotanical analyses from an approximately 9000-year archaeological sequence at Kakapel Rockshelter in western Kenya, comprising the largest and most extensively dated archaeobotanical record from the interior of equatorial eastern Africa. Direct radiocarbon dates on carbonized seeds document the presence of the West African crop cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) approximately 2300 years ago, synchronic with the earliest date for domesticated cattle (Bos taurus). Peas (Pisum sativum L. or Pisum abyssinicum A. Braun) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) from the northeast and eastern African finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) are incorporated later, by at least 1000 years ago. Combined with ancient DNA evidence from Kakapel and the surrounding region, these data support a scenario in which the use of diverse domesticated species in eastern Africa changed over time rather than arriving and being maintained as a single package. Findings highlight the importance of local heterogeneity in shaping the spread of food production in sub-Saharan Africa.

UNASSIGNED: Despite stroke being a leading cause of death and disability in sub-Saharan Africa, stroke awareness remains a major hurdle to early stroke response and care in the region. To improve stroke awareness, we endeavoured to borrow a leaf from initiatives in high-income countries, beginning with the translation and dissemination of the acronym, FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) to Swahili.
UNASSIGNED: We formed a translation group consisting of two stroke physicians, one nurse and two professional translators, all native Swahili speakers. Forward translation of the original document from English to Swahili was done by one Swahili translator; followed by a backward translation by another translator. Clinician reviews and cognitive reviews were then done, and a final translation was developed.
UNASSIGNED: We developed the acronym UPESI, a Swahili translation of the word, FAST. The acronym stands for U so kupooza upande mmoja; P ooza mkono/mguu (au kupoteza hisia); ugumu ku- E leza/kuongea; SI mu upesi translating to face drooping, arm/leg paralysis, difficulty in speaking/explaining and fast to the phone.
UNASSIGNED: The result of this process is a Swahili translation of the FAST tool for stroke awareness campaigns. The translation will improve communication during stroke campaigns and increase awareness of stroke.