Sexual health-seeking behaviour and associated factors in men with diabetes mellitus attending the northwest Amhara region hospitals, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Men's views on factors contributing to their poor health-seeking behaviour in Limpopo Province, South Africa

BACKGROUND

The reasons for men not to seek healthcare seem similar across the world. They avoid going for regular medical check-ups, and preventive care and often disregard symptoms or delay seeking medical attention when sick, in pain, or even when their lives are in danger.

METHODS

This study sought to explore the views of men on factors contributing to poor health-seeking behavior among men in Mopani, Vhembe, and Capricorn district municipalities in Limpopo Province. A qualitative descriptive design was used and individual semi-structured interviews were used to collect data in May and June 2024 from 21 men who were purposively selected. Collected data were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Tech's eight steps were used to analyse data and guide the development of emerged main themes and sub-themes. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Venda research ethics committee with Ethics Approval Number: FHS/21/PH/26/1215.

RESULTS

Self-medication, fear of knowing own health status, peer and community elders' influence, stigma, and masculinity beliefs were among the reasons participants avoided utilizing health services. Educational and health promotional campaigns, challenging societal norms, and employing more nurses were suggested as strategies to improve men's health-seeking behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

It is evident from the findings that several factors contribute to men's poor health-seeking behaviour including visiting health facilities to seek needed healthcare services. Self-treating of disease at hand, fear of knowing own health status, use of traditional healers, and sticking to cultural values are among the factors that contribute to men's poor health-seeking behaviour. There is a need to challenge societal norms and how men are raised as factors that contribute to poor health-seeking behaviour among men.

HINT2 may be One Clinical Significance Target for Patient with Diabetes Mellitus and Reduced ROS-Induced Oxidative Stress and Ferroptosis by MCU

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that patients with diabetes around the world will increase to 600 million by 2040, of which about 1/3 will develop diabetic nephropathy (DN). Therefore, the present study aimed to uncover therapeutic effect of HINT2 and determined its possible mechanisms. Patients with diabetes mellitus and normal volunteers were enrolled at our hospital. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a high fat diet and injected intraperitoneally with STZ for once (100 mg/kg body weight). Mouse podocytes (MPC5) cells were induced with 20 mmol/l D-glucose. Inhibition of HINT2 mRNA expression levels in patients with DN was observed, compared with normal group. The serum of HINT2 mRNA expression was negative in correlation with blood sugar, tubulo-interstitial damage, glomerular damage score or urine protein level in patients with DN. HINT2 expression in kidney tissue of mice with DN were downregulated. HINT2 presented reduced DN and inflammation and ROS-induced oxidative stress in model of DN. HINT2 promoted ferroptosis in model of DN by mitochondrial membrane potential. HINT2 suppressed MCU expression in model of DN. HINT2 protein combined with MCU protein increased MCU protein ubiquitination. HINT2 triggers mitochondrial Ca2+ influx to increase ROS production level by MCU. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that HINT2 reduced ROS-induced Oxidative stress and ferroptosis by MCU, suggesting that HINT2 may be a feasible strategy to treat DN.