Exploring the perception of and attitude towards preconception care service provision and utilisation in a South Western Nigerian community – A qualitative study

Background: Hospital-based, quantitative studies in Nigeria show low levels of knowledge and use of preconception care (PCC) services. This study explored the perception of and attitude towards PCC in a southwestern Nigerian community qualitatively.Data Source and Methods: Focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with 57 purposively selected adult women and men and key informant interviews (KIIs) with one female and one male community leader in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria in 2018. The FGDs and KIIs held within the community were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.Results: Participants placed PCC in the context of marriage, describing its importance for addressing effects of adverse exposures on pregnancy and ensuring positive pregnancy outcomes.Conclusion: Barriers to PCC uptake mentioned included lack of awareness and prohibitive service costs. Expressing their willingness to use and promote PCC use, they stated the need to ensure PCC uptake through improved awareness at the community level

Context of abuse against men: Perspectives on causes, consequences and coping mechanisms

Background: Opinions on gender abuse have been largely skewed towards females. However, the rising number of cases of abuses against the male gender has brought the need to seek better understanding on the different background contexts and conditions surrounding the abuses against men in Nigeria.Data Source and Methods: This article was based on a cross-sectional study on abuse against men through quantitative and qualitative methods. It examined perspectives on causes, consequences and coping mechanisms relative to abuse against men in urban Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.Results: Findings suggest that various forces at individual, familial, cultural, urbanization, westernization and globalization levels drive abuse against men and men cope with the abuse through avoidance, divorce, resignation, adjustment and religion.Conclusion: Findings suggest that various forces at individual, familial, cultural, urbanization, westernization and globalization levels drive abuse against men and men cope with the abuse through avoidance, divorce, resignation, adjustment and religion

Impact of interventional documentary on knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors among rural women in North-Central Nigeria

Background: In view of the growing concern about cervical cancer prevalence and mortality rates, this study assessed the impact of interventional documentary on knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors among women in North-central Nigeria.Data Source and Methods: The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and survey to study 522 reproductive-age women. The stratified sampling technique was used to select six local government areas. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and binary logistic regression were used in data analysis.Results: There was no significant difference in pre-interventional knowledge of risk factors in the study and control groups p>0.05. There was significant difference in pre- and post-interventional knowledge in the study group p<0.05. ‘Number of children’ ‘marital status’, and ‘number of times married’ predicted aggregate knowledge at post-intervention.Conclusion: The intervention documentary was effective in knowledge increases, but there was no indication that knowledge increases lead to less risky behaviour. Documentaries should harp on self-efficacy and collective monitoring of adherence to non-risky behaviour

Forced eviction and rights-based approach to development in Nigeria: A case of Makoko community in Lagos State

Background: The problems created by forced evictions in Lagos State, Nigeria and other parts of the globe, are on the increase and have attracted the attention of United Nations development, environment and human rights agencies in recent years.  Data Source and Methods: A cross-sectional field survey was adopted in this study. 1000 copies of questionnaire were administered, and 963 copies were properly filled, collated and analysed using Statgraphics statistical software and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 23).Results: The survey results show that rather than resolving the problem, the Lagos State government’s approach to development by eviction only worsens the social divides in the state.Conclusion: We argue that the Lagos State government needs to embrace a rights-based approach to development by ensuring the rights to occupancy of Makoko residents before renovating the settlemen

Assessment of demographic factors in Africa’s development.

Background: An enabling environment is an important element for economic development. African countries rank low on indices of development. The low level of development is rhetorically partly attributed to demographic factors, but quantitative assessment of the relationship is hardly produced to back up the rhetoric.Data Source and Methods: Data sourced from the United Nations, UNAIDS, the World Bank, Health and Nutrition and Population Statistics of the World Bank were utilized in the study.  The analysis consisted of bi-variate and multivariate regression.Results: The results suggest that the level of child dependency is significantly negatively associated with the level of development in African countries controlling for other demographic factors.Conclusion: The study found no evidence that total fertility rate and population growth have significant effect on gross national income per capita.

Supply-side barriers and health system concerns in five high maternal mortality settings in Africa

Background: Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria are among the seven African countries with the highest rates of maternal mortality globally due in the main limited facility deliveries and basic emergency obstetric care.Data Source and Methods: The study sought to contextualize supply-side barriers that encroach on maternal mortality by examining some health system concerns confronting selected African countries. The study makes use of data from the World Bank and adopts a descriptive-analytic approach. Current Health Expenditure of less than 10% in four countries and Domestic General Government Health Expenditure of less than 2% in all five countries evinced underfunding of health.Results: In all five countries, the proportion of skilled health workers fell well short of the WHO requirements for density of doctors and nurses.Conclusion: The onus on individuals to pay for health care was formidable in Nigeria. CAR had the lowest proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel. CAR and Sierra Leone relied heavily on External resources for funding health

Exiles in their region: pastoralist-farmer conflict and population displacements in North Central, Nigeria

Background: Over the past two decades, pastoralist-farmer conflicts have become a pressing security challenge in Nigeria, especially in the North Central region. This study analyzed how pastoralist-farmer conflicts fuel population displacements in the North Central, Nigeria. It also assessed the livelihood of the internally displaced persons in the region.Data Source and Methods: The study employed primary data comprising key informant interview of 37 stakeholders and field observations. It also utilized secondary data on pastoralist-farmer conflicts and population displacement largely sourced from Centre for Democracy and Development. We used simple percentage, frequency tables and content analysis of the qualitative data.Results: The failure of the Nigerian state to manage pastoralist – farmer conflicts escalated the attacks and the forceful displacement it engendered. The displacements have worsened the humanitarian crisis as it has increased the number of people in immediate need of food, security, health, school, livelihood, shelter, protection, non food items, water, sanitation and hygiene.Conclusion: The study concluded that building inclusive societies is relevant for de-escalating pastoralist-farmer conflicts, reducing population displacements, mitigating humanitarian crisis and achieving sustainable development goals in Nigeria and beyond

Mapping maternal healthcare access in selected West African Countries

Background: The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three emphasizes the need to improve maternal and new-born health and reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100 000 live births by 2030. Achieving the SDG goal 3.1 target will require evidence-based data on the distribution of maternal health outcomes and their linkage to healthcare access.Data and Methods: This study used WorldPop data derived from an integration of satellite, census and household survey. Exploratory spatial analysis techniques were used to examine and visualize the spatial distribution of women of reproductive age (15-19 and 40- 44), live births and pregnancies at the subnational level in three “poor resource” West African countries:  Mali, Guinea and Liberia. Buffer analysis was used to quantify the number of pregnancies within user-defined distances of a health facility.Findings: Results showed wide variations in the distribution of maternal health outcomes across the countries of interest and districts of each of the countries. There was also clustering of maternal health outcomes and health facilities at the urban capital cities of Bamako, Conakry, and Greater Monrovia. A considerable number of pregnancies in most districts of northern Mali, northern and forest regions of Guinea and counties in south-eastern Liberia were not within 50km distance of a health facility, indicating inadequate access to maternal healthcare.Conclusion: To bridge the gap in inequity in healthcare access, and improve maternal and newborn health in the study countries, there is need for equitable distribution of health resources and infrastructure within and across the disadvantaged districts.Background: The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three emphasizes the need to improve maternal and new-born health and reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100 000 live births by 2030. Achieving the SDG goal 3.1 target will require evidence-based data on the distribution of maternal health outcomes and their linkage to healthcare access.Data and Methods: This study used WorldPop data derived from an integration of satellite, census and household survey. Exploratory spatial analysis techniques were used to examine and visualize the spatial distribution of women of reproductive age (15-19 and 40- 44), live births and pregnancies at the subnational level in three “poor resource” West African countries:  Mali, Guinea and Liberia. Buffer analysis was used to quantify the number of pregnancies within user-defined distances of a health facility.Findings: Results showed wide variations in the distribution of maternal health outcomes across the countries of interest and districts of each of the countries. There was also clustering of maternal health outcomes and health facilities at the urban capital cities of Bamako, Conakry, and Greater Monrovia. A considerable number of pregnancies in most districts of northern Mali, northern and forest regions of Guinea and counties in south-eastern Liberia were not within 50km distance of a health facility, indicating inadequate access to maternal healthcare.Conclusion: To bridge the gap in inequity in healthcare access, and improve maternal and newborn health in the study countries, there is need for equitable distribution of health resources and infrastructure within and across the disadvantaged districts

Determinants of non-participation in labour force among women of reproductive age in Nigeria

Background: Studies have examined the individual-level and household predictors of women’s labour force participation in Nigeria, this study went further to examine the community-level determinants of non-participation in labour force among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.Data Source and Methods: This study analysed the 2016-2017 Nigeria Multiple indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data of women (aged 15-49; n= 32,742). Descriptive and multivariable analyses (using multilevel binary logistic regression) were performed.Results: Results showed that 73% of the women didn’t participate in the labour force. Community poverty (medium: OR = 0.95 and high: OR = 1.38), number of children living with a woman (medium: OR = 1.05 and high: OR = 1.19), proportion of contraceptive non-users (high: OR = 2.49 and medium: OR = 1.59) and region (north: OR = 5.42) were significant (P<0.05) determinants.Conclusion: Hence, women (of reproductive age) in the north, in communities with high: poverty, family size and contraceptive non-use should be economically empowered

Challenges and opportunities for effective contraceptive counselling in a low-resource setting: insights from a qualitative study in western Kenya

Background: Evidence from parts of sub-Saharan Africa shows variations in contraceptive counselling by type of sector (public or private) and socio-economic background of clients. There is, however, limited understanding of the nature of interactions between family planning service providers and their clients that could ultimately influence the quality of counselling received by different sub-groups of clients. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities for effective contraceptive counselling in a low-resource setting in Kenya.Data Source and Methods: Data are from a qualitative study that was conducted in 2018 among 42 women of reproductive age who participated in a longitudinal research project in Homa Bay County. The data were analysed using an exploratory inductive content analysis approach.Results: The findings showed that challenges to effective contraceptive counselling were both provider- and client-related. Provider-related challenges included workload, lack of competence in contraceptive counselling in general and on side effects in particular, and negative attitudes towards specific methods. Client-related challenges entailed presenting with fixed minds, lack of awareness of what to expect during interactions with providers, passive involvement in consultation process, and familiarity with service providers.Conclusion: Some of the challenges could be addressed by information, education and communications interventions to empower clients to demand quality services as well as skills updates for providers to improve their capacity to respond to clients’ needs