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Analysis of the Cultural Meaning of Okulamusa Practice of the Basoga People of Uganda
(Southern African Journal for Folklore Studies, 2025-05-13) Isabirye, James
Prolonged greeting practices of various communities particularly in Africa offer insights about the deeper meaning of social interactions among people in a modern global society where individualism and its attendant challenges to humankind are increasing. This study was about okulamusa, an indigenous greeting practice of the Basoga people of Uganda. Although this heritage embeds deep Basoga sociocultural values, there is barely any scholarly analysis of its meaning to the community and application in a contemporary context. This study aimed at finding out the nature of interactions and relationships that okulamusa engenders, its cultural value, and what could be learnt about and from the engagements in this practice. The study employed phenomenological and auto-ethnographic methods, and involved 22 participants. Data was obtained through observation, interviews, focus group discussions, auto-ethnographic reflection, and analysis of extant YouTube videos and online audio files that were widely publicised. The inquiry revealed that okulamusa is a contextual asking of questions and telling of holistic human experiences, which embed construction of individual and collective identity, and nurturing of a socio-collectivist community spirit, understanding, unity, cohesion, and coexistence in society. These virtues are transmitted in an intergenerational manner as a means of sustaining the community’s ethical and social fabric. The study concluded that okulamusa, just like other similar prolonged greeting cultures, is a central cultural practice that shapes human interactions and relations, which have implications for contemporary social development initiatives.
The efficacy, mechanisms and implementation of physical activity as an adjunctive treatment in mental disorders: a meta-review of outcomes, neurobiology and key determinants
(World Psychiatry, 2025-05-15) Vancampfort, Davy; Firth, Joseph; Stubbs, Brendon; Schuch, Felipe; Rosenbaum, Simon; Hallgren, Mats; Deenik, Jeroen; Ward, Philip B.; Mugisha, James; Damme, Tine Van; Werneck, André O.
Research examining physical activity interventions for mental disorders has grown exponentially in the past decade. At this critical juncture, there is a need to synthesize the best evidence to guide researchers, clinicians and people with lived experience. This meta‐review aimed to systematically identify and comprehensively evaluate the current evidence about: a) the efficacy of physical activity interventions on mental, cognitive and physical outcomes for individuals with mental disorders; b) the potential neurobiological, psychosocial and behavioral mechanisms underlying the observed effects; and c) the barriers and facilitators for individuals to successfully engage in these interventions. Our systematic search identified 13 meta‐analyses of high methodological quality (i.e., A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, AMSTAR score ≥8) assessing outcomes of physical activity as an adjunctive treatment, which included 256 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and 12,233 individuals. Large effect sizes were found for adjunctive physical activity interventions in improving attention in children and adolescents with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); reducing depressive symptoms in children, adolescents and adults with depressive disorders; and reducing body mass index in adults with schizophrenia. Moderate effect sizes were found for reductions of hyperactivity, impulsivity and anxiety, and improvements of executive and social functioning in children and adolescents with ADHD; reduction of anxiety symptoms in adults with anxiety disorders; improved physical and psychological quality of life and cardiovascular fitness in adults with depressive disorders; improved daily living skills, overall quality of life and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with schizophrenia; reduction of depressive symptoms in older people with depressive disorders; and improvements in cognition and functional mobility in older people with dementia. There is, to date, no meta‐analytic evidence for physical activity as a first‐line treatment for people with a mental disorder. Five meta‐analyses, including 89 RCTs and 4,575 individuals, investigated potential underlying mechanisms. There is a very preliminary evidence for an effect of physical activity on circulating levels of kynurenine, growth hormone, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in people with major depressive disorder. No meta‐analytic evidence could be found for psychosocial or behavioral mechanisms. Based on 15 umbrella or systematic reviews, covering 432 studies and 48 guidelines, six implementation strategies, along with the most evidence‐based behavioral change techniques to support them, were identified. Recommendations to support implementation research in this area were finally formulated.
Twelve Weeks Aerobic Exercise Improves Anxiety and Depression in HIV Positive Clients on Art in Uganda
(İbrahim ERDEMİR, 2024-12-31) Mwebaze, Nicholas ; Nsibambi, Constance Adron Nakayiza ; Ojuka, Edward ; Maghanga, Mshilla
Aim: The study aimed at bridging the gap by assessing the impact of a 12-week aerobic exercise program on anxiety and depression for HIV-positive clients.
Methods: The study, conducted at the General Military Hospital in Uganda, employed a quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and a sample of 135 people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy engaged in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed using t-tests, revealing significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms among participants.
Results: The findings demonstrated a 58.5% reduction in depression symptoms and a 72% decrease in anxiety symptoms among participants engaged in aerobic exercises. Both groups exhibited improvements, with the experimental group showing greater reductions. The results further revealed that depression and anxiety are two to four times more common in individuals living with HIV than in those without the virus, and depression is also more common in those on HAART than in those without the virus.
Conclusion: The results support the potential of aerobic exercise as a valuable adjunct therapy for people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. Well-structured and supervised aerobic exercise was found to be essential for improving the clinical outcomes of PLHIV on ART.
The effectiveness of self-help interventions in the treatment of depressive symptoms in low-and-middleincome countries (LMICs): a meta-analysis
(International Journal of Mental Health, 2025-05-12) Vavani, Boitumelo; Luenen, Sanne van; Garnefski, Nadia; Spinhoven, Philip; Amone-P’Olak, Kennedy; Witlox, Maartje; Kraaij, Vivian
Background: Self-help psychological interventions show great potential to close the treatment gap for depressive symptoms in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The current meta-analysis investigated the pooled effect of self-help interventions for people with depressive symptoms in LMICs and moderators of these psychological interventions.
Method: PubMed, Cochrane Register of Randomized Controlled Trials, PsychInfo, Embase, and Sabinet databases were searched between June 2021 and December 2022 to select studies that met pre-defined inclusion criteria. A coding protocol was used to retrieve and code relevant data from selected studies. We measured publication bias and assessed the study quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The program ‘Comprehensive Meta-Analysis’ (CMA) was used for the data analysis. Overall effect sizes were calculated to assess the effectiveness of selfhelp programs for depression.
Results: Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Self-help interventions were found to have a medium positive effect on depressive symptoms at post-test (Hedges’ g = 0.74) and at follow-up (Hedges’ g = 0.82). There was evidence for publication bias. Larger effects were found for studies that were conducted in lower-middle income countries, had at least mild depression as inclusion criterion, reported less than 30% attrition, did not use relaxation techniques, had a low or medium risk of bias, and that used a booklet form of intervention.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that self-help interventions have a positive effect on people with depressive symptoms in LMICs. The findings could inform the design and implementation of mental health interventions that could prevent or treat depression.
Itikadi za kiuana katika methali za kinyankole na Kiswahili
(Kenyatta, 2023-02) Lubuuka, Yunusu
This research examines gender ideologies in Ankole and Swahili proverbs. The study intended to demonstrate how gender ideologies present gender relations through consent and persuasion between men and women. Ideological beliefs among people, have power of persuasion which makes them to consent to their positions and gender roles on the basis of their sex. Beliefs and attitudes in their day today relations clog in their minds and take things for granted. These beliefs about gender relations which are influenced by consent and persuasion, are rooted in society that is male dominated. This has been arrived at by studying gender relations and how they manifest in gender ideologies. Also, the researcher has critically analyzed proverbs to bring out ideological contradictions and their effects on gender equality through Ankole and Swahili proverbs. To the best of the researcher’s knowlege, there was no in-depth scholary analysis that had been done before that showed gender ideologies present gender relations through consent and persuasion between men and women. This research sought to fill this gap. Proverbs presenting gender ideologies written in four selected Ankole and Swahili anthropology books purposively to satisfy the aim of the study were selected and analyzed. These books are; Enfumu z’omurunyankore Rukiga by Saite (1989), Kamusi ya Methali za Kiswahili by King’ei na Ndaru (1989), Kamusi ya Methali by Wamitila (2001) na Dafina Hazina ya Kiswahili (Seif Al Habsy, 2012). Library data has been collected from books of anthropoloies. Collected data included proverbs presenting gender ideologies in Ankole and Swahili communities. This study has been both a library and a field one. The theories of Ideology, African based Feminism and Deconstructionism have been used. The Ideological theory guided this study as a major theory to analyze different gender ideologies in Ankole and Swahili proverbs and to assess how ideologies influence gender relations by consent and through persuasion. This theoretical perspective has been used to understand clearly the gender ideologies, gender relations, and gendered roles and how those gender ideologies impact on gender equality in Ankole and Swahili proverbs. African based Feminism theory (Steady 1981) has been used. The theory basically focuses on gender equality without discrimination of human beings on the basis of their biological creation. Also, the theory delves into the existing gender differences which are a creation of social practices socially, politically and culturally. This theoretical approach has been used to study clearly gender ideologies, gender relations in relation to roles carried out, rights of women and how those ideologies impact on gender equality through Ankole and Swahili proverbs. The Deconstructionism theory (Abrams na Harpham 2014) has guided this study to analyse the contradictions in proverbs and their impact on gender equality presented in Ankole and Swahili proverbs depicting gender ideologies. This theory has helped in a thorough analysis of proverbs in presenting various meanings which present gender contradictions. Interview guide and recording gadgets were used to collect data from individual respondents and focus groups in the districts of Kiruhura and Sheema in western Uganda and the coastal towns of Mombasa, Lamu, and Zanzibar. Purposive sampling has been used to identify and interview the respondents who are scholars and experts, women and men of average age. Data has been analysed qualitatively and then presented in accordance with the objectives of the study guided by the adopted theories. Eventually, the study has demonstrated how gender ideologies present gender relations through consent and persuasion that exist between men and women. Also, the study has been able to bring out gender ideology contradictions and their impact on gender equality in Ankole and Swahili proverbs.