Inequitable childhood immunization uptake in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis of individual and contextual determinants

Background: Immunization coverage in many parts of Nigeria is far from optimal, and far from equitable. Nigeria accounts for half of the deaths from Measles in Africa, the highest prevalence of circulating wild poliovirus in the world, and the country is among the ten countries in the world with vaccine coverage below 50 percent. Studies focusing on community-level determinants therefore have serious policy implications Methods: Multilevel multivariable regression analysis was used on a nationally-representative sample of women aged 15-49 years from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Multilevel regression analysis was performed with children (level 1) nested within mothers (level 2), who were in turn nested within communities (level 3). Results: Results show that the pattern of full immunization clusters within families and communities, and that socio-economic characteristics are important in explaining the differentials in full immunization among the children in the study. At the individual level, ethnicity, mothers' occupation, and mothers' household wealth were characteristics of the mothers associated with full immunization of the children. At the community level, the proportion of mothers that had hospital delivery was a determinant of full immunization status. Conclusion: Significant community-level variation remaining after having controlled for child- and mother-level characteristics is indicative of a need for further research on community-levels factors, which would enable extensive tailoring of community-level interventions aimed at improving full immunization and other child health outcomes

De-agrarianisation and rural employment in Igboland, south-eastern Nigeria

This working paper provides research findings emanating from the De-Agrarianisation and Rural Employment (DARE) Research Programme, coordinated by the African Studies Centre, Leiden. The aim of the Programme was to examine, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the changes in size and significance of the peasant population in sub-Saharan African countries and to draw attention to the new labour patterns and unfolding rural-urban relations now taking place. This paper focuses on Nigeria, and is based on research carried out in the village of Osumenyi in Nnewi South (Igboland), in southeastern Nigeria. It considers aspects of farm and nonfarm activities: the role and trend of farming activities and output, patterns of migration, incomes from nonfarm activities and other sources, the role of social networks, the role of infrastructure and community development, and linkages between nonfarm activities and agriculture. The conclusion is that nonfarm income far outweighs agricultural income. The Nigerian government, still under the impression that rural development is synonymous with agricultural development, should encourage areas with increasing land shortage, increasing populations and poor agricultural resources to diversify their incomes as a matter of priority.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

Effects of economic liberalization on Nigerian universities

Partial final reportThe table of contents for this item can be shared with the requester. The requester may then choose one chapter, up to 10% of the item, as per the Fair Dealing provision of the Canadian Copyright Ac