Multiple Exposure to Information about Family Planning and Contraceptive Use among Women in Nigeria

Exposure to the media advertising is known to help change attitudes and behavior of a targeted population. This study examined multiple exposures to Information about Family Planning and Contraceptive use among Women in Nigeria. The study used 2013 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) data set. Data analysis included Univariate, Bivariate, and Multivariate (binary logistic regression) techniques. Bivariate analysis findings showed that exposure to family planning information via radio, television, newspapers and told at health facility are significantly related to contraceptive use in Nigeria (p-value = 0.000). Also, Contraceptive use is significantly related to women characteristic such as age, marital status, residence, region, work status, religion, education and wealth index. (Pvalue = 0.000). Binary logistic regression showed that show that married women who heard FP information at health facility were 1.5 times as likely as those who did not, to report using contraception, and those exposed to multiple channels of family planning information were 2.5 times as likely as those who were not exposed to use contraceptive methods. Therefore policies that encourage more qualified health workers should be put in place so as to persuade women to use contraceptive. Also, NGO and family planning programmers should make use of multiple media channel for their campaign strategy in order to increase contraceptive use in Nigeria

SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIAN CONTEXT, VULNERABILITY TO CERVICAL CANCER AND HEALTH PROMOTION

The study examined the extent to which Nigerian women are vulnerable to cervical cancer in the context of their cultural characteristics of sexual behaviour. The data were extracted from 2015 Regional Breast and Cervical Cancers Survey that targeted women in age 15-49 years using structured face-to-face interviews. The geo-political zones constituted the strata, out of which two geo-political zones (South West and North Central) were randomly selected and only two states (one from each zone) were randomly picked. The data were analysed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The study revealed the proportion of respondents with identified risk factors that could increase vulnerability to cervical cancer including STIs such as vagina discharge (15.4%) experience heavy or long menstruation (13.9%), discomfort during sexual intercourse (13.1%), pelvic pain (9.5%) and bleeding in-between menstrual periods (5.6%). Multiple sexual partnership practice was not perceived as a risk factor to cervical cancer. The study concludes that the traditional passivity on women sexual relationship could aggravate the vulnerability to cervical cancer. Counselling also would be necessary to address women perception and understanding of various implications of their sexual behaviour in order to reduce the spread of not only cervical cancer but also other reproductive health challenges

SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIAN CONTEXT, VULNERABILITY TO CERVICAL CANCER AND HEALTH PROMOTION

The study examined the extent to which Nigerian women are vulnerable to cervical cancer in the context of their cultural characteristics of sexual behaviour. The data were extracted from 2015 Regional Breast and Cervical Cancers Survey that targeted women in age 15-49 years using structured face-to-face interviews. The geo-political zones constituted the strata, out of which two geo-political zones (South West and North Central) were randomly selected and only two states (one from each zone) were randomly picked. The data were analysed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The study revealed the proportion of respondents with identified risk factors that could increase vulnerability to cervical cancer including STIs such as vagina discharge (15.4%) experience heavy or long menstruation (13.9%), discomfort during sexual intercourse (13.1%), pelvic pain (9.5%) and bleeding in-between menstrual periods (5.6%). Multiple sexual partnership practice was not perceived as a risk factor to cervical cancer. The study concludes that the traditional passivity on women sexual relationship could aggravate the vulnerability to cervical cancer. Counselling also would be necessary to address women perception and understanding of various implications of their sexual behaviour in order to reduce the spread of not only cervical cancer but also other reproductive health challenges

NEIGHBOURHOOD DISADVANTAGES AND ATTITUDE TO SCHOOLING IN POOR URBAN SETTLEMENT IN NIGERIA:IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT

The challenges facing students in 21st century are enormous especially the adolescents in secondary schools in distress and adverse neighbourhood environment. However, only limited studies have explained the interrelationships between neighbourhood environment (such as poverty, violence and its associate stress and crime) and reading culture, academic learning and performance, school dropouts, unemployable school leavers and the existence of widening gap in economic opportunities. The paper examined association between urban neighbourhood disadvantages with poor cognitive and behavioural disposition on schooling, learning and performance. Data for the study were extracted from a cross sectional survey among 1220 senior secondary schools students selected in equal proportion from 14 secondary schools in Lagos metropolis with attrition rate of 12.9%. The state was selected for being a representative of tribe and culture, urban rich and poor setting. The study adopted a measuring scale for both adverse environment and students’ disposition. The data were analyzed using univariate and binary logistic regression analysis. The findings suggest, among others, that adverse neighbourhood characteristics in urban center are connected with the poor learning attitude and learning outcomes. It recommends simultaneous emphasis on attitudinal change motivations and compulsory secondary education policy initiatives in Nigeria and across other sub- Saharan African countries

Discrimination in Welfare Distribution between Academic and Non- Academic Staff of selected Nigerian Universities: A Qualitative Perspective

Background: The study considered the unequal access to healthcare, housing and decent office space among academic and non-academic staff of Nigeria four universities (public and private) and how these have impacted on staff’s work output. Objective: It examined the intra-and-inter universities divergences in staff welfare provisions using three basic indices of welfare, namely: healthcare, housing accommodation and decent office provisions. Methods: The study used semi-structured in-depth interviews among 12 academics (6 seniors, 6 juniors) and 14 non-academics (8 senior and 6 junior) in two public and two private universities selected out of the list of universities within the Lagos and Ogun States. The qualitative data obtained were analysed following systematic-content analysis pattern and presented in adherence to RATS guidelines. The result shows that the abdication of welfare-provision responsibility in the public universities with unhealthy consequences paved way for private ownership and has not been totally benign. The finding revealed that there is high priority for academics in the allocation of welfare facilities especially housing accommodation and offices compared to non-academics in both private and public universities. It shows that the cost of medical bills in private universities are high, unaffordable to workers and are not overwhelmingly. Recommendation: The authors suggest that the implications for discrimination in welfare distribution between academic and non-academic could breed unhealthy working rivalry, and eventual substandard research activities with negative consequences on the quality of the graduates

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Predictors of Modern Contraceptives knowledge among Married Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria: a Mixed Method Approach

The study examined consistent determinants of knowledge of modern contraceptive among married women in Nigeria. This study used mixed method approach to examine consistent socio-demographic factors influencing knowledge of modern methods of contraceptives among married women in Nigeria. It employed the 2008 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) data sets, which were analysed using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate (i.e. binary logistic regression) techniques. Qualitative data was gotten from Focus Group Discussion among pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic within a health facilities in three Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Bivariate results show that knowledge of contraceptives is significantly and consistently associated with socio-demographic variables examined with p-value = 0.000 in both surveys. Multivariate results show that geographical region, women’s education, women’s wealth and work status is significantly consistent in determining the knowledge of modern contraceptives among married women in Nigeria. The qualitative result shows that FGD participants showed that educated women and urban women have more knowledge compared to uneducated and rural women. Policy and programmes geared towards improving knowledge of modern contraceptives method and it adoption among married women of reproductive age in Nigeria will need to consider these key socio socio-demographic factors

Genotype by Trait Relations between Yield and some Morphological Traits of Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Hybrid Varieties Based on GT Biplot

The objective of this study was to evaluate the coconut hybrid varieties based on Genotype by Traits (GT) biplot to examine its usefulness in visualizing coconut trait relationship and its application in genotypes comparison. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with two replications; each block consisted of 5 plots with a total of eight palms per plot while the remaining palms were used as guard rows. This experiment was conducted at the Main Research Station of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The materials for the present study consisted of 5 hybrid varieties of Coconut palm. Data on individual palms were recorded on seven quantitative traits: thickness of petiole (TP), number of fronds (NFD), number of leaflets (NL), number of fruits per palm (NF), number of bunches per palm (NB), width of leaflet (WL) and circumference of the stem 20 cm from the soil level (CF).The GT biplot analysis revealed close associations among the studied traits. The two axes explained 90.4% of the total variation among the cultivars due to the various traits measured thus reflecting the accuracy of inter-relationships among the measured characters. Correlation coefficient between the studied traits showed that there is a strong positive relationship between number of fruit and number of bunches. These two traits were however negatively correlated with other traits except number of fronds. Based on the Auto Find QTL function of GGE biplot, bunch yield and width of leaflets were identified as traits suiTable for indirect selection for nut yield improvement. H4 was identified as an ideal genotype as it combines several good traits in its genetic composition and thus could serve as a good genetic raw material from which better cultivars, synthetic varieties and pure lines can be developed. H1 was the best in terms of nut and bunch yields, indicating that it can be used as parents in the development of hybrid varieties and populations that are outstanding in these traits

Proximate Compositions Evaluation and Variability among Cultivars of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in Nigeria

Genetic variability among the fruits of 22 date palm cultivars was studied using 6 nutritional characters to enable us classify the available germplasm into distinct groups on the basis of their genetic diversity using their nutritional characteristics from proximate composition. The main date palm-growing areas of Nigeria were surveyed in 2011 with the objective of characterizing cultivars as to the quality and economic value of their fruits. Descriptive statistics and some multivariate analysis techniques were used to classify the 22 date palm cultivars. The genotypes based on studied traits were grouped into three clusters. Discriminant function analysis was used to confirm the accuracy of grouping that was produced by cluster analysis. Sugar and crude protein content were identified as important traits that could be used to differentiate the genotypes as revealed by both principal component and discriminant analysis. Genetic distance between Daushenga 1 and Saberari 2 exhibited the greatest dissimilarity followed by Daushenga 1 and Hausawa. Hence the use of these parents for hybridization should be given greater emphasis for the production of transgressive segregants with high nutritional potential. The level of variability observed suggested a high diversity among the cultivars. The result of the principal component analysis indicated that the contribution of the first three factors with Eigen value greater than one accounted for 73.03% of the total variation. The moderately high ash content shows that date palm fruit can effectively serve as a source of inorganic minerals and good adsorbent in the removal of metallic ions, odour, colours and other particulate matter from aqueous medium of water and waste water thus making date palm fruit an effective material precursor in water and waste water treatment among other uses. The high soluble carbohydrate content indeed gives an indication that it compares favourably with other fast energy giving food stuffs and thus it can be added to some food content as an additive .This work identified the existence of inherent variability in the local germplasm collections, and the traits that could be used to exploit the observed variability, eliciting important relationships among the traits in the process