Factors responsible for under-utilization of postnatal care services in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria

Background: In Maiduguri, the utilization of available postnatal care services is still very low. This may be influenced by demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and obstetric factors among others. Objective: The aim of this study is to understand the current status of utilization of maternal postnatal health care services and identify factors responsible for under.utilization of available postnatal care services in Maiduguri. Materials and Methods: A. cross.sectional, questionnaire.based study was conducted involving 350 women in their reproductive age group. (15.49. years), who had delivered previously, residing in Maiduguri and who came to access any of the available maternal health care services at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri over a 3.month period. The Chi.squared statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used. Results: Out of the grand total of 350 questionnaires that were distributed during the study period, 18 questionnaires were excluded from analysis due to incomplete responses, 332 with complete responses were therefore analyzed, giving a response rate of 94.9%. The results showed that only 16.9% of the respondents attended postnatal care services within 42. days after delivery. Most of the mothers. (60.9%) were not knowledgeable about postnatal care services. A. very high proportion of participants. (69.4%) did not attend antenatal clinics, and over. 70% of the study population had delivered at home. The study has identified some factors that have an important influence on utilization of postnatal care services in Maiduguri. These included awareness of postnatal care services. (odds ratio. [OR] 12.04, 95% confidence interval. [CI]: 10.26, P =. 0.000), higher educational status of the woman. (OR 7.15, 95% CI: 5.19, P =0.000), lower parity. (OR 5.22, 95% CI: 3.21, P = 0.001) and marital status. (married woman.OR 3.44, 95% CI: 2.17, P =0.002). Educational attainment of the husband also significantly affected the respondents' seeking behavior of postnatal care. (OR 2.01, 95% CI: 1.13, P =0.042). Conclusion: Utilization of postnatal care services is quite low in Maiduguri. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors influenced the use of postnatal care services. Government should provide culturally acceptable health educational programs and expands maternal health care services into the communities for the better, effective and efficient health care delivery

Voluntary cough intensity and its influencing factors differ by sex in community-dwelling adults

Background: Cough peak flow (CPF) is widely used for measuring voluntary cough intensity. However, the respective factors that affect CPF are not known. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting CPF by sex in community-dwelling adults. Method: We recruited participants using posters exhibited at a public gymnasium. Participation was voluntary, and all participants provided informed consent. Nonsmoking community residents (102 males, 49.6 ± 20.2 years of age; 101 females, 51.4 ± 18.4 years of age) participated in this study. The main outcome measures were sex differences in CPF, respiratory function, respiratory muscle strength, thorax extension, and grip strength. Factors affecting CPF by sex were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results: All parameters were higher in men than in women. CPF was affected by thorax expansion at the tenth rib, inspiratory muscle strength and forced expiration in 1 s in men, and thorax expansion at the tenth rib, inspiratory reserve volume, and expiratory muscle power in women. A weak negative correlation was observed between CPF and age ( p = −0.24, p < 0.05) in women. Conclusions: The factors affecting CPF differed by sex in community-dwelling adults. Clinical Trial Number: UMIN00002391