45 research outputs found
Family Structure and Reproductive Health Decision Making among the Ogu of Southwestern Nigeria: A Qualitative Study
This study examines the structure of the Ogu family and its influence
on reproductive health decision-making using a qualitative approach.
Data were sourced through nine focus groups organized in the study area
among married men and women. The data reveal that the family structure
in the study area is changing, although the dominant pattern remains
extended. The findings of the study suggest that there are on-going
internal transformations that tend to enhance gender equity in
reproductive health decision-making between husbands and wives. These
changes may be attributed to the widespread influence of western
culture and the spread of education in the study population, which are
necessary concomitants of economic, political and cultural changes
taking place in the society.Cet article examine la structure de la famille Ogu et son influence sur
la prise de d\ue9cision en mati\ue8re de sant\ue9 de la
reproduction. Les donn\ue9es utilis\ue9es sont des donn\ue9es
qualitatives obtenues \ue0 partir de 9 "Focus Group" organis\ue9s
entre hommes et femmes mari\ue9es du milieu d'\ue9tude. Les
donn\ue9es montrent que la structure de la famille dans ce milieu
d'\ue9tude \ue9volue bien que le type dominant reste la famille
\ue9largie. Les r\ue9sultats de l'\ue9tude montrent que des
transformations internes tendant \ue0 promouvoir l'\ue9galit\ue9
entre les genres en mati\ue8re de prise de d\ue9cision concernant
la sant\ue9 de la reproduction entre \ue9poux et \ue9pouses sont
entrain de s'op\ue9rer. Ces \ue9volutions peuvent \ueatre dues
par l'influence croissante de la culture occidentale et la
g\ue9n\ue9ralisation de l'\ue9ducation dans la population
\ue9tudi\ue9e qui accompagnent n\ue9cessairement les
transformations \ue9conomiques, politiques et culturelles en cours
dans la soci\ue9t\ue9
Religion, religiosity and adolescent risky sexual health behaviour in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria
The rate of premarital sexual intercourse among adolescents in Nigeria is alarming, despite its prohibition by several
religious groups. This contradiction prompted the question: what is the prevailing relationship between religion, religiosity, and adolescents’ sexual behaviour in the country? This relationship was examined through survey data collected between December 2009 and February 2010 in the Lagos metropolis. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting 1026 adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age in the metropolis 2 and Logistic regressions techniques were employed in data analysis. Results reveal that religious affiliation is significantly related to only casual sexual relationships among boys at the level of 2 analysis (p < 0.05) but it is not significantly related to any of the indicators of risky sexual behaviour at multivariate level of analysis. Also, religiosity is significantly related (p < 0.05) to multiple sexual partnerships at both levels of analysis among females. The study concludes that religious affiliation is not likely to play any significant role in combating adolescents’ risky sexual behaviour but religiosity could be fairly effective in this battle among females in the study setting.
Keywords: religion, religiosity, adolescents, sexual health behaviour, Lagos, Nigeri
Fertility Behaviour and Wealth Situation in Nigeria: Evidence from 2013 Demographic and Health Survey
There is consensus over the possibility of improved wealth situation leading to fertility decline. However, the likelihood of fertility decline leading to a significant improvement in wealth situation remains a subject of intense debate. This study examines the current pattern of linkages between fertility behaviour and wealth situation in Nigeria in an attempt to contribute to the debate. The study used the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. Analysis involved use of descriptive statistical tools at univariate and bivariate levels while at multivariate level we used ordinary least square and hierarchical regression techniques. Results suggest that the contribution of the fertility behaviour indicators to the variance in wealth status, demonstrated through the R-square change in women and men hierarchical regression models that controlled for selected confounding variables, was almost zero percent (1 %). Although the individual fertility behaviour indicators exhibited some significant association with wealth status, the beta coefficients were visibly small in magnitude compared to the magnitude observed in the unadjusted OLS regression models. Thus, the current data suggest that the role of fertility behaviour in wealth status in Nigeria among women and men is not as important as other social, spatial and economic forces prevailing in the country. The study concludes that we have to seek explanation for the poor wealth situation in Nigeria in other factors other than fertility behaviour.
Keywords Fertility Behaviour, Predictors, Wealth status, Nigeri
Effect of Low Level Cadmium Exposure on Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Rat
Purpose: To investigate the effect of low level cadmium (Cd) exposure on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in rat.Methods: Thirty-two male albino rats were divided into four groups of eight animals each. Group one received distilled water and served as control. The other three groups were exposed to 100, 200 and 300 ppm cadmium doses, respectively, in their drinking water for 6 weeks. At the end of 6 weeks, blood, brain and liver were removed from the animals and SOD activities were investigated spectrophotometrically at 480 nm.Results: The data revealed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in organ weight of the exposed rats, and with the highest cadmium accumulation in liver ranging from 2.99 ± 0.20 μg Cd/g tissue in control to 34.57 ± 2.06 μg Cd/g tissue for the 300 ppm dose group. Exposure to cadmium resulted in significant (p < 0.05) decrease in SOD activity in plasma, erythrocytes, brain and liver in a dose-dependent manner compared to control. The data showed a negative correlation between tissue cadmium and SOD in plasma, erythrocyte and brain. While positive associations were observed between blood and tissue (brain and liver) cadmium and SOD, a significant (p < 0.01), negative correlation was found between tissue cadmium and SOD.Conclusion: As Cd dose increase, plasma, erythrocyte, brain and liver SOD activities decrease. This might affect the maintenance of the normal body physiological conditions.Keywords: Cadmium, Superoxide dismutase, Liver, Brain, Toxicity, Environmental contaminan