School of Statistics and Planning (SSP) Collections

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 428
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    Determinants of school attendance among children aged 6-12 years in Oyam District
    (Makerere University, 2026) Akello, Dengai Rebecca
    This study investigated the determinants of school attendance among children aged 6–12 years in Oyam District, Uganda, with a focus on identifying key socio-demographic and socio-economic factors influencing regular attendance. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 195 children, and a logistic regression model was employed to examine the effects of variables such as age, place of residence, household income, and parental occupation on school attendance. The findings revealed that both socio-demographic and economic factors significantly shape school attendance. Regarding socio-demographic determinants, age and place of residence were key predictors, with older children and those living in rural areas more likely to attend school. Concerning socio-economic determinants, fathers’ occupations in service, shop, and market work or in agriculture and fisheries significantly increased children’s likelihood of attendance, while maternal employment in service or market roles was associated with lower attendance. Based on these findings, the study recommends targeted policy interventions to enhance school attendance. These include support programs for working mothers such as flexible childcare, community-based supervision, and after-school care strengthening rural-focused initiatives like school feeding and transport support, and implementing parental occupation-sensitive educational programs, including income support, school fee subsidies, and awareness campaigns to balance household labor and prioritize children’s education. Such measures are critical for improving retention and ensuring consistent school attendance in Oyam District. Subject keywords: School attendance; Children; Oyam District
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    Mortality associated with hypertension among people living with HIV aged 40 years and older in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania
    (Makerere University, 2025) Mayambala, Denis
    Although mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in sub-Saharan Africa has decreased markedly with the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the demographic consequences of this success remain underexamined. Using ten years of longitudinal data from the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS; 2013–2023) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, we estimated the contribution of hypertension to all-cause mortality among adults aged 40 years and older. We combine descriptive decremental life-table analysis with discrete-time logistic regression, applying both lagged and exponentially weighted moving-average (EWMA) exposure models to capture cumulative risk. The analytic baseline sample included 1,169 unique participants (Kenya = 698, Tanzania = 256, Uganda = 215), who expanded to 1,360 individuals across all biannual follow-up waves over ten years, contributing a total of 12,462 person-period observations to the final adjusted models. Participants were 51% male, with a mean age of 48 years, and 60% were from Kenya. The cumulative prevalence of hypertension during follow-up was 60%, with 10% mortality among hypertensive participants. The greatest disadvantage occurred in the 50–59 age group, where hypertension-attributable excess mortality accumulated steadily over time, rising to nearly 4% by year nine with modestly higher odds of death. In Model 6 (aOR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.57–2.23, p < 0.05), while participants aged 60 years and above experienced substantially elevated mortality (aOR: 2.32, 95% CI: 0.89–6.01, p < 0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed sharper effects in men, underweight individuals, and those with unsuppressed viral load. Hypertension was an independent predictor of death (aOR = 3.25; 95 % CI 1.26–8.40). High viral load also remained a strong independent risk factor, doubling the odds of death (aOR 2.4; 95 % CI 1.3–4.5). These findings highlight a demographic transformation of the HIV epidemic in East Africa, where mortality among PLHIV increasingly reflects a growing influence of chronic diseases in addition to infection control. Hypertension has become a key driver of excess mortality and a demographic indicator of the region’s compressed health transition.
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    Determinants of attitude towards female genital mutilation among women in the Gambia
    (Makerere University, 2025-12) Touray, Sakary
    Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), also known as female circumcision, is a harmful traditional practice (HTP) with profound health and social implications for women and young girls. The high prevalence of FGM in The Gambia is a pressing issue. This study investigated the determinants of women's attitudes towards FGM in The Gambia. The study used secondary data from the Gambia Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) 2019/2020. A weighted sample of 5,632 women aged 15–49 was analyzed at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels. A binary logistic regression model was fitted at the multivariate level. About half (50%) of women reported that FGM should be continued. The study found that women with secondary (AOR=0.73, CI=0.62–0.87) or higher education (AOR=0.34, CI=0.25–0.49) had lower odds of supporting FGM compared to those with no education. Women engaged in agriculture (AOR=1.21, CI=1.01–1.43) and those from middle-income households (AOR=1.52, CI=1.23–1.87) were more likely to support FGM, while those from the richest households (AOR=0.64, CI=0.49–0.83) were less likely. Women from Christianity and other religions (AOR=0.13, CI=0.06–0.29) were less likely to support FGM continuation compared to those from Islam. Ethnicity and region also showed significant associations, with women from certain tribes and regions being more or less likely to support FGM. In conclusion, the comprehensive analysis of demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors underscores the complex interplay influencing attitudes towards female genital mutilation. The practice is largely supported by women of low socio-economic status and remains strongly influenced by religion and culture, highlighting the need for multifaceted interventions. The study recommends strengthening education and awareness programs targeting both women and men to emphasize the health risks and human rights violations associated with FGM. Community-based advocacy involving religious and traditional leaders should be promoted to challenge cultural beliefs sustaining the practice. Furthermore, economic empowerment programs for women should be enhanced to reduce dependency on traditional practices as sources of identity or income, while policy enforcement and monitoring should be intensified to ensure effective implementation of the anti-FGM law. Subject keywords; Female genital mutilation, Gambia, Women
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    Factors associated with the healing time from obstetric fistula at Kitovu Mission Hospital, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2025) Sserunga, Timothy Hillary
    In Uganda, about 2% of women who have ever given birth have experienced obstetric fistula. Patients with obstetric fistula can heal within 10-14 days but can take longer depending on several factors which increases the burden on the patient and the healthcare system. In Kitovu hospital, the time to obstetric fistula healing and the associated factors were not known. The study determined the mean and median time to obstetric fistula healing and its associated factors among patients managed at Kitovu mission hospital in Uganda. The study used a retrospective design. Relevant data were collected on 3793 study participants from the Kitovu hospital obstetric fistula database. The study used measures of central tendencies to summarize the characteristics of the study participants. The Kaplan-meier analysis was used to determine the average time to obstetric healing. The log-rank test and the discrete time logit model were used to determine the factors that are significantly associated with time to obstetric fistula healing. The study revealed that the mean and median time to obstetric fistula healing were 56 and 17 days respectively. Economically independent women were more likely to heal faster than economically dependent women (OR=1.352; 95% CI=1.240-1.473; p=0.000). Women with a fistula located > 3cm away from the vagina were more likely to heal faster than women with a fistula located < 3 cm away from the vagina (OR=1.390; 95% CI= 1.240-1.559; p=0.008). Women with one fistula are more likely to heal faster than those with multiple fistulae (OR=2.174; 95% CI 1.797-2.629; p=0.000). Overweight women were less likely to heal faster that those with normal weight and underweight (OR=0.864; 95% CI=0.800-0.934; p=0.000). Women with a fistula ≥ 3cm in diameter were less likely to heal faster than women with a fistula <3cm in diameter (OR=0,614; 95% CI= 0.540-0.699; p=0.000). Women with a large amount of fistula output were less likely to heal faster than women with moderate output or no output (OR=0.217; 95% CI=0.195-0.241; p=0.000). The study made the following recommendations. Kitovu Mission Hospital should strengthen targeted support programs for economically vulnerable obstetric fistula patients which should include financial assistance. The Ministry of Health, should review and strengthen existing obstetric fistula policies and clinical guidelines to provide for early initiation of treatment and standards for management of complex fistula types. Research institutions should conduct more research to triangulate the study findings and generate more context specific evidence on obstetric fistula in Uganda.
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    Male circumcision uptake in Uganda and it's associated factors: a structural equation modelling approach
    (Makerere University, 2025) Nyirakiiza, Faith
    The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS recommend male circumcision as a preventive measure against HIV, with evidence showing about a 60% reduction in the risk of male-to-female HIV transmission. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the uptake of male circumcision in Uganda. Data from 5,008 men aged 15–54 years were drawn from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. A Generalized Structural Equation Model (GSEM) was applied to simultaneously estimate both direct and indirect effects of potential predictors on circumcision uptake. Results from direct effect analysis show that, holding other factors constant, increased likelihood of having undergone male circumcision was associated with men with secondary education (coef = 0.153, p=0.000) compared to men with no education, men who are rich (coef= 0.076, p =0.000) compared to men who are poor, men living with a partner (coef= 0.087, p =0.000) compared to men never in union. However an increase in the age of respondents was associated with less likelihood of having undergone male circumcision. Indeed the likelihood of having undergone male circumcision was lower for age group 35-44(coef= -0.139, p=0.000) and age group 45-54(coef= -0.176, p= 0.000) compared to age group 15-24. ). Also rural residents were less likely to have undergone male circumcision (coef= -0.069, p =0.000) compared to urban residents. Region was also found to significantly affect male circumcision status. Indeed, men from northern (coef = -0.237, p = 0.000) and western (coef=-0.108, p=0.000) were less likely to have undergone male circumcision compared to men from Central. Indirect effect analysis showed no significant mediation through comprehensive HIV knowledge, indicating that observed associations were driven entirely by direct effects. Increasing male circumcision uptake in Uganda requires targeted health education for men with lower education levels, expanded free or subsidized services for poorer men, and couple‑focused communication to encourage partner support. Age‑specific interventions should address older men’s concerns about pain and healing, while rural access must be improved through mobile clinics, community health workers, and local leadership engagement. Finally, region‑specific strategies that respond to cultural beliefs and service gaps are essential to ensure equitable uptake across the country.