A Comparative Analysis of Fertility Differentials in Cross River State

This paper seek to evaluate fertility differentials in a rural –urban residents in Cross River State. Two settlements were use which include Anantigha as an urban settlement in Calabar and Bendi as a rural settlement in Obanliku. Ninety households were used for this study of which equal number of questionnaires was randomly distributed in each of the settlement. Findings show that there was no variation in age entry to marriage in the two settlements even though there was a significant difference in fertility differentials in the  study area Besides, it was noticed in the study area  that family size and composition in the study area does not have any influence on fertility differences. Keywords: Comparative, Differentials, Fertility,  Marriage , Residents

Work Environment and Employeesa Commitment in Agro-Based Industries in Cross River State, Nigeria

This study examines the effect of work environment on employees commitment in agro-based industries in Cross River State Nigeria The study drew participants from two major agro industries in the state One thousand one hundred and ninety four 1194 respondents were purposively selected for the study Information was elucidated from participants using four point Likert scale questionnaire Data obtained was analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation r Findings revealed that work environment such as consistent communication flow manageable workload availability of electricity and work place that is free from known dangers are positively associated with employees commitment and hence performance The study recommended among others that management of agro-based industries in Cross River State should establish and promote good work environments in their organizations so as to boost employees commitment wellbeing and overall performance and productivit

Good work ethics and service delivery in public universities in the south-south region of Nigeria

The Nigerian University administration is a collection of specialized academic faculties established by law, financed by private and public funds, and staffed by professionals in various disciplines for the purpose of achieving their overall goal (teaching, research, and community service) of service delivery. Since good work ethics represents a critical determinant of effectiveness and productivity vis-à-vis service delivery in all formal organizations, this paper utilizes the “person-situation” theoretical model to assess the level of service delivery in selected public universities in the South-south geo-political region of Nigeria. The present investigation adopted the survey research design. Six hundred and sixty (660) academic and non-academic staff and three hundred (300) students were purposively and randomly sampled respectively. The instrument used for data collection was titled: “good work ethics and service delivery questionnaire”. Data was analyzed using population t-test, multiple regression and Pearson product moment correlation. The study revealed that almost all the public universities under consideration have witnessed poor service delivery in terms of delay in the release of students’ results, delay in the preparation of transcript, failure to adhere to time-tables (crash programme) – leading to frustration by students. The overall consequences of this have been the poor rating of these universities. It was recommended among other things that effort should be made to address the poor work ethics (in terms of initiative, dedication, high standard of responsibility, loyalty, accountability, and self-discipline) among staff and students in the selected universities with a view to strengthening its performance index and therefore service delivery.peer-reviewe

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Proximate Analyses of Leaf Extracts of Newbouldia laevis (Boundary Tree)

This work is designed to enrich the available scientific data on the phytochemistry and nutrient content of N. laevis leaves. The method of cold maceration was used in the extraction by serial exhaustive extraction method. The phytochemical screening of Newbouldia laevis was using through controlled experiment. Qualitative phytochemical screening and proximate analyses of Newbouldia laevis was studied using extracts of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol which were obtained extract from powdered plant part. The extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening using standard procedure and the results shows that all the phytochemicals screened for were revealed in various leaf extracts. Alkaloids and flavonoids are present in all the extracts except ethyl acetate that did not show the presence of alkaloids. Only phlobatannins and tannins were absent in all the extract, steroid is present only in acetone. The proximate analysis revealed the nutritional composition of Newbouldia laevis to be 6.03% of moisture, 7.96% of ash, 9.81% of crude protein, 16.50% of fat, 33.40%. The diversity of phytochemical present suggested that N. laevis could serve as a source of drugs. Keywords: Newbouldia laevis, phytochemistry, Nutrient

Maternal and child health interventions in Nigeria: a systematic review of published studies from 1990 to 2014

BACKGROUND: Poor maternal and child health indicators have been reported in Nigeria since the 1990s. Many interventions have been instituted to reverse the trend and ensure that Nigeria is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. This systematic review aims at describing and indirectly measuring the effect of the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) interventions implemented in Nigeria from 1990 to 2014. METHODS: PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched from 1990 to April 2014 whereas POPLINE® was searched until 16 February 2015 to identify reports of interventions targeting Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Nigeria. Narrative and graphical synthesis was done by integrating the results of extracted studies with trends of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and under five mortality (U5MR) derived from a joint point regression analysis using Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data (1990-2013). This was supplemented by document analysis of policies, guidelines and strategies of the Federal Ministry of Health developed for Nigeria during the same period. RESULTS: We identified 66 eligible studies from 2,662 studies. Three interventions were deployed nationwide and the remainder at the regional level. Multiple study designs were employed in the enrolled studies: pre- and post-intervention or quasi-experimental (n = 40; 61%); clinical trials (n = 6;9%); cohort study or longitudinal evaluation (n = 3;5%); process/output/outcome evaluation (n = 17;26%). The national MMR shows a consistent reduction (Annual Percentage Change (APC) = -3.10%, 95% CI: -5.20 to -1.00 %) with marked decrease in the slope observed in the period with a cluster of published studies (2004-2014). Fifteen intervention studies specifically targeting under-five children were published during the 24 years of observation. A statistically insignificant downward trend in the U5MR was observed (APC = -1.25%, 95% CI: -4.70 to 2.40%) coinciding with publication of most of the studies and development of MNCH policies. CONCLUSIONS: The development of MNCH policies, implementation and publication of interventions corresponds with the downward trend of maternal and child mortality in Nigeria. This systematic review has also shown that more MNCH intervention research and publications of findings is required to generate local and relevant evidence

Socio-Economic and Cultural Impacts of Resettlement on Bakassi People of Cross River State, Nigeria

The socio-economic and cultural impact of resettlement on Bakassi people of Cross River State, Nigeria was examined. The study elicited data from 516 respondents who were purposively selected from the Bakassi resettlement site at Ekpiri Ikang in Cross River State. Data were generated with the aid of structured questionnaire and statistically analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. It was observed that, the resettlement of Bakassi people significantly influenced their occupations, culture and accommodation pattern. It was recommended among others, that the Affected Persons (APs) should be properly compensated and adequate accommodation provided.Key words: Socio-economic; Resettlement and Cultural Impact

Previous induced abortion among young women seeking abortion-related care in Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of death among young women aged 10-24 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Although having multiple induced abortions may exacerbate the risk for poor health outcomes, there has been minimal research on young women in this region who have multiple induced abortions. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the prevalence and correlates of reporting a previous induced abortion among young females aged 12-24 years seeking abortion-related care in Kenya. METHODS We used data on 1,378 young women aged 12-24 years who presented for abortion-related care in 246 health facilities in a nationwide survey conducted in 2012. Socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive and clinical histories, and physical examination assessment data were collected from women during a one-month data collection period using an abortion case capture form. RESULTS Nine percent (n = 98) of young women reported a previous induced abortion prior to the index pregnancy for which they were receiving care. Statistically significant differences by previous history of induced abortion were observed for area of residence, religion and occupation at bivariate level. Urban dwellers and unemployed/other young women were more likely to report a previous induced abortion. A greater proportion of young women reporting a previous induced abortion stated that they were using a contraceptive method at the time of the index pregnancy (47 %) compared with those reporting no previous induced abortion (23 %). Not surprisingly, a greater proportion of young women reporting a previous induced abortion (82 %) reported their index pregnancy as unintended (not wanted at all or mistimed) compared with women reporting no previous induced abortion (64 %). CONCLUSIONS Our study results show that about one in every ten young women seeking abortion-related care in Kenya reports a previous induced abortion. Comprehensive post-abortion care services targeting young women are needed. In particular, post-abortion care service providers must ensure that young clients receive contraceptive counseling and effective pregnancy prevention methods before discharge from the health care facility to prevent unintended pregnancies that may result in subsequent induced abortions.The research presented in this manuscript was funded by the Consortium for Research on Unsafe Abortion in Africa and its principal donor, the UK Department for International Development, as well as the Government of the Netherlands. Analysis and writing time was supported through funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Global Health Grant Number: OPP1021893); UK aid from the UK government for the Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) Research Programme Consortium (Grant Number SR1109D-6); a Safe Abortion Action Fund grant for the Understanding and Improving Adolescent Women’s Access to Quality Abortion Care in Kenya Project (2014–2016); and through general support grants to the African Population and Health Research Center from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Grant Number 2011–001578) and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Grant Number 2012–7612). MMM’s writing time was also funded by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA). CARTA is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand and is funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK) [Grant no. 087547/Z/08/Z], the Department for International Development (DfID) under the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), the Carnegie Corporation of New York [Grant no. B 8606], the Ford Foundation [Grant no. 1100–0399], Google.Org [Grant no. 191994], Sida [grant number 54100029] and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation [Grant no. 10-95915-000-INP]

Timing of abortion among adolescent and young women presenting for post-abortion care in Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis of nationally-representative data

Abstract Background Complications of unsafe abortion are a leading cause of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents and young women are disproportionately represented among those at risk of these complications. Currently, we know little about the factors associated with young women’s timing of abortion. This study examined the timing of abortion as well as factors influencing it among adolescents and young women aged 12–24 years who sought post-abortion care (PAC) in health facilities in Kenya. Methods We draw on data from a cross-sectional study on the magnitude and incidence of induced abortion in Kenya conducted in 2012. The study surveyed women presenting with a diagnosis of incomplete, inevitable, missed, complete, or septic abortion over a one-month data collection period in 328 health facilities (levels 2–6). Survey data, specifically, from adolescents and young women were analyzed to examine their characteristics, the timing of abortion, and the factors associated with the timing of abortion. Results One thousand one hundred forty-five adolescents and young women presented for PAC during the data collection period. Eight percent of the women reported a previous induced abortion and 78% were not using a modern method of contraception about the time of conception. Thirty-nine percent of the index abortions occurred after 12 weeks of gestation. A greater proportion of women presenting with late abortions (more than 12 weeks gestational age) (46%) than those presenting with early abortions (33%) presented with severe complications. Controlling for socio-demographic and reproductive history, timing of abortion was significantly associated with place of residence (marginal), education, parity, clinical stage of abortion and level of severity. Conclusions Late-term abortions were substantial, and may have contributed substantially to the high proportion of women with post-abortion complications. Efforts to reduce the severity of abortion-related morbidities and mortality must target young women, particularly those living in rural and other remote areas. Interventions to reduce unintended pregnancies in this population are also urgently needed to improve early pregnancy detection and timely care seeking