Browsing by Author "Mantula, F."

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    Barriers to cervical cancer screening in Africa: a systematic review
    (BMC Public Health, 2024-02-20) Mantula, F.; Toefy, Y.; Sewram, V.
    Introduction Africa has one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer in the world. The unacceptably high incidence and mortality rates could be reduced through implementing a comprehensive approach to its prevention and control that includes screening, which however, is low in most low-and-middle-income countries. Hence, this systematic review aims at exploring factors that prevent women from utilising cervical cancer screening services in the region. Methods A mixed method systematic review was conducted. A search was performed on PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, CINAHL (EBSCOHOST) and Scopus databases for articles published until May 2019 without time, language or study design limits. Two reviewers critically appraised the included studies independently using the standard quality assessment criteria for evaluating primary research papers. Results of the quantitative and mixed methods studies were transformed into qualitative data and synthesised using thematic analysis. Results From a potential 2 365 studies, 24 from 11 countries met the eligibility criteria and were selected; eight qualitative, 13 quantitative, and three that used the mixed-method approach. The primary barriers were identified as poor access to screening services, lack of awareness and knowledge on cervical cancer and screening, and socio-cultural influences. Service providers perceived lack of skills, screening equipment and supplies, and staff shortages as the major barriers to the provision of screening services. Conclusion Barriers to cervical cancer screening in Africa are multifaceted and require a holistic approach that will address them concurrently at the health system, individual, interpersonal, community and structural levels. Political will complimented by stakeholder involvement is required in the development and implementation of strategies that will ensure acceptability, availability, accessibility, and affordability of screening to minimise barriers in accessing the service.
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    HIV knowledge, risky behaviours and public health care services attendance among adolescents from the Grassroot soccer Zimbabwe programme
    (2020) Mzingwane, M.L.; Mavondo, G.A.; Mantula, F.; Mapfumo, C.; Gwatiringa, C.; Moyo, B.; Dube, P.; Chaibva, C.N.
    Background: Interventions aimed at improving accessing of health care services, including HIV testing, remain a priority in global HIV eradication efforts. Grassroot Soccer Zimbabwe (GRSZ) is an adolescent health organisation that uses the popularity of soccer to promote healthy behaviours. We assessed HIV knowledge levels, riskybehaviours and attitudes in school going adolescents and young adults who attended GRSZ programmes and determined if HIV knowledge levels were associated with increased levels of accessing of health care services by youths. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 450 participants aged 13–30 years who attended at least one of the three programmes offered by GRSZ. Self-administered and self-reporting questionnaires were used to collect information on participants’ demographics, knowledge on HIV and reproductive health, sources of information, access to HIV and reproductive health services and attitudes and risky behaviours. Results: A total of 392 (87.1%) responses were received. High HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels were recorded (77.7%) on our scale with females recording higher levels (81.1%) than males (71.1%). The majority of participants (72%) indicated willingness to abstain from risky behaviours such as use of drugs and attending youth sex parties. However about 33.3% of the participants who had sexual intercourse reported having condomless sex. There was marginal association between high HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels and accessing health care services in the past 24 months (p = 0.045). Conclusions: HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels were relatively high among adolescents and were associated with accessing health care services in the past 24 months. There however are some gaps associated with engaging in risky sexual behaviours such as condomless sex which could be addressed by using these findings to assist organizations working with adolescents, educators and policy makers in developing programmes that address adolescent sexual behaviours.
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    Midwife led maternity care models: A scoping review
    (2023) Danda, G.; Chaibva, C.N.; Chauraya, Y.; Gwatiringa, C.; Chamisa, J.A.; Dabengwa, I.M.; Moyo, H.; Mantula, F.; Sibanda, E.
    Introduction: Midwife led maternity care models focus on normality, continuity of care and being cared for by trusted midwives from preconception throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. The aim of this model is to provide care either in community or hospital settings, normally to healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Methods: The scoping review used search terms for the PICO components with synonyms, related terms and specialist terms were harvested from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)© and Embase© using Rayyan. Database searches were from PubMed, EBSCO-CINAHL, Dimensions, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library of Systematic reviews and African Journals Online (AJOL). A total of 17 058 citations were identified and 69 remained for analysis after removing duplicates and others which did not meet the criteria. Results: Of the 69 included studies, 14 were qualitative, 34 were quantitative, 19 were RCTs and 2 were mixed methods. Only 13% of the studies were from Africa and the rest were from the developed world. Six themes emerged as follows: reduced interventions in labour; positive birth outcomes; satisfaction with care; cost effectiveness of services; autonomous practice and quality midwifery services; good woman–midwife relationship and several subthemes. Discussion: Midwife-led care had a significant positive effect on physiological outcomes for women when compared to physician-led care, had reduced surgical interventions and augmentation, as well as less usage of pharmacological analgesia. This may also assist in acceptability, accessibility and availability of such a model in all maternity care units and community settings in LMICs.
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    Secondary School Teachers, Their Views and Roles in Grassroots Soccer as an Intervention Anti-HIV/AIDS Propagation Tool
    (2020) Mavondo, G.A.; Mzingwnane, M.L.; Chaibva, C.N.; Gwatiringa, C.; Mapfumo, C.; Mantula, F.
    The GRSZ projects were aimed at bridging the gap between adolescents’ unwanted social behaviours and societal norms and values fashioned by the breakdown of family and society cultural practices, as a measure to militate against the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst adolescents, adolescent unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence using soccer as a medium of learning. The program deliberately circumvented involvement of Secondary School Teacher during planning and implementation hoping to have a clean intervention strategy without the encumbrances and confounders possibly introduced by the societal authority figure. However, a for continuity and adaptation of the program into the school curriculum as a behaviour change catalyst, the Secondary School Teacher is pivotal. The evaluation sought to delineate the views and roles of this cadre as determinants and guidelines towards the successful translating of GRSZ experimental work into the real-life school environment. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted by trained and qualified interviewers who formed the team of evaluators at various selected school during the teacher’s working hours. A pre-prepared interview guide constructed and reviewed by the panel of evaluators as well as the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe was used to conduct the guided interview. The researchers brought the interview guides to selected schools where appointments had been made prior by the Key Researcher. The interviews were held on the same day other surveys at the school. A total of 11 (five females and six males) Secondary Schools Teachers with more had in-depth interviews carried out after which saturation was reached. Results: The majority of adolescents (62.2%) reported the teacher as their source of information on HIV and reproductive health and the mother followed a close second at 57.7% reflecting possibly contact hours as the factor. Teachers corroborated this information showing high eagerness to be involved in the GRSZ at the earliest given opportunity. Both males and females did agree that they were the closest role models and gave varied reasons as to why their influences were not adequate in shaping the life skills of adolescents under their watch. It was clear that teacher embraced and endorsed the GRSZ program expansion and their involvement in future cohorts. Conclusion and Recommendations: Teachers had high anticipation of involvement and showed dismay at not having been involved in the initial phases of the program where their contributions were most likely to have had a high impact through their possible engagement with the community to cement the gains of the program. They recommended that lifelong learning on HIV/AIDS prevention, unwanted pregnancies and gender-based violence need to be incorporated into all areas of learning at school and beyond. Expanding the program to other schools in Zimbabwe beyond Bulawayo was seen as an overdue process.
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    Towards the Attainment of SDGs: The Contribution of Higher Education Institutions in Zimbabwe
    (International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 2024) Mpofu, F.Y.; Mpofu, A.; Mantula, F.; Shava, G.N.
    The contribution of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Zimbabwe to the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been debatable. Through a critical review of the literature, this paper sought to assess how HEI in Zimbabwe contribute to the attainment of the SDGs, ascertain the challenges affecting this contribution, and make recommendations on how the contribution of these institutions could be strengthened. The review established that HEIs play a fundamental role in contributing towards the attainment of the SDGs in Zimbabwe. The institutions contribute through Education 5.0 which is premised on the five pillars of teaching, research, community engagement, innovation, and industrialization. For example, concerning teaching, HEIs contribute to the SDGs through knowledge creation, skills sharing, and empowerment of students and communities that helps in career development, job creation, entrepreneurial development, innovation, and economic growth. Regarding research, HEIs contribute by identifying research gaps and problems relating to sustainable development, researching these, and making recommendations that can inform policy development and practice concerning the achievement of the SDGs. Even though there are notable contributions informed by the five pillars, there are also several challenges hindering the effective contribution of HEIs to the attainment of the SDGs These include limited resources, bureaucratic constraints, and a lack of coordination among HEIs and other stakeholders. The paper calls for a concerted effort from HEIs themselves, and from the government and other stakeholders to enhance the contribution of HEIs to the attainment of SDGs and building a more sustainable and prosperous future for Zimbabwe.
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    Women’s Perspectives on Cultural Sensitivity of Midwives During Intrapartum Care at a Maternity Ward in a National Referral Hospital in Zimbabwe
    (SAGE, 2023-02-12) Mantula, F.; Chamisa, J. A.; Nunu, W. N.; Nyanhongo, P. S.
    Introduction: Midwives attend intrapartum women of diverse ethnic backgrounds who each bring their cultural beliefs into the labor and delivery rooms. The International Confederation of Midwives has recommended providing culturally appropriate maternity care in its quest to increase skilled birth attendance and subsequently improve maternal and newborn health. Objective: This study aimed to examine midwives’ cultural sensitivity during intrapartum care from women’s perspectives, and how this relates to women’s satisfaction with maternity care services. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Two focus group discussions were conducted with 16 women who had delivered in the labor ward of the selected national referral maternity unit. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to analyze the data. Results: This study revealed ineffective midwife–woman collaboration that excludes the incorporation of women’s cultural beliefs in the design of maternity care plans. Emotional, physical, and informational support in the care provided to women during labor and childbirth was found to be incompetent. This suggests that midwives are not sensitive to cultural norms and do not provide woman-centered intrapartum care. Conclusion: Various factors implying midwives’ lack of cultural sensitivity in their provision of intrapartum care were identified. Resultantly, women’s expectations of labor are not met and this could negatively affect future maternity care-seeking behaviors. This study’s findings provide policy makers, midwifery program managers and implementers with better insights for developing targeted interventions to improve cultural sensitivity for the delivery of respectful maternity care. Identifying factors that affect the implementation of culture-sensitive care by midwives could guide the adjustments required in midwifery education and practice