Urban-rural differences in health service-related factors associated with male involvement in family planning services in Abia State, Southeastern Nigeria

Objective: To identify and compare the health service-related factors associated with male involvement in family planning services among the rural and urban areas in Abia State, Nigeria. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study. Setting: Twelve communities (six urban and six rural) in Abia State, Nigeria Participants: Five hundred and eighty-eight (588) men aged 15-59 years and resident in the study area 6 months before the study were recruited. Main outcome measure: Male involvement in family planning services Results: The mean ages of the respondents were 41.8±8.0 years and 43.1±8.0 years in the urban and rural areas, respectively. Active male involvement in family planning services was significantly higher in urban areas (62.6%, 95%CI: 56.8%-68.1%) compared to the rural areas (47.6%, 95%CI: 41.5%-53.2%. p<0.001). The predictors of male involvement included gender preference of healthcare workers (aOR=1.75, 95%CI:1.01-3.03) and attitude of the healthcare workers (aOR=2.07, 95%CI:1.17-3.67) among the urban participants, compared to occupational status of the respondents (aOR=2.50, 95% CI: 1.16-5.56) and the availability of male-friendly clinics (aOR=2.27, 95%CI:1.25-4.15) among the rural participants. Conclusion: Health service-related factors associated with male involvement varied between the urban and rural settings. Stakeholders should target addressing health service-related factors by types of settlement while designing family planning programs targeting men

Factors Associated with Drug Counterfeit in Nigeria: A Twelve Year Review.

Background: Drug counterfeiting poses a great danger to every society. The actual prevalence of counterfeit drugs is difficult to ascertain presently but just like other crimes, drug counterfeiting is an underground business that often comes to light mostly when death occurs. About 10% of drugs circulating worldwide are fake drugs with enormous associated health risk. Preventing the problem is a primary duty of every responsible nation in order to save lives. Objective: This paper aims at studying the factors associated with drug counterfeiting, its consequences and possible solutions. Methods: This article reviews relevant literatures published from 2004 to 2015 from medical journals, health survey reports, books, Google search and health-related websites such as World Health Organization. Results: Several researchers have identified corruption and conflict of interest, poor health seeking behavior of Nigerians, high prices of locally manufactured drugs due to high taxes and tariffs, inadequate legislation, unordered drug distribution system, inadequate cooperation from government agencies and discriminatory regulation by exporting countries as the major factors associated with drug counterfeiting in Nigeria. Conclusion/ Recommendations: Drug counterfeiting is one of the greatest atrocities of our time and it affects both developing and developed countries. There is an urgent need for the government as well as professional bodies to ensure massive public enlightenment and the effective enforcement of the existing drug laws in Nigeria.