Parents’ knowledge of car safety and practices amongst school children in an urban community of Lagos, Nigeria

No fewer than 1.2 million deaths globally are attributed to road traffic crashes yearly, with low- and middleincome countries contributing disproportionately to these deaths. Children are a vulnerable road user group, and riding unrestrained is a significant risk factor for death and injury among child car passengers. This studyaimed to determine child car safety knowledge and practices among parents of children attending a private school in an urban setting in Lagos, Nigeria. A descriptive study, using observations of child car safety practices, and a survey of parental knowledge and attitudes of child car safety, were conducted simultaneously amongst children 0-10 years riding in cars to school. Data was analysed using Epi Info Version 3.5.1. A total of 127 cars were observed as children were being dropped off at school. The proportion of child passengers aged 0 - 10 years restrained by any device was 6.3%, with only 2.4% of these children being appropriately restrained for age; 19.7% of observed child passengers rode in the front seat. Awareness of car safety seats among parents was high at 85%. However, less than 40% of respondents knew the correct age to commence use of child restraints, seat belts, or front seating. The reason most cited for non-use of child restraints was unavailability (24.1%). Despite the high level of awareness about car safety seats, parental knowledge of specific child passenger safety issues and practices were poor. Targeted interventions are needed to bridge the gap between awareness, knowledge and practice in this population.Keywords: child, motor vehicle passenger, car restraints, adults, knowledge and attitude, road safet

Gender disparities in the socio-economic burden of HIV/AIDS among patients receiving care in an HIV clinic in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, women are bearing a heavier burden than men in terms of rate of infection and socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS. This study was aimed at assessing gender disparities in the socio-economic burden of HIV/AIDS. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 HIV-positive adult patients attending an HIV clinic in Lagos, Nigeria, selected by multi-stage sampling and interviewed using a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was used to assess how the socioeconomic constructs differed by gender. Results: This study revealed that females suffered more of the socio-economic consequences of having HIV/AIDS than males; cruelty and isolation were significantly higher among the females (p<0.0001), more females (50.0%) were discriminated against at the workplace compared to males (32.1%) (p=0.005), physical abuse (p=0.002) and extortion (p=0.029) were experienced by more of the females than the males. Also, the cost of care outside of antiretroviral therapy was significantly higher among the females (p= 0.002). Conclusion: Quantifying the social and economic disparities between HIV-infected men and women has shown that the burden is by far higher among women than men. Focused interventions are therefore needed to control the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life of HIV-infected women. Keywords: HIV/AIDS; gender disparities; women; Lagos; Nigeria

Challenges in access and satisfaction with reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The presence of COVID-19 has led to the disruption of health systems globally, including essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services. This study aimed to assess the challenges faced by women who used RMNCH services in Nigeria's epicentre, their satisfaction with care received during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors associated with their satisfaction. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Lagos, southwest Nigeria among 1,241 women of reproductive age who had just received RMNCH services at one of twenty-two health facilities across the primary, secondary and tertiary tiers of health care. The respondents were selected via multi-stage sampling and face to face exit interviews were conducted by trained interviewers. Client satisfaction was assessed across four sub-scales: health care delivery, health facility, interpersonal aspects of care and access to services. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationship between personal characteristics and client satisfaction. RESULTS: About 43.51% of respondents had at least one challenge in accessing RMNCH services since the COVID-19 outbreak. Close to a third (31.91%) could not access service because they could not leave their houses during the lockdown and 18.13% could not access service because there was no transportation. The mean clients' satisfaction score among the respondents was 43.25 (SD: 6.28) out of a possible score of 57. Satisfaction scores for the interpersonal aspects of care were statistically significantly lower in the PHCs and general hospitals compared to teaching hospitals. Being over 30 years of age was significantly associated with an increased clients' satisfaction score (ß = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.10-2.50). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 lockdown posed challenges to accessing RMNCH services for a significant proportion of women surveyed. Although overall satisfaction with care was fairly high, there is a need to provide tailored COVID-19 sensitive inter-personal care to clients at all levels of care

Challenges in access and satisfaction with reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

Background The presence of COVID-19 has led to the disruption of health systems globally, including essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services. This study aimed to assess the challenges faced by women who used RMNCH services in Nigeria’s epicentre, their satisfaction with care received during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors associated with their satisfaction. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Lagos, southwest Nigeria among 1,241 women of reproductive age who had just received RMNCH services at one of twenty-two health facilities across the primary, secondary and tertiary tiers of health care. The respondents were selected via multi-stage sampling and face to face exit interviews were conducted by trained interviewers. Client satisfaction was assessed across four sub-scales: health care delivery, health facility, interpersonal aspects of care and access to services. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationship between personal characteristics and client satisfaction. Results About 43.51% of respondents had at least one challenge in accessing RMNCH services since the COVID-19 outbreak. Close to a third (31.91%) could not access service because they could not leave their houses during the lockdown and 18.13% could not access service because there was no transportation. The mean clients’ satisfaction score among the respondents was 43.25 (SD: 6.28) out of a possible score of 57. Satisfaction scores for the interpersonal aspects of care were statistically significantly lower in the PHCs and general hospitals compared to teaching hospitals. Being over 30 years of age was significantly associated with an increased clients’ satisfaction score (ß = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.10–2.50). Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdown posed challenges to accessing RMNCH services for a significant proportion of women surveyed. Although overall satisfaction with care was fairly high, there is a need to provide tailored COVID-19 sensitive inter-personal care to clients at all levels of care

Stigma, medication adherence and coping mechanism among people living with HIV attending General Hospital, Lagos Island, Nigeria

Background: People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) experience some form of stigma which could lead to poor medication adherence.Objectives: This study assessed the various domains of stigma experienced by PLWHAs attending an HIV clinic at General Hospital, Lagos Island, their medication adherence patterns and their coping mechanisms for ensuring adherence to antiretroviral therapy.Method: A cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 200 was used. Respondents were selected using systematic random sampling. Interviewers administered structured questionnaires were used to collect information on the domains of stigma. Data was analysedusing EPI info©. This was followed by a focus group discussion (FGD) with seven participants at the clinic using an interview guide with open-ended questions.Results: Overall, stigma was experienced by 35% of the respondents. Within this group, 6.6%, 37.1%, 43.1% and 98.0% of the respondents reported experiencing negative self image stigma, personalised stigma, disclosure stigma and public attitude stigma respectively. Almost 90% of the respondents were adherent. The FGD revealed that disclosure was usually confined to family members and the coping mechanism for achieving adherence was to put antiretroviral (ARVs) in unlabelled pill boxes.Conclusion: This study found that stigma was low and that the most common domain of stigma experienced was public attitude stigma. Medication adherence of respondents was good as a result of the coping mechanism, which involves putting ARVs in unlabelled pill boxes

Issues surrounding HIV status disclosure: Experiences of seropositive women in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity by infected women is crucial in HIV control. To determine the rates, patterns, effects, and determinants of disclosure of status among HIV-positive women in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Simple random sampling method was used to select 364 HIV-positive women accessing care in HIV treatment centers in Lagos Island. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed with Epi Info (version 3.5.3). Inferential statistics done was Chi-square test and level of statistical significance was set at <5%. Results: Mean age of respondents was 37.3 ± 3 years, and most were married or cohabiting in monogamous families. The disclosure rates were 81.9% to anyone (excluding a health care professional); 60.4% to spouse/sexual partners; and 67.7% disclosed on the same day of diagnosis. Main reasons for disclosure were failing health (49.3%) and a sense of responsibility to the spouse/sexual partner (33.6%). Major reasons for nondisclosure were negative public opinion (84.8%) and fear of losing relationships (40.3%). Positive reactions following disclosure were mostly acceptance: 75.2% (family member) and 72.3% (spouse/sexual partner) while blame was the main negative outcome. Longer duration of diagnosis significantly improved disclosure to anyone (P < 0.001). Older age (P < 0.001) and awareness of spouse/sexual partner's HIV status (P < 0.001) significantly improved disclosure to spouse/sexual partner. Conclusions: Many respondents had not disclosed their status and require support and counseling to do so. Community education regarding stigmatization should be intensified

Sexually transmitted infections: Prevalence, knowledge and treatment practices among female sex workers in a cosmopolitan city in Nigeria

Sexually transmitted infections constitute economic burden for developing countries, exposure to causative agents is an occupational hazard for female sex workers. Targeted interventions for this population can reduce the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus, but barriers exists which can hinder effective implementation of such programs. This descriptive cross sectional study sought to assess the prevalence, knowledge and treatment practices of sexually transmitted infections among brothel based female sex workers Three hundred and twenty three consenting female sex workers were surveyed using pre tested, interviewer administered questionnaires. More than half of the respondents (54.2%) had poor knowledge of symptoms of sexually transmitted infections. Only 13.9% were aware that sexually transmitted infections could be asymptomatic. The self reported prevalence of symptomatic sexually transmitted infections was 36.5%. About half of those with sexually transmitted infectionss sought treatment in a hospital or health centre while 32.5% from a patent medicine vendor. Most respondents (53.8%) mentioned the perceived quality of care as the main reason for seeking treatment in their chosen place. More of the respondents with good knowledge of sexually transmitted infections reported symptoms compared to those with fair and poor knowledge. The knowledge of sexually transmitted infections among these female sex workers is poor and the prevalence is relatively high. Efforts to improve knowledge promote and encourage preventive as well as effective treatment practices must be made for this population.Les infections sexuellement transmissibles constituent un fardeau économique pour les pays en développement et l&apos;exposition aux agents pathogènes est un risque professionnel pour les prostituées. Les interventions qui visent cette population peuvent réduire l&apos;incidence et la prévalence des infections sexuellement transmissibles, y compris le virus de l&apos;immunodéficience humaine, mais il existe des obstacles qui peuvent entraver la mise en oeuvre effective de ces programmes. Cette étude descriptive transversale a cherché à évaluer les pratiques de la prévalence, la connaissance et le traitement des infections sexuellement transmissibles chez les prostituées qui pratiquent leur métier dans des bordels. Trois cent vingt-trois prostituées consentants ont été interrogées à l&apos;aide des questionnaires déjà testés et administrés par l’intervieweur. Plus de la moitié des interviewées (54,2%) avaient une mauvaise connaissance des symptômes des infections sexuellement transmissibles. Seulement 13,9% étaient au courant que les infections sexuellement transmissibles peuvent être asymptomatiques. La prévalence des symptômes d&apos;infections sexuellement transmissibles auto signalés était de 36,5%. Environ la moitié de ceux qui sont atteints des infections sexuellement transmissibles ont recherché un traitement dans un centre hospitalier ou dans un centre de santé tandis que 32,5% le recherchaient auprès d&apos;un vendeur des médicaments brevetés. La plupart des interviewées (53,8%) ont mentionné la qualité perçue des soins comme la principale raison pour se faire soigner dans les lieux choisis. Beaucoup d’interviewées qui ont une bonne connaissance des infections sexuellement transmissibles ont signalé des symptômes par rapport à ceux qui les connaissent passablement ou mal. La connaissance des infections sexuellement transmissibles chez les prostituées est mauvaise et la prévalence est relativement élevée. Il faut faire des efforts pour améliorer les connaissances, pour promouvoir et pour encourager la prévention ainsi que les pratiques de traitement efficaces à l’intérêt de cette populatio

Modern FP practices, male involvement and unmet fertility needs among rural and urban Nigerian women: Findings from a mixed method study in the Southwest Region

Family planning (FP) utilization impacts individuals, families, communities and nations. The study aimed at comparing family planning predictors, male involvement in family planning and unmet fertility needs in rural and urban areas of Lagos, Nigeria. A cross-sectional, comparative study design involving multi-stage sampling method was used to select a total of 600 women. Data was collected by questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. Modern FP use by couples was 52% (rural) and 56.3% (urban) with no significant difference. In the rural population, the predictors of use of modern FP were being a Christian, employed, spouse having formal education and higher number of children. In the urban population, it was higher number of children. For both rural and urban women, ideal family size was higher than the desired number of children. Most men in both areas do not like any FP method but some of them support their wives. Utilization is similar among both groups and much higher than the national and regional aver-age. Rural programs to improve female empowerment and formal education among males should be implemented. FP education may improve male involvement in both areas. Key words: Reproductive Health, Family Planning, Fertility, Contraceptives, Comparative, Nigeri

Dataset of 1241 clients of RMNCH services during the COVID-19 outbreak in Lagos

Dataset of 1241 clients of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services during the COVID-19 outbreak in Lagos