Characterization and Quantification of Vehicular Emissions in Abuja Municipality-Implications for Public Health.

Background: Air pollution from vehicular emission and other sources accounts for over seven million global deaths annually and contributes significantly to environmental degradation, including climate change. Vehicular emission is not prioritized for control in Nigeria, thus undermining public health and the Sustainable Development Goals 3, 11 and 13. This study aims to characterize vehicular emissions in Abuja municipality and quantify exhaust air pollutants of commonly used vehicles.

Prevalence of Pica amongst Pregnant Women attending Antenatal Clinic of a Tertiary Clinic in South-East, Nigeria.

Background: The eating of non-food substances during pregnancy is called pica. It is commonly practised by pregnant women worldwide, including in Nigeria, and has been reported to have a mixed impact on their health.

Aim: This study sought to determine the prevalence of pica amongst pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Anambra State, South East, Nigeria.

Vitamin D and associated factors, among pregnant women in southeastern Nigeria.

In this prospective study on vitamin D and its associated factors conducted on 256 pregnant women from Anambra state of southeastern Nigeria, Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) occurred in 36 (14.1%). Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with parity, gestational age, social class, place of abode, skin colour, workplace location, and compliance to ANC drugs.

Clients' knowledge, perception and satisfaction with quality of maternal health care services at the primary health care level in Nnewi, Nigeria.

Background: Clients' knowledge, perception of and satisfaction with the quality of maternal health services (QMHS) enables maternal health programs to assess the impact of their services from the clients' perspective.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, perception of and clients' satisfaction with the QMHS at the primary health care (PHC) level in Nnewi, Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey.

Adequacy of resources for provision of maternal health services at the primary health care level in Nnewi, Nigeria.

Background: To determine the adequacy of resources (human and material) for provision of maternal health services at the primary health care (PHC) level in Nnewi, Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study of women utilising maternal health services in four public PHC facilities in Nnewi selected using multistage sampling technique was done. Data was collected using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods.

Determinants of subjective health status of HIV positive mothers in NAUTH Nnewi.

Background: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immune deficiency virus (HIV), once dominated by infected males has become feminized especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of adults living with the condition are females. Positive life styles, belonging to social support groups and stigma-free HIV services by providers may have good impact on the quality of life of HIV-positive mothers. This study was aimed at assessing the determinants of subjective health status of HIV-positive mothers accessing prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV services in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi.

Pattern of clinical presentation of eclampsia at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Southeastern Nigeria.

Background: Eclampsia contributes significantly to maternal and perinatal mortalities globally. The objective of this study is to review the pattern of Eclampsia in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria.

Method: A retrospective study that reviewed records from labour ward and the Medical Records Department, of cases of Eclampsia managed at NAUTH over a ten year period 1st January-31st December, 2009.

Knowledge and practices among medical abortion seekers in southeastern Nigeria.

Nigeria has restrictive abortion laws; unsafe abortion and its complications are major public health challenges. Access to reproductive health services in Nigeria, including medical abortion, is poor. We determined the socio-demographic characteristics, patterns of abortion practices, and experiences of medical abortions among abortion seekers in southeastern Nigeria.

Maternal and perinatal outcome of eclampsia in tertiary health institution in Southeast Nigeria.

Objective: To evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcome in patients with eclampsia at Nnamdi-Azikiwe-University-Teaching-Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective study of cases of eclampsia managed at NAUTH over a 10 year period - 1st January, 2000 to 31st December, 2009. Maternal outcome was measured in terms of complications and maternal death.

Unsafe abortion and its ethical, sexual and reproductive rights implications.

Background: Unsafe abortion is an important cause of maternal mortality and morbidity, particularly marked in developing countries with restrictive abortion laws. It has both bioethical and human rights implications, violating their key principles and components.

Objective: To highlight the magnitude of complications of unsafe abortion and examine the legal,bioethical, sexual and reproductive right implications of unsafe abortion as well as to review post abortion care (PAC) in Nigeria.

Knowledge and perception of the Nigerian Abortion Law by abortion seekers in south-eastern Nigeria.

One in four pregnancies worldwide is voluntarily terminated. Approximately 20 million terminations are performed under unsafe conditions, mostly in developing countries with restrictive abortion laws. A total of 100 consecutive abortion-seekers were interviewed, to ascertain their knowledge and perceptions on the Nigerian Abortion Law.

Impact of reproductive health on socio-economic development: a case study of Nigeria.

The link between reproductive health, sexual and reproductive right, and development was highlighted at the International Conference on Population and Development held in Egypt. Developmental disparities are related to socio-economic differences which have led to the identification of distinct socio-economic classifications of nations. Human development represents the socioeconomic standing of any nation, in addition to literacy status and life expectancy.

Perception of quality of care in HIV/AIDS programmes among patients in a tertiary health care facility in Anambra State.

Background: Continuous quality improvement is linked to the use of timely and useful feedback from clients in Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) care. HIV experts and care professionals agree that consumer involvement, such as patient satisfaction survey, is an essential part of HIV care and policy making today. The introduction ofAnti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) services in Nigeria has significantly impacted positively on the overall well being of People Living with HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (PLWHA).

Gender issues in reproductive health: a review.

Gender, for its impact on virtually every contemporary life issue, can rightly be regarded as a foremost component of reproductive health. Reproductive health basically emphasises on people and their rights to sexuality, reproduction, and family planning, and the information to actualize these right, which has been inextricably linked to development at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. Women's sexual and reproductive rights became recognised as universal human right, violations of which occur in some reproductive health areas including gender concerns.

Effect of government-community healthcare co-financing on maternal and child healthcare in Nigeria.

Background: Effective maternal and child healthcare delivery requires a proper and adequate funding of the health sector.

Objective: To determine the effect of government-community healthcare co-financing on maternal and child healthcare services' delivery.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study with an intervention component, conducted amongst 240 women from Igboukwu (intervention area), and Ekwuluobia (control area), of Anambra State of Nigeria.

Abortion treatment by health professionals in south-eastern Nigeria.

Studies assessing the various modes of treatment for abortion and its associated complications remain relevant in the generation of data that will aid policy formulation for abortion management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the common methods of, together with the complications associated with, abortion treatment among healthcare practitioners in south-eastern Nigeria. There were 230 males and 207 females, with a mean age of 38.

Integrating maternal health services into a health insurance scheme: effect on healthcare delivery.

Background: Healthcare delivery is a foremost important basic social services.

Objective: This study reviews the influence of the integration of maternal health services into the Anambra State of Nigeria government-community health care financing scheme on health service delivery at primary health care level in Igboukwu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study with an intervention component, conducted amongst 120 women of reproductive age group at Obiuno health centre, Igboukwu.

Postabortion care counseling practiced by health professionals in southeastern Nigeria.

Objective: To determine the practice of postabortion care (PAC) counseling among healthcare professionals in southeastern Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among healthcare professionals in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria, in 2006. Participants were chosen using a multi-stage sampling technique.

Awareness and practice of post abortion care services among health care professionals in southeastern Nigeria.

This study investigates knowledge and practices of post abortion care (PAC) services among health care professionals in the Anambra State of southeastern Nigeria. This was a prospective, cross-sectional, questionnaire based study conducted between 1 June and 30 September, 2006. The study involved a multi-staged sampling of all registered health facilities in Anambra State, with the selection of 60 health facilities from which 450 participants were recruited.

Knowledge and practice of universal precautions against blood borne pathogens amongst house officers and nurses in tertiary health institutions in Southeast Nigeria.

Purpose: To examine the knowledge and practice, as well as factors influencing universal precautions practices amongst Nigerian House officers and Nurses.

Methods: A Cross-sectional descriptive study. Sample selection was by stratified random sampling.

Menstrual characteristics amongst south-eastern Nigerian adolescent school girls.

Background: Information on pattern of menstruation and its implications is lacking amongst adolescents in Nigeria.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of menstruation amongst adolescent Igbo school girls with respect to the biosocial characteristics, the pattern of menstruation, associated complications, and the source of information on menstruation.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 550 students recruited from a multi-sampling of 50 secondary schools in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, using pre-tested, semistructured, and interviewer administered questionnaires.

Ethical considerations in women's sexual and reproductive health care.

Background: The concept of reproductive health, which adopts a holistic approach to the management of reproductive disorders, was developed in 1994 at the International Conference on Population and Development. This together with the adoption of a right-based approach to the relationship between reproductive health and population and development and the emergence of the concept of sexual and reproductive right marked a turning point in contemporary global health care initiative. Sexual and reproductive healthcare raises ethical questions that fall within the purview of bio-ethics.

Perceptions and practices on menstruation amongst Nigerian secondary school girls.

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted amongst 550 secondary school girls in southeastern Nigeria to determine their perceptions, problems, and practices on menstruation. Majority of the students, (75.6%), were aged 15-17 years.

Karman's cannula and vacuum aspirator in gynecological practice.

The charts of 340 patients who underwent an endometrial suction procedure using Karman's cannula and syringe were reviewed. The therapeutic uses of this instrument were for the treatment of chronic endometritis (18.6%), the evacuation of incomplete or missed abortion (14.