Browsing by Author "Favina, Alain"

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    Excessive eating and weight gain:A rare post-acute COVID-19 syndrome
    (Clinical Research & Reviews, 2021) Kaggwa, Mark Mohan; Favina, Alain; Najjuka, Sarah Maria; Zebunnesa, Zeb; Mamun, Mohammed A.; Bongomin, Felix
    The coronavirus disease - 2019 (COVID-19) is a multisystem illness associated with several metabolic derangements. Studies report that post-acute COVID-19 syndromes (PACs) continue to evolve, however, polyphagia is not uncommon. Herein, we report a rare occurrence of polyphagia in a patient following acute COVID-19 illness. A-41-year-old Ugandan female with a negative past medical history presented with complains of excessive appetite, eating large amounts of food, inability to feel satisfied, failure to control desire to eat, and weight gain 6 months following recovery from a mild episode of acute COVID-19 pneumonia. Her body mass index rose to 30 Kg/m2 from 22 Kg/m2 prior to suffering from COVID-19. There was no history of polyuria, polydipsia, pruritus, or prior eating disorder or related history. Investigation found that brain computed tomography scan was normal, fasting blood sugar to be 5.6 mmol/L (normal range, 3.9–7.0 mmol/L), adrenocorticotropin hormone level to be 8.763 pg/mL (normal range, 6–40 pg/mL), erythrocyte sedimentation rate to be 12 mm/hour (0–30 mm/hour), but there was an elevation in glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c, 7.7%). She was commenced on psychotherapy and behavioral changes with good outcomes. Polyphagia may be one of the rare PACs, requiring further research.
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    Gambling-Related Suicide in East African Community Countries: Evidence from Press Media Reports
    (BMC public health, 2022) Kaggwa, Mark Mohan; Mamun, Mohammed A.; Najjuka, Sarah Maria; Muwanguzi, Moses; Kule, Moses; Nkola, Rahel; Favina, Alain; Kihumuro, Raymond Bernard; Munaru, Gideon; Arinaitwe, Innocent; Rukundo, Godfrey Zari; Griffiths, Mark D.
    Gambling activities and associated mental health problems have become a topic of increased concern globally. Many individuals with a severe gambling disorder have gambling-related suicidality. However, no study has explored gambling-related suicide in East African Community (EAC) countries. The present study investigated the press media reporting of gambling-related suicide cases from EAC countries.As there is no established suicide database in that region, media reports were utilized to collect gambling-related suicide data. Gambling-related suicide case reports were searched for in EAC countries’ press media websites using Google. After removing duplicates, a total of 18 suicides were found.The victims were all males aged 16 to 40 years. The most prevalent reason for the death was university students who had used their university tuition fees for gambling and losing the money (n = 4/17). All the suicide deaths were in Kenya (10/18), Uganda (7/18), and Tanzania (1/18). Betting on soccer was the most common type of gambling reported (n = 11/15), and hanging was the most used mode of suicide (n = 10/16).Based on the press media reports, 18 males were identified as having carried out gambling-related suicides. The countries with the most widespread opportunities to gamble had more gambling-related suicides, although the number of suicides was very small.
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    Substance use Disorder among Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda: Retrospective Findings from a Psychiatric Ward Registry
    (Plos one, 2022) Kaggwa, Mark Mohan; Abaatyo, Joan; Alol, Emmanuel; Muwanguzi, Moses; Najjuka, Sarah Maria; Favina, Alain; Rukundo, Godfrey Zari; Ashaba, Scholastic; Mamun, Mohammed A.
    It has been reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has predisposed adolescents to risky behaviors such as substance use and subsequent substance use disorder (SUD). However, it is unknown how the pandemic has changed the prevalence of SUD among adolescents in Uganda. We aimed to determine the prevalence of SUD and associated factors among adolescents in southwestern Uganda. Retrospectively, psychiatry ward records from November 2018 to July 2021 were collected from the largest tertiary hospital in southwestern Uganda. A total of 441 adolescent records were included in the analysis, with a mean age was 17±1.88 years, and the majority were males (50.34%). The overall prevalence of SUD was 7.26% (5.90% and 9.80% before and during the pandemic). Despite a little rise in SUD (3.9% increment) during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no statistical difference compared to before the pandemic. The likelihood of being diagnosed with SUD was more among older adolescents at any period. In addition, having a diagnosis of bipolar mood disorder reduced the likelihood of SUD during the pandemic. This study indicated no statistical change in the diagnosis of SUD among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. As older-male adolescents (17 to 19 years) were at higher risk of SUD, there is a need for early intervention for this group.