Use of Maternal Health Services and Pregnancy Outcomes in Nigeria

Maternal health services (MHS) provide primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention to achieve better pregnancy outcomes. However, use of prenatal and natal services among Nigerian women has been ranked among the lowest in the world and, consequently, the country is among the 10 countries with the highest maternal mortality ratio. Moreover, nationwide community-based studies on the use of maternal health services in Nigeria are limited. To address this gap, this quantitative, cross-sectional study analyzed the 2008 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data to identify whether Nigerian women\u27s biological, cultural, and socioeconomic characteristics are associated with their use of MHS and pregnancy outcome as measured by number of antenatal visits, place of delivery, and fetal outcome. The Anderson\u27s health behavior model was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Respondents were women aged 15 - 49 years (N= 31,985), who had given birth between January 2003 and December 2008. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions were conducted. The results indicated that religion, education, income, and availability of skilled health workers showed consistent significant statistical association with both the number of ante natal care (ANC) visits and place of delivery even after controlling for covariates. Overall, these findings have potential for social change on the choice of public health interventions with collaboration with social services such as education, community, and labor sectors. Further, a systematic involvement of local communities is needed to drive specific culturally-sensitive interventions

Does female education explain the disparity in the use of antenatal and natal services in Nigeria? Evidence from demographic and health survey data

Background: Nigeria is among the countries with a high number of annual maternal deaths partly due to low utilization of maternal health services (MHS).Objective: This study aimed to explore whether there is an association between women’s level of education and the appropriate use of antenatal and delivery services.Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was used to analyze the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data. Information from 33,385 women aged 15 – 49 years was analyzed using Bivariate Pearson Chi square test and multiple logistic regressions.Results: Education is statistically associated with the number of antenatal clinic visits made (AOR = 3.208; CI 2.875 – 3.578; p < .0001) and the place of delivery (AOR = 2.009; CI 1.449 – 2.785; p < .0001) even after controlling for availability of skilled health workers, parity, income, religion, age and distance.Conclusion: A long term investment in girls’ education will improve income, interaction with health care providers, level of autonomy to seek and pay for appropriate MHS and ultimately use of MHS and positive pregnancy outcomes.Keywords: Education, antenatal, delivery, Nigeri

Does female education explain the disparity in the use of antenatal and natal services in Nigeria? Evidence from demographic and health survey data.

Background: Nigeria is among the countries with a high number of annual maternal deaths partly due to low utilization of maternal health services (MHS). Objective: This study aimed to explore whether there is an association between women\u2019s level of education and the appropriate use of antenatal and delivery services. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was used to analyze the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data. Information from 33,385 women aged 15 \u2013 49 years was analyzed using Bivariate Pearson Chi square test and multiple logistic regressions. Results: Education is statistically associated with the number of antenatal clinic visits made (AOR = 3.208; CI 2.875 \u2013 3.578; p < .0001) and the place of delivery (AOR = 2.009; CI 1.449 \u2013 2.785; p < .0001) even after controlling for availability of skilled health workers, parity, income, religion, age and distance. Conclusion: A long term investment in girls\u2019 education will improve income, interaction with health care providers, level of autonomy to seek and pay for appropriate MHS and ultimately use of MHS and positive pregnancy outcomes

Free Cash Flow and Investment Efficiency of Listed Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

Purpose- This study aims to determine the relationship between free cash flow and investment efficiency of quoted manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Design- An accounting-based model developed by Richardson (2006) was employed to measure investment efficiency and free cash flow. The population of the study consist of all the listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Similarly, the purposive sampling technique was employed to arrive at forty-eight companies for 2008-2018. Findings- The results of the study confirm the agency theory of free cash flow. Hence, it established that there is a positive and robust relationship between free cash flow and overinvestment. Practical Implications- the findings of this study has practical implications to various group of users of financial information such as investors, policymakers and other stakeholders in the listed manufacturing sector in Nigeria. The study recommends that policymakers reduce the cost of debt, and likewise, managers should emphasize the facilitation of equity capital. Originality- To the best of the researcher's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between free cash flow and investment efficiency in Nigeria

The Occurence of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Slaughtered Cattle in Azare, North-East Nigeria

A Cross-sectional Study was carried out to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (G.I.) helminths parasites in slaughtered cattle at Azare abattoir, Katagum Local Government Area, Bauchi State, North-Eastern Nigeria. One hundred and twenty faecal samples were examined using the floatation and sedimentation method. Out of the total samples tested, G.I.helminths infections were detected in 62 samples tested, giving an overall prevalence of 51.6%. Class nematodes are the most diverse class (56.5%), followed by trematodes (35.5%), while cestodes are the least prevalent (8.1%). There was a statistically significant difference in G.I. helminths’ prevalence among different classes (p 0.05). The Red Bororo breeds had the highest prevalence of 75%, while the least was recorded in White Fulani and Sokoto Gudali, 40% each. There was a statistically significant difference in G.I helminth infection’s prevalence rate to breed (p < 0.05).This study revealed that Fasciola spp. (15%) is the most prevalent G.I.helminths parasites detected, followed by Oesophagostomum spp (11.7%);Haemonchus spp. (9.2%); Strongyloides spp. (8.3%), Schistosoma spp.(3.3%); and Moniezia spp. (1.67%). Our findings from the present study revealed a high prevalence of G.I. helminths species affecting cattle in Azare, North-East Nigeria. Therefore, there is a great need for proper advocacy on appropriate management, regular deworming practices, and improved cattle hygiene to boost animal production. This will help in curbing significant loss to Nigeria’s economy and the world in general

Screening of sweet potato feathery mottle virus resistant sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L., Lam.) cultivars in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Sweet potato is a food security crop because of its ability to withstand adverse climatic conditions. This security, however, is being threaten by viral diseases and use of resistant cultivars remain the best management. This research was conducted to screen cultivars of sweet potato against sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) infection. The treatments consisted of five cultivars coded as CV1, CV2, CV3, CV4 and CV5, respectively. The asymptomatic experimental plants were established, maintained under screen house conditions and graft-inoculated using infected vines which were tested SPFMV positive using both Double Antibody Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DAS-ELISA) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. Results obtained from disease incidence and symptom severity indicated that there was significant difference (P &lt;0.05) among cultivars in their reaction to SPFMV infection. CV2 had the highest mean disease incidence (60.67%) while, CV3 had the lowest mean disease incidence (36.67%). CV1, CV3, and CV5 have the same lowest mean symptom severity score of 2.00 while, CV2 had the highest mean severity score of 4.00. Based on the reaction of the cultivars after inoculation, it could be concluded that, all the cultivars screened were susceptible to SPFMV but CV1, CV3 and CV4 cultivars have some degree of resistance to SPFMV infection and were therefore recommended for use by the farmers in the study area. This is the first research that screened sweet potato cultivars for resistance to SPFMV in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Disparity in Maternal Health Services Among the Different Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria

Although the use of antenatal and other skilled maternal health delivery services in Nigeria was reported to be on the increase, this research explored whether geopolitical zone of residence and place of domicile are associated with the number of antenatal visits and place of delivery. A quantitative cross-sectional study based on secondary data from the Demographic and Health Survey was used to examine the relationship between women’s geopolitical zone of residence, place of domicile (rural/urban), and the number of antenatal visits (categorized as fewer than four or four or more) and delivery (home or health facility). A total of 33,385 women aged 15–49 years were recruited from 888 clusters spread across all the 36 states and the federal capital territory of Nigeria using a stratified two stage proportionate to size cluster design. A higher proportion of women from the South West and North Central zones had made four or more antenatal care visits compared to the other geopolitical zones. The difference was statistically significant even after controlling for differences in education, income, ethnicity, religion, autonomy, and place of domicile (adjusted odd ratio = 2.062; 95% confidence interval [1.897, 2.241]; p \u3c .05). Healthcare policy makers should consider the potential impact of geopolitical zones and place of domicile to enable the development of an all-inclusive strategy to robustly address maternal health services in Nigeria

Sonographic patterns of retained products of conception among women attending Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital Kano, Nigeria

Retain products of conception (RPOC) remains a major concern because its complications are among the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women with postpartum uterus. Every locality should have a documented findings of postpartum uterus predicting retained products of conception. This study was aimed at evaluating the sonographic pattern of RPOC among women attending Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano. The study was prospective, conducted from January 2021 to August 2021. A total of 200 patients referred on the suspicion of RPOC on the basis of history or clinical examination were enrolled in the study. Transabdominal ultrasound with 3.5MHtz transducer was performed in all referred cases. The findings obtained were recorded on data capture sheet. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 23.0. Mean age of the patients was 21.7 ±6.7 years and the mean gestational age was 11.7 ±4.8 weeks. Most of the patients present with per vaginal bleeding, lower back pain or fever as their clinical history. Sonographic findings of RPOC were mix-echogenic content 106(53%), hypoechoic fluid collection 52(26%) and hyperechoic mass 42 (21%). The correlation between clinical history and sonographic pattern of RPOC shows a significant weak positive correlation (r= 0.15 and p= 0.03). The correlation between RPOC size and gestational age also shows a significant weak positive correlation (r= 0.27 and p= 0.00). Sonography is an accurate tool for diagnosis of retained products of conception, with mixed echogenic content as the most common sonographic pattern RPOC

X-Ray Film Reject Analysis as a Quality Indicator in a Tertiary Health Centre in Northwestern Nigeria

Objective:&nbsp;To assess the rate of rejects in routine radiography as a quality control measure. &nbsp; Methods:&nbsp;Retrospective study was carried out on radiographs obtained from two conventional diagnostic rooms of the Radiology Department at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, for a period of six months (July-December 2016). All rejected radiographs were analyzed under uniform viewing conditions. All images with good diagnostic quality, those carried out for special examination and mammograms were excluded. Data were collected and entered into database for analysis. &nbsp; Results:&nbsp;The overall reject rate was found to be 16.4% with chest contributing the (7.1%). The major cause of reject was inappropriate collimation (18.1%). &nbsp; Conclusion:&nbsp;A total of 16.4% reject was noted in the study conducted, which was above the recommended level given by World Health Organization (WHO). &nbsp; &nbsp

NORMs distribution in coastal soils and sediments of River Yobe, north-eastern Nigeria: an evaluation of the potential radiological hazards

A preliminary study which aimed to establish a reference data on naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) for River Yobe has been conducted. Soil and sediment samples were collected along the coastal areas of the river and analyzed to determine the specific activities of NORMs such as 238U, 232Th and 40K. Gamma spectrometry technique using NaI (Tl) detector was employed to determine the specific activities f the natural radionuclides. The mean activity concentration in the soil samples for 238U, 232Th and 40K were found to be 23±1.5, 36±2.5 and 395±9.1Bq kg−1 and for the sediment samples are 60±2.6, 45±3.6 and 324±6.8Bq kg−1 respectively. These values, in some cases exceed the world reference values of 30, 35 and 400 Bq kg−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively. Parameters of radiological hazard, were also estimated based on specific activity of the radionuclides to assess the radiological impacts due to exposure on the users of the river. The results were found to be within the worldwide recommended safety limits.Keywords: Annual effective dose, NORMs,238U.232Th.40K. River Yob