Parent-Child Communication and Adolescent Sexual Behaviour among the Yoruba Ethno-cultural group of Nigeria

Adolescents' sexual behaviour has become a global reproductive health concern especially in the developing countries. Undoubtedly, Parent-Child communication remains a vital means by which parents transmit cultural values and monitor the sexual behaviour of their children.  Since the extent of the qualitative manner in which parents are involved in their children’s lives are critical factors in the prevention of sexual risk-taking behaviour among adolescents. This paper investigated the characteristics pattern and how the quality of communications processes among the dyads of parents and their adolescent children influence adolescent sexual behaviour among the Yoruba Ethno-cultural group of Nigeria. The sample consisted of 588 adolescents between the age range of 12 and 22. The study found that a higher percentage of the males (79.3%) agreed that their first sexual experience was by choice while (88.9%) of their females counterparts claimed that they were forced into their first sexual debut. It was further revealed that irrespective of gender and sexual experience of respondents the quality of parent-child communication on sexual matters was rated as poor and inadequate among the Yoruba traditional society of Nigeria. A clarion call to all stakeholders was advocated on   promoting positive parent-child family interaction as a strategy for breaking the cultural stereotype inhibiting open and receptive parent-child sexual communication for raising sexually healthy adolescents

An Insight into the Influence of Corona Virus Surge on Nigerian Economy

The study explored the emergence of a novel virus disease called covid-19 that is ravaging, devastating both human health and global economy and dissect vis-à-vis Nigerian economy. Ordinary Least Square Regression (OLSR) was used to analyse Total Nigeria Confirmed Cases (TNCC), Total Africa Confirmed Cases (TACC) and Total Global Confirmed Cases (TGCC) as exogenous variables while the endogenous variables are market capitalisation, (mcapt), foreign exchange rate of US-Dollar to Naira (usnaira) and crude oil price per day (copd) for period of 182 days. The result revealed that covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on market capitalisation, exchange rate and crude oil price and Nigerian economy as a whole. We recommend that bailout funds should be made available to stakeholders in the capital market, funds in foreign exchange reserve accounts should be used to hedge foreign exchange fluctuations and funds in excess crude oil accounts should be used to cushion the effect of fall in crude oil price. Keywords: COVID-19, Foreign exchange rate, Crude oil, Market capitalisation JEL: D 53, F 31, I 15 DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-18-02 Publication date:September 30th 202

Effectiveness of Treatment Outcomes of Public Private Mix Tuberculosis Control Program in Eastern Nigeria

Effective tuberculosis treatment has been shown to have significant effect on the control of tuberculosis. Completion of treatment of active cases is therefore the most important priority of tuberculosis control programmes. Descriptive statistics with a retrospective cohort study design used to analyze secondary data set (2007-2010) of patients accessing TB-DOTS treatment in two facilities (Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH and Department of Health Services Tuberculosis and Leprosy  Control Unit Nnewi North Local Government Area (L.G.A.) Secretariat, DHSTLCU ) as public health facilities and other two facilities ( Immaculate Heart of Catholic Church Hospital, IHCCH  and Diocesan Anglican Communion Hospital, DACH) as private health facilities in Nnewi North L.G.A., Anambra State. Gender of patients were male: female 54%(1016 patients) : 46% (883 patients) and 53%(63 patients) : 47%(56 patients) in public and private health facilities respectively . Using WHO (1996) standards the health facilities adjudged as efficient were: in 2007, private facilities using the indicator  of treatment failure rate; private facilities using the indicator of death rate;  public facilities and private facilities using  the indicator of transfer-out rate ; public facilities using the indicator of  treatment completion rate. In 2008, effective health facilities were: private health facilities using the indicator of failure rate; public and private health facilities using the indicator of transfer-out rate; private facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In 2009, effective health facilities were public and private health facilities using indicator of treatment failure rate; public and private health facilities using the indicator of death rate; public and private facilities using the indicator of transfer out; public and private facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In 2010, effective health facilities were: private health facilities using the indicator of  cure rate; private facilities using the indicator of death rate ; public and private facilities using the indicator of transfer-out; public facilities using the indicator of treatment completion rate. In conclusion, private health facilities were more effective than public health facilities  by the several indicators over the four year period.  Future research is needful to use primary and secondary data sets in assessment of TB control program effectiveness; technical efficiency assessment using non-parametric statistics will assess the validity of assessing effectiveness using only the WHO standards; identify centre-specific factors associated with poor treatment outcome; institutionalizing a reward system for effective TB-DOTS facilities will engender healthy competition in the Public Private Mix for sustained effectiveness; the Monitoring and Evaluation tools especially the treatment card for data capture should be improved upon for comprehensiveness of patients socio-economic history. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Effectiveness, Treatments Outcomes, Public Private Mi

Factors Associated with Treatment Success among Pulmonary Tuberculosis and HIV Co-infected Patients in Oyo State, South West-Nigeria

Background The co-existence of Tuberculosis (TB) and Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is  known to increase morbidity and mortality in patients. The determinants of treatment success in TBHIV co-infection are not yet well studied. Such information can help optimise treatment and reduce morbidity and mortality.Objective To determine factors associated with antitubercular treatment success among TB I HIV coinfected patients.Methods A cross sectional study was carried out in fifty  three DOT clinics and treatment centres  using tuberculosis patient's records from January 2009 to December 2010 in Oyo state, Nigeria. The study population consisted of 7905 tuberculosis patients. Information on variables of interest were obtained with the use of data extraction forms. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to test the relationship between TB I HIV coinfection and socio-demographic variables, clinical characteristics and treatment success.Results Prevalence ofTB I HIV co-infection was found to be 14.2%. Patients with TB-HIV co-infection  were younger and more likely to be females. There were statistically significant association between treatment success and gender, marital status and patient point of care. After adjusting for other variables, it was found that patients receiving treatment in private facilities were independently less likely to be successfully treated compared with those receiving care in Public facilities. Female patients were also independently more likely to have better treatment outcome than male.Conclusion In addition to patients' point of care, gender of the patients can adversely impact on their treatment success. Efforts from the government to strengthening the private public mix, health education and media awareness on adherence to treatment to improve treatment success should be intensified in the country.Keywords: Tube rc ulosis; Human immunodeficiency virus, Directly observe therapy short-course;  Treatment success, Coinfection

Challenges in engaging the private sector for tuberculosis prevention and care in Nigeria: a mixed methods study

Objectives This study aimed to assess the practices of private practitioners regarding tuberculosis (TB), and to ascertain factors related to the low contribution of private healthcare providers to TB prevention and care in Nigeria.Design This is a mixed methods study comprising a quantitative retrospective review and qualitative study.Setting Private health facilities (HF) in Oyo State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria.Participants We used routinely collected data on patients with tuberculosis (TB) notified between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. In-depth interviews were also conducted with the clinical staff of the facilities.Primary and secondary outcome measures The study outcomes are practices of TB case notification and treatment outcome, as well as the barriers and enablers of TB notification.Results A total of 13 (11.0%) out of 118 private HF were designated as ‘engaged’ TB care facilities in Oyo State and none (0%) of the 198 private HF in the FCT held this designation. From the 214 patients with presumptive TB, 75 (35%) were diagnosed with TB, 42 (56%) had a bacteriological test done, 12 (16%) had an X-ray of the chest alone and 21 (28%) had other non-specific investigations. Most patients diagnosed were referred to a public HF, while 19 (25%) patients were managed at the private HF. Among them, 2 (10.5%) patients were treated with unconventional regimens, 4 (21%) were cured, 2 (11%) died, 3 (16%) lost to follow-up and 10 (53%) were not evaluated. The general practitioners did not have up-to-date knowledge of TB with a majority not trained on TB. Most referred patients with presumptive and confirmed TB to the public sector without feedback and were unclear regarding diagnostic algorithm and relevant tests to confirm TB.Conclusion Most private facilities were not engaged to provide TB services although with knowledge and practice gaps. The study has been used to develop plans for strategic engagement of the private sector in Nigeria