Correction: Burden of disease and risk factors for mortality amongst hospitalized newborns in Nigeria and Kenya.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244109.].

Determinants and outcomes of preterm births in Nigerian tertiary facilities.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence, and sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with preterm birth and perinatal mortality in Nigeria. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data collected through the Maternal Perinatal Database for Quality, Equity and Dignity (MPD-4-QED) Programme. SETTING: Data from births in 54 referral-level hospitals across Nigeria between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. POPULATION: A total of 69 698 births. METHODS: Multilevel modelling was used to determine the factors associated with preterm birth and perinatal mortality. OUTCOME MEASURES: Preterm birth and preterm perinatal mortality. RESULTS: Of 62 383 live births, 9547 were preterm (153 per 1000 live births). Maternal age (<20 years - adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.52, 95% CI 1.36-1.71; >35 years - aOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.16-1.30), no formal education (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.54-1.84), partner not gainfully employed (aOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.61-2.34) and no antenatal care (aOR 2.62, 95% CI 2.42-2.84) were associated with preterm births. Early neonatal mortality for preterm neonates was 47.2 per 1000 preterm live births (451/9547). Father's occupation (manual labour aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.20-1.93), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.83), no antenatal care (aOR 2.74, 95% CI 2.04-3.67), earlier gestation (28 to <32 weeks - aOR 2.94, 95% CI 2.15-4.10; 32 to <34 weeks - aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.3-2.44) and birthweight <1000 g (aOR 21.35, 95% CI 12.54-36.33) were associated with preterm perinatal mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm birth and perinatal mortality in Nigeria are high. Efforts should be made to enhance access to quality health care during pregnancy, delivery and the neonatal period, and improve the parental socio-economic status.

Burden and outcomes of postpartum haemorrhage in Nigerian referral-level hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), risk factors, and maternal and neonatal outcomes in a multicentre study across Nigeria. DESIGN: A secondary data analysis using a cross-sectional design. SETTING: Referral-level hospitals (48 public and six private facilities). POPULATION: Women admitted for birth between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. METHODS: Data collected over a 1-year period from the Maternal and Perinatal Database for Quality, Equity and Dignity programme in Nigeria were analysed, stratified by mode of delivery (vaginal or caesarean), using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of PPH and maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Of 68 754 women, 2169 (3.2%, 95% CI 3.07%-3.30%) had PPH, with a prevalence of 2.7% (95% CI 2.55%-2.85%) and 4.0% (95% CI 3.75%-4.25%) for vaginal and caesarean deliveries, respectively. Factors associated with PPH following vaginal delivery were: no formal education (aOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.8-2.6, P < 0.001); multiple pregnancy (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 2.1-3.5, P < 0.001); and antepartum haemorrhage (aOR 11.7, 95% CI 9.4-14.7, P < 0.001). Factors associated with PPH in a caesarean delivery were: maternal age of >35 years (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-2.0, P < 0.001); referral from informal setting (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.0, P = 0.002); and antepartum haemorrhage (aOR 3.7, 95% CI 2.8-4.7, P < 0.001). Maternal mortality occurred in 4.8% (104/2169) of deliveries overall, and in 8.5% (101/1182) of intensive care unit admissions. One-quarter of all infants were stillborn (570/2307), representing 23.9% (429/1796) of neonatal intensive care unit admissions. CONCLUSIONS: A PPH prevalence of 3.2% can be reduced with improved access to skilled birth attendants.

Time to full enteral feeds in hospitalised preterm and very low birth weight infants in Nigeria and Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Preterm (born < 37 weeks' gestation) and very low birthweight (VLBW; <1.5kg) infants are at the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality within the first 28 days of life. Establishing full enteral feeds is a vital aspect of their clinical care. Evidence predominantly from high income countries shows that early and rapid advancement of feeds is safe and reduces length of hospital stay and adverse health outcomes. However, there are limited data on feeding practices and factors that influence the attainment of full enteral feeds among these vulnerable infants in sub-Saharan Africa. AIM: To identify factors that influence the time to full enteral feeds, defined as tolerance of 120ml/kg/day, in hospitalised preterm and VLBW infants in neonatal units in two sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: Demographic and clinical variables were collected for newborns admitted to 7 neonatal units in Nigeria and Kenya over 6-months. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify factors independently associated with time to full enteral feeds. RESULTS: Of the 2280 newborn infants admitted, 484 were preterm and VLBW. Overall, 222/484 (45.8%) infants died with over half of the deaths (136/222; 61.7%) occurring before the first feed. The median (inter-quartile range) time to first feed was 46 (27, 72) hours of life and time to full enteral feeds (tFEF) was 8 (4.5,12) days with marked variation between neonatal units. Independent predictors of tFEF were time to first feed (unstandardised coefficient B 1.69; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.26; p value <0.001), gestational age (1.77; 0.72 to 2.81; <0.001), the occurrence of respiratory distress (-1.89; -3.50 to -0.79; <0.002) and necrotising enterocolitis (4.31; 1.00 to 7.62; <0.011). CONCLUSION: The use of standardised feeding guidelines may decrease variations in clinical practice, shorten tFEF and thereby improve preterm and VLBW outcomes.

Healthcare workers' perceptions about the use of mobile health technologies in public health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Mobile health has enormous potential in healthcare due to the increasing use of mobile phones in low- and middle-income countries; its effective deployment, uptake, and utilization may result in improved health outcomes, including a reduction in neonatal deaths. However, there is a suboptimal uptake of mobile health technologies among healthcare workers in low-resource settings like Nigeria, which are often context-specific. Objective: To investigate healthcare workers' perceptions of mobile health technologies in public health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. Method: A qualitative study was conducted, and data were collected through six focus group discussions with 26 healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, and community health extension workers) from three public health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using a thematic approach, where themes and subthemes were created. Results: Although the participants acknowledged that mobile health enhances patient-provider communication and saves time, they identified altering of healthcare workers' routine practices, information overload, power and network failure, skepticism, lack of trust, and concerns over diagnostic accuracy as potential barriers to its uptake. Conclusion: Addressing healthcare workers' perceptions of mobile health technologies may enhance the deployment and uptake of such solutions in Nigeria and similar low-resource settings. Developers and implementers of such can use them to create new or enhance existing mobile health solutions to better meet the needs and requirements of healthcare workers in low- to middle-income health settings, such as Lagos, Nigeria.

Antenatal jaundice instruction and acute bilirubin encephalopathy in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Acute Bilirubin Encephalopathy (ABE) is common in Nigeria. Parents' inability to recognize jaundice and delays in seeking care are significant barriers to its prevention. METHODS: We compared associations of (1) interactive antenatal maternal jaundice instruction with postnatal reinforcement, (2) standard postnatal instruction, and (3) no maternal instruction with the incidence of ABE among 647 jaundice admissions stratified for risk factors identified in initial descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Eighty-three (83/647;12.8%) admissions developed ABE including eleven jaundice-related deaths. ABE was present at admission in 20/22 (90.9%) if mothers received no jaundice instruction and no antenatal care, 42/182 (23.1%) if received antenatal care but no instruction, 16/95 (16.8%) if received postnatal instruction only, and 4/337 (1.2%) if mothers received both antenatal and postnatal instruction (p < .001). ABE was highly associated with out-of-hospital delivery, number of antenatal clinic visits, and birth attendant, but these risks were mitigated by antenatal/postnatal instruction. Admission rates with bilirubin levels below treatment guidelines (12 mg/dL) were higher following instruction (30.7%) than with no instruction (14.4%). Limiting subjects to those meeting admission criteria increased ABE rates in all groups without altering conclusions. CONCLUSION: Interactive antenatal instruction with postnatal reinforcement resulted in timely care seeking and a lower incidence of ABE. IMPACT: Empowering mothers to participate in neonatal jaundice management is critical in low-income countries where jaundice monitoring and follow up are unreliable. Instructing mothers about jaundice in antenatal clinics with postnatal reinforcement is more effective than standard postpartum instruction in facilitating jaundice detection, timely care seeking, and lowering the incidence of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE). Antenatal training also mitigates risks for ABE associated with out-of-hospital deliveries, limited antenatal care, and unskilled birth attendants. IMPACT: Adding structured jaundice instruction in antenatal clinics could greatly reduce bilirubin induced brain injury in countries where ABE is common.

Factors associated with common mental disorders among breastfeeding mothers in tertiary hospital nurseries in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that the impact of maternal mental health disorders on newborns' well-being in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) are underreported, multi-dimensional and varies over time and differs from what is reported in high-income countries. We present the prevalence and risk factors associated with common mental disorders (CMDs) among breastfeeding mothers whose infants were admitted to Nigerian tertiary care facilities. METHODS: This was a national cross-sectional study involving mothers of hospitalised babies from eleven Nigerian tertiary hospitals. We used the WHO self-reporting Questionnaire 20 and an adapted WHO/UNICEF ten-step breastfeeding support package to assess mothers' mental health and breastfeeding support. RESULTS: Only 895 of the 1,120 mothers recruited from eleven tertiary healthcare nurseries in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria had complete datasets for analysis. The participants' mean age was 29.9 ± 6.2 years. One in four had CMDs; 24.0% (95% CI: 21.235, 26.937%). The ages of mothers, parity, gestational age at delivery, and length of hospital stay were comparable between mothers with and those without CMDs. Antenatal care at primary healthcare facilities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR:13], primary education [aOR:3.255] living in the south-southern region of the country [aOR 2.207], poor breastfeeding support [aOR:1.467], polygamous family settings [aOR:2.182], and a previous history of mental health disorders [aOR:4.684] were significantly associated with CMDs. In contrast, those from the middle and lower socioeconomic classes were less likely to develop CMDs, with [aOR:0.532] and [aOR:0.493], respectively. CONCLUSION: In Nigeria, the prevalence of CMDs is relatively high among breastfeeding mothers with infants admitted to a tertiary care facility. Prior history of mental illness, polygamous households, mothers living in the southern region and low or no educational attainment have a greater risk of developing CMDs. This study provides evidence for assessing and tailoring interventions to CMDs among breastfeeding mothers in neonatal nurseries in LMIC.

Enteral Feeding Practices for Very Preterm and Very Low Birth Weight Infants in Nigeria and Kenya.

Background: Optimizing nutrition in very preterm (28-32 weeks gestation) and very low birth weight (VLBW; 1,000 g to <1,500 g) infants has potential to improve their survival, growth, and long-term health outcomes. Aim: To assess feeding practices in Nigeria and Kenya for very preterm and VLBW newborn infants. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study where convenience sampling was used. A standard questionnaire was sent to doctors working in neonatal units in Nigeria and Kenya. Results: Of 50 respondents, 37 (74.0%) were from Nigeria and 13 (26.0%) from Kenya. All initiated enteral feeds with breastmilk, with 24 (48.0%) initiating within 24 h. Only 28 (56.0%) used written feeding guidelines. Starting volumes ranged between 10 and 80 ml/kg/day. Median volume advancement of feeds was 20 ml/kg/day (IQR 10-20) with infants reaching full feeds in 8 days (IQR 6-12). 26 (52.0%) of the units fed the infants 2 hourly. Breastmilk fortification was practiced in 7 (14.0%) units, while folate, iron, calcium, and phosphorus were prescribed in 42 (84.0%), 36 (72.0%), 22 (44.0%), 5 (10.0%) of these units, respectively. No unit had access to donor breastmilk, and only 18 (36.0%) had storage facilities for expressed breastmilk. Twelve (24.0%) used wet nurses whilst 30 (60.0%) used formula feeds. Conclusion: Feeding practices for very preterm and VLBW infants vary widely within Nigeria and Kenya, likely because of lack of locally generated evidence. High quality research that informs the feeding of these infants in the context of limited human resources, technology, and consumables, is urgently needed.

Prospective observational study of the challenges in diagnosing common neonatal conditions in Nigeria and Kenya.

OBJECTIVES: Accurate and timely diagnosis of common neonatal conditions is crucial for reducing neonatal deaths. In low/middle-income countries with limited resources, there is sparse information on how neonatal diagnoses are made. The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic criteria used for common conditions in neonatal units (NNUs) in Nigeria and Kenya. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. Standard case report forms for suspected sepsis, respiratory disorders, birth asphyxia and abdominal conditions were co-developed by the Neonatal Nutrition Network (https://www.lstmed.ac.uk/nnu) collaborators. Clinicians completed forms for all admissions to their NNUs. Key data were displayed using heatmaps. SETTING: Five NNUs in Nigeria and two in Kenya comprising the Neonatal Nutrition Network. PARTICIPANTS: 2851 neonates, which included all neonates admitted to the seven NNUs over a 6-month period. RESULTS: 1230 (43.1%) neonates had suspected sepsis, 874 (30.6%) respiratory conditions, 587 (20.6%) birth asphyxia and 71 (2.5%) abdominal conditions. For all conditions and across all NNUs, clinical criteria were used consistently with sparse use of laboratory and radiological criteria. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the reliance on clinical criteria and extremely limited use of diagnostic technologies for common conditions in NNUs in sub-Saharan Africa. This has implications for the management of neonatal conditions which often have overlapping clinical features. Strategies for implementation of diagnostic pathways and investment in affordable and sustainable diagnostics are needed to improve care for these vulnerable infants.

Burden of disease and risk factors for mortality amongst hospitalized newborns in Nigeria and Kenya.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the patient population, priority diseases and outcomes in newborns admitted <48 hours old to neonatal units in both Kenya and Nigeria. STUDY DESIGN: In a network of seven secondary and tertiary level neonatal units in Nigeria and Kenya, we captured anonymised data on all admissions <48 hours of age over a 6-month period. RESULTS: 2280 newborns were admitted. Mean birthweight was 2.3 kg (SD 0.9); 57.0% (1214/2128) infants were low birthweight (LBW; <2.5kg) and 22.6% (480/2128) were very LBW (VLBW; <1.5 kg). Median gestation was 36 weeks (interquartile range 32, 39) and 21.6% (483/2236) infants were very preterm (gestation <32 weeks). The most common morbidities were jaundice (987/2262, 43.6%), suspected sepsis (955/2280, 41.9%), respiratory conditions (817/2280, 35.8%) and birth asphyxia (547/2280, 24.0%). 18.7% (423/2262) newborns died; mortality was very high amongst VLBW (222/472, 47%) and very preterm infants (197/483, 40.8%). Factors independently associated with mortality were gestation <28 weeks (adjusted odds ratio 11.58; 95% confidence interval 4.73-28.39), VLBW (6.92; 4.06-11.79), congenital anomaly (4.93; 2.42-10.05), abdominal condition (2.86; 1.40-5.83), birth asphyxia (2.44; 1.52-3.92), respiratory condition (1.46; 1.08-2.28) and maternal antibiotics within 24 hours before or after birth (1.91; 1.28-2.85). Mortality was reduced if mothers received a partial (0.51; 0.28-0.93) or full treatment course (0.44; 0.21-0.92) of dexamethasone before preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: Greater efforts are needed to address the very high burden of illnesses and mortality in hospitalized newborns in sub-Saharan Africa. Interventions need to address priority issues during pregnancy and delivery as well as in the newborn.

A World Psychiatric Association Initiative to Increase Interest in Psychiatry as a Career in Qatar Medical Students: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization identified a chronic shortage of psychiatrists in Low- Middle- and High-Income Countries. In Qatar, the situation is dire with reports there is one psychiatrist per 170,000 people in the population. A one-day, student-led mental-health conference was held in Doha, Qatar under the auspices of the World Psychiatric Association with the aim of increasing interest in psychiatry as a career. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this single-arm, pre-post comparison study, a questionnaire assessing interest in psychiatry as a career was administered on participants before and after attending the conference. Demographic information was obtained and response items were on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-sample t-test with a significant p-value set at <0.05. RESULTS: The conference was attended by 102 individuals. Fifty-four attendees completed the pre-conference survey (53% response rate) and 36 participants completed the post-conference survey (35% response rate). Data for the 36 matched pre-post responses were included in our analyses. The average age of respondents was 22 years and 81% were female. There was improvement in post-conference results however these changes were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge this is the first intervention study on increasing interest in psychiatry as a career carried out in Qatar. It is likely that psychiatry enthusiasts attended the conference and therefore their interest in this medical specialty was already high as corroborated by the favorable pre-conference survey results. This might explain why there was a lack of statistical significance in comparison to post- intervention scores. We recommend that such an event be integrated into the medical school curricula throughout Qatar to include students with low baseline interest in psychiatry. Further research in this area with more robust methodology is urgently needed to help narrow the pervasive treatment gap.

Maternal Instruction About Jaundice and the Incidence of Acute Bilirubin Encephalopathy in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether teaching mothers about neonatal jaundice will decrease the incidence of acute bilirubin encephalopathy among infants admitted for jaundice. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter, before-after and cross-sectional study. Baseline incidences of encephalopathy were obtained at 4 collaborating medical centers between January 2014 and May 2015 (Phase 1). Structured jaundice instruction was then offered (May to November 2015; Phase 2) in antenatal clinics and postpartum. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models compared 3 groups: 843 Phase 1 controls, 338 Phase 2 infants whose mothers received both antenatal and postnatal instruction (group A), and 215 Phase 2 infants whose mothers received no instruction (group B) either because the program was not offered to them or by choice. RESULTS: Acute bilirubin encephalopathy occurred in 147 of 843 (17%) Phase 1 and 85 of 659 (13%) Phase 2 admissions, which included 63 of 215 (29%) group B and 5 of 338 (1.5%) group A infants. OR for having acute bilirubin encephalopathy, comparing group A and group B infants adjusted for confounding risk factors, was 0.12 (95% CI 0.03-0.60). Delayed care-seeking (defined as an admission total bilirubin ≥18 mg/dL at age ≥48 hours) was the strongest single predictor of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (OR 11.4; 6.6-19.5). Instruction decreased delay from 49% to 17%. Other major risk factors were home births (OR 2.67; 1.69-4.22) and hemolytic disease (hematocrit ≤35% plus bilirubin ≥20 mg/dL) (OR 3.03; 1.77-5.18). The greater rate of acute bilirubin encephalopathy with home vs hospital birth disappeared if mothers received jaundice instruction. CONCLUSIONS: Providing information about jaundice to mothers was associated with a reduction in the incidence of bilirubin encephalopathy per hospital admission.

Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia is frequently associated with long hospitalisation for emergency care in Nigeria.

AIM: This study investigated the frequency and predictors of a long hospital stay (LHS) for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in Nigeria. METHODS: Length of stay (LOS) for severe hyperbilirubinaemia was examined among neonates consecutively admitted to the emergency department of a children's hospital in Lagos from January 2013 to December 2014. The median LOS was used as the cut-off for LHS. Multivariate logistic regression determined the independent predictors of LHS based on demographic and clinical factors significantly associated with the log-transformed LOS in the bivariate analyses. RESULTS: We enrolled 622 hyperbilirubinaemic infants with a median age of four days (interquartile range 2-6 days) and 276 (44.4%) had LHS based on the median LOS of five days. Regardless of their birth place, infants were significantly more likely to have LHS if they were admitted in the first two days of life (p = 0.008) - especially with birth asphyxia - or had acute bilirubin encephalopathy (p = 0.001) and required one (p = 0.020) or repeat (p = 0.022) exchange transfusions. Infants who required repeat exchange transfusions had the highest odds for LHS (odds ratio 4.98, 95% confidence interval 1.26-19.76). CONCLUSION: Severe hyperbilirubinaemia was frequently associated with long hospitalisation in Nigeria, especially if neonates had birth asphyxia or required exchange transfusions.

Heliotherapy for Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Southwest, Nigeria: A Baseline Pre-Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: A novel filtered-sunlight phototherapy (FSPT) device has been demonstrated to be safe and efficacious for treating infants with neonatal jaundice in resource-constrained tropical settings. We set out to provide baseline data for evaluating the clinical impact of this device in a referral pediatric hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of infants admitted for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in an inner-city Children's Hospital in Lagos, between January 2012 and December 2014 to determine the pattern, treatment and outcomes during the pre-intervention period. Factors associated with adverse outcomes were identified through multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 5,229 neonatal admissions over the period, a total of 1,153 (22.1%) were admitted for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Complete records for 1,118 infants were available for analysis. The incidence of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE) and exchange transfusion (ET) were 17.0% (95% CI: 14.9%-19.3%) and 31.5% (95% CI: 28.8%-34.3%) respectively. A total of 61 (5.5%, 95% CI: 4.3%-6.9%) of the jaundiced infants died. Weight on admission, peak total serum bilirubin (TSB), sepsis and exposure to hemolytic products were predictive of ABE, while age on admission, peak TSB, ABO incompatibility and ABE were predictive of ET. Rhesus incompatibility, asphyxia, exposure to hemolytic substances and ABE were associated with elevated mortality risk, while ET was a protective factor. Lack of routine irradiance monitoring and steady energy supply were frequent challenges for conventional blue-light phototherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe hyperbilirubinemia is associated with high rates of ABE and ET in this setting, and remains a significant contributor to neonatal admissions and mortality. To be impactful, FSPT, complemented with improved diagnostic facilities, should effectively curtail jaundice-related adverse outcomes in this and comparable settings.

Revisiting the Criteria for Exchange Transfusion for Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Resource-Limited Settings.

BACKGROUND: Exchange transfusion (ET) for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (SNH) is frequently undertaken in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), in sharp contrast to the prevailing practice in high-income countries. However, the criteria for initiating this procedure in settings with limited resources for treating infants with SNH have not been systematically explored. OBJECTIVE: To identify key considerations for initiating ET in resource-poor countries to curtail its unnecessary use for the prevention of kernicterus. METHODS: A review of the existing guidelines and literature on the management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia worldwide was conducted to identify criteria and underlying factors for initiating ET. RESULTS: There is a dearth of evidence from randomized clinical trials to support clear criteria for indicated ET worldwide. Because risk assessment for kernicterus based solely on the levels of total serum bilirubin (TSB) has often proved inadequate, a combination of plasma/serum bilirubin estimation and clinical evaluation for acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE) has been recommended for predicting the risk of kernicterus. However, there is a lack of consistency regarding the TSB levels for which ET should be initiated in relation to the clinical signs/symptoms of ABE and hemolytic disorders. CONCLUSIONS: A decision-making framework that combines TSB thresholds and evidence of neurotoxicity is needed for evaluating the risk of kernicterus and prioritising infants for ET in LMICs to curtail unnecessary interventions.

Maternal satisfaction with a novel filtered-sunlight phototherapy for newborn jaundice in Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: In many resource-limited settings, the availability of effective phototherapy for jaundiced infants is frequently hampered by lack of, or inadequate resources to acquire and maintain conventional electric-powered phototherapy devices. This study set out to ascertain maternal experience and satisfaction with a novel treatment of infants with significant hyperbilirubinemia using filtered sunlight phototherapy (FSPT) in a tropical setting with irregular access to effective conventional phototherapy. METHODS: A cross-sectional satisfaction survey was conducted among mothers of jaundiced infants treated with FSPT in an inner-city maternity hospital in Lagos, Nigeria from November 2013 to March 2014. Mothers' experience during treatment was elicited with a pretested questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended items. Satisfaction was rated on a five-point Likert scale. Correlates of overall maternal satisfaction were explored with descriptive and inferential non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: A total of 191 mothers were surveyed, 77 (40%) of whom had no prior knowledge of neonatal jaundice. Maternal satisfaction was highest for quality of nursing care received (mean: 4.72 ± 0.55, median: 5[IQR: 5-5]) and lowest for physical state of the test environment (mean: 3.85 ± 0.74, median: 4[IQR: 3-4]). The overall rating (mean: 4.17 ± 0.58, median: 4[IQR: 4-5]) and the observed effect of FSPT on the babies (mean: 4.34 ± 0.58, 4[IQR: 4-5]) were quite satisfactory. FSPT experience was significantly correlated with the adequacy of information received (p < 0.0005), test environment (p = 0.002) and the observed effect of FSPT on the child (p < 0.0005). Almost all mothers (98.4%) indicated willingness to use FSPT in future or recommend it to others, although some (30 or 15.7%) disliked the idea of exposing newborns to sunlight. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers of jaundiced newborns in this population are likely to be satisfied with FSPT where it is inevitable as an alternative to conventional electric-powered phototherapy. Adequate information, good test environment and friendly nursing care must be ensured for satisfactory maternal experience.

Clinical and demographic risk factors associated with chronic suppurative otitis media.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is high worldwide but increasing occurrence of complications appear peculiar to West Africa. However, knowledge of associated risk factors is sparse, we report the sociodemographic risk factors of CSOM with the aim of control of the disease and complications; and possible preventive strategies. METHOD: This is a survey of children with CSOM in five sites spread in two suburban cities in two states in Nigeria. Questionnaire was administered on the informants followed by examination of the children. RESULT: Of the 189 children, 114 (60%) had developed ear suppuration before 6 months of age, the number of attacks within the previous 18 months ranged between 2-12 with average of 7. Sociodemographic risk factors included low socioeconomic class in 153 (81%), 136 (72%) live in congested houses with more than 10 people and 79 (42%) belonged to families with more than 5 children. Indoor-cooking and infant daycare attendance were 117 (62%) while supine bottlefeeding was 115 (61%) and 34 (18%) of subjects had smoking father. The clinical risk factors were upper respiratory tract infection (URI) 85 (45%), allergy 53 (28%), adenoid 54 (28%) and malnutrition 65 (34%). The univariate analysis revealed that low social class (OR=7.33, CI=4.18-12.83, P=0.0001), malnutrition (OR=3.57, CI=1.88-6.76, P=0.00001), bottlefeeding (OR=2.93, CI=1.63-5.28, P=0.0001), indoor-cooking (OR=1.35, CI=0.88-2.10, P=0.161) and high number of people in a household (OR=0.59, CI=0.34-0.98, P=0.04) are significant in development of OM; while multivariate logistic regression analysis showed malnutrition (OR=3.48, CI=1.633-7.425, P=0.001), low social status (OR=7.74, CI=4.15-14.43, P=0.0001) and indoor-cooking (OR=2.34, CI=1.18-4.66, P=0.014), second table. Parental smoking, daycare attendance, allergy, adenoiditis/adenoidal hypertrophy and upper respiratory tract infection were not found significant. CONCLUSION: Low socioeconomic class, malnutrition, congestion from high number of children in the household and bottlefeeding constitute significant risk factor. The early onset of disease (<6 months) may suggest a prenatal predisposition. We need further research for the understanding of the biologic effect of these factors while this remains a database for prevention and control of disease.