An assessment of the experiences, and perceptions of the collateral effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Southeast Nigeria: implications for policy and action.

Introduction: there is limited evidence from developing countries including Nigeria on the collateral effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the socioeconomic lives of citizens. The aim of this study was to explore citizens´ experiences and perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on daily living in Southeast Nigeria.

Methods: this was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among policymakers, researchers, non-governmental organizations (NGO) officials, and health practitioners in Southeast Nigeria.

The Impact of Intersectional Discrimination and Stigma on HIV Care for African, Caribbean, and Black Women Living With HIV During the COVID-19 Pandemic in British Columbia: A Descriptive Study.

African, Caribbean, and Black women living with HIV (ACB WWH) in British Columbia experience discrimination on the basis of their race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and HIV status. The various forms of stigma that ACB WWH experience intersect to create a uniquely marginalized experience that has negative consequences for quality of life and overall well-being. Eighteen semistructured interviews were completed with ACB WWH in British Columbia.

Pattern of antimicrobial prescription in Africa: a systematic review of point prevalence surveys.

Introduction: inappropriate use of antimicrobials is a cause for concern and contributes to the global antimicrobial resistance crises especially in Africa. This review aims to summarize the available evidence on the point prevalence and pattern of antimicrobial and/or antibiotic prescription in Africa.

Methods: this review was carried out between April and September 2021 and identified published studies up until March 2021 on the point prevalence of antibiotic and/or antimicrobial use in Africa.

Determinants of enrolment in health insurance scheme among HIV patients attending a clinic in a tertiary hospital in South-eastern Nigeria.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the determinants of enrolment in health insurance schemes among people living with HIV.

Design: The study was a cross-sectional study. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from 371 HIV clients attending the clinic.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced HIV Care: Are We Prepared Enough for Future Pandemics? An Assessment of Factors Influencing Access, Utilization, Affordability, and Motivation to Engage with HIV Services amongst African, Caribbean, and Black Women.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disruption in healthcare delivery for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). African, Caribbean, and Black women living with HIV (ACB WLWH) in British Columbia (BC) faced barriers to engage with HIV care services prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that were intensified by the transition to virtual care during the pandemic. This paper aims to assess which factors influenced ACB WLWH's access to, utilization and affordability of, and motivation to engage with HIV care services.

Awareness, knowledge, risk perception and uptake of maternal vaccination in rural communities of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Knowledge and uptake of maternal vaccination has been reported to be low in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: To determine the knowledge, uptake and determinants of uptake of maternal vaccination among women of child-bearing age.

Methods: A cross sectional study was done among 607 women of childbearing age selected from rural communities in Ebonyi State using multi-staged sampling technique.

Males' perceptions and practices towards maternity care in rural southeast Nigeria: Policy implication of participatory action research for safe motherhood.

Introduction: High maternal death is attributable to developing countries' health systems and sociocultural factors This study assessed the effect of participatory-action research on males' perception and practice towards maternity care and safe motherhood in rural southeast Nigeria.

Methods: A pre-post-intervention study design was employed to study 396 male partners of pregnant women selected through cluster sampling in rural communities in southeast Nigeria. Males' perceptions and practices towards maternity care and safe motherhood were assessed using an interviewer-administered five-point Likert scale questionnaire.

Health workers' knowledge and practice of Isoniazid preventive treatment guidelines in health facilities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Background: Isoniazid preventive therapy is recommended as part of a comprehensive HIV and AIDS care strategy. IPT is used as prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of TB in HIV-infected persons. However, its implementation has been very slow and has been influenced by several factors.

Utilising community volunteers can increase the detection and referral of Buruli ulcer cases in endemic communities in Southeast, Nigeria.

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) is a debilitating neglected tropical disease which causes disability and mostly affects inhabitants in impoverished settings where access to medical care is challenging. This study aims to determine the effect of training community members as volunteers for or in the detection and referral of people who have Buruli ulcer to the hospital.

Methods: The following study is a before and after study in the BU-endemic Local Government Areas (LGA) of Ebonyi State.

Predictors of knowledge and practice of newborn care among post-natal mothers attending immunisation clinics in Southeast Nigeria.

Objectives: Evidence-based newborn care practice recommended by WHO reduces neonatal mortality and improves neonatal outcomes. This study assessed the knowledge, practice-associated factors and predictors of essential newborn care among post-natal mothers in two primary health care centres in Southeast Nigeria.

Design: A cross-sectional total population study.

The experience of a regional network of health policy and systems actors in translating evidence into policy and action in West Africa.

Objectives: To identify strategies and interventions to strengthen the generation and use of research evidence in health policy and practice decision-making and implementation in the West African sub-region (knowledge translation).

Design: The study design was cross-sectional. Data sources were from a desk review, West African Network of Emerging Leaders (WANEL) member brainstorming, and group discussion outputs from WANEL members and session participants' discussions and reflections during an organised session at the 2019 African Health Economics and Policy Association meeting in Accra.

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.

Prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 among residents in Umuahia, Abia State, Southeast Nigeria: policy and public health implications.

Background: COVID-19 has led to restrictions on movements and lockdown measures, which have resulted to higher utilization of over-the-counter drugs compared to prescription-only drugs. This study determined the prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October and November 2021 among the residents of Umuahia, Abia State.

Is the Training, Knowledge, and Perception of Maternal Health Providers Adequate for the Provision of Respectful Maternity Care? Policy Implications for Practice in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.

Background: Health providers play pivotal roles in achieving respectful maternity care (RMC). This study assessed the training, knowledge, and perception of respectful maternity care among maternal health providers in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

Methodology: This was across-sectional study conducted among 156 maternal health providers in Ebonyi Nigeria.

Community Malaria Knowledge, Experiences, Perceived Roles, and Acceptability of Community-Directed Distribution of Intermittent Preventive Therapy for Pregnancy in Rural Southeast Nigeria.

Background: The community plays key roles in protecting pregnant women in rural areas from malaria. This study assessed malaria experiences, knowledge, perceived roles in malaria prevention in pregnancy, and acceptability of community-directed distribution of intermittent preventive therapy (IPTp) for malaria in pregnancy in rural Southeast Nigeria.

Methods: This study presents part of the baseline findings of a before-and-after study.

Does disrespect and abuse during childbirth differ between public and private hospitals in Southeast Nigeria.

Background: Disrespect and Abuse (D&A) during childbirth represents an important barrier to skilled birth utilization, indicating a problem with quality of care and a violation of women's human rights. This study compared prevalence of D&A during childbirth in a public and a private hospital in Southeast Nigeria.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study among women who gave birth in two specialized health facilities: a public teaching and a private-for-profit faith-based hospital in Southeast Nigeria.

Assessing the usefulness of policy brief and policy dialogue as knowledge translation tools towards contextualizing the accountability framework for routine immunization at a subnational level in Nigeria.

Background: Evidence suggests that implementing an accountability mechanism such as the accountability framework for routine immunization in Nigeria (AFRIN) will improve routine immunization (RI) performance. The fact that the AFRIN, which was developed in 2012, still had not been operationalized at the subnational level (Ebonyi State) by 2018 may in part account for the poor RI coverage (33%) in 2017. Knowledge translation (KT) is defined as the methods for closing the gaps from knowledge to practice.

Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women, and Lived Experiences of Family Violence and Abuse During Childhood in Rural Eastern Nigeria: Implications for Policy and Programming.

Background: Violence against women (VAW) has remained an increasingly significant public health problem globally. This study explored childhood experiences of abuse and attitude towards violence against women among adults in a rural community in South-east Nigeria.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a rural community in Ebonyi, Nigeria.

An assessment of perceived prioritisation and resource allocation for health policy and systems research in West Africa.

Objectives: Globally, adequate funding is a strong underpinning to advance health policy and systems research (HPSR) and ensure its impact on strengthening health systems. This study examined the perceived prioritisation, and resource allocation for HPSR in West Africa.

Methods: A desk review was conducted of literature related to HPSR funding published between January 2010 and December 2019, sourced from various databases and government websites.

Effect of mobile-phone messaging on patient and health-worker knowledge and adherence to the isoniazid preventive therapy guideline in HIV clinics in Southeast, Nigeria.

Background: HIV-infected persons are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis and Isoniazid preventive therapy has been shown to reduce the occurrence of tuberculosis among this group of persons. M-health technology has been reported to increase both knowledge and implementation of various health services including Isoniazid preventive therapy implementation. This study aimed to determine the effect of m-health on health worker knowledge and adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) guidelines and on patient knowledge and adherence to isoniazid treatment.

Vertical disease programs and their effect on integrated disease surveillance and response: perspectives of epidemiologists and surveillance officers in Nigeria.

Background: Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) is a cost-effective surveillance system designed to curb the inefficiency associated with vertical (disease-specific) programs. The study determined the existence and effect of vertical programs on disease surveillance and response in Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 14 State epidemiologists and Disease Notification Surveillance Officers (DSNOs) in 12 states located within the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Knowledge of malaria control and attitudes towards community involvement among female community volunteers: effect of capacity building in a rural community, Southeast Nigeria.

Introduction: community volunteers have limited skills but are an important link between the community and health facilities. We determined the effect of a capacity building intervention on knowledge of malaria control and attitudes towards community involvement among female community volunteers as part of a larger community-based intervention study on pregnant women and children under five.

Methods: we conducted a before and after intervention study (no randomization or controls) among female community volunteers in Amagu community in Abakaliki Local Government Area.

What factors are associated with forms of mistreatment during facility-based childbirth? A survey of referral health facilities in south-east Nigeria.

Mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities contributes significantly to suboptimal levels of skilled birth attendance. This study determined the factors associated with mistreatment during facility-based childbirth in two referral facilities in south-east Nigeria. A survey of 620 women whose childbirth occurred in two high-patronage referral hospitals of Ebonyi, Nigeria, was conducted in July-September 2018 using interviewer-administered questionnaires.

Prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among pregnant women during COVID-19-related lockdown in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Background: Several studies have been published on the topic of COVID-19 and pregnancy over recent months. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of this pandemic on maternal mental health, particularly in low-resource settings.

Aim: To determine the prevalence and predictors of COVID-19-related depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among pregnant women.