Plucking the Flower Just too Early: Some Community Perspectives on Age at Marriage among Adolescent Girls in a Nigerian State

In northern Nigeria, there are cultural and religious pressures on girls to marry early. Up to 43% of girls in Nigeria are married before 18, rising as high as 87% in the northwest. The study, using a mixed method approach, examines behaviours of community members towards adolescent girls' time of marriage with perspectives from adolescent girls, faith leaders, and community members. The study found that the practice of early marriage exists in the areas studied: 35% of survey respondents had one or more daughters married before the age of 18, although most community members believed that a girl should be married when she is "mature". Only 9.6% of survey respondents noted that they would never marry off an underage daughter. As major stakeholders in multi-component interventions, the study identifies the crucial roles of faith leaders in efforts to reduce the practice of early marriage in northern Nigeria

Perceived causes of change in Nigerian adolescent sexual risk behaviour – Results from semi-structured mobile instant messaging interviews

The study explores the perceived causes of change in sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents over the past years. By embedding the results into a theoretical context, the study aims to further develop interventions targeting adolescent sexual health. To do so, 23 semi-structured interviews are conducted through the mobile-instant-messaging tool WhatsApp. The interview sample consists of both female and male adolescents and adults from different regions in Nigeria. The interviews are conducted as simultaneous chats and analysed based on the qualitative content analysis approach. Respondents perceive a multitude of different factors as causes of change in sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents. They can be categorised into (1) individual factors, (2) structural factors, and (3) socio-cultural factors. Interrelations between the different factors can partly be observed. The other factors are mostly modifiable and can therefore contribute to reducing adolescent SRB. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[12]: 32-40). L'étude explore les causes perçues du changement des comportements sexuels à risque chez les adolescents nigérians au cours des dernières années. En intégrant les résultats dans un contexte théorique, l'étude vise à développer davantage les interventions ciblant la santé sexuelle des adolescents. Pour ce faire, 23 entretiens semi-structurés sont menés via l'outil de messagerie instantanée mobile WhatsApp. L'échantillon d'entretiens est composé d'adolescents et d'adultes de sexe féminin et masculin de différentes régions du Nigeria. Les entretiens sont menés sous forme de chats simultanés et analysés sur la base de l'approche d'analyse de contenu qualitative. Les répondants perçoivent une multitude de facteurs différents comme causes de changement dans les comportements sexuels à risque chez les adolescents nigérians. Ils peuvent être classés en (1) facteurs individuels, (2) facteurs structurels et (3) facteurs socioculturels. Des interrelations entre les différents facteurs peuvent en partie être observées. Les autres facteurs sont pour la plupart modifiables et peuvent donc contribuer à réduire le SRB chez les adolescents. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[12]: 32-40)

A Scopus-Based Bibliometric Review of Dental Research Productivity of Universities in North East of England: Policy Implications

Introduction: To evaluate the dental research productivity of the universities in the North East of England (NEE). Methods: We collected the bibliometric data of the dental publications of the five NEE universities from SCOPUS. Collected data were analysed using the Microsoft Excel 2021 software. Results: Dentistry was the health science subject area with the lowest volume of research productivity in two-fifth of the NEE universities. The NEE universities contributed <4% of the total dental research publications in the UK. Newcastle University was the NEE university with the highest volume of dental research productivity. The level of inter-institutional dental research collaborations among the NEE universities was very low. The USA-based institutions were the most productive foreign institutions collaborating with NEE universities. The study identified the five most published dental researchers at the NEE universities. Each of the NEE universities had at least 15.8% of its total dental research publications in the British Dental Journal. Conclusion: The findings obtained in this study gives a reflection of dental research productivity of NEE universities. There is a need to strengthen dental research capacity of universities in the NEE

“Annals of Public Health Issues” has come to stay!

No abstract available

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic