Virtual University of Uganda

Studies have identified several programmatic and nonprogrammatic indicators that affect adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Depression has been shown to impact adherence to HAART. This cross-sectional analysis of data collected from Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania in 2008 examined the relationship between levels of depressive symptoms, clinical progression, and adherence to HAART. A multinational, multicenter, observational, retrospective cross-sectional evaluation of a population of focus comprised randomly selected patients on HAART. The dependent variable was adherence to HAART. The primary variable of interest to be assessed was patients' level of depressive symptom score. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between explanatory variables and adherence to HAART. A total of 2344 patients were recruited for adherence survey. About 70% of the study sample reported having some level of depression. Logistic regression results show that patients who reported, respectively, low, moderate, and high levels of depressive symptoms are 35% (P < .001), 56% (P < .001), and 64% (P < .001) less likely to adhere to HAART than those who reported having no depressive symptoms. At multivariate analysis, adherence to HAART was independently associated with the levels of depressive symptoms, older age, CD4 count >200 cells/mm3, Truvada (tenofovir [TDF]/emtricitabine [FTC])-based regimens, good knowledge about HAART, and longer period on therapy. These results indicate that mental health and clinical parameters are significant factors in determining patients' adherence to their HAART, which need to be more aggressively addressed as a critical component of care and treatment support.

To explore moral distress in relatives doctors and nurses, in end-of-life care decision-making, in the adult intensive care unit. Many deaths in intensive care involve decisions about withholding and withdrawing therapy, potentially triggering moral distress. Moral distress occurs when individuals feel constrained from acting in accordance with moral choice, or act against moral judgement, generating painful, unresolved emotions, and problems that continue long after an event. Prior research has focused mainly on nurses; less is known about doctors' experiences and occurrence and impact on relatives is unknown. A narrative inquiry case study approach, funded by a Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Doctorate Fellowship Award (April 2011). In-depth digitally recorded interviews will be conducted with relatives, doctors, and nurses involved in end-of-life cases comprising: (1) withdrawal of therapy, including circulatory death organ donation; (2) non-escalation of therapy; and (3) brain stem death with a request for organ donation. Relatives will be offered the opportunity to share their experiences on 'Healthtalkonline' by copyrighting audio-visual interviews to the Health Experiences Research Group, Oxford University. Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained (April 2012). This is the first time that moral distress is explored, in a case approach, among relatives, doctors, and nurses intimately involved in end-of-life decisions in intensive care. Dissemination of findings will make a large contribution to international knowledge and understanding in this area and alert healthcare professionals and relatives to an otherwise under-recognized, but potentially detrimental, experience. Findings will inform education, practice, and policy.

so prevladovali učitelji geografije.13.Ilešičevi dnevi so bili posvečeni 70-letnici red.prof.dr.Jurija Kunaverja.F. Lovrenčak je spregovoril ob 70-letnici