http://erepository.kafuco.ac.ke/123456789/276 2026-06-17T15:19:30Z http://erepository.kafuco.ac.ke/123456789/291 A systematic review of risks associated with environmental change on refractive and non-refractive ocular health: Special focus on Africa Vincent, Emmanuel Elochukwu Okenwa; Riel, Nathan; Pagani, Linda S. Background: Over the past two decades, the African continent has faced numerous environmental shifts that affect population health. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and air pollution contribute significant risks to human health. The impact of these shifts on refractive and non-refractive ocular health in Africa remains largely empirically undocumented. Objectives: A systematic review of the risks associated with environmental factors on refractive and non-refractive ocular health, with a specific emphasis on the African context. Methods: This systematic review over the recent decade, conforming to PRISMA guidelines, spanned two primary databases, PubMed, and Google Scholar. It included a combination of keywords related to ocular health, environmental change, air pollution, climate change, water quality, and other related concepts. In total, it captured 77 articles from 2013 to July 2023 that met review quality guidelines. Results: The review comprised varied study designs with a notable inclusion of cross-sectional (25⋅9%), cohort (14⋅3%), and review articles (36⋅4%). Findings indicated a significant correlation between air pollutants like PM2⋅5 and NOx with ocular diseases such as dry eye and ocular surface disorders (16⋅8%), conjunctival disorders (7⋅8%), and myopia (5⋅2%). Climate change exacerbated by rising temperatures and UV radiation was implicated in 39% of studies, with a specific focus on its relation to cataracts (5⋅2%) and retinal-related disorders (10⋅4%). Additionally, indoor air pollution disproportionately affected women and children in rural settings of Africa. Conclusions: The data indicate the need for urgent continental and regional policies against air pollution and climate change to safeguard ocular health, especially among vulnerable African populations. The review underscores the need for interdisciplinary policy to address challenges. The documentation of the relationship between environmental factors and ocular health intersects with Sustainable Development Goals that emphasize the need for improved preventive eye care and intervention, particularly among vulnerable populations and rural inhabitants. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.kafuco.ac.ke/123456789/278 xamining the faculty factors influencing Bachelor of Science Nursing (BScN) students’ mentorship in universities in Kenya Asiko, Anne Student support is dynamic and requires all-round preparation of faculty as well as their ability to support the learners in navigating the learning environment. This ability can only be understood through understanding the preparation and perception of faculty that can pause a facilitator or inhibiter of the desired end. The aim of the study was to examine faculty factors influencing Bachelor of Science Nursing (BScN) students’ mentorship in universities in Kenya by examining perception of faculty on availability and training on mentorship, assessing the implications of faculty workload and training on student mentorship and evaluating the perception of faculty on BScN student peer mentorship. The study was cross sectional with qualitative approach of data being applied. Study was conducted on faculty in nursing schools at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), Great Lakes University of Kisumu (GLUK), Uzima University and University of East Africa Baraton (UEAB). Results indicated that majority of the participants in the schools did not have requisite training to conduct mentorship and therefore felt inadequately prepared to engage in mentorship. However, majority felt that if peer mentorship structures were put in place and implemented, it would be worth, efficient and effective in supporting learners to socially adjust hence succeed in their academics. In conclusion, training of faculty, faculty workload and faculty perception of peer mentorship influenced student mentorship in universities in Kenya. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.kafuco.ac.ke/123456789/277 A systematic review of risks associated with environmental change on refractive and non-refractive ocular health: Special focus on Africa Okenwa, Emmanuel Elochukwu -Vincent; Riel, Nathan; Pagani, Linda S Background: Over the past two decades, the African continent has faced numerous environmental shifts that affect population health. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and air pollution contribute significant risks to human health. The impact of these shifts on refractive and non-refractive ocular health in Africa remains largely empirically undocumented. Objectives: A systematic review of the risks associated with environmental factors on refractive and non-refractive ocular health, with a specific emphasis on the African context. Methods: This systematic review over the recent decade, conforming to PRISMA guidelines, spanned two primary databases, PubMed, and Google Scholar. It included a combination of keywords related to ocular health, environmental change, air pollution, climate change, water quality, and other related concepts. In total, it captured 77 articles from 2013 to July 2023 that met review quality guidelines. Results: The review comprised varied study designs with a notable inclusion of cross-sectional (25⋅9%), cohort (14⋅3%), and review articles (36⋅4%). Findings indicated a significant correlation between air pollutants like PM2⋅5 and NOx with ocular diseases such as dry eye and ocular surface disorders (16⋅8%), conjunctival disorders (7⋅8%), and myopia (5⋅2%). Climate change exacerbated by rising temperatures and UV radiation was implicated in 39% of studies, with a specific focus on its relation to cataracts (5⋅2%) and retinal-related disorders (10⋅4%). Additionally, indoor air pollution disproportionately affected women and children in rural settings of Africa. Conclusions: The data indicate the need for urgent continental and regional policies against air pollution and Climate change to safeguard ocular health, especially among vulnerable African populations. The review underscores the need for interdisciplinary policy to address challenges. The documentation of the relationship between environmental factors and ocular health intersects with Sustainable Development Goals that emphasize the need for improved preventive eye care and intervention, particularly among vulnerable populations and rural inhabitants. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z