Teenage pregnancy is a serious public health and social problem with 95% occurring in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavioral, familial and social factors associated with teenage pregnancy among teenage girls in itara parish, Rubaya subcounty-Mbarara district, Uganda. Primary data from a case-control study of teenage girls in itara parish, Rubaya subcounty- Mbarara district was analyzed. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect data on 67 participants, identified through simple random sampling from one village of itara parish, Rubaya subcounty-Mbarara district. Data analyses were done using statistics for descriptive. A total of 67 both males and females participated in the study. At bivariable analysis, all variables were significantly associated with teenage pregnancy. Among the behavioral factors assessed, multivariable analyses showed that having frequent sex and irregular contraceptive use increased the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. Among familial factors, being married was found to increase the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. Poverty, peer pressure and lack of control over sex was observed to increase the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. Demographic, behavioral, familial and social factors are important predictors of teenage pregnancy in itara parish, Rubaya subcounty-Mbarara. Interventions focusing on: accepting the victims (retaining pregnant girls at school), creating awareness and sensitization of information on sexual and reproductive health of teenage girls, providing guidance and counselling, provision and proper implementation of policies concerning against teenage pregnancy may come a long way to improving adolescent sexual and health services in the low-income settings. Keywords: Teenage pregnancy, Adolescent, Behavioral factors, Familial factors, social factors and Itara parish community.

This study examines the digitization of land records as a means to end fraud in Uganda’s lands sector. Uganda embarked on the adoption of a digital system to register and record land related information, with a primary aim, among others to eradicate fraud in the lands sector. Therefore, in Uganda, land registration is governed by the Torrens system which recognizes ownership through Title by registration. This system was developed by Sir Robert Richard Torrens in Australia and it entails entry into the registry that gives landownership legal validity, guaranteed by the State and therefore, all entries into the register are prima facie evidence of the actual status of the land. The registration of titles act is a codification of principles of Torrens system in Uganda. Section 59 of the same provides that the Certificate of title is conclusive evidence of title.2 This concept of indefeasibility of title is a direct principle birthed out of the Torrens system of registration. However, land registration, is a key element in the protection of one’s right to property; as it offers a guarantee of security of title. Correlating registration of land records and security of title, there is a general assertion that land registration acts as a guarantee for secure land ownership; thus, policies and efforts by States are towards the furtherance of the same and such registration offers a degree of security which emanates from the protection that comes with formal documentation and subjection to the Central Authority of the State. However, the purpose of this research therefore is to assess the legal framework on registration of land records in Uganda under the manual process and the digital process. This assessment shall offer a foundation for a legal analysis on the viability of these two processes on the mitigation of the fraud challenge in the land sector, or whether it instead further instigates the same. Basing on that analysis, the study shall offer recommendations that shall be tailored to the unique social, economic and political situation in Uganda, so that as a country, we can make the most out of digitization of our land records. This study examines the digitalization of land records as a means to end fraud in Uganda’s lands sector.

Background: Antenatal Care (ANC) is a complex set of activities aimed at reducing maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality which is achieved by decreasing the likelihood that a pregnant woman will experience serious complications during pregnancy labour and peurperium by improving the maternal death and pre-labor fetal outcomes of women with complications. Purpose: This study will serve the purpose of identifying the factors associated with first antenatal care visits during the first trimester. This will assist health workers at Mukono general hospital to come up with appropriate health education programs about the importance of early attendance of ANC services. Objectives: To determine the proportion of pregnant mothers who visited antenatal care clinic timely in Mukono general hospital, to identify the socio-demographic factors influencing timely antenatal care clinic visit among pregnant mothers in Mukono general hospital, to establish the maternal factors influencing timely antenatal care clinic visit among pregnant mothers in Mukono general hospital. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study was used to collect quantitative data on timely ANC visits and associated factors simultaneously at a point in time. A cross sectional study design was also cheap, quick data and easy to apply which allowed the researcher to complete data collection in time. Consecutive sampling was used to select eligible participants. All pregnant women who attended ANC clinic at Mukono general hospital during the period of data collection were identified daily and asked to participate in the study consecutively until the required sample size was obtained. Results: Results revealed that about four in every ten of the pregnant mothers initiated their first ANC visit within the first trimester at Mukono general hospital. It was also revealed that education level higher than informal education was associated with late ANC visit. Conclusion: Results revealed that timely initiation of ANC visits among mothers seeking ANC services at Mukono General Hospital was low. Late ANC visit was associated with having formal level of education, being a housewife, lack of planning for the current pregnancy and failure to conduct pregnancy test while early ANC clinic visit was associated with professionals, peasants, residing in semi urban and urban settings. Recommendations: To improve the proportion of mothers initiating ANC timely, this study recommends the strengthening of income-generating opportunities for women. Also, because pregnancy planning was associated with lower chances of early ANC timing, the study recommends a follow-on study to examine the reason for this observation. Finally, since pregnancy testing is associated with early ANC timely, the MOH could adopt communication messages regarding visiting a health facility within a week of a missed menstruation period for mothers.