Life during the pandemic: an international photo-elicitation study with medical students.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global event with unprecedented impact on individuals and communities around the world. The purpose of this study is to use a modified photo-elicitation methodology to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of medical students and their communities around the world. METHODS: Participating medical students were asked to take photographs for 14 days. In lieu of an interview, which is customary for photo-elicitation projects, participants were asked to share a reflection (a paragraph or two) for each photograph they contributed to the study. RESULTS: Between April 27th, 2020 and May 11th, 2020 26 students from 19 medical schools across 13 countries shared photographs and reflections. Qualitative analysis of written reflections revealed that medical students felt the impact of the pandemic on several levels 1) individual, 2) interpersonal, 3) educational, and 4) societal. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of medical students on multiple levels. As individuals, students felt emotional distress but found resilience through physical activity and the establishment of new routines. Many students felt isolated as their interpersonal relationships were confined due to social distancing measures. These feelings could be combated with new educational initiatives focused on group collaboration. Lastly, students reflecting on the larger societal implications were concerned with the economic ramifications of the virus and its impact on their future. This study brought together students from several different countries to engage in an applied learning program as a model for equitable global health research.

Factors associated with low contraceptive use amongst vulnerable mothers in South West State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Young mothers tend to be more prone to high maternal and perinatal risks and are thus deemed vulnerable to adverse sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) in terms of their right to choose contraceptives of their choice to enhance their maternal well-being and childbirth spacing should be well discussed. Achieving sufficient SRHR may be averted if the use of family planning by disadvantaged groups is not given required attention. AIM: This study aimed to identify and analyse the factors associated with the low use of contraceptives amongst vulnerable women in the South West region in Nigeria. SETTING: The study area was purposively chosen to capture contraceptive use amongst vulnerable women in Osun State, Nigeria. METHODS: A primary data collection was done in three senatorial districts of Osun State, Nigeria, with 140 respondents each to give a total of 420 respondents. Collected data were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate measures. RESULTS: The result showed a magnitude of association and relationship at both levels of analyses. Living arrangements and family types were 89% and 88.3%, respectively, associated with family planning use. In the same vein, living arrangement and family types were also statistically significant at p 0.05with an odds ratio of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.1184-0.4583) and an odds ratio of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.1756-0.6970) with family planning use, respectively. CONCLUSION: We concluded that policies and interventions to accelerate and encourage contraceptives use amongst vulnerable mothers in South West, Nigeria should be targeted at those whose husbands lived elsewhere and those whose husbands have more than one wife.

Secondary school teachers' viewpoint on sex education.

The success of any sexuality education programme in the school is directly related to the expertise of teachers and their willingness to provide instructions. This study assesses the knowledge of human sexuality education among 351 secondary school teachers in Ibadan, Nigeria, and their attitude towards inclusion of sex education in the schools' curriculum. Results revealed that none of the respondents was able to define sex education adequately and 34.8% could not identify content areas of sex education for inclusion in the schools' curriculum. Surprisingly, married female teachers and those aged 40 years and above were less favourably disposed to the introduction of sex education in schools.