Joel Msafiri Francis
Biographic Data
| ID | 9124848 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Joel Msafiri Francis |
| GIVEN NAMES | Joel Msafiri |
| FAMILY NAME | Francis |
| SIGNATURE | FRANCIS J M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg Faculty of Health Sciences |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 2 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 13 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Amplifying Coaches’ voices from the implementation of the MindSKILLZ youth mental health program in Kenya
Young implementers bring valuable insights that can help inform and create effective mental health support systems and interventions tailored to their needs and unique experiences. However, their perspectives are often overlooked. This qualitative study analysed discourses from community role models, referred to as MindSKILLZ Coaches. We hosted five focus group discussions and collected 30 personal stories journaled by MindSKILLZ Coaches in Nairo…
Longitudinal assessment of changes in hair cortisol levels and associations with violence, poor mental health and harmful substance use among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya
Female sex workers (FSWs) in sub-Saharan Africa commonly experience violence, mental health problems, and harmful substance use. Stressful life events can harm the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, serving as a pathway to increased poor health, including HIV susceptibility through cortisol levels. In this paper, we examine changes in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) levels and associations with experiences of violence…
Barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among high-risk women and men who have sex with men in Georgia
While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) research predominantly focuses on men who have sex with men (MSM), PrEP uptake among women who use drugs (WWUD), female sex workers (FSWs), and female partners of people who inject drugs (PWID) is limited. This study fills a critical gap in the literature by examining the unique barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake among these under-researched female populations, relative to MSM. This pre-implementation s…
Perspectives of adolescents and young people on Digital Health Interventions and their impact on health knowledge
Adolescents and young people (AYP) in Kenya face unique health challenges, but there is a lack of research on their health knowledge and awareness needs. Digital health interventions (DHIs) could help address these gaps. Understanding AYP’s current knowledge will inform the development of effective, adolescent-centered interventions. Grounded in the inter-agency framework from WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNESCO for youth-centered DHIs, this study ass…
Implementation fidelity of tuberculosis screening for Diabetes mellitus patients among healthcare providers offering diabetes services in Ubungo District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Globally, the risk of acquiring Tuberculosis (TB) among Diabetes mellitus (DM) patients is three times higher than in the general population. Patients with DM not only have a high risk of getting TB disease but also have poor treatment outcomes. Despite the National TB guideline recommending TB screening among DM patients, adherence remains low. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the provider-level implementation fidelity (IF) and factors asso…
Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year
BACKGROUND: The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. METHODS: For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose-response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to esti…
Poly-drug use among female and male commercial sex workers visiting a drop in centre in Mombasa County, Kenya
The relationship between commercial sex work and drug use is complex and the two exacerbate each other. In Kenya, Mombasa County has one of the highest populations of drug users and commercial sex workers. Despite documentation of drug use among sex workers, most of the studies are based on self-reported history which is prone to social desirability and memory recall biases. It is in this context that we sought to establish actual drug use is thi…
Ethnic-specific associations between dietary consumption and gestational diabetes mellitus incidence
Globally, one in seven pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), conferring short- and long-term health risks to both mother and child. While dietary prevention strategies are common in clinical practice, their effectiveness in different ethnicities is uncertain. To better inform prevention strategies, here the effects of unhealthy and healthy diets on GDM risk within distinct ethnic or cultural populations and geogra…
Most common reasons for primary care visits in low- and middle-income countries
With the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of the WHO’s Essential Diagnostics List (EDL), increasing global attention is focused on the crucial role of diagnostics in achieving universal health coverage. To create national EDLs and to aid health system planning, it is vital to understand the most common conditions with which people present at primary care health facilities. We undertook a systematic review of the most common reasons for prim…
Covid-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in N’Djamena, Chad
As of March 2022, the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Chad approximated 1%. There are no published reports of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or beliefs in Chad. We aimed to study COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among community members, patients, and health care workers in urban Chad. We recruited a prospective convenience sample of adult patients, community members, and healthcare workers from N’Djamena, Chad between August–October 2021. Parti…
A controlled study to assess the effects of a Fast Track (FT) service delivery model among stable HIV patients in Lusaka Zambia
Fast Track models—in which patients coming to facility to pick up medications minimize waiting times through foregoing clinical review and collecting pre-packaged medications—present a potential strategy to reduce the burden of treatment. We examine effects of a Fast Track model (FT) in a real-world clinical HIV treatment program on retention to care comparing two clinics initiating FT care to five similar (in size and health care level), standar…
Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on mental health
Background The COVID-19 pandemic triggered vast governmental lockdowns. The impact of these lockdowns on mental health is inadequately understood. On the one hand such drastic changes in daily routines could be detrimental to mental health. On the other hand, it might not be experienced negatively, especially because the entire population was affected. Methods The aim of this study was to determine mental health outcomes during pandemic induced l…
Psychological distress, anxiety, family violence, suicidality, and wellbeing in New Zealand during the Covid-19 lockdown
New Zealand's early response to the novel coronavirus pandemic included a strict lockdown which eliminated community transmission of COVID-19. However, this success was not without cost, both economic and social. In our study, we examined the psychological wellbeing of New Zealanders during the COVID-19 lockdown when restrictions reduced social contact, limited recreation opportunities, and resulted in job losses and financial insecurity. We cond…
Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019
BACKGROUND: Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) involves all people receiving the health services they need, of high quality, without experiencing financial hardship. Making progress towards UHC is a policy priority for both countries and global institutions, as highlighted by the agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO's Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13). Measuring effective coverage at the health-system le…
Acute mental health responses during the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia
The acute and long-term mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unknown. The current study examined the acute mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in 5070 adult participants in Australia, using an online survey administered during the peak of the outbreak in Australia (27th March to 7th April 2020). Self-report questionnaires examined COVID-19 fears and behavioural responses to COVID-19, as well as the severity of psycholog…
No prominent works on this page.
Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on mental health
Background The COVID-19 pandemic triggered vast governmental lockdowns. The impact of these lockdowns on mental health is inadequately understood. On the one hand such drastic changes in daily routines could be detrimental to mental health. On the other hand, it might not be experienced negatively, especially because the entire population was affected. Methods The aim of this study was to determine mental health outcomes during pandemic induced l…
Psychological distress, anxiety, family violence, suicidality, and wellbeing in New Zealand during the Covid-19 lockdown
New Zealand's early response to the novel coronavirus pandemic included a strict lockdown which eliminated community transmission of COVID-19. However, this success was not without cost, both economic and social. In our study, we examined the psychological wellbeing of New Zealanders during the COVID-19 lockdown when restrictions reduced social contact, limited recreation opportunities, and resulted in job losses and financial insecurity. We cond…
Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019
BACKGROUND: Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) involves all people receiving the health services they need, of high quality, without experiencing financial hardship. Making progress towards UHC is a policy priority for both countries and global institutions, as highlighted by the agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO's Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13). Measuring effective coverage at the health-system le…
Acute mental health responses during the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia
The acute and long-term mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unknown. The current study examined the acute mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in 5070 adult participants in Australia, using an online survey administered during the peak of the outbreak in Australia (27th March to 7th April 2020). Self-report questionnaires examined COVID-19 fears and behavioural responses to COVID-19, as well as the severity of psycholog…
Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year
BACKGROUND: The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. METHODS: For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose-response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to esti…
Poly-drug use among female and male commercial sex workers visiting a drop in centre in Mombasa County, Kenya
The relationship between commercial sex work and drug use is complex and the two exacerbate each other. In Kenya, Mombasa County has one of the highest populations of drug users and commercial sex workers. Despite documentation of drug use among sex workers, most of the studies are based on self-reported history which is prone to social desirability and memory recall biases. It is in this context that we sought to establish actual drug use is thi…
Ethnic-specific associations between dietary consumption and gestational diabetes mellitus incidence
Globally, one in seven pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), conferring short- and long-term health risks to both mother and child. While dietary prevention strategies are common in clinical practice, their effectiveness in different ethnicities is uncertain. To better inform prevention strategies, here the effects of unhealthy and healthy diets on GDM risk within distinct ethnic or cultural populations and geogra…
Most common reasons for primary care visits in low- and middle-income countries
With the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of the WHO’s Essential Diagnostics List (EDL), increasing global attention is focused on the crucial role of diagnostics in achieving universal health coverage. To create national EDLs and to aid health system planning, it is vital to understand the most common conditions with which people present at primary care health facilities. We undertook a systematic review of the most common reasons for prim…
Covid-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in N’Djamena, Chad
As of March 2022, the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Chad approximated 1%. There are no published reports of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or beliefs in Chad. We aimed to study COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among community members, patients, and health care workers in urban Chad. We recruited a prospective convenience sample of adult patients, community members, and healthcare workers from N’Djamena, Chad between August–October 2021. Parti…
A controlled study to assess the effects of a Fast Track (FT) service delivery model among stable HIV patients in Lusaka Zambia
Fast Track models—in which patients coming to facility to pick up medications minimize waiting times through foregoing clinical review and collecting pre-packaged medications—present a potential strategy to reduce the burden of treatment. We examine effects of a Fast Track model (FT) in a real-world clinical HIV treatment program on retention to care comparing two clinics initiating FT care to five similar (in size and health care level), standar…
Amplifying Coaches’ voices from the implementation of the MindSKILLZ youth mental health program in Kenya
Young implementers bring valuable insights that can help inform and create effective mental health support systems and interventions tailored to their needs and unique experiences. However, their perspectives are often overlooked. This qualitative study analysed discourses from community role models, referred to as MindSKILLZ Coaches. We hosted five focus group discussions and collected 30 personal stories journaled by MindSKILLZ Coaches in Nairo…
Longitudinal assessment of changes in hair cortisol levels and associations with violence, poor mental health and harmful substance use among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya
Female sex workers (FSWs) in sub-Saharan Africa commonly experience violence, mental health problems, and harmful substance use. Stressful life events can harm the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, serving as a pathway to increased poor health, including HIV susceptibility through cortisol levels. In this paper, we examine changes in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) levels and associations with experiences of violence…
Barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among high-risk women and men who have sex with men in Georgia
While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) research predominantly focuses on men who have sex with men (MSM), PrEP uptake among women who use drugs (WWUD), female sex workers (FSWs), and female partners of people who inject drugs (PWID) is limited. This study fills a critical gap in the literature by examining the unique barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake among these under-researched female populations, relative to MSM. This pre-implementation s…
Perspectives of adolescents and young people on Digital Health Interventions and their impact on health knowledge
Adolescents and young people (AYP) in Kenya face unique health challenges, but there is a lack of research on their health knowledge and awareness needs. Digital health interventions (DHIs) could help address these gaps. Understanding AYP’s current knowledge will inform the development of effective, adolescent-centered interventions. Grounded in the inter-agency framework from WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNESCO for youth-centered DHIs, this study ass…
Implementation fidelity of tuberculosis screening for Diabetes mellitus patients among healthcare providers offering diabetes services in Ubungo District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Globally, the risk of acquiring Tuberculosis (TB) among Diabetes mellitus (DM) patients is three times higher than in the general population. Patients with DM not only have a high risk of getting TB disease but also have poor treatment outcomes. Despite the National TB guideline recommending TB screening among DM patients, adherence remains low. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the provider-level implementation fidelity (IF) and factors asso…
Medicine (9 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Demography (6 works) · Mental health (6 works) · Population (6 works) · Psychological intervention (6 works) · Health care (4 works) · Psychiatry (4 works) · COVID-19 and Mental Health (3 works) · Cross-sectional study (3 works)