Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

Forecasting South Africa’s Consumer Price Index Using Seasonal ARIMA, LSTM, Support Vector Regression, and Gradient Boosting Models

Accurate forecasting of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is essential for effective monetary policy, inflation targeting, and macroeconomic planning. This study evaluates the forecasting performance of a traditional statistical model, Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Avera...

Mapping antimicrobial stewardship principles in HIV positive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic scoping review protocol

Bacterial infections are one of the main causes of hospitalization and death in people living with HIV (PLHIV), equating to around a third of hospital admissions and 25% of deaths. Patients who are non-adherent with their prescribed regimen are at increased risk for infection wit...

Barriers to and Facilitators of the Implementation of the Central Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution Programme in South Africa: A Scoping Review

South Africa’s (SA) quadruple disease burden comprises communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and child mortality, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and injury and violence. Two of these components, HIV and NCDs, generate demand for long-term medicines and...

Geographical Provenance-Associated Differences in Lipophilic Phytochemical Fingerprints and Biological Activities of Peltophorum africanum from Two South African Collection Sites

Medicinal plants collected from different environments may yield chemically and biologically distinct preparations even when they share the same botanical identity. This study compared the lipophilic phytochemical profiles and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of...

Sociodemographic, health and criminological risk factors for post-imprisonment mental health and substance use-related service contacts: A nationwide retrospective cohort study using linked data (RELEASE)

Abstract Purpose To quantify differences in health service (community, unscheduled/emergency, inpatient) contact for mental health and substance use pre and post-release from prison, and explore variations between subgroups based on sociodemographic, health and criminological ris...

Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Undergraduate Health Sciences Students at a Rural South African University: Prevalence and Multivariable Correlates

Introduction/Objective Health sciences students may experience substantial anxiety and depressive symptoms, yet evidence from rural South African faculties remains limited. This study estimated the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms and examined associated...

Micro-CT Evaluation of Mandibular First Molar Root Dentine Thickness in a Black South African Sample Using a Novel Software Program

Background/Objectives: Successful endodontic treatment depends on preserving sufficient radicular dentine to prevent perforations. Mandibular first molars present with complex root morphology and “danger zones,” especially of the mesial root. This study aimed to address the limit...

Hearing impairment among haemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease: a South African perspective

Introduction Hearing loss affects more than 430 million people worldwide and is expected to rise to over 700 million by 2050. There is a well-established association between hearing loss and chronic kidney disease (CKD), as both systems share similar physiological and anatomical...

Establishment of Provisional Multicenter Local Diagnostic Reference Levels for Adult V/Q SPECT/CT: A South African Pilot Study

Abstract The aim of this study was to establish facility-specific and provisional multicenter local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) for adult ventilation–perfusion (V/Q) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) examinations in South African...

Radiological and stochastic risk assessments of natural radionuclides in soils of selected hospital waste sites in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria

Abstract The study focused on measuring radionuclides in 52 soil samples collected around three hospital dumpsites in Anambra State using gamma-ray spectrometry and assessing the associated radiological risks. The average activity concentrations (Bq/kg) of the natural occurring r...

Preservation, Acceptability and Sustainability of African Leafy Vegetables: A Narrative Review

African leafy vegetables (ALVs) are increasingly recognised for their nutritional, phytochemical, and socioeconomic importance, particularly in resource-limited communities. This narrative review synthesises current evidence on the effects of preservation methods on nutritional c...

Some generalized forward reflected backward methods for solving convex minimization problems

In this paper, we are concerned with the iterative approximation of solution to the unconstrained convex minimization problem in a real Hilbert space. Our first method is motivated by the recent advancement on the reflected backward method and the generalized reflected backward m...

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of antifungal resistance and stewardship among pharmacy students in Zambia: a cross-sectional study to inform antifungal stewardship programs

Background Antifungal resistance (AFR) is a growing global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Zambia, where antifungals are often accessed without prescription. Antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs aim to optimise antifungal use, yet limited...

One in seven has severe pain: a point-prevalence study of hospitalised patients across Africa

ABSTRACT: Acute pain in hospitalised patients is common, yet African data are scarce. We conducted a prospective point-prevalence study of hospitalised adult patients across Africa to determine acute pain prevalence and severity and investigate associations of pain with critical...

Perceived cognitive difficulties and quality of life among newly diagnosed non-CNS cancer patients from a low-resource setting

Recent evidence has revealed that non-CNS cancer patients experience pre-treatment cognitive complaints with a negative impact on their quality of life (QOL). Despite this knowledge, there is a lack of studies in resource-constrained settings that investigate cognitive complaints...

Trace elements in the internal environment and the hormone-producing capacity of the thyroid gland: a systematic review

Background Trace elements are needed for the normal functioning of the thyroid. Elements such as selenium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and iodine are involved in thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and in protecting thyroid tissue from oxidative damage. Trace elements act...