Gestational weight gain among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria: Pattern, predictors and pregnancy outcomes.

Background: Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, future obesity and chronic diseases among women. However, has not received much attention in many low and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. We investigated the pattern, associated factors and pregnancy outcomes of GWG in Ibadan, Nigeria, using the Ibadan Pregnancy Cohort Study (IbPCS).

Socio-economic status and hunger among orphans and vulnerable children households in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Background: HIV/AIDS has contributed to increasing orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. A measure of vulnerability is household hunger.

Objective: To assess level of household hunger and associated factors among OVC households in Lagos State.

Short-term Persistence of Protective Maternally Acquired Immunity in Neonates Delivered by Primiparous Women in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Unresolved questions remain concerning the protective effect and duration of immunity acquired from mothers. This study investigated persistence of immunity against tetanus in the first two weeks of life among neonates in Nigeria.

Methods: In a longitudinal study, 244 primiparous mothers and their newborns were consecutively recruited at 16 selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Controlling malaria in pregnancy: how far from the Abuja targets?

Background: The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) initiative recommended that all pregnant women receive Inter mittent Preventive Treatment (IPTp) and that by 2010 at least 80% of people at risk of malaria (including pregnant women) use insecticide-treated bednets (ITN) in areas with stable transmission. We evaluated ITN/IPTp coverage, explored its associated factors, and estimated the number of pregnancies protected from malaria.

Materials And Methods: This analysis was based on data from the 2012 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey (NARHS Plus).

Correlates of the Quality of life of Adolescents in families affected by HIV/AIDS in Benue State, Nigeria.

It was estimated that over 260,000 children are living with HIV/AIDS while close to 2 million are directly or indirectly affected by the disease in Nigeria. Improvements in treatments for infected children have been documented in the literature but there is a gross knowledge gap on the impact of HIV/AIDS on the quality of life and psychosocial functioning (PSF) of affected children in Nigeria. We comparatively explored the association of quality of life with PSF and other factors among adolescents in families affected by HIV/AIDS (FAHA) and in families not affected by HIV/AIDS (FNAHA).

Determinants of use of insecticide-treated nets among pregnant women in Nigeria.

Background: Malaria in pregnancy is still a major health issue in Nigeria, accounting for about 33% of cause of maternal death. Despite massive efforts to make insecticide-treated net (ITN) available to pregnant women in Nigeria, the use is still low. This study was conducted to identify facilitators and inhibitors for the use of ITN/long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) among pregnant women in Nigeria.

The Adolescents' Psychosocial Functioning Inventory (APFI): scale development and initial validation using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Most of the existing measures of psychosocial functioning among adolescents are developed outside Lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). Measures relevant to the LMIC setting will provide opportunity to assess the functioning of adolescents in these settings based on their background or context. The Adolescents' Psychosocial Functioning Inventory (APFI) which addresses relevant challenges and expectations of adolescents in the LMIC settings was developed to bridge this gap in knowledge.

The Nigeria wealth distribution and health seeking behaviour: evidence from the 2012 national HIV/AIDS and reproductive health survey.

Background: Recently, Nigeria emerged as the largest economy in Africa and the 26th in the world. However, a pertinent question is how this new economic status has impacted on the wealth and health of her citizens. There is a dearth of empirical study on the wealth distribution in Nigeria which could be important in explaining the general disparities in their health seeking behavior.

Secular trend and epidemiology of measles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 2009-2012.

Purpose: To determine incidence of measles and progress towards its elimination in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of routinely collected active and passive surveillance data on measles at the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. All laboratory confirmed measles from (2009-2012) were analyzed to determine measles annual incidences and distribution by age, gender, nationality, seasonality, vaccination status and spatial distribution by region.

A comparative analysis of fertility differentials in Ghana and Nigeria.

Nigeria and Ghana are the most densely populated countries in the West African sub-region with fertility levels above world average. Our study compared the two countries' fertility levels and their determinants as well as the differentials in the effect of these factors across the two countries. We carried out a retrospective analysis of data from the Nigeria and Ghana Demographic Health Surveys, 2008.

Toward malaria eradication in Saudi Arabia: evidence from 4-year surveillance in Makkah.

Background And Objectives: Saudi Arabia has implemented strategies for the eradication of malaria. However, influx of people from countries endemic for malaria for either employment or Hajj makes the country highly susceptible to malaria importation. The Makkah region is known to host millions of immigrants yearly and has a surveillance system to monitor the incidence of malaria.

Is the epidemiology of alkhurma hemorrhagic fever changing?: A three-year overview in Saudi Arabia.

Background: The epidemiology of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever disease is yet to be fully understood since the virus was isolated in 1994 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Setting: Preventive Medicine department, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Design: Retrospective analysis of all laboratory confirmed cases of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever disease collected through active and passive surveillance from 1(st)-January 2009 to December, 31, 2011.

Contraceptive use: implication for completed fertility, parity progression and maternal nutritional status in Nigeria.

The study identified socio-demographic factors influencing contraceptive use while using nutritional status, completed fertility and parity progression as key variables. NDHS, 2008 dataset on married women aged 45-49 was used. Chi-square, ordinary linear and logistic regression models were used for the analysis.

Gender variation in self-reported likelihood of HIV infection in comparison with HIV test results in rural and urban Nigeria.

Background: Behaviour change which is highly influenced by risk perception is a major challenge that HIV prevention efforts need to confront. In this study, we examined the validity of self-reported likelihood of HIV infection among rural and urban reproductive age group Nigerians.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of Nigerians.

Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem by 2000 AD: an epidemiological perspective.

Introduction: Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae and manifests as damage to the skin and peripheral nerves. The disease is dreaded because it causes deformities, blindness and disfigurement. Worldwide, 2 million people are estimated to be disabled by leprosy.

Occult HBV infection among a cohort of Nigerian adults.

Objective: To determine markers of HBV infection and detect the presence of its occult infection in serum of a cohort of adult Nigerians.

Methodology: The study involved 28 adult Nigerians with viral hepatitis (Group 1) and 28 apparently healthy adult Nigerians as controls (Group 2). Their sera were assayed for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV, while HBV DNA was determined in 15 patients with chronic hepatitis.

Operational barriers to the implementation of multidrug therapy and leprosy elimination in Cameroon.

Background: The World Health Organization targeted to eliminate leprosy from the world with multidrug therapy (MDT) by 2000. But, leprosy remains a problem in Essimbiland of Menchum Division of Cameroon, with a prevalence of 1.7/10,000 and high rate of case detection in children.

Environmental risk factors and health outcomes in selected communities of the Niger delta area, Nigeria.

Aims: The main aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of various health outcomes associated with exposure to environmental risk factors including industrial pollution in selected communities of Nigeria's oil-rich Niger delta area (NDA).

Methods: The study involved both laboratory experiments and community health surveys using questionnaires and hospital records. A total of 14 air samples, 16 grab soil samples and 18 surface water samples were collected and analyzed for physicochemical parameters including heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using standard methods.

Acceptability of child adoption as management option for infertility in Nigeria: evidence from focus group discussions.

Infertility remains a global health challenge with devastating psycho-social consequences in many African communities. Adoption that may serve as an alternative strategy for the affected couples is not widely practiced. This study was conceptualized to assess the acceptability of child adoption as a management option by Nigerians.

Predicting nodal malignancy from clinical data.

Objective: A large variety of disorders can lead to lymphadenopathy. It is important and beneficial to patient management to rapidly differentiate between benign and malignant causes. The objective of the study is to identify factors predicting nodal malignancy from readily available clinical data.

Chronic cough at a non-teaching hospital: Are extrapulmonary causes overlooked?

Objective: To estimate the prevalence, assess the diagnostic approach and to identify specific causes and treatment response of chronic persistent cough (CPC) in consecutive adult patients attending the chest clinic at a non-teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methodology: Chronic persistent cough was defined as cough persisting for more than 3 weeks. Patients were assessed clinically and investigated according to the suspected diagnosis.