A Phenomenological Assessment of Factors that Affect Medication Adherence Among Hypertensive Nigerian Immigrants

This qualitative study explored the perceptions that affect medication adherence among hypertensive Nigerian immigrants in Sacramento, California. The research questions focused on factors that influenced the adherence to hypertension medication; specifically, how the sample population explained the cause of hypertension and whether culture and religion impacted the cause and management of hypertension. A phenomenological approach was used to understand perceptions about medication adherence. A predefined group of 9 acted as a purposive sample and was given semi-structured individual interviews. Qualitative data analysis of the interviews was performed using Colaizzi\u27s 7-step method. Results from the study found the cause of hypertension was believed to be genetics, stress, and diet. Education was strongly cited as the reason for dispelling cultural beliefs toward hypertension cause and management of the illness. Reasons for nonadherence were linked mostly to forgetfulness and side effects of hypertensive medication on sexual performance in males. Participants reported that prayer did not affect medication adherence, but was used for psychological healing. Living in the United States was viewed as a both a positive and negative influence on the management of hypertension

A Boko Haram defeat is necessary for Nigeria to fulfil its potential

J Boima Rogers looks at the root causes of the Boko Haram phenomenon in Nigeria and what future leaders will have to do to rid Nigeria of Boko Haram and ensure that no copycat groups appear in the future

Is money irrelevant?

Money ; Income ; Inflation (Finance) ; Prices

TB Fast Track patient cost data

A tabular dataset containing information provided by 99 HIV-positive individuals – men and women aged 18 or above who had a low CD4 count and were not yet on TB or HIV treatment - enrolled in the TB FastTrack trial, a cluster randomised trial to establish the direct and indirect costs of illness incurred at the patient/household level. Data was collected through patient interviews conducted at the health facility where they were receiving treatment in North West Limpopo and Gauteng provinces between June 2014 and March 2015. The dataset contains 450+ variables, including details on quantity of visits, time spent in seeking care, direct medical and non-medical costs incurred, and individual and estimated household income. Household income was established using 4 approaches: (1) self-reported (detail), (2) self-reported (brackets), (3) by matching through an asset index, and (4) national average income

Chiefs: Elite Control of Civil Society and Economic Development in Sierra Leone

The lowest level of government in sub-Saharan Africa is often a cadre of chiefs who raise taxes, control the judicial system and allocate the most important scarce resource - land. Chiefs, empowered by colonial indirect rule, are often accused of using their power despotically and inhibiting rural development. Yet others view them as traditional representatives of rural people, and survey evidence suggests that they maintain widespread support. We use the colonial history of Sierra Leone to investigate the relationships between chiefs' power on economic development, peoples' attitudes and social capital. There, a chief must come from one of the ruling families recognized by British colonial authorities. Chiefs face less competition and fewer political constraints in chiefdoms with fewer ruling families. We show that places with fewer ruling families have significantly worse development outcomes today - in particular, lower rates of educational attainment, child health, and non-agricultural employment. But the institutions of chiefs' authority are also highly respected among villagers, and their chiefdoms have higher levels of \social capital," for example, greater popular participation in a variety of “civil society" organizations and forums that might be used to hold chiefs accountable. We argue that these results are difficult to reconcile with the standard principle-agent approach to politics and instead reflect the capture of civil society organizations by chiefs. Rather than acting as a vehicle for disciplining chiefs, these organizations have been structured by chiefs to control society.We thank seminar participants at CIFAR, the University of the Andes in Bogota, WGAPE in Boston and Berkeley, and the Sierra Leone Past and Present Conference in Freetown for comments. Juan Camilo Cardenas, Marcela Eslava, Richard Fanthorpe, Leopoldo Fergusson, Michael Kremer, Torsten Persson, Daniel Posner, Pablo Querubin, Paul Richards, Ryan Sheely and Juan Vargas provided helpful suggestions and comments. Lyttleton Braima and Jeanette Yeunbee Park provided capable research assistance. We gratefully acknowledge financial support of the NBER Africa Program, the International Growth Center, and the AFOSR

Coordination inclusive et comitative dans les langues océaniennes

Les constructions inclusives sont un type de coordination asymétrique entre syntagmes nominaux. Elles sont asymétriques du fait que la référence à l'une des entités conjointes est incluse dans une forme pronominale à référence englobante et obéissant à une hiérarchie des personnes, telle que 'nous deux mon frère' pour « mon frère et moi ». Les constructions inclusives obéissent à diverses contraintes syntaxiques, sémantiques et pragmatiques. Le morphème coordonnant des constructions inclusives syndétiques est le plus souvent un coordonnant comitatif. Il se distingue de l'adjonction comitative par l'accord et la position

A renal registry for Africa: first steps.

There is a dearth of data on end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Africa. Several national renal registries have been established but have not been sustainable because of resource limitations. The African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN) and the African Paediatric Nephrology Association (AFPNA) recognize the importance of good registry data and plan to establish an African Renal Registry. This article reviews the elements needed for a successful renal registry and gives an overview of renal registries in developed and developing countries, with the emphasis on Africa. It then discusses the proposed African Renal Registry and the first steps towards its implementation. A registry requires a clear purpose, and agreement on inclusion and exclusion criteria, the dataset and the data dictionary. Ethical issues, data ownership and access, the dissemination of findings and funding must all be considered. Well-documented processes should guide data collection and ensure data quality. The ERA-EDTA Registry is the world's oldest renal registry. In Africa, registry data have been published mainly by North African countries, starting with Egypt and Tunisia in 1975. However, in recent years no African country has regularly reported national registry data. A shared renal registry would provide participating countries with a reliable technology platform and a common data dictionary to facilitate joint analyses and comparisons. In March 2015, AFRAN organized a registry workshop for African nephrologists and then took the decision to establish, for the first time, an African Renal Registry. In conclusion, African nephrologists have decided to establish a continental renal registry. This initiative could make a substantial impact on the practice of nephrology and the provision of services for adults and children with ESRD in many African countries

Chiefs: Economic Development and Elite Control of Civil Society in Sierra Leone

We study the effect of constraints on chiefs' power on economic outcomes, citizens' attitudes, and social capital. A paramount chief in Sierra Leone must come from a ruling family originally recognized by British colonial authorities. In chiefdoms with fewer ruling families, chiefs face less political competition, and development outcomes are significantly worse today. Variation in the security of property rights over land is a potential mechanism. Paradoxically, with fewer ruling families, the institutions of chiefs' authority are more highly respected, and measured social capital is higher. We argue that these results reflect the capture of civil society organizations by chiefs