Ageing and national development in Nigeria: Costly assumptions and challenges for the future

The Nigeria ageing population is becoming increasingly visible with its attendant challenges. This article attempts to set the tone for a pragmatic discourse on “costly assumptions” being made on the issue in Nigeria and its attendant challenges. This is with a view of linking the ageing agenda to a broader developmental framework. The paper adopted a reflective theoretical viewpoint with desk review of evidence and secondary data.  The paper identified critical areas of costly assumptions and challenges as it relates to the Nigerian ageing population including the changing family structure and roles for the elderly; the high burden on children; physical health-care and medical needs; poor finances and income; and the need for public intervention. The concluding remark reiterated the need to assess and recognize the reality of the social changes and the effect of these changes on the elderly, now and in the future.

Determinants of Concordance and Discordance Reporting of Contraceptive Use among Couples in Nigeria: Evidence from NDHS

Sexual behavior and contraceptive use dynamics within marital union presents a very complex and dyad interpretations. Among the complexities is the possibility of couples’ sexual fidelity to each other, infidelity of either of the partners or both partners. Secondly, are the couples’ approaches to other marital derivatives including fertility and contraceptive use. The analysis examined the determinants of concordance and discordance reporting of contraceptive use among couples in Nigeria with a view to understanding factors in concordance and discordance reporting of contraceptive use. The analysis utilized the 2008 NDHS couples recode dataset. The data were analyzed using Kappa Statistics and multinomial logistic regression. The results showed that age, education, wealth index, residence, fertility desire and fertility preference were significant factors predicting concordance reporting of contraceptive use (P<0.05) while work status, wealth status and fertility preference were significant factors predicting discordance reporting of contraceptive use (P<0.05). The analysis concluded that couples concordance reporting of contraceptive use is important in fertility control and in addressing the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other STIs in Nigeria.   

Demographic dynamics and development in Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has a very high population momentum with an annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent per annum. This momentum can be a panacea for development and economic growth if well harnessed. The focus of the article is to provide an overview of population dynamics in Nigeria with a view to situating this within a broader context of contemporary population and development discourse. The article benefited immensely from secondary data sources and desk review of evidence

Gender Perspectives in Self-Assessment of Quality of Life of the Elderly in South-Western Nigeria. Are there variations in quality of life among ageing men and women?

This study examined gender variations in self reported quality of life among randomly selectedelderly populations in selected Yoruba communities in three local government areas of Osun StateNigeria. Data was generated through cross-sectional survey of 947 elderly population aged 60 yearsand above. Two internationally tested instruments were used to assess quality of life status amongthe respondents- Activities of Daily Life (with 14 items scales) (ADL) and Aging Male Symptoms(AMS) (with 17 items scales and adapted for both males and females). Findings showed that elderlyfemale fared better than the male counterparts on some of the measures. Also, females were morelikely than their spouse to be able to cope without any assistance. Results from males with a livingspouse showed that majority of the spouse (females) were more likely to need assistance for usualdaily activities compared with the male (husband). This trend was also confirmed among femalerespondents as a fewer proportion of spouse (male) can cope without any help compared withfemales. The AMS showed that male reported a better health status in the domains of sexual,psychosocial and somatic measures. The study concluded that measures of quality of life were likelyto favour elderly females than males because of many challenges and responsibilities of males. Thestudy raised the need for more in-depth studies to investigate the role of social –cultural factors ofmale dominance and patriarchal system on quality of life of the elderly from the gender lens

Adolescents and HIV-related behaviour in Nigeria: does knowledge of HIV/AIDS promote protective sexual behaviour among sexually active adolescents?

HIV/AIDS prevalence among Nigerian youth remains one of the highest in the world. Although studies confirmed a high knowledge of HIV among Nigerian youth, there is a lag in linking HIV/AIDS knowledge with protective sexual behaviour. The study utilized data from the Nigeria 2007 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey (NARHS). Analysis was on 865 sexually active adolescents. About 75% of adolescents had good knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Logistic regression models showed that HIV knowledge was significant predictor of non-use of condom (OR=2.34; p=0.041) and accepting gifts for sex (OR=2.02 p=0.043) among male, and predictor of multiple sexual partners (OR=1.30; p=0.023) among females. Regardless of HIV knowledge, higher education, older age at first sex, higher wealth index and urban residency are significant predictors of engagement in non-protective sexual behaviour. The study concludes that high knowledge of HIV/AIDS is not statistically significant in HIV protective attitudes among adolescents

Women’s perceptions and reflections of male partners and couple dynamics in family planning adoption in selected urban slums in Nigeria: a qualitative exploration

BACKGROUND: Nigeria is one of the countries where significant progress has not been recorded in contraceptive uptake despite decades of family planning programs while there are indications that slum dwellers may differ significantly from other urban dwellers in their sexual and reproductive behavior, including family planning uptake. This study therefore examined local notions regarding male partners’ involvement in family planning (FP) adoption by women in two selected urban slums areas in Nigeria – Ibadan (Southwest region) and Kaduna (Northwest region). Specifically, the study investigated women’s narratives about FP, perceived barriers from male partners regarding FP adoption by the women and how women negotiate male partners' cooperation for FP use. METHODS: Sixteen FGD sessions were conducted with selected groups of men and women, stratified by sex, age group, and FP experience using a vignette to generate discussions. Sessions were facilitated by experienced social scientists and audio-taped, with note-taker also present. The transcribed data were analyzed with Atlas.ti software version 7. Inductive approach was employed to analyze the data. Reasons given for FP attitudes and use are presented in a network format while critical discourse analysis was also used in generating relevant tables. RESULTS: The finding shows that women in the selected communities expressed desire for FP adoption. Three main reasons largely accounted for the desire to use FP: perceived need to space childbirth, family’s financial condition and the potential adverse effect of high fertility on the woman’s health. Male partners’ support for the use of FP by women was perceived to be low, which is due to misconceptions about FP and traditional pro-natalistic beliefs and tendencies. Mechanisms by which women negotiate their male-partner’s cooperation for FP adoption include seeking the support of the partner’s significant others and advice from older women. CONCLUSION: To significantly improve family planning adoption rates among urban slum dwellers in Nigeria, there is the need to specifically and specially target men alongside their female partners as well as other stakeholders who have significant influences at family and community level. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-869) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Grandparenting in Selected West African Countries: Implications for Health and Hygiene Behaviours in the Household

This is a descriptive study of the health and hygiene behaviors of grandparents who are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren in four West African countries, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The article utilizes data from each country’s most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). The study identified 20,841 households where grandparents were primary caregivers. As expected, most of these households are in Nigeria given their population exceeds the collective population of the other three West African countries. However, the number of grandfamilies in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia is still worrisome for their population size. In each country, over half of the children in the care of their grandparents are preschool age or younger, suggesting the type of services in early child care that may be required. Regarding health and hygiene behaviors, over 60% of grandparent households have access to mosquito bed nets, but over 50% of the grandparents report not using, with Nigeria report the largest non- usage rate of 78.6%. Although the available of data is limited in scope, the descriptive analysis provides a foundation upon which more rigorous research can be built to address the health risks and needs confronting grandfamilies in African countries

Behavioral sentinel surveillance survey in Nigeria: Endline technical report

This technical report presents results from the Behavioral Sentinel Surveillance (BSS) endline survey undertaken by Breakthrough RESEARCH/Nigeria in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states between October 1 and November 10, 2022. BSS surveys are intended to assess changes in indicators targeted by the integrated social and behavior change (SBC) activities of the USAID-funded Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria project. The Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria project, which began in 2019 and is slated to run until 2025, focuses on the health areas of malaria; family planning; and maternal, newborn, and child health plus nutrition (MNCH+N) in Kebbi and Sokoto states, as well as malaria-only SBC activities in Zamfara State. The project uses three primary SBC approaches: advocacy outreach to opinion leaders and community influencers at the state and local government area (LGA) levels, direct engagement of community members through community dialogues and group meetings, and SBC messaging campaigns through mass media and digital media. The primary objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of integrated SBC programming, as implemented by Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria in Kebbi and Sokoto states, with single-focused vertical SBC programming, used by Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria to target malaria outcomes in Zamfara state

Variations in Preference for Public Care Supports among the Elderly in South-Western Nigeria

The study examined variations in preference for Public care Supports among the Elderly in South-Western Nigeria. The data for this study were extracted from Author’s 2012 elderly survey of 50 years and above using structured interviews. The data were analysed using univariate, bivariate, Focus group discussion and one-way Analyses of variance (1-Way ANOVA) techniques. The major findings of the study indicate that variables of elderly such as: age, education, marital status, marriage-type, employment, religion, ethnicity, and means of livelihood and usual place of residence have apparent variations in low-preferences for public care-supports in the study locations. Also, the significant socio-demographic variables of respondents that indicate preference for public care supports are: marital status (p=0.026), religious affiliation (p=0.027), and means of livelihood (p=0.015). The study concludes that there are variables of respondents with little or no variation and apparent variations in low preference for public care support among the elderly in Southwestern Nigeria. Thus, the study recommends that public institutional care which can be community-based in order to take care of the elderly in extended family should be considered as a desirable social institution any time from now in Southwestern Nigeria

Behavioral sentinel surveillance survey in Nigeria: Endline technical report for couples

This technical report presents information from married couples on health norms, attitudes, and beliefs as part of the Behavioral Sentinel Surveillance (BSS) endline survey undertaken by Breakthrough RESEARCH/Nigeria in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States between October 1 and November 10, 2022. BSS surveys assess changes in indicators targeted by the integrated social and behavior change (SBC) activities of the USAID-funded Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria’s project. Breakthrough ACTION/Nigeria, which is slated to run from 2019 to 2025, utilizes SBC focused on the health areas of malaria; family planning (FP); and maternal, newborn, and child health plus nutrition (MNCH+N) in Kebbi and Sokoto states, as well as malaria-only SBC activities in Zamfara State. The project uses three primary SBC approaches: advocacy outreach to opinion leaders and community influencers at the state and local government area (LGA) levels, direct engagement of community members through community dialogues, group meetings and household visits, and SBC messaging campaigns through mass media and digital media