Call detail record aggregation methodology impacts infectious disease models informed by human mobility

This paper demonstrates how two different methods used to calculate population-level mobility from Call Detail Records (CDR) produce varying predictions of the spread of epidemics informed by these data. Our findings are based on one CDR dataset describing inter-district movement in Ghana in 2021, produced using two different aggregation methodologies. One methodology, "all pairs," is designed to retain long distance network connections while the other, "sequential" methodology is designed to accurately reflect the volume of travel between locations. We show how the choice of methodology feeds through models of human mobility to the predictions of a metapopulation SEIR model of disease transmission. We also show that this impact varies depending on the location of pathogen introduction and the transmissibility of infections. For central locations or highly transmissible diseases, we do not observe significant differences between aggregation methodologies on the predicted spread of disease. For less transmissible diseases or those introduced into remote locations, we find that the choice of aggregation methodology influences the speed of spatial spread as well as the size of the peak number of infections in individual districts. Our findings can help researchers and users of epidemiological models to understand how methodological choices at the level of model inputs may influence the results of models of infectious disease transmission, as well as the circumstances in which these choices do not alter model predictions

Does peer education go beyond giving reproductive health information? Cohort study in Bulawayo and Mount Darwin, Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVE: Peer education is an intervention within the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC)-adolescent sexual reproductive health (ASRH) linkages project in Bulawayo and Mount Darwin, Zimbabwe since 2016. Little is known if results extend beyond increasing knowledge. We therefore assessed the extent of and factors affecting referral by peer educators and receipt of HIV testing services (HTS), contraception, management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and VMMC services by young people (10-24 years) counselled. DESIGN: A cohort study involving all young people counselled by 95 peer educators during October-December 2018, through secondary analysis of routinely collected data. SETTING: All ASRH and VMMC sites in Mt Darwin and Bulawayo. PARTICIPANTS: All young people counselled by 95 peer educators. OUTCOME MEASURES: Censor date for assessing receipt of services was 31 January 2019. Factors (clients' age, gender, marital and schooling status, counselling type, location, and peer educators' age and gender) affecting non-referral and non-receipt of services (dependent variables) were assessed by log-binomial regression. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 3370 counselled (66% men), 65% were referred for at least one service. 58% of men were referred for VMMC. Other services had 5%-13% referrals. Non-referral for HTS decreased with clients' age (aRR: ~0.9) but was higher among group-counselled (aRR: 1.16). Counselling by men (aRR: 0.77) and rural location (aRR: 0.61) reduced risks of non-referral for VMMC, while age increased it (aRR ≥1.59). Receipt of services was high (64%-80%) except for STI referrals (39%). Group counselling and rural location (aRR: ~0.52) and male peer educators (aRR: 0.76) reduced the risk of non-receipt of VMMC. Rural location increased the risk of non-receipt of contraception (aRR: 3.18) while marriage reduced it (aRR: 0.20). CONCLUSION: We found varying levels of referral ranging from 5.1% (STIs) to 58.3% (VMMC) but high levels of receipt of services. Type of counselling, peer educators' gender and location affected receipt of services. We recommend qualitative approaches to further understand reasons for non-referrals and non-receipt of services

Information And Communication Technology Projects and Nigeria\u27s Academic Libraries: A Design-Reality Approach

Instances of information communication technology project failure are being recorded in Nigeria. This paper focuses on a design-reality gap to assess the selected information communication technology (ICT) projects in federal universities, South West of Nigeria. We determine the success and failure rates of the selected ICT projects based on the design-reality gap model dimensions: information, technology, processes, objectives and values, staffing and skills, management systems and structures. The outcome of the study showed that, of all the ICT E-library projects assessed, only FUTA E-Library was a success, while the rest E-Library projects were partial failures and only FUNAAB E-Library project was a failure. The study recommended that ICT project initiatives should be initiated or instigated on the demand of institutional need, there should be an establishment of a body or agency to monitor ICT projects and their implementation

Analysing lawyers’ attitude towards knowledge sharing

Objectives: The study examined and identified the factors that affect lawyers’ attitudes to knowledge sharing, and their knowledge sharing behaviour. Specifically, it investigated the relationship between the salient beliefs affecting the knowledge sharing attitude of lawyers’, and applied a modified version of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in the knowledge sharing context, to predict how these factors affect their knowledge sharing behaviour.Method: A field survey of 273 lawyers was carried out, using questionnaire for data collection. Collected data on all variables were structured into grouped frequency distributions. Principal Component Factor Analysis was applied to reduce the constructs and Simple Regression was applied to test the hypotheses. These were tested at 0.05% level of significance.Results: Results showed that expected associations and contributions were the major determinants of lawyers’ attitudes towards knowledge sharing. Expected reward was not significantly related to lawyers’ attitudes towards knowledge sharing. A positive attitude towards knowledge sharing was found to lead to a positive intention to share knowledge, although a positive intention to share knowledge did not significantly predict a positive knowledge sharing behaviour. The level of Information Technology (IT) usage was also found to significantly affect the knowledge sharing behaviour of lawyers’.Conclusion: It was recommended that law firms in the study area should deploy more IT infrastructure and services that encourage effective knowledge sharing amongst lawyers. </p

Prevalence and clinical correlates of chlamydia infection in youth who use drugs and alcohol: a good opportunity for early intervention.

Aims: This study estimates the prevalence of chlamydia infection amongst teenage substance users aged 14–18 years and investigates risk factors associated with a positive diagnosis of chlamydia infection. Methods: Data was collected from the medical files of adolescents who attended a statewide drug and alcohol treatment facility during a three-year period commencing June 2011. Results: The highest rate of chlamydia detection (18.0%) was found in the group with a reported history of abuse, a non-substance use psychiatric diagnosis, and individuals who did not complete year 10 education. Conclusion: Adolescents attending a detoxification facility are a suitable group for targeted chlamydia infection screening and early treatment

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES: A DESIGN REALITY APPROACH

This paper focuses on a design-reality gap assessment of selected information communication technology (ICT) projects in federal universities, South West of Nigeria. We determine the success and failure rates of the selected ICT projects based on the design-reality gap model dimensions: information, technology, processes, objectives and values, staffing and skills, management systems and structures, and so on. Thus, we adopt survey research design, including qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection in this paper. Moreover, we use purposive sampling technique in selecting the sample data. Five (5) heads of unit of the selected ICT projects responded to the questionnaire based on the Design-Reality gap model checklist and were also interviewed. The analytical tools adopted were percentage distribution. The data from interview were analysed thematically. The outcome of the study revealed that, UNILAG-CITS, FUTA-CRC, FUNAAB-ICTREC, OAU-MIS and UI-MIS ICT projects as partial failures. The study recommended that ICT project stakeholders/managers should draw up policy statements guiding the initiation, implementation and delivery of ICT project, it is important to conduct a need analysis/assessment prior to the implementation of ICT project initiatives. This will stimulate the demand for the ICT project

Use of indigenous knowledge by women in a Nigerian rural community

287-295The study investigated Rural Women’s use of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in the development of Ogun State, Nigeria. Among others, it aimed at identifying the nature and types of IK being used by the rural women, the extent of use as well as the domains of use. It equally aimed at finding out how the rural women’s use of IK has positively affected sustainable development in Ogun State. The survey research design was adopted. The targeted population comprised rural women in Odeda local government area of Ogun State. A purposive sample of 250 respondents was selected. Data were collected with an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and analyses were carried out using frequencies and percentage distributions. Findings revealed that majority of the rural women were farmers and illiterates but have vast knowledge of traditional medicine. There was an extensive use of oral IK in various domains: culture transfer and preservation, food security, saving and lending money, population control, childcare, etc but its greatest impact was in the area of food production