Lira University Institutional Repository

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The Lira University Institutional Repository is a digital platform for collecting, preserving, and disseminating the intellectual and scholarly output of the University.

It provides access to theses, dissertations, journal articles, conference papers, learning materials, reports, university publications, and other research outputs produced by the Lira University community.

Through this repository, Lira University strengthens visibility, knowledge sharing, long-term preservation, and worldwide access to its academic contributions.

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Recent Submissions

Harnessing Mothers’ Union Activities as a Means to Enhance Church Marriages
(East African Journal of Traditions, Culture and Religion, 2026) Ayang, James; Mwesigwa, David
Church marriage plays a central role in spiritual, social, and family life, offering moral guidance, relational mentorship, and community support. The Mothers’ Union (MU) emerged in this historical context as a movement to strengthen Christian marriage and family life. While economic factors such as the high cost of church weddings are often cited, deep-rooted cultural beliefs surrounding clan rituals, ancestral approval, and customary obligations continue to shape marital legitimacy, making traditional marriage more socially authoritative in many communities. The Mothers’ Union represents one of the most enduring faith-based women’s movements within Christian institutions, particularly within Anglican traditions, where it functions as both a spiritual fellowship and a structured social support system. Church marriage is a Christian marital union solemnised within a church setting according to established religious rites and formally sanctioned by denominational authority. Counselling wedded couples is the most important and most tricky challenge affecting mothers’ unions in Uganda and possibly beyond because of several factors, namely masterminded by the social media and modernisation. Sensitisation programs should be organised from time to time among members of the mothers’ union on how to cope with modernisation and the robust expansion of the social media among wedded couples.
A global scoping review of interventions to increase participation in screening programmes for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer between 2016 and 2025
(BMC Public Health, 2026) Kigongo, Eustes; Heaney, Carmel; McBride, Louise; Gliga, Gabriela; Burns, Richéal M.
Background: Implementation of timely and targeted health screening programmes is strongly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in promoting prevention, early detection, and timely intervention across populations. However, participation in breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening remains suboptimal and inequitable, and is increasingly challenged. This review synthesised global evidence on implementation interventions aimed at increasing screening participation and reducing disparities, to identify gaps that must be addressed to achieve screening targets. Methods: This scoping review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidance. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to extract and synthesise barriers and facilitators, while the RE-AIM framework for the performance of interventions. We used descriptive quantitative methods and a hybrid (deductive–inductive) thematic analysis to summarise and interpret the evidence. Results: One hundred ten studies were included and identified ten intervention categories: educational, reminders, self-sampling, outreach, peer education and counselling, quality improvement, promotional messages, patient navigation and tracking, mass media, and multicomponent interventions. Barriers and facilitators to screening participation were assessed using the CFIR framework, while intervention performance was synthesised using RE-AIM components. Although most interventions demonstrated promising effectiveness, multicomponent interventions showed the greatest impact. However, most interventions were implemented in highly controlled settings, limiting their real-world applicability and scalability. Conclusion: Findings revealed important gaps in culturally responsiveness and real-world intervention approaches for cancer screening. Future research should prioritise pragmatic, culturally appropriate, and multiple component interventions, supported by sufficiently long follow-up periods to assess sustainability and real-world effectiveness.
HSD104 Strengthening Routine Childhood Immunization Post-COVID: Global Strategies to Improve Coverage and Equity
(Value in Health, 2025) Kigongo, Eustes; Burns, Richeal Maria
Objectives: Global progress in immunisation has stalled, with many countries falling short of coverage targets. Measles outbreaks have resurfaced even in high income countries such as England, Ireland and the United States. Political instability and conflict have further disrupted immunisation efforts in several regions. The COVID-19 pandemic further amplified vaccine hesitancy and disrupted service delivery. This scoping review aimed to identify strategies that have been employed globally to sustain and improve routine childhood immunisation coverage, with a particular focus on equitable access. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in Medline, Elsevier, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Population, Concept, Context (PCC) framework guided the development of the question and eligibility criteria. Studies reporting strategies to enhance equitable access to and coverage of routine childhood immunisation were included. Screening and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Data were synthesised using descriptive and thematic analysis. Results: The database search, conducted in April 2025, identified 17,692 articles. Following a two-stage screening process, 58 studies were included for data extraction and synthesis. Most studies originated from high-income countries. Interventions were categorised both by nature and by the immunisation outcomes they targeted. Thematic categories included educational interventions, community engagement strategies, pro-equity approaches, health system strengthening, and communication strategies. With respect to outcomes, interventions were classified as addressing equity, access, or adaptability of immunisation services. Conclusions: The review highlights the global emphasis on multi-modal, targeted communication strategies to address vaccine hesitancy and improve coverage. However, significant gaps remain regarding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these interventions, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Further research is needed to evaluate the economic viability and real-world impact of these strategies to inform sustainable, equitable immunisation policies.
Abuse and coping strategies among older adults (above 60 years) in Lira district, Northern Uganda: A mixed-methods study protocol
(PLoS One, 2026) Kigongo, Eustes; Musinguzi, Marvin; Akello, Anne Ruth; Oceng, Freda Amito; Opio, Bosco; Opio, Innocent Ojok; Nalwoga, Viola; Bakesiima, Ritah; Anyolitho, Maxson Kenneth; Kabunga, Amir; Opollo, Marc Sam
Background :There is a growing number of older adults facing a wide range of abuses by their caregivers and the public. However, there is not only limited information on the outcomes of such abuses but also on the ways that these people employ to cope when faced with such abuses. In this study, we intend to assess the different forms of abuse, estimate their level of abuse, and explore the coping strategies among older adults through a community-based study in a rural setting in northern Uganda. Methods: The study will employ a community-based, explanatory sequential design. The study will be conducted in Lira district, Lango subregion, Northern Uganda. According to recent (2023) estimates, Lira district has a population of 19,000 older adults (aged over 60) out of a total population of 655,173 people. A sample of 330 participants will be selected by systematic random sampling and interviewed using a researcher-administered questionnaire. Questions on background characteristics, forms of abuse, and copping strategies will be asked. Qualitative data on the experiences of the older adults will be collected through in-depth interview guides to supplement the questionnaire data. The main study outcome is abuse, which will be assessed using the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (HS-EAST). Data collection will commence in April 2025. The STATA version 17 software will be utilized to perform statistical analysis at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels to establish levels of abuse and associated factors. Statistical significance will be set at 5% with a con¬fidence interval of 95%. Qualitative data will be transcribed verbatim and analysed manually through the thematic method of analysis. The study has obtained approval from the Lira University Research Ethics Committee (LUREC-2023–24). Discussion: Understanding and recognizing that the elderly suffer harassment, violence, insults, abandonment, isolation, and loneliness is crucial to responding effectively to this phe¬nomenon. Researchers can gain insights into the specific challenges faced by older adults and develop appropriate interventions for prevention and support to improve the wellbeing of older adults, and their families.
CO124 Gaps in Cancer Screening Uptake in Ireland: Trends, Barriers and Policy Implications
(Value in Health,Elsevier, 2025) Kigongo, Eustes; Burns, Richeal Maria
Objectives: Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, responsible for one in six deaths. In Ireland, cancer incidence has steadily increased, with the country reporting the third-highest age-standardised incidence rate in Europe (344.7 per 100,000 population in 2023). Despite the proven effectiveness of cancer screening in reducing disease burden, uptake of national screening programmes for the prioritised cancers remains suboptimal. This review aimed to assess trends in cancer screening uptake in Ireland relative to national targets and identify key gaps and barriers influencing participation. Methods: A targeted literature review was conducted, to search for peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative studies published since 2007 from Medline, Scopus, and Elsevier databases. Grey literature, including reports from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland and institutional repositories, was also reviewed. Descriptive analysis was used to summarise screening uptake trends, while thematic analysis was applied to identify gaps and barriers to screening, with emphasis on health system and policy implications. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, including one scoping review and five studies conducted during the current National Screening Service (NSS) Implementation Plan (2017-2026). Screening uptake for colorectal and cervical cancer remains below target, at 41.9% (target: 50%) and 78.7% (target: 80%), respectively, based on 2019 data. Breast cancer screening rates were comparatively higher but still face ongoing challenges. Barriers to screening uptake included low public awareness, negative perceptions of screening, inadequate policy frameworks, regional and socio-economic disparities, and limited health literacy. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to further disruptions in service delivery. Gaps in recent, reliable data were also identified. Conclusions: Several gaps exist in implementation of cancer screening in Ireland. There is a need to understand screening barriers among under-screened populations and to design of innovative, evidence-based communication and policy strategies to improve screening participation and reduce health inequalities.