Health Insurance Status and Severe Maternal Morbidity Outcomes in the United States - A Policy Review

Objective: To show evidence of the relationship between insurance status, type, and duration of coverage on severe maternal morbidity and mortality outcomes in the United States. Methods: A review of multi-state and national studies was done to show the relationship between insurance type on the incidence, timing, and outcome of severe maternal morbidities (SMM). A retrospective cohort study from 2010-2014 used data from the IBM MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid and Commercial Claims and Encounters databases to evaluate timing of SMM during delivery hospitalization of 2,667,325 women aged 15-44 years. Women with SMM were identified using the ICD-9-CM codes for 21 factors associated with SMM. Results from the national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS) for 2011-2015 was reviewed for pregnancy-related deaths by sociodemographic characteristics, timing relative to end of pregnancy, and the leading causes of death. Results from 13 state maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) from 2013-2017 on pregnancy-related deaths was reviewed for predisposing factors and preventability. Results: For the retrospective cohort study, a total of 2,399 women (73.5%) in the Medicaid cohort and 3,993 women (75.7%) in the commercial insurance cohort with SMM after discharge were diagnosed in the first 2 weeks after delivery hospitalization discharge. In the Medicaid cohort, Black women had a higher likelihood (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.57-1.81) of SMM in the postdelivery discharge period compared with White women. In the commercial insurance cohort in the post-delivery discharge period, women residing in the southern region of the US compared with women residing in the northeastern region had a higher likelihood of SMM (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18-1.39). From the PMSS results (2011–2015), the national pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) was 17.2 per 100,000 live births. Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women had the highest PRMRs (42.8 and 32.5, respectively), 3.3 and 2.5 times as high, respectively, as the PRMR for non-Hispanic White women (13.0). Timing of death was known for 87.7% (2,990) of pregnancy-related deaths. Among these deaths, 31.3% occurred during pregnancy, 16.9% on the day of delivery, 18.6% 1–6 days postpartum, 21.4% 7–42 days postpartum, and 11.7% 43–365 days postpartum. Leading causes of death included cardiovascular conditions, infection, and hemorrhage, and these causes of maternal deaths varied by timing; in pregnancy, during childbirth and postpartum. About 60% of pregnancy-related deaths from state MMRCs were determined to be preventable. The MMRC results indicated that multiple factors contributed to pregnancy-related deaths, and prevention strategies should include improving access to, and coordination and delivery of, quality care to birthing parents. Conclusion: Pregnancy-related deaths occurred during pregnancy, around the time of delivery, and up to 1 year postpartum; leading causes varied by timing of death. 15.7% and 14.1% of SMM cases in the Medicaid and commercial insurance cohorts, respectively, first occurred after the delivery hospitalization, with disparities in factors and maternal characteristics associated with SMM. Approximately 60% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable

Exploring dietary diversity, nutritional status of adolescents among farm households in Nigeria: do higher commercialization levels translate to better nutrition?

Purpose: This study explored dietary diversity and nutritional status of adolescents among rural farm households in Southwestern Nigeria. It analyses if higher commercialization levels of farm households translate to better nutrition. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in Ogun and Oyo States of Southwestern Nigeria, utilizing primary data from 352 farm households with a total of 160 adolescent members. The individual version of dietary diversity score (DDS) of nine (9) food groups was used to calculate adolescent DDS over a 24-h recall period, World Health Organization (WHO) AnthroPlus software was used in analyzing adolescents’ anthropometric data (height-for-age z-score and BMI-for-age z-score) while household crop commercialization index (CCI) was estimated for each farm household. Separate logit models were used to examine the drivers of adolescents’ dietary diversity and malnutrition. Findings: The study findings indicated that 100% of the adolescents consumed starchy staples while 0%, 3.1% and 12.5% consumed organ meat, milk/milk poducts, and eggs respectively. Results revealed that 74.1% and 21.2% of boys were stunted and thin while the prevalence in adolescent girls was 50.7% and 9.3% respectively. Prevalence of stunting was found to be very high (60-83%) in all the four CCI levels’ households indicating that belonging to highly commercialized households (CCI 3-4) may not necessarily translate to better nutrition of adolescent members. Food expenditure (p< 0.01) and access to piped water (p< 0.01) negatively influenced adolescents’ stunting mainly due to lower expediture on food items and lower percent of household having access to piped water respectively while education (p< 0.01) had positive effect on adolescents’ dietary diversity. Originality/value: Previous studies have contributed to the body of knowledge concerning the link between agricultural commercialization and nutrition using under-five children of the households. However, this is the first study that investigated the influence of CCI on DDS and nutritional status of adolescent members of farm households in Nigeria. Our study fills this existing knowledge gap in investigating adolescents’ dietary diversity and malnutrition among smallholder farm households

Assessing the Zero Hunger Target Readiness in Africa in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic

Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) is hinged on achieving zero hunger target globally by 2030. Many developing countries, especially African countries, are challenged with extreme hunger that are often caused or compounded by bad governance, conflicts and climate change. In this paper, we assess Africa’s readiness towards attaining the zero hunger target by 2030 in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Patterns of Global Hunger Index (GHI) and each of its indicators across Africa are compared before the pandemic (2000-2019). The effect of the pandemic on the hunger situation in Africa is discussed by highlighting the mitigating measures put in place by selected African governments. We have found that most African countries have recorded steady reduction in their child mortality rates but high prevalence of undernourishment, stunting and child wasting indicates significant challenges hampering the achievement of the zero hunger target. The study recommends that African governments should prioritize sustainable agricultural practices and give serious attention to the formulation and implementation of policies that reduce hunger against the COVID-19 pandemic

DIVIDEND POLICY AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REGULATION AND PRACTICE IN NIGERIAN BANKS

This research examines impact of corporate governance regulation and practice on dividend policy using case study of First and Zenith Bank. The objective of this research is to examine, investigate and evaluate if and how corporate governance regulation and practice affect or influence dividend policy in banks. This research adopted a mixed method approach that is using both qualitative and quantitative approach. The research instruments used in data analyses were descriptive analyses, chi-square and multiple linear regressions. The findings in this research were; corporate governance regulation and practice has impact on dividend policy, non-executive directors are very essential in dividend policy decisions as to whether they pay or do not pay dividends, that corporate governance disclosure, board size and size of executive directors are major contributors to the dividend policy adopted and that dividend payments can be used as a corporate governance measure to reduce agency cost. This research revalidates and supports the use of agency theory that major studies regarding corporate governance support. This research also supports that corporate governance regulation and practice have impact on dividend policy. This research shows that Nigeria can rely on the details in this research

Assessing the zero hunger target readiness in Africa in the face of COVID-19 pandemic

Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) is hinged on achieving zero hunger target globally by 2030. Many developing countries, especially African countries, are challenged with extreme hunger that are often caused or compounded by bad governance, conflicts and climate change. In this paper, we assess Africa’s readiness towards attaining the zero hunger target by 2030 in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. Patterns of Global Hunger Index (GHI) and each of its indicators across Africa are compared before the pandemic (2000-2019). The effect of the pandemic on the hunger situation in Africa is discussed by highlighting the mitigating measures put in place by selected African governments. We have found that most African countries have recorded steady reduction in their child mortality rates but high prevalence of undernourishment, stunting and child wasting indicates significant challenges hampering the achievement of the zero hunger target. The study recommends that African governments should prioritize sustainable agricultural practices and give serious attention to the formulation and implementation of policies that reduce hunger against the COVID-19 pandemic.https://jurnal.uns.ac.id/carakatanipm2021Veterinary Tropical Disease

Influence of Uncertain Business Environment on Entrepreneurship Decision Making In Nigeria

Influence of uncertain business environment on entrepreneurship decision making is theoretical in nature. The paper pose that the business environment is full of  challenges, these challenges are referred to as business variables, these variables  are divided into two: controllable variables and uncontrollable variables, an entrepreneur must try in as much as possible to diagnose this uncertain business environment before investing the scarce resources. The paper has the following objectives: To determine the impact of environment on business decision, to evaluate the risk associated to investment opportunity and to examine the factors that can hindered the prospects of business in an environment. These factors could be technology, economic system, legal, competitors, and manpower etc. the paper also look at selected areas for examination such as: concept of business, concept of entrepreneurship, characteristics of business, decision making process, types decision, identification of business ventures, product life cycle, entrepreneurship and environmental scanning, SWOT analysis, plant location and layout decision. The study is significant because it has contributed to the body of knowledge, prospective entrepreneurs will also find the article useful as a guide to further study in the field of entrepreneurship, students, individual researcher will also find the articles useful, the paper has equally  helped to understand the implication of investing in an uncertain business environment in Nigeria. It is not as a result of expansion or capital, but it is traceable to inability of an entrepreneur to analyzed business environment before investing the scarce resources. This paper has equal spell out step by step that entrepreneur need to follows in order to judiciously invest these scarce resources. The paper contains about 28 pages includes references. Such as title, introduction, abstract, objectives, significance, major topics on the influence of uncertain business environment on entrepreneurship decision making, summary, conclusion and recommendations Keywords: Uncertainty, Business Environment, Entrepreneurship, Decision-Making, SWOT Analysi

THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND BOARD SIZE ON CORPORATE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION: A STUDY OF SELECTED LISTED BANKS IN NIGERIA

This paper examined the association between the effect of financial performance and board size on corporate executive compensation in Nigeria. In accomplishing the research objectives of this study, the audited annual financial statement of listed banks covering the period 2005-2013 were analyzed. Also, a total of 10 listed banks in the Nigerian stock exchange market were selected and analyzed for the study using the purposive sampling method. Nevertheless, in analyzing the research hypotheses, the study adopted the use of both descriptive statistics and econometric analysis using the pooled ordinary least square regression analysis method in the estimation of the regression equation. Findings from the study show that a significant positive relationship was observed between banks financial performance and the corporate executive compensation (director’s emoluments) for the sampled banks

THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND BOARD SIZE ON CORPORATE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION: A STUDY OF SELECTED LISTED BANKS IN NIGERIA

This paper examined the association between the effect of financial performance and board size on corporate executive compensation in Nigeria. In accomplishing the research objectives of this study, the audited annual financial statement of listed banks covering the period 2005-2013 were analyzed. Also, a total of 10 listed banks in the Nigerian stock exchange market were selected and analyzed for the study using the purposive sampling method. Nevertheless, in analyzing the research hypotheses, the study adopted the use of both descriptive statistics and econometric analysis using the pooled ordinary least square regression analysis method in the estimation of the regression equation. Findings from the study show that a significant positive relationship was observed between banks financial performance and the corporate executive compensation (director’s emoluments) for the sampled bank

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEBT RATIO AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIAN QUOTED COMPANIES

This study examined the relationship between debt ratio and financial performance of selected Nigerian quoted. This research work also examined whether asset turnover is related firm financial performance as well as whether asset tangibility is related firm financial performance. Data for the period of five years (2011-2015), sourced from the annual reports of the quoted companies was used in carrying out the analysis. The variable used werey debt ratio , assets turnover, assets tangibility, and financial performance (i.e. profitability) is proxied by return on assets.STATA software was engaged in performing the correlation and regression analysis. The study detected that from the regression analysis that debt ratio and financial performance are positively and significantly related. The result also revealed that asset turnover and financial performance are negaitively and but not significantly related whlie assets tangibility and financial performance are positively and significantly related

International financial reporting standards (IFRSs) adoption in Africa: Abibliometric analysis

Countries in Africa have since joined their counterparts in other regions of the world in adopting IFRSs with over 30 countries either requiring or permitting its use for its companies. This study contributes to academic literature as it presents a bibliometric analysis on the state of IFRS research in Africa. The analysis involves 73 published articles listed on Scopus database between 2005 and 2018. Key findings in the study indicate that the first research document on Scopus database on IFRS in Africa was in 2005, despite its early adoption since 1993 in Zimbabwe. There is a continued upward growth in the volume of publications and citations over the years. The year of first IFRSs adoption is not associated with the volume of publication. Top five leaders in the volume of publication on IFRSs include Tunisia and Egypt, these countries are yet to adopt IFRSs. The dominant subject areas on IFRSs research are Business, Management & Accounting, Economics, Econometrics & Finance and Social Sciences. Only 21 authors and 18 institutions out of over 600 institutions in Africa contribute more than one publication to IFRS research. These institutions and authors are all in six African countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Uganda and Ghana). Recommendations from the result include the need for higher visibility of research on IFRS. Approximately 87% of the publications are non-open access and the need for more academic conference on IFRS as conference proceedings accounts for only 11%