COVID-19 pandemic: an online-based survey of knowledge, perception, and adherence to preventive measures among educated Nigerian adults.

Aims: One of the ways to manage the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is to monitor the public knowledge, risk perceptions, adherence to preventive measures, and level of preparedness behaviors. This is important in resource-limited countries. This study determined the knowledge and perception regarding COVID-19; adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures; as well as predictors of self-perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among Nigerian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Nigerian adults ≥18 years using an online survey. A convenience sampling method was utilized to recruit a total of 1022 study participants. The participants were recruited using the authors' social media networks. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at a 5% level of statistical significance. Results: Generally, a high proportion of respondents had correct knowledge about COVID-19. However, only approximately half (49.8% and 49.9%) had correct knowledge that obesity was a risk factor for COVID-19 and that antibiotics cannot be used to treat COVID-19. Most (84.1%) did not have a self-perceived risk of contracting COVID-19. Most (81.0%) have been avoiding crowded places and 61.3% washed their hands frequently. Predictors of self-perceived risk of COVID-19 were age 40-59 years (OR 2.05, CI 1.217-3.435), ≥ 60 years (OR 4.68, CI 1.888-11.583), and visiting crowded places (OR 2.27, CI 1.499-3.448). Conclusion: Our study recommends more rigorous public health education aimed at improving COVID-19 outbreak response in Nigeria. In addition, physical and social distancing should be emphasized across all age groups with additional focus on the older population.

Experience of Gender-based Violence by Internally Displaced Women in Southern Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a reproductive health issue prevalent among persons in conflict and post-conflict situations, but is largely under-reported in Nigeria. Although GBV affects both sexes, the prevalence is higher in women as compared to men. The objective of this study was to assess the experiences of female internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria during conflict and post-conflict situations. The study was conducted among IDPs in Edo State, south-south region of Nigeria. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire administered on 300 female IDPs. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. GBV perpetrated by non-family members during conflict was experienced by 22.2% of the respondents while 13.5% experienced post-conflict violence. Up to 12.2% reported violence by intimate partners. Physical violence was commonly experienced during conflict, while sexual violence was most common post-conflict. Logistic regression analysis showed that the vulnerable categories of women were adolescents, unmarried women, women of Hausa origin, women who never attended school, and those whose displacement took place in the year prior to the study. The IDP camp appeared to offer some protection against GBV as those who had stayed in the camp longer were less likely to experience post-conflict GBV. The lack of implementation of effective laws and regulations that prevent violence against women and punish perpetuators in the country, and the ineffective security systems are some of the factors that sustain GBV. The results of this study have implications for the design of programs for the prevention of GBV during conflict and post-conflict situations.

Chikungunya Virus Seroprevalence and Associated Factors among Hospital Attendees in Two States of Southwest Nigeria: A Preliminary Assessment.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging pathogen causing long-term polyarthritis and encephalitis. In conducting a preliminary investigation, we hypothesized that there is no serologic evidence of CHIKV infection among attendees of selected hospitals in Lagos and Osun States, Nigeria. Sera from 304 consecutively selected participants were screened for CHIKV IgG and IgM using ELISA. Findings were analyzed vis-à-vis participants' demographic and clinical data. Over 90.0% of the participants had never heard of CHIKV despite the fact that a large proportion of them (88.8%) had secondary/tertiary education. Overall, 41.8% were positive for, at least, one antibody type (IgG or IgM), while about 16.0% of the participants had dual seropositivity (CHIKV IgG and IgM) with gender as associated factor (odds ratio [OR]: 2.8, p = 0.03). Prevalence rates were 31.8% and 38.4% for CHIKV IgG and IgM, respectively. Only hospital location (Osogbo) was associated with CHIKV IgG (OR: 2.2, p = 0.009), while gender alone was associated with CHIKV IgM (OR: 3.0, p = 0.001). Participants seropositive for CHIKV antibodies were mostly adults (18-59 yrs) belonging to the active work-force; five (22.7%) and three (20.0%) of the pregnant participants had CHIKV IgG and IgM, respectively. Detection of CHIKV IgM in some participants might make them potentially infectious to the newborn and mosquito vectors. Importantly, participants positive for either IgG or IgM had fever (72.8%, 67.2%) and general body pains (61.7%, 57.6%), respectively. This ELISA-based study revealed serologic evidence of CHIKV infection among hospital attendees in Lagos and Osun states with the group-specific prevalence rates being considerably high. ABBREVIATIONS: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV); Chikungunya (CHIK); enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); immunoglobulin G or M (IgG/IgM); odds ratio (OR); non-structural proteins (nsP); hemagglutination inhibiting (HI); complement fixing (CF); neutralization test (NT); immunofluorescence assay (IFA); plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT); confidence interval (CI); analysis of variance (ANOVA); body temperature (BT); Building Nigeria's Response to Climate Change (BNRCC).

Obesity indices as predictors of pattern of self-reported arthritis among elderly women in Southwestern Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed obesity indices and pattern of arthritis among elderly women in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: The cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 350 elderly women selected by multistage sampling technique. Research instruments used in data collection were semi-structured, interviewer-administered pre-tested questionnaires that were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 17.0. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 69.1 (±1.4) years. A total of 232 (66.3%) of them had complaints of joint pains (Awoka as expressed in the local language). Pattern of arthritis showed that 172 (74.0%) had recurrent joint pains, while 35 (15.1%) had joint swelling; the knee joint was mostly affected. A total of 97 (28.0%) were overweight while 84 (24.0%) were obese. Obese women were twice more likely to have arthritis when compared to the nonobese (odds ratio: 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-9.4, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a need to give high priority to weight reduction strategies targeted at the elderly and the entire population.

Effect of mass media and Internet on sexual behavior of undergraduates in Osogbo metropolis, Southwestern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The influence of media portrayals of sexual attitudes and normative expectations of young people at a critical developmental stage is of public health concern. OBJECTIVES: To examine the role of mass media and Internet utilization in shaping the sexual health attitudes and behaviors of young undergraduates in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 400 undergraduates were selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Four hundred and fifty pretested, semistructured questionnaires were distributed; of these, 400 were returned properly filled. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 16. RESULTS: Mean age of respondents ± standard deviation was 23.6±2.99 years. Most were aware of the various forms of mass media (>95%). Most (64.0%) respondents spent 1-5 hours watching television, daily, and most used the Internet often. About 38.3% and 24.2% of respondents used the Internet and radio/television, respectively, as sources of information on sexual issues. Most respondents used the Internet for school assignments (83.0%, n=332), electronic mail (89.0%, n=356), and for accessing sexually explicit materials (74.5%, n=298). Most of the respondents (73.5%) opined that the Internet has a bad influence on youths' sexual behavior, although accessing the Internet for sexual material or movies was acceptable to 25.3% of them. Of the 226 respondents who had ever had sex, 226 (100%), 37 (16.4%), 31 (13.7%), and 10 (4.4%) practiced coitus, oral sex, masturbation, and anal sex, respectively; 122 (54.0%) always used condoms, whereas 90 (40.0%) never used condoms during sexual activity; 33 (14.6%) had had sex with commercial sex workers. Further analysis showed that those who were yet to marry (single) were less likely to be sexually experienced than those who were married (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.075, 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.008-0.679), and those who said accessing the Internet for sexual material is not acceptable to them were also less likely to be sexually experienced than those to whom it was acceptable (AOR =0.043, 95% CI =0.016-0.122). Predictors of having multiple sexual partners include the sex of the respondent and the frequency of Internet use, with females (AOR =0.308, 95% CI =0.113-0.843) and those who rarely use the Internet less likely to have multiple sexual partners. CONCLUSION: We conclude that uncontrolled exposure to mass media and Internet could negatively influence the sexual patterns and behavior of youths.

Health risk behaviors and sexual initiation among in-school adolescents in rural communities in southwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents exhibit numerous risky sexual behaviors leading to initiation of sexual intercourse not mindful of the many consequences. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and pattern of sexual risky behavior and its association with sexual initiation. METHODS: This was a school-based descriptive cross-sectional study among 377 in-school adolescents, who were selected using multistage sampling methods. Research instruments were semistructured self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 15.7 (+1.8) years. Most of the respondents claimed to have heard about sex education at one time or another. About 53 (14.1%) had their first sexual experience before or at the age of 15 years. The mean age of the first sexual experience for males was 14 years 3 months and 15 years 3 months for females. Fourteen (3.7%) had no fixed sexual partner; most of the sexually active respondents did not use a condom during their last intercourse. Only 7.7% of the respondents reported to have had a sexually transmitted infection. Most of the 207 female respondents (85.5%) had never been pregnant while 88.9% of those who had been pregnant had an abortion. Females were about 1.5 times more likely to have had first sexual intercourse before the age of 15 years, though the observed likelihood was not statistically significant [odd ratio (OR) = 0.7, 95%; confidence interval (CI) = 0.3-1.5; p = 0.642]. Likewise, males were 1.7 times more likely to have used condoms at the last sexual intercourse, and the observed likelihood was not statistically significant (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 0.8-3.4; p = 0.079). CONCLUSION: In this study, adolescents were sexually active with negative consequences on their reproductive health. Stakeholders involved in the care of adolescents should take the consequences into consideration.

Public perception of climate change and its impact on health and environment in rural southwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Climate change (CC) has received extensive media attention recently, and it is currently on the international public health agenda. A study of knowledge and attitudes to climate change, most especially from rural Nigerian communities, is important for developing adaptation strategies. This is a study of public perceptions of CC and its impact on health and environment in rural southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: This was a community-based descriptive cross-sectional study of 1,019 rural respondents using a multistage sampling method. The research instrument used was a pretested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. χ2, Cramér's V, and Kendall's τ-c statistics were employed in addition to fitting the data to a logistic regression model to explore associations found significant on bivariate analysis. RESULTS: Mean age of respondents was 36.9 (±12.4) years. About 911 (89.4%) of respondents opined that there has been a change in climate in the last 10 years. Supernatural reasons were prominent among respondent-reported causes of CC. Identified risky behavior contributing to CC included smoking (10.7%), bush burning (33.4%), and tree felling (41.0%). Poor knowledge of causes but good knowledge of effects of CC were found in this study. About two-thirds of respondents had a positive attitude to causes of CC, while half had a positive attitude to the effects of CC. A significant association was found between educational status (P˂0.001, Kendall's τ-c=-0.042), occupational status (P˂0.01, Kendall's τ-c=0.088), and attitude to causes of CC. Further analysis using logistic regression showed that occupational status was significantly associated with likelihood of having a positive attitude, but educational status and marital status were not. CONCLUSION: Rural areas of Nigeria are vulnerable to the adverse effects of CC. Respondents' poor knowledge but positive attitude to CC calls for dissemination of adequate information on CC in sustained health-promotion programs.

Challenges facing early infant diagnosis of HIV among infants in resource poor settings.

The number of children who have HIV continues to grow. Studies have confirmed dramatic survival benefits and mortality reduction for infants confirmed and managed as early as possible after diagnosis. With the advent of the Polymerase Chain Reaction technology, early infant diagnosis of HIV among children is easier and more reliable worldwide. Most HIV programmes in developing countries are donor dependent with less encouraging moves towards sustainability drive by the local health authority. The health systems also face a lot of challenges while implementing these programmes that would promptly identify HIV exposed babies as well as enrolment into care. This review examined challenges facing early infant diagnosis of HIV among infants in Nigeria.