Study of average seasonal variations of surface radio refractivity across some selected cities in Nigeria

The average seasonal variations of surface radio refractivity based on measurement of atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity made across Yola (9o11' N, 12o30' E), Anyigba (7o 45' N, 6o45' E), Lagos (6o 27' N, 5o12' E), and Port-Harcourt (4o 48'N, 7oE) Nigeria, is reported. The measurement was made using wireless automatic weather station installed at the surface of each station under study. The study utilized three years of meteorological data measured from January 2010 to December 2013 to calculate the surface radio refractivity using empirical formula recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R 453, 2012). The result shows that the average value of surface radio refractivity showed seasonal variations with high values during the rainy season and low values during the dry season with an increase in the value of surface radio refractivity of 242N units at Anyigba station to a maximum value of 384-N units at Lagos station. The result also shows that climatic condition is the force behind the seasonal variations of surface radio refractivity in all study stations.Keywords: Refractivity, Temperature, Atmospheric pressure, Relative Humidit

Correlates of postpartum sexual activity and contraceptive use in Kano, northern Nigeria

Practices related to resumption of coitus after childbirth remains poorly documented in Nigeria. This study examined factors associated with sexual intercourse, delivery-coitus interval, and contraceptive use among postpartum women attending a tertiary centre in Kano, northern Nigeria. A cross section of 317 women attending immunization, postnatal and family planning clinics within 12 months of childbirth was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Vaginal intercourse was resumed by most women (n=212; 66.9%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 61.8%, 72.2%) with delivery-coitus resumption interval (mean ± SD) of 9.6±5.2 weeks postpartum. The majority (67.9%) resumed sexual activity within 8 weeks of delivery. Nearly two-thirds 65.6% (n=139/212) of the sexually active women reported current use of contraceptives. Onset of postpartum sexual activity was independently associated with mode of delivery adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95%CI)= 1.10 (1.03,1.78), baby‘s age AOR (95%CI) =2.10 (1.27, 8.70), number of living children AOR (95%CI)=1.21 (1.07,1.79), onset of menstruation AOR (95%CI)=0.34 (0.17,0.69) and co-habitation AOR (95%CI)=0.47 (0.016, 0.14). Contraceptive use was predicted by educational status, sexual activity, baby‘s age and menstruation. Most women attending maternal and child health clinics resumed sexual intercourse within 2 months of delivery, but only two-thirds used modern contraceptive methods. Contraceptive counseling should commence early, preferably during pregnancy.Keywords: sexual intercourse, postpartum, contraceptive use, predictors, Nigeri

Should They Also Have Babies? Community Attitudes Toward Sexual and Reproductive Rights of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

Background: People living with HIV have the right to healthy, satisfying sex lives and to appropriate services to ensure their sexual and reproductive health, including having healthy children. The reproductive rights of people living with HIV/AIDS are, however, often met with skepticism and discrimination, despite recent advances in HIV treatment. Objective: To assess the attitudes of community members in Kano, Nigeria, toward the right of persons living with HIV/AIDS to have healthy sexual relationships and bear children. Methods: A cross-section of 399 adults was interviewed using pretested structured questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted estimates for predictors of agreement with the rights of persons with HIV/AIDS to bear children. Findings: A substantial proportion of respondents (28.6%) strongly agreed and agreed (10.5%) that persons with HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to marry. More than a fifth of the respondents disagreed (16.0%) and strongly disagreed (8.0%) with the rights of HIV-infected persons to bear children. Agreement with the statement “HIV-infected persons should have biological children” was independently associated with higher educational status (adjusted odds ratio: 2.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.82-6.73) and awareness of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission effectiveness (adjusted odds ratio: 2.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.92-5.37). Of those who agreed that HIV-infected persons should have children (n = 253), 17.8% and 26.1% strongly agreed and agreed, respectively, that persons living with HIV/AIDS should be restricted to having fewer children. Further, 11.5% and 4.8% of respondents disagreed and strongly disagreed, respectively, that infertile HIV-infected couples should receive fertility treatment. Conclusions: People living with HIV/AIDS face discriminatory attitudes to their reproductive rights in northern Nigeria. There is a need for effective, culturally appropriate information, education, and communication approaches to improving community perceptions of sexual and reproductive rights of people living with HIV/AIDS

Feasibility trial for primary stroke prevention in children with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria (SPIN trial)

The vast majority of children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) live in Africa, where evidence-based guidelines for primary stroke prevention are lacking. In Kano, Nigeria, we conducted a feasibility trial to determine the acceptability of hydroxyurea therapy for primary stroke prevention in children with abnormal transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurements. Children with SCA and abnormal non-imaging TCD measurements (≥200 cm/s) received moderate fixed-dose hydroxyurea therapy (∼20 mg/kg/day). A comparison group of children with TCD measurements <200 cm/s was followed prospectively. Approximately 88% (330 of 375) of families agreed to be screened, while 87% (29 of 33) of those with abnormal TCD measurements, enrolled in the trial. No participant elected to withdraw from the trial. The average mean corpuscular volume increased from 85.7 fl at baseline to 95.5 fl at 24 months (not all of the children who crossed over had a 24 month visit), demonstrating adherence to hydroxyurea. The comparison group consisted of initially 210 children, of which four developed abnormal TCD measurements, and were started on hydroxyurea. None of the monthly research visits were missed (n = total 603 visits). Two and 10 deaths occurred in the treatment and comparison groups, with mortality rates of 2.69 and 1.81 per 100 patient-years, respectively (P = .67). Our results provide strong evidence, for high family recruitment, retention, and adherence rates, to undertake the first randomized controlled trial with hydroxyurea therapy for primary stroke prevention in children with SCA living in Africa

Predictors of Safer Conception Practices Among HIV-Infected Women in Northern Nigeria

Background: Persons living with HIV often face discrimination in safe sex and reproductive choices, especially in low-resource settings. This study assessed fertility desires and intentions, risk perception and correlates of ever use of at least one safer conception method among HIV-infected women attending a tertiary health facility in Kano, Nigeria.Methods: Structured questionnaires were administered to a cross section of 328 of 427 eligible HIV-infected women. Fertility desires and intentions, risk perception and safer conception practice were analyzed. Logistic regression was employed to assess for predictors. Results: Of the 328 respondents, 150 respondents (45.7%) wanted more children. The proportions of respondents aware of their transmission risk during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding were 69.5%, 75.3%, and 78.9%, respectively. Further, 68.9% of respondents were aware of the prospects of bearing HIV-negative children without infecting their partners. About 64.8% of women were aware of at least one safer conception method. Safer conception methods ever-used by the participants include: antiretroviral therapy (ART) (36.7%), timed unprotected intercourse with (10.9%), and without pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (17.2%), intravaginal insemination (7.3%) and intrauterine insemination (4.7%). Safer conception practice was predicted by marital status (married versus single, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.10-3.55), parity (2-4 versus 0, AOR = 12.1, 95% CI = 3.7-39.8), occupation (civil servants versus traders, AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.16-0.86), husband’s serostatus (seroconcordant versus serodiscordant) (AOR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.13-4.64), couple contraceptive use (users versus non-users) (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.16-5.83) and transmission risk perception (high risk versus low/no risk) (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.18-3.90).Conclusion: We found high levels of fertility desires and intentions and moderate risk perception among a cohort of HIV-infected women in urban Kano, Nigeria. The use of safer conception practices was not common. Our findings underscore the need for healthcare provider capacity building to enhance safer conception counseling and service delivery

The impact of rural residence and HIV infection on poor tuberculosis treatment outcomes in a large urban hospital: a retrospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Successful tuberculosis (TB) treatment is essential to effective TB control. TB-HIV coinfection, social determinants and access to services influenced by rural residence can affect treatment outcome. We examined the separate and joint effects of rural residence and HIV infection on poor treatment outcome among patients enrolled in a large TB treatment centre in Kano, Nigeria. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed a cohort of patients with TB enrolled in a large urban TB clinic in northern Nigeria, from January 2010 to December 2014. Poor treatment outcome was defined as death, default or treatment failure. We used Poisson regression to model rates and determine the relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals, CI) of poor treatment outcomes. RESULTS: Among 1381 patients included in the analysis, 28.4% were rural residents; 39.8% were HIV-positive; and 46.1% had a poor treatment outcome. Approximately 65 and 38% of rural and urban residents, respectively, had a poor treatment outcome. Rural residents had 2.74 times (95% CI: 2.27-3.29) the risk of having a poor treatment outcome compared to urban residents. HIV-positive patients had 1.4 times (95% CI: 1.16-1.69) the risk of poor treatment outcome compared to HIV-negative patients. The proportion of poor treatment outcome attributable to rural residence (population attributable fraction, PAF) was 25.6%. The PAF for HIV infection was 11.9%. The effect of rural residence on poor treatment outcome among HIV-negative patients (aRR:4.07; 95%CI:3.15-5.25) was more than twice that among HIV-positive patients (aRR:1.99; 95%CI:1.49-2.64). CONCLUSION: Rural residents attending a large Nigerian TB clinic are at increased risk of having poor treatment outcomes, and this risk is amplified among those that are HIV-negative. Our findings indicate that rural coverage of HIV services may be better than TB services. These findings highlight the importance of expanding coverage of TB services to ensure prompt diagnosis and commencement of treatment, especially among rural-dwellers in resource-limited settings