The National Research Repository of Uganda - NRU

Welcome to the National Research Repository of Uganda, abbreviated as "NRU". NRU was established in 2021. NRU is a collection of scholarly output by researchers from the UNCST Community, including scholarly articles and books, electronic theses and dissertations, conference proceedings, journals, technical reports and digitised library collections. It is the official Institutional Archive (IA) of UNCST.

Copyright Information:

For information about the publishers' copyright policy on archiving your articles online or in an institutional archive, visit the Sherpa Site at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo.php The site gives a summary of the permissions normally given as part of each publisher's copyright transfer agreement. If you wish to publish your research findings in the NRU, please contact NRU administrator at admin@uncst.go.ug for details. NRU operates both open access and closed access models. Access to fulltext has been restricted in adherence to the UNCST Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Copyrights policies.

Other Useful Resources:

Africa Portal is an online repository of open access library collection with over 3,000 books, journals, and digital documents on African policy issues. This is an initiative by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Makerere University (MAK), and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Please visit the Africa Portal at http://www.africaportal.org/library.

~
 

Communities in NRU

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 12

Recent Submissions

No Thumbnail Available
Item
Cutaneous anthrax outbreak associated with use of cattle hides and handling carcasses, Amudat District, Uganda, 2023–2024
(Public Library of Science, 2025-11) Kwizera, Patrick;; Migisha, Richard;; Katumba, Hannington ;; Nabatta, Esther;; Gidudu, Samuel;; Kwesiga, Benon;; Morukileng, Job;; Bulage, Lilian;; Ario, Alex Riolexus
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease that remains endemic in Uganda, particularly in cattle-keeping areas. On December 28, 2023, the first suspected human case of anthrax was detected in Amudat District. We investigated to determine the outbreak's magnitude, identify risk factors, and recommend prevention and control measures. We defined a suspected cutaneous anthrax case as acute onset of [greater than or equal to]2 of the following: skin lesions (papule, vesicle, or eschar) on exposed areas such as the hands, forearms, shoulders, back, thighs or face, localized itching, redness, swelling, or regional lymphadenopathy, in Amudat residents from December 2023-June 2024. We identified 102 cutaneous anthrax cases, including 7 confirmed cases; none died. The outbreak lasted 7 months, peaking in March 2024, with an overall attack rate of 169/100,000 (males: 196/100,000; females: 138/100,000). Use of cattle hides as bedding (OR=12; 95% CI:2.7-52) and butchering cattle carcasses (OR=6; 95% CI:1.8-19) were significantly associated with anthrax. The highest infection risk was observed among individuals with multiple exposures: butchered only (OR = 6.9, 95% CI:2.6-18), butchered and carried cattle parts (OR = 11, 95% CI:1.2-96), butchered and skinned (OR = 14, 95% CI:3.5-56), and butchered, carried, and skinned (OR = 17, 95% CI:1.6-219). No livestock had been vaccinated prior to the outbreak. The outbreak was associated to use of cattle hides as bedding and the butchering of cattle carcasses. We recommended community education, livestock vaccination, and safe carcass handling to prevent future outbreaks. Gale OneFile: Science
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Human health risk from dietary exposure to heavy metals through poultry eggs: Evidence from commercial farms in Wakiso District, Uganda
(Elsevier, 2026-03) Shadad Mugabi;; Sylvia Angubua Baluka;; Andrew Tamale ;; Antony Nyombi
Uganda’s projected annual egg consumption of 1.9 kg per capita by 2025 raises concerns over heavy metal contamination in poultry products. Wakiso District, a peri‑urban hub supplying Kampala, faces potential exposure risks due to inconsistent feed quality. This study sampled 53 poultry farms in Wakiso District. Egg and feed samples were analyzed for chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) using ICP-MS. Weekly intake estimates were derived from FAO consumption data and compared against WHO/JECFA and Codex thresholds. Spatial variation was assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis H test. Cr levels peaked at 6.72 ± 4.91 mg/kg in Kajansi, with intake of 237.6 μg/week, below the JECFA limit of 2100 μg. As reached 1.36 ± 0.48 mg/kg, with intake up to 42.3 μg/week, under the WHO threshold of 1050 μg. Cd exposure peaked at 0.15 ± 0.10 mg/kg, translating to 2.69 μg/week, below the FAO limit of 2695 μg. Significant spatial differences were observed for Cr (H = 41.77), As (H = 49.82), and Cd (H = 31.94), all p < 0.001. While overall intake remains within safety limits, localized contamination in Kajansi and Katabi suggests cumulative risk, hence need for regulations and feed and residue monitoring.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Factors associated with unplanned pregnancy among pregnant women in Uganda
(Nature Publishing Group UK, 2025-12) Makumbi, Fredrick;; Ssebadduka, Peter;; Musaba, Milton ;; Wandabwa, Julius;; Kiondo, Paul
Unplanned pregnancies significantly contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality especially in settings where the abortion law is restrictive. This study aimed to establish the prevalence and factors associated with unplanned pregnancy among women attending antenatal clinic in Uganda. This cross-section study was carried out from 31st January to 30th June 2023 at Kawempe national referral hospital in Uganda. Three hundred and eighty-four pregnant mothers gave information on socio demographic, health system and family planning factors. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was done to determine the factors associated with unplanned pregnancy. The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy was (130/384) 34%. Unplanned pregnancy was associated with: age 20–24 years (AOR;2.8, 95%CI:1.4–5.8) and 25–34 years (AOR = 3.9,95%CI = 2.6–10.2), urban dwelling (AOR = 3.9,95%CI = 2.2–7.5) monogamy (AOR = 3.6,95%CI = 2.1–6.9), jobless women (AOR = 4.2,95%CI = 2.4–8.9) spouse in an informal sector (AOR = 2.8,95%CI = 1.7–4.5) lack of family planning communication (AOR = 2.3,95%CI = 1.4–5.4), single women (AOR = 0.4,95%CI = 0.2–0.8), income of Uganda shillings ≥ 200,000 (AOR = 0.3,95%CI = 0.1–0.6) and Seventh day Adventist belief (AOR = 0.2,95%CI = 0.09–0.6). There was a high prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in this tertiary hospital, associated with maternal age, place of residence, family type, employment status, not discussing about family planning among spouses, marital status, family income and being of Seventh Day Adventist faith. A community-based study in both urban and rural settings is recommended.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Treatment compliance among adult cervical cancer patients receiving care at Uganda cancer institute, Uganda: a retrospective data review
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2023-07) Najjemba, Josephine Irene;; Ndagire, Regina;; Mulamira, Pius ;; Kibudde, Solomon;; Lwanira, Catherine Nassozi
Background Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers and a major cause of morbidity among women globally. Chemoradiation therapy is the preferred standard treatment for women with stage IB to IVA. However, the benefits of this treatment can only be achieved if patients adhere to the treatment guidelines. In this study, the proportion of compliance or adherence to chemo-radiation treatment among cervical cancer patients at Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) was determined. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that reviewed data retrospectively for 196 cervical cancer patients who were prescribed to chemo-radiation therapy at UCI between November 2020 to May 2021, having been diagnosed with disease stage IB to IVA. Patient data and information on treatment uptake was obtained by review of the patient’s medical records. Treatment compliance was determined by calculating the number of participants who completed the prescribed treatment (definitive pelvic concurrent chemoradiation to 50 Gy external beam radiotherapy with weekly concurrent cisplatin followed by intracavitary brachytherapy 24 Gy in 3 fractions at 8 Gy once a week over 3 weeks). Associations between patient factors and treatment adherence were determined using logistic regression analysis. In all statistical tests, a P- value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Results The proportion of patients who were administered with external beam radiation (EBRT), chemotherapy and brachytherapy were 82.6%, 52.04% and 66.2% respectively. However, only 23 of 196 patients (11.7%) were found to have adhered to the treatment plan by completion of all definitive pelvic concurrent chemoradiation to 50 Gy external beam radiotherapy (5 weeks) with weekly concurrent cisplatin (5 cycles) followed by intracavitary brachytherapy 24 Gy in 3 fractions at 8 Gy once a week over 3 weeks (3 sessions). There were no significant associations between patient factors and treatment adherence after multivariable analysis. Conclusions Treatment compliance was found in only 12% of the cohort participants. No association of patient factors with treatment compliance was found. Additional studies on treatment adherence with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the associations.
No Thumbnail Available
Item
Intimate partner violence, social support, and depression among women living with HIV in Wakiso District, central Uganda: findings from a sequential mixed-methods study
(BMC, 2026-01) Joan Nalunkuuma;; Deborah Ojiambo;; Joanita Nangendo ;; Fred C. Semitala;; Samuel Ouma
Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive public health concern, disproportionately affecting women worldwide and posing significant risks to their physical and psychological well-being. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) are particularly vulnerable to IPV though both its extent or nature and impact on mental wellbeing of WLHIV in Uganda have not been extensively examined. The aim of this sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was to examine the association between intimate partner violence, social support, and depression in WLHIV in central Uganda. Methods We sampled 215 for the quantitative strand. The Abusive Behaviour Inventory (ABI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support measured IPV, depression and social support respectively. These were followed by individual face-to-face semi structured interviews with a subsample of 10 women. Descriptive frequencies, Pearson correlations and process macro were analyzed in SPSS software while interviews were analyzed thematically. Results Overall, 15.1% experienced IPV, 24.9% were depressed respectively, and 68.4% had moderate to high perceived social support as well as significant negative correlations between IPV and depression. Social support significantly mediated the relationship between IPV and depression. Qualitative results explained the earlier quantitative results under three main themes: (1) Multiple forms of Violence/Abuse (2) Managing and Coping with Violence/abuse.3) Impact of Violence/abuse. Conclusion Addressing IPV, promoting social support and financial independence can enhance efforts aimed at ART adherence and improving mental health outcomes among vulnerable WLHIV.