Approved Research This page provides a searchable list of all research protocols that have been reviewed and approved by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology(UNCST).
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Name Title Nationality Approval Date Expiry Date Field of Science/Classification Trial Type Research Type  
Charles Mondo Kiiza
ID: UNCST-2019-R001281
 Registry to study the demographics, socioeconomic and clinical factors, etiologies, pathophysiology, management, barriers to care, and outcomes of heart failure patients at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya.
REFNo: HS287ES

1. Estimate the incident rate of outcomes in HF patients in Uganda; assess social and lifestyle factors (incl. demographics, socioeconomic variables, clinical risk factors, diet, and health-related quality of life), etiologies and variations in treatment patterns that might influence mortality and morbidity. 2. Describe determinants of different HF phenotypes (HFpEF, HFrEF, and HF due to valvular heart disease and ALVD), and their management and outcomes. 3. Assess non-cardiac co-morbidities at enrolment, their incidence during the study, and how they influence outcomes from both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. 4. In a sub-study of approximately 50-60 patients, perform measures of frailty, cognitive and lung function, mental health, adherence to medication, and dietary assessment, with collection of blood and urine samples for central analysis, to further understand the pathophysiologic changes in HF and their relation to outcomes. 5. Describe patient and system barriers to HF care.
Uganda 2019-07-30 2022-07-30 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Mohammed Lamorde
ID: UNCST-2019-R001293
 Prevalence and Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in HIV infection in Uganda.
REFNo: HS373ES

• Primary objective 1: To investigate the point-prevalence of AF by screening the outpatient clinic population at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Kampala (Uganda) using the iECG
• Primary objective 2: To study the incidence of AF by annual review of iECG within a long-term cohort of HIV patients that are being followed-up for ART outcomes at IDI (ALT-cohort).
• Secondary objective 1: Evaluate the performance of iECG against routine ECG measurements
• Secondary objective 2: To determine the risk factors associated with incident AF

 Nigeria 2019-07-30 2022-07-30 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Nicolette Manglos-Weber D
ID:
Religion and Community Caregivers in Uganda
REFNo: SS290ES

This research project investigates the overlapping fields of religion and social welfare provision in Uganda, with a focus on local community leaders who are caring for social welfare needs related to poverty and economic insecurity. It seeks to understand the role of religious beliefs, practices, and structures in the formation and success of such local community caregivers. It also seeks to evaluate the impact of local community caregivers relative to other types of social welfare providers within the religious and political fields. The aim is to produce several academic articles as well as an original book. This book would use portraits of Ugandan community caregivers to describe what makes such a person successful and how to emulate their efforts toward social transformation. It would also use these portraits as a means of instructing readers on the dynamics of religion and politics in post-colonial Africa.
USA 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Social Science and Humanities Non-degree Award
Wakiko Ohira
ID:
Possible Roles of Traditional Roles in Resource-Rich Countries: Case of the Bunyoro Kingdom in Western Uganda
REFNo: SS291ES

Main Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to explore and assess the roles of traditional authorities, the Bunyoro Kingdom, as part of the local politics as well as in winder political arena.

Specific Objectives of the Study
1. To understand perceptions of local residents living in Bunyoro towards the Bunyoro Kingdom in order to understand where the legitimacy of the traditional authority lies.
2. To understand the overlapping roles, if any, among traditional authority including chiefs and local government bodies. As Uganda is known for its decentralization policy as well as its recognition of traditional authority in the constitution, understanding the relations between traditional authority and local “government is crucial in this study.
3. To understand the region in the whole picture by examining the relations between the Bunyoro Kingdom and local residents living in Bunyoro as well as local government.
 Japan 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Social Science and Humanities Degree Award
Jonathan Kuttainen Joel
ID:
From rural to digital: the rise of e-money in developing economies
REFNo: SS293ES

This research project looks at the uptake of mobile money services in a rural setting of west Uganda. The project seeks to understand, as per the key research question, how mobile money has a positive effect on poverty alleviation within the context of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the G20’s commitments to financial inclusion for the unbanked? It further aims to understand whether mobile money is a transformational technology, offering value to its users, or a displacing technology that propagates social and economic disparity, privileging a few at the expense of the many? In response to these questions, the research will take a case study approach to explore and evaluate the user experience of mobile money services in the context of a poor, rural region where a high proportion of the community is unbanked.
 Australia 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Social Science and Humanities Degree Award
Rachel Nanteza
ID:
Water user perceptions of the pre-paid meter system in the slums of Kampala: A Spatial and Institutional Analysi
REFNo: SS312ES

In Kampala-Uganda, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is using pre-paid meter technology to provide water services to people living in slums. Shared PPM standpoints have been installed on both public and private land and can be used by anyone who has a token to access the system and can afford to pay for the water.
This study will investigate water users’ perceptions of the shared PPM system seeking to specifically uncover user insights on the processes of water access and withdrawal. To do that we will utilize GIS tools to map the shared PPMs within the slum and identify with users the different characteristics of the PPM system. In addition, we will investigate the different arrangements users have created to access tokens that could be used in the shared PPMs. At the end of the research, we may be able to identify some barriers to accessing and withdrawing water in the slums.
Uganda 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Social Science and Humanities Degree Award
Jane Namugga
ID:
TELEHEALTH FOR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN UGANDA
REFNo: HS400ES

1. To describe health workers and patients’ experiences and opinions of the Mobile colposcopy program for cervical cancer screening and management in Uganda. 2. To compare cervical cancer screening findings or impressions made using VIA alone vs VIA done with a mobile colposcopy. 3. To demonstrate the role of mobile colposcopy in training of health workers in cervical cancer screening.
Uganda 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Nathan Tumwesigye
ID:
Evaluation of Health Outcomes and Satisfaction with Care in HIV-infected Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in Differentiated Service Delivery Models (DSDM) of HIV care in EC region, Uganda
REFNo: HS401ES

STUDY OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to determine satisfaction with care, retention, and viral suppression in HIV-infected patients receiving ART in DSD models at fourteen facilities in the EC region.
Specific Objectives:
1. To determine the level of and factors associated with client satisfaction with quality of HIV care services in the different differentiated service delivery models at fourteen health facilities in East Central Uganda
2. To determine viral load suppression rates in clients enrolled in the different HIV differentiated care service models at fourteen health facilities in East Central Uganda.
3. To determine 6 and 12 months retention-in-care rates in patients enrolled in the different HIV differentiated service delivery models at fourteen health facilities in East-Central Uganda.
 Uganda 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Leah Mbabazi
ID: UNCST-2019-R000099
 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH UPTAKE OF CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG HIV POSITIVE WOMEN ON DOLUTEGRAVIR BASED ANTI-RETROVIRAL TREATMENT AT HEALTH CENTRES OF KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY AUTHORITY-UGANDA.
REFNo: HS406ES

1. To determine the level of uptake of contraceptives among HIV positive women of reproductive age who are on dolutegravir (DTG) based Antiretroviral treatment (ART)at IDI-KCCA Health centres.
2. To assess the different contraceptives utilized by HIV positive women of reproductive age who are on DTG based ART at IDI-KCCA Health centres.
3. To explore the knowledge on contraceptives among HIV positive women of reproductive age who are on DTG based ART at IDI-KCCA Health centres.
4. To determine the individual, social and health system factors that influence uptake of contraceptives HIV positive women of reproductive age who are on DTG based ART at IDI-KCCA Health centres.

 Uganda 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Medical and Health Sciences Degree Award
MARIAM BASAJJA
ID:
DESIGNING A FAIR DATA POINT FOR DIGITAL HEALTH IN UGANDA
REFNo: IS18ES

The main reason for this study is to help answer the following research questions;
• What are the digital health solutions piloted in Uganda and how sustainable are these?
• What are the reasons for lack of sustainability of pilot digital health solutions in Uganda?
• To what extent and in what way is lack of policy on data-management, data-sharing and data- analytics a contributing factor to the lack of sustainability of digital health solutions in Uganda?
• Can the introduction of the systematic use of FAIR data protocol through a FAIR Data point help overcome structural challenges to the development and maintenance of sustainable digital health solutions in Uganda?
• How can introduction of FAIR data support and strengthen accessibility of personal health data as well as depersonalized health data analytics.
• How can data-analytics of health data be propagated, integrated and maintained though a FAIR data point. 



 Uganda 2019-07-23 2022-07-23 Social Science and Humanities Degree Award
JOEL MASAGAZI YAWE YAWE
ID:
Developing a model to manage burnout among teaching staff at private universities in Uganda.
REFNo: SS256ES

a) To explore ways how prolonged stressors can lead to burnout among teaching. b) To examine the major causes of burnout among teaching staff. c) To investigate ways how burnout can impact the performance of teaching staff. d) To develop management model to address burnout among teaching staff.
 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Social Science and Humanities Degree Award
Anthony Mugisha
ID:
Hearing their voices: Action research to support women’s agency and empowerment in livestock vaccine distribution, delivery and use in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya
REFNo: A42ES

Objective #1: Gender analysis and baseline assessment- Identify and analyze the barriers, opportunities and strategies for improving women’s entry and participation in livestock ownership and vaccine value chain (VVC) in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
• What gender, social, cultural, political, economic, technical barriers and perceptions impede women’s effective participation, define livestock ownership and decision making and prevent women from being beneficiaries of livestock vaccines as users, service providers and entrepreneurs?
• What factors and opportunities are needed or exist to enhance their participation in the VVC to increase livestock productivity and improve household food security?

Objective #2:VVC analysis- Conduct a VVC analysis focusing on PPR in Uganda, RVF in Rwanda and NCD in Kenya to determine if the VVC supports women empowerment and gender equality.
• What economic, socio-cultural, familial, legal, political and psychological networks shape the current VVC at the micro, meso and macro levels and how do these impact women small holder farmers? Who are VVC key players and how do they impact women empowerment and gender equality? What are the gender capacities (skills, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, behavior) of the actors along the VVC?

Objective #3: Entry points- Test models that support women’s entry into the VVC and their impact on empowerment and livelihoods.
• What entry points exist along the VVC and how can they enhance women’s participation? What women’s agency and empowerment models address entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and cooperation?
• How can these models support women’s participation in and benefit from the VVC?
• What test models can support women’s entry and participation in the LOVVC?
• What is the impact of the models and what components have the potential to be scaled out and adapted to other community settings?

 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Agricultural Sciences Non-degree Award
Andrew Mujugira
ID: UNCST-2019-R000871
 HIV Self-testing, STI Self-sampling and PrEP for Transgender Women in Uganda
REFNo: HS390ES

Aim 1: Conduct formative research to inform implementation of peer-delivered combination HIV prevention for African transgender women.
Aim 2: Evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of pee-delivered combination HIV prevention (HIVST, STISS and PrEP) for African transgender women by implementing a pilot cluster randomized trial.
Aim 3: Explore how peer-delivery of HIVST, STISS and PrEP influences prevention choices among TGW and sexual partners.
 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Nathan Tumwesigye
ID:
Quality Improvement Approaches to Enhance Iron-Folic Acid Supplementation in Antenatal Care Clinics in Iganga and Buyende Districts, Uganda
REFNo: HS396ES

Goal: To develop QI-enhanced process and assess its effects on the IFAS program, including the delivery of services, the availability of supplies and the adherence of pregnant women attending ANC to IFAS.
Aim 1 (QI implementation): The first aim is to examine the state of the health education about IFAS during ANC visits and the supply system, and to investigate the implementation of a QI-enhanced process for IFAS intervention to address the bottlenecks identified regarding a) health education; b) essential drugs quantification.
Aim 2 (QI effectiveness): The second aim is to assess the effectiveness of the QI-enhanced process for IFAS intervention on a) the quality of health education; b) women’ knowledge and motivation to use IFA tablets; c) the tracking procedures and availability of IFA tablets at health facilities providing ANC
 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
Adelline Twimukye
ID: UNCST-2019-R000117
 FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT’S DECISION MAKING PROCESS ON SUBSTITUTING FROM EFAVIRENZ (EFV) TO DOLUTEGRAVIR (DTG) AT INFECTIOUS DISEASES INSTITUTE (IDI), KAMPALA- UGANDA.
REFNo: SS314ES

The overall objective of this study is to understand the factors influencing Patient’s decision-making Process on substituting from Efavirenz (EFV) to Dolutegravir (DTG) at Infectious Diseases (IDI), Kampala- Uganda.
Specific objectives
Qualitative
AIM 1. To evaluate the mechanism of the decision-making process and support required among HIV positive patients substituting from EFV to DTG at IDI in Uganda
AIM 2. To explore decision-making process of women in reproductive age (18-55 years) and explore how decisions about substitution from EFV to DTG substitution evolve over time.
AIM 5. Describe experiences around adherence among key populations taking DTG
AIM 9. To evaluate the DTG therapy implementation process among health care providers involved in the substitution from EFV to DTG.
Quantitative
AIM 3. To determine the proportion of stable Patient’s on their previous ART regimens switched to DTG.
AIM 4. To asses factors associated toxicities or adverse effects on patients switched from EFV or DTG.
AIM 6. To determine the proportion and characteristics of patients who have substituted from Efavirenz to DTG.
AIM 7. To determine factors associated with substituting from EFV to DTG
AIM 8. To describe quality of life of patients who have substituted from EFV to DTG.

 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Social Science and Humanities Non-degree Award
Sabine Haller
ID:
Amikacin Exposure and Toxicity - Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Analysis in Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Uganda: A Pilot Study
REFNo: HS402ES

To describe the pharmacokinetics of amikacin in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
To explore the relationship between exposure to amikacin and the toxicity of this drug using pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling.

 Switzerland 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
STEPHEN LUTOTI
ID:
Anti-Proliferative Activity screening of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants traditionally used by Breast Cancer patients in Central Uganda
REFNo: HS405ES

The general objective of this study is to discover novel, potent anti-breast cancer compounds from plants used in traditional treatment of breast cancer by in Central Uganda.

Specific Objectives
This study is designed to address four specific objectives, namely:
i. To describe the beliefs and practices of breast cancer patients in Central Uganda towards use of herbal medicines.
ii. To document the medicinal plants used in traditional treatment of breast tumours in Central Uganda.
iii. To establish the anti-proliferative activity of extracts of selected medicinal plants identified from the ethnobotanical survey.

iv. To elucidate the bioactive compounds in the two most efficacious extracts against breast cancer.

Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Degree Award
Elliot Howard-Spink Charles
ID:
Do cultural evolutionary processes shape the long-distance vocalisations of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)?
REFNo: NS97ES

Overall Objective: To determine the extent to which populations of chimpanzees show differences in their long-distance communication behaviours, and what factors may drive differences in these behaviours between populations. I will do this by completing the following four sub-objectives. Objective 1 – Create an ethnography for behavioural features of chimpanzee pant-hoot displays. I intend to collect video and audio footage of the pant-hoot displays of chimpanzees in the Bugoma rainforest, which I can then compare to pre-existing video and audio footage of pant-hoots by chimpanzees in other populations across Africa. I will use collected data, and pre-existing data, to create an ethnography of pant-hoot displays in different chimpanzee populations (Whiten et al., 1999). Once a working ethnography of the behavioural features of these displays has been established, I will investigate the biological forces that may be driving inter-population variation in pant-hoot displays. Objective 2 – Determine the extent to which genetics determines the behavioural features of pant-hoot displays. I will do this by following a method outlined by Lycett et al, 2007, who investigated the genetic influences of chimpanzee tool use behaviours. The ethnography generated in objective 1 will be used to create a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree based on the traits of pant-hoot displays. This will then be compared with well-established genetic phylogenies of chimpanzee populations. Increasing similarities between these evolutionary trees would suggest that genetics is increasingly more likely in explaining behavioural differences in pant-hoot calls between chimpanzee populations. Objective 3 - Determine the extent to which environmental variables determine the behavioural features of pant-hoot displays. This will be done by creating mathematical models which try to explain variation in pant-hoot displays using physical and social environmental variables of the caller’s environment. Physical variables include weather patterns and vegetation density. Social variables include the immediate social party, caller identity, and caller status at the time of vocalization. These models will assess the variation in pant-hooting which can be explained by the caller’s environment, as well as the variation which remains unexplained. Objective 4 – Assess the likelihood of cultural evolutionary forces driving pant-hoot variation between chimpanzee populations. This will be done by method of exclusion. This would involve taking variation in pant-hooting behaviour which cannot be explained by genetics or the environment and discussing the likelihood of its formation due to vocal learning behaviours in chimpanzees. The existence of these behaviours in chimpanzee populations remains inconclusive, and this project aims to begin to elucidate the extent to which chimpanzees show cultural differences in their communicative behaviours. Lycett, S. J., Collard, M. and McGrew, W. C. (2007) ‘Phylogenetic analyses of behavior support existence of culture among wild chimpanzees’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(45), pp. 17588–17592. Whiten, A. et al. (1999) ‘Cultures in chimpanzees’, Nature, 399(6737), pp. 682–685. doi: 10.1038/21415.
UK 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Natural Sciences Degree Award
Johnblack Kabukye Kabaalu
ID: UNCST-2019-R001109
 Requirements for an Interactive Voice Response system for provision of cancer information to patients and general public in Uganda
REFNo: HS418ES

To co-create a program theory for development, implementation and evaluation of IVR system for provision of cancer information to patients and general public in Uganda
 Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Degree Award
Stephen Asiimwe
ID: UNCST-2019-R000059
 Quality of Life and Aging with HIV in Rural Uganda
REFNo: HS419ES

Aim 1: Use qualitative methods to develop a conceptual framework explaining how HIV influences quality of life among older-aged people in Uganda.

We will conduct semi-structured interviews among 60 study participants stratified by sex and HIV serostatus to explore conceptualizations of and domains that meaningfully impact quality of life. We will use an inductive analytic approach to identify locally relevant domains that determine health and quality of life for older people in our study population. The over-arching goal of Aim 1 is to develop a conceptual framework and optimize selection of measures related to quality of life to be used in study Aims 2 and 3.

Aim 2: Compare trajectories of social, cognitive, and physical functioning, and global quality of life by HIV serostatus in Uganda.

We will use the Aim 1 findings to inform appropriate selection of measures. We will observe 600 participants annually for four years to collect outcome measures of physical, cognitive, and social functioning, and quality of life. We hypothesize that PLWH will exhibit steeper declines in physical, cognitive, and social functioning, and quality of life compared to HIV-negative individuals.

Aim 3: Identify intervention targets, and assess the acceptability and feasibility of promising interventions, to improve functioning and quality of life among older PLWH in Uganda.

We will fit mixed effects regression models with data from the Aim 2 cohort to identify determinants of quality of life among PLWH, including social (e.g. stigma, depression, familial deaths), biomedical (e.g. comorbidities, opportunistic infections), and HIV-specific factors (e.g. viral load, nadir CD4, sCD14). We hypothesize that HIV-associated stigma and familial deaths due to HIV will predict faster decline in functional domains and quality of life among older PLWH. We will supplement these analyses with participant and stakeholder workshops to assess the preliminary acceptability and feasibility of potential interventions to improve quality of life in this population.

Uganda 2019-07-10 2022-07-10 Medical and Health Sciences Non-degree Award
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