Muni Repository (MR)
This repository contains open access publications of Muni University Library.
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Recent Submissions
Household income sources and mobility drivers of dietary diversity among refugees with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes in Bidibidi Settlement, Uganda
(Elsevier, 2026-04-23) Gyawali, Bishal; Ratib, Dricile; Dræbel, Tania Aase; Nanfuka, Esther Kalule; Nakanjako, Rita; Kyaddondo, David; Raju, Emmanuel; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian; Meyrowitsch, Dan Wolf; Skovdal, Morten
Background
Dietary diversity is a key indicator of food group variety and is widely used as a proxy for nutrient adequacy among individuals living with chronic conditions, such as hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In refugee settings, structural constraints may limit dietary diversity. However, evidence on dietary diversity among refugees already living with HTN and/or DM remains limited. This study aimed to examine the associations between household income sources and cross-border mobility and dietary diversity among refugees with HTN and/or DM in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, northern Uganda.
Methods
We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey between September and December 2024 among 1010 adult refugees with HTN and/or DM, recruited using a chain- referral sampling approach incorporating elements of respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Dietary diversity was assessed by a 24-hour recall and summarized as a dietary diversity score (DDS), calculated by summing the number of different food groups consumed (range 0–9). Household income sources (humanitarian aid, informal income, and formal income) was used as a proxy for socioeconomic status, and cross-border mobility was defined as self-reported return trips to South Sudan. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations with DDS, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
Participants consumed an average of two food groups in the previous 24 hours (mean DDS 2.0 ± 0.64), indicating very low dietary diversity. In adjusted analyses, greater cross-border mobility was associated with lower dietary diversity. Compared with participants reporting no return trips, DDS was lower among those with one return trip (adjusted β = −0.28; 95% CI: −0.38 to −0.17) and among those with multiple return trips (adjusted β = −0.46; 95% CI: −0.57 to −0.35). Household income source was also associated with dietary diversity. Relative to reliance on humanitarian aid, formal income was associated with higher dietary diversity (adjusted β = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.41), while informal income was associated with lower dietary diversity (adjusted β = −0.10; 95% CI: −0.18 to −0.01).
Conclusion
Dietary diversity among refugees living with HTN and/or DM in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement was extremely limited and was associated with cross-border mobility and household income sources. These findings suggest that dietary patterns in this setting are shaped primarily by structural constraints affecting food access and livelihood opportunities among displaced populations. However, the cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the use of unweighted chain-referral sampling limits the generalizability of the findings to the wider refugee population.
Nutritionally essential macro and micro mineral contents of aframomum angustifolium and physalis peruviana wild edible fruits of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-05-21) Agea, Jacob Godfrey; Akello, Sarah
Eating wild fruits can be really good for you and me, and not just because they taste great. Two types of wild fruits, Aframomum angustifolium and Physalis peruviana, were studied to see how many important minerals they have. These minerals, like calcium (Ca), potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Phosphorus (P), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), are essential for our bodies to work properly. We used special machines to measure how much of each mineral was in the 15 samples of each fruit. K and Na were determined using the flame emission photometer; P was quantified spectrophotometrically, while Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, and Zn were assessed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The findings were compared to the amounts found in common mangoes. It turned out that these wild fruits are actually better sources of many minerals than mangoes. They have more phosphorus, sodium and magnesium, which are all important for our health. One of the wild fruits, Aframomum angustifolium, had more calcium and potassium than the other, Physalis peruviana. Both of them had a lot of iron and zinc, which are crucial for preventing diseases like anaemia. Physalis peruviana was especially rich in manganese, another important mineral. The good news is that eating these wild fruits regularly can help people get the minerals they need. This is especially important for people living in rural areas who might not have access to a variety of foods. The government and local leaders should think about how to make it easier for people to grow and eat these wild fruits. They could create policies to support the use of wild fruits in farming and gardening. This way, more people can benefit from the nutritional value of these amazing fruits. By making wild fruits a bigger part of our diets, we can stay healthier and stronger.
Naming as cultural epistemology: Knowledge, belief, and identity in Lango personal naming
(East African Nature and Science Organization, 2026-05-21) Agea, Jacob Godfrey; Eton, Marus
This epistemological study examined Lango personal naming practices among Northern Uganda’s Lango people as rich cultural narratives that encode identity, ecology, and spirituality. Employing a qualitative design grounded in interpretivist and constructivist paradigms, we analysed 131 personal names collected from 78 purposively selected elders, clan leaders, traditional birth attendants, linguists, and cultural custodians. Data were generated through in-depth interviews, key informant sessions, focus group discussions, and documentary analysis, conducted in Leb Lango and translated for thematic content analysis using open, axial, and selective coding. The findings organised names into eleven thematic domains: birth circumstances and physical conditions; environmental and ecological contexts; hardship, suffering, and resilience; joy, blessing, and prosperity; social conflict and relationships; spiritual and apotropaic functions; power, warfare, and strength; time, sequence, and birth order; place and spatial context; personality and destiny; and rituals, symbolism and kinship. Within these domains, names operate as micro-histories—descriptive, situational, and symbolic cultural artefacts that preserve lived realities and collective memory. Illustratively, Oceng/Aceng signifies daylight birth and social visibility; Alele encodes rainfall and ecological fertility; Okech/Akech reflects famine and resilience; while Owiti/Awiti embodies apotropaic protection through symbolic rejection. Contrasting with Western naming systems that often emphasise aesthetics, Lango anthroponymy reveals profound socio-cultural depth, embedding environmental awareness, emotional experience, and metaphysical beliefs into identity formation. Theoretically informed by symbolic interactionism, Geertzian thick description, and indigenous knowledge systems, the study positions Lango child naming as an epistemological practice through which knowledge is produced, transmitted, and sustained across generations. The study contributes to African onomastics by highlighting the specificity of Lango naming practices, particularly their agrarian ecological consciousness, unreserved acknowledgement of adversity, and protective metaphysical orientation. It underscores the urgent need for systematic documentation, integration of indigenous naming knowledge into educational curricula in Northern Uganda, and expanded comparative research across Nilotic societies to preserve and advance this dynamic and meaningful identity system.
Management of insect and other arthropod parasites and vectors of human diseases
(Springer Nature, 2026-05-01) Owino, Eunice A.; Ajamma, Yvonne Ukamaka; Mburu, David; Opoke, Robert; Opiro, Robert; Dugassa, Sisay
This chapter provides a thorough overview of the management of insects and other arthropod parasites and vectors of human diseases. It covers key insect vectors in the orders: Diptera (mosquitoes, black flies, tsetse flies, sand flies, biting midges, horse flies, house flies, blow flies, flesh flies, and bot flies), Hemiptera (kissing bugs), Siphonaptera (fleas), Phthiraptera (lice), and noninsect orders: Arachnida (ticks and mites) and Crustacea (copepods). Each section details the taxonomy, morphology, life cycles, ecological roles, and disease transmission mechanisms of the vectors while emphasizing their public health and economic impacts. Notable diseases include malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, Lyme disease, and plague. The chapter also discusses and emphasizes the importance of integrated vector management interventions to limit population bionomics and linked pathogen transmissions. In summary, it underscores the need for ongoing research and coordinated efforts to reduce the global burden of arthropod-borne diseases.
Introductory entomology
(Springer Nature, 2026-05-01) Opoke, Robert; Opiro, Robert
Entomology, which literally means the scientific study of insects and their natural world, comprises multiple disciplines, including biology, ecology, agriculture, medicine, and forensic science. Insects are the most diverse and abundant group of animals on earth, and they are essential to the functioning of all ecosystems, through, for instance, processes such as pollination, decomposition, and nutrient cycling. They are a major food source for many species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This chapter aims to provide a fundamental understanding of insect biology, behavior, taxonomy, and their ecological importance. It encompasses insect classification, anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, and interactions with the environment, including humans. Knowledge of entomology is crucial in managing both beneficial and detrimental insect populations to promote sustainable agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, and animal health. Entomological knowledge is also critical for understanding the impacts of climate change on insect populations and their interactions with the environment.