Cultural Context and Mental Health: A Kenyan Elite Athlete's Perspective.

The causes of mental ill health in elite athletes are complex, influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors. These factors are important in shaping discussions surrounding the mental health of athletes and the design of subsequent interventions to support them. However, such consideration is rare, particularly when considering the mental health of athletes in low- and middle-income countries.

Factors associated with self-reported diagnosis of depression in Kenya: insights from 2022 Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: Mental health issues, particularly depression, have seen a significant increase worldwide in recent years, raising global concern. Depression is projected by the World Health Organization to become the leading cause of mental illness by 2030. This condition severely impacts the quality of life and psychosocial functioning of those affected, underscoring the need for effective interventions and awareness.

A systematic approach to modeling monthly maximum temperature and total rainfall in Kenya.

Goodness of fit (GOF) test approaches for selecting probability distributions of climatic variables are pervasive in the statistical literature. However, a combined approach of multiple tests remains underutilized despite evidence supporting their improved precision. Increased erratic climatic conditions pose severe threats to economic stability, necessitating robust statistical methods for climate modeling.

National research ecosystems: protecting populations and building health security worldwide.

The global clinical research enterprise remains fundamentally misaligned with worldwide disease burden and public health needs, despite corrective efforts in recent years. Although clinical trials deliver important medical advances that benefit populations globally, research capabilities and trials are concentrated in high-income countries, which means that populations with the heaviest disease burdens (often in low-income and middle-income countries) participate in relatively few trials addressing their needs-infectious and non-communicable diseases alike. This imbalance leaves knowledge gaps in treating the most prevalent diseases and leaves the world dangerously unprepared for emerging threats.

Deep learning applications for diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity diseases diagnosis: a systematic review.

To review the existing deep learning applications for diagnosing diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity diseases, the available public retinal databases for the diseases and apply the International Journal of Medical Informatics (IJMEDI) checklist were assessed the quality of included studies; an in-depth literature search in Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE and ACM databases targeting articles from inception up to 31 January 2023 was done by two independent reviewers. In the review, 26 out of 1476 articles with a total of 36 models were included. Data size and model validation were found to be challenges for most studies.

Simulating the blood transfusion system in Kenya: Modelling methods and exploratory analyses.

The process of collecting blood from donors and making it available for transfusion requires a complex series of operations involving multiple actors and different resources at each step. Ensuring hospitals receive adequate and safe blood for transfusion is a common challenge across low- and middle-income countries, but is rarely addressed from a system level. This paper presents the first use of discrete event simulation to study the blood system in Kenya and to explore the effect of variations and perturbations at different steps of the system on meeting blood demand at patient level.

Uncovering the Pathophysiological Pattern of Expression from Integrated Analysis across Uniformly Processed RNA Sequencing COVID-19 Datasets.

Background: Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects millions globally, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying acute COVID-19 and its chronic sequelae remain poorly understood.

Methods: We performed an integrative transcriptomic analysis of three independent RNA-seq datasets, capturing the complete COVID-19 pathophysiology from health through acute severe infection to post-acute sequelae and mortality (n=142 total samples). We implemented a containerized analytical pipeline from data download, quantification, differential gene expression to uniformly process these three RNA-seq datasets.

The impact of the PEPFAR funding freeze on HIV deaths and infections: a mathematical modelling study of seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: On January 24, 2025, the United States government issued an executive order to freeze all foreign aid programs, including The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), for 90 days. A limited waiver option became available, but its implementation remains incomplete. We estimated the impact of these policy changes on HIV deaths and new infections in seven sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries-Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe -, which together account for about half of all people living with HIV in SSA.

Framing the Future: How Vaccination Messages Shape Childhood Immunization Beliefs and Intentions Among Urban Low-Income Communities - a Randomized Field Experiment.

Background: Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children are often found in complex environments, including urban poor settlements. Beyond typical factors affecting vaccination among low-income urban populations, such as affordability, trust remains a critical determinant of caregiver immunization decisions for their children. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examined the impact of messaging approaches on the interplay across four factors: attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and vaccination intentions.

Uncovering the impact of randomness in HIV hotspot formation: A mathematical modeling study.

Background: HIV hotspots, regions with higher prevalence than surrounding areas, are observed across Africa, yet their formation and persistence mechanisms remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that random fluctuations during the early stages of the HIV epidemic (1978-1982), amplified by positive feedback between HIV incidence and prevalence, play a critical role in hotspot formation and persistence. To explore this, we applied a network-based HIV transmission model, focusing on randomness in the spatial structure of the epidemic.

Understanding mental health among university students in Kenya: what role do family support and age play?

Objective: While mental health conditions play a significant role in the global disease burden, their determinants and predictors are still not well understood in Kenya. This study examined the prevalence of mental health conditions among university students and the factors associated with them.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 1,424 students at Pwani University in Kenya, assessing anxiety, depression, and psychosis, using validated screening tools: the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ).

Paediatric anaemia in rural Kenya and the role of travel time to emergency care services.

Background: Access to emergency care (EC) services is crucial for severe anaemia outcome. Limited information exists on the association between travel times to EC services and the presentation and severity of anaemia upon hospital admission. Here, we investigate the association between travel time and presentation of severe anaemia (compared to mild/moderate anaemia) at admission in western Kenya.

Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving avian communities amid human impact in Nigeria.

Understanding the impacts of human activities on avian communities in- and outside protected areas (PAs) is essential for guiding conservation strategies and evaluating the effectiveness of PAs in conserving avian diversity. Effective PAs should not only safeguard species within their boundaries but also contribute to maintaining ecosystem functionality in surrounding landscapes. We used citizen science data from the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (2015-2024) and the human footprint index (HFI) from the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) to analyze avian taxonomic and functional richness and diversity across 146 paired pentads (5' × 5' grid cells).

Genome-wide association studies on malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review.

Background: Malaria remains one of the leading causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The scoping review mapped evidence in research on existing studies on malaria genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in SSA.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted to map existing studies in genome-wide association on malaria in SSA, with a review period between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2024.

Advancing Early Warning Systems for Malaria: Progress, challenges, and future directions - A scoping review.

Malaria Early Warning Systems (EWS) are predictive tools that often use climatic and other environmental variables to forecast malaria risk and trigger timely interventions. Despite their potential benefits, the development and implementation of malaria EWS face significant challenges and limitations. We reviewed the current evidence on malaria EWS, including their settings, methods, performance, actions, and evaluation.

Demand starter data kit: Selected socio-economic and technical energy system demand modelling data for all 47 counties in Kenya.

The need for data-driven models to inform energy planning and policy making is increasingly important as Kenya looks to transform its energy system to be clean, efficient, diverse and secure. Modelling softwares can be used by policy makers to assess the impacts of different scenarios on energy systems to support planning and decision making. Demand forms an integral foundation of energy planning and insights into possible projections can aid in policy creation, yet access to data is often a barrier to utilising energy demand modelling to support such decision making.

Forecasting progress: analyzing the trajectory of under-five child mortality for Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone towards SDG3 using ARIMA time series model.

This study employs the AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model to forecast under-five mortality rates in Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone for the years 2030 and 2031. Using World Bank Indicators data from 1967 to 2021, the study evaluates these countries' progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to reduce under-five mortality to less than 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. The objective is to provide data-driven insights into future mortality trends, supporting policymakers and healthcare professionals in designing targeted interventions to accelerate progress.

Safety of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine up to 1 year after the third dose in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi (EPI-MAL-003): a phase 4 cohort event monitoring study.

Background: RTS,S/AS01 has been successfully administered to over two million children since 2019 through the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP). In this Article, we report the safety results of a study evaluating RTS,S/AS01 safety and effectiveness in real-world settings.

Methods: EPI-MAL-003 is an ongoing phase 4 disease surveillance study with prospective cohort event monitoring and hospital-based surveillance, done in the setting of routine health-care practice in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi and fully embedded in the MVIP.

Mapping zero-dose children in Kenya - A spatial analysis and examination of the socio-demographic and media exposure determinants.

Despite vaccines' proven effectiveness in preventing childhood diseases, there remains a significant population of unvaccinated children, often referred to as zero-dose children. This study examines the factors contributing to the prevalence of zero-dose children in Kenya using data from the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS). We included all children aged 1-35 months who had not received any vaccination during the survey.

Green hydrogen futures in LMICs: Opportunities for fertilizer and steel production in Kenya.

Green hydrogen is often presented as a promising driver of green industrial development in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), with national strategies balancing local applications promoting sustainable development alongside export opportunities. Country-level energy system models can help identify no-regret options by comparing the costs of local green alternatives to market prices, reducing the risk of uneconomic investments that could hinder local development. We present an open-source capacity expansion model for Kenya to explore the role of green hydrogen in local fertilizer and steel industries under various market and technology development scenarios.

Task sharing for increasing access to obstetric ultrasonography: a formative qualitative study of nurse-led scanning with telemedicine review in Kenya.

The informal settlements of Nairobi have higher neonatal and infant mortality rates than the average for Nairobi. Universal access to important diagnostics like ultrasonography is poor and inequitable due to the high cost of devices and limited availability of skilled sonographers. Recent advances of mobile ultrasound probes connected to smartphones, with or without artificial intelligence support, have improved access to devices; but skills to perform and interpret scans continue to be limited.

Predictors of HIV testing and status disclosure among young adolescents in postconflict settings: findings from a pre-post study design in Nimule per-urban town of South Sudan.

Objective: To assess HIV testing and status disclosure rates and explore their associated predictors among young adolescents (10-17 years) who received health education through the Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme in Nimule, South Sudan.

Design: A pre-post evaluation study with data collected at baseline (December 2020) and at the endline (December 2022).

Setting: The study was conducted in Nimule, a densely populated periurban town characterised by high HIV prevalence and substantial cross-border movement between Uganda and South Sudan, making it a relevant setting for an HIV prevention project.

Advances in Infant Cry Paralinguistic Classification-Methods, Implementation, and Applications: Systematic Review.

Background: Effective communication is essential for human interaction; yet, infants can only express their needs through various types of suggestive cries. Traditional approaches of interpreting infant cries are often subjective, inconsistent, and slow, leaving gaps in timely, precise caregiving responses. A precise interpretation of infant cries can potentially provide valuable insights into the infant's health, needs, and well-being, enabling prompt medical or caregiving actions.

Strengthening the paediatric clinical trial ecosystem to better inform policy and programmes.

The first WHO Global Clinical Trials Forum was convened in November, 2023 to develop a shared vision of an effective global clinical trial infrastructure. The Paediatric Clinical Trials Working Group was formed to provide perspectives, identify challenges, and propose solutions to strengthen the paediatric clinical trials ecosystem. Participants represented paediatric disciplines, including infectious diseases, nutrition, neonatology, pharmacology, oncology, neurodevelopment, public health, and policy.