Co-Designing Case Scenarios and Survey Strategies to Examine the Classification and Reporting of Restrictive Care Practices in Adult Mental Health Inpatient Settings: Perspectives From International Stakeholders.

There is a global initiative to reduce the use of restrictive care practices in mental health settings. Variations in the reported rates across regions complicate the understanding of their use and tracking trends over time. However, it remains unclear whether these discrepancies reflect real differences in the implementation of these practices or are sourced from inconsistencies in incident classification and reporting methods.

Incidence of mental disorders and its predictors among air force personnel exposed to counter-insurgency operations in a West African country: a 6-month follow-up study.

Background: Despite robust reports in the literature concerning the effect of exposure to combat on mental health, there is a paucity of studies in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) using a longitudinal design. This study was designed to determine the incidence of mental disorders among a cohort of NAF personnel exposed to combat and highlight its association with psychosocio-religious variables.

Methods: It was a follow-up study using a total population sampling in which all the 290 deployed personnel participated.

Barriers and enablers of post-COVID-19 acute care follow-up in Nigeria from service providers' perspective: a nominal group technique.

Background: Despite modest efforts to study and document the complications that arise after acute treatment of patients with coronavirus disease, its ramifications and regional variations are yet to be clearly understood. Progress in sub-Saharan Africa, notably Nigeria, has been impeded by patient disengagement from care and insufficient or non-existent follow-up arrangements. The aim of this study was to describe the barriers and enablers for follow-up services after discharge from COVID-19 care pathway in Nigeria.

Digital psychiatry in Nigeria: A scoping review.

Background: Mental healthcare workforce shortage in Nigeria poses a major obstacle to mental health services scale-up. Digital psychiatry may provide a veritable platform to bridge treatment gaps.

Aim: To provide an overview of quantity and range of peer-reviewed publications on digital psychiatry in Nigeria.

In-hospital psychoeducation for family caregivers of Nigerian children with cancer (The RESCUE Study).

Objectives: High levels of caregiver burden (CB) are experienced by informal caregivers of pediatric patients with cancer. There is increasing evidence highlighting the extent of CB across sub-Saharan African countries, although there remains lack of interventions that target improvements in their experience. This study aimed to determine the impact of a structured psychoeducation program on caregivers' outcomes relating to preparedness to provide care, burden of caregiving, and quality of life (QoL).

Effect of dolutegravir-based drug combinations on the level of medication adherence and viral load among adolescents living with HIV in resource-limited setting: a pre-post design.

Objectives: The use of antiretroviral drugs among HIV-infected adolescents has been challenged with poor medication adherence, leading to an unsuppressed viral load and ultimately to drug resistance. Recently, dolutegravir has been approved for use in adolescents with HIV, but the evidence on medication adherence and viral load suppression is limited. The study determined the effect of dolutegravir-based drug regimens on the level of medication adherence and viral load among treatment-experienced adolescents.

Neurological soft signs in first episode psychosis among psychiatric hospital patients and its relationship with dimensions of psychopathology: A comparative study.

Background: Neurological soft signs (NSS), as subtle, nonlocalising neurological abnormalities, are considered as the potential markers of psychosis. However, comparative studies of antipsychotic-naïve patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and first degree relatives (FDRs) are uncommon. We compared the prevalence and pattern of NSS in FEPs, their healthy FDRs and a healthy non-relatives' control group (HC), highlighted the relationship between NSS and psychopathology and proposed cut-off scores for prevalence studies.

Dimensional approach to gender dysphoria in Nigeria: Association with socio-demographic and psycho-sexual variables.

Background: Recent changes across the world with respect to gender transitioning of children and adolescents have generated a bio-psycho-socio-cultural discourse among interest groups.

Aim: This study sought to examine gender dysphoric symptoms among adolescents and young persons in an African population, using a dimensional approach.

Method: A total of 747 primary/secondary school and university students aged 10-24 years were studied using the 27-item Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (GIDYQ-AA).

Longitudinal Factor Structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Among Incident Cases of Schizophrenia Attending a Nigerian Hospital.

Background: Schizophrenia, from its early conceptualization, has been described in distinct clinical subtypes. However, these categories were found not to be stable phenotypes over time, hence the dimensional option, whereas at cross-sectional level, the dimensions of psychopathology have been replicated across studies; there is dearth of data on the longitudinal stability of the factor structure of the symptoms of schizophrenia in African populations.

Aim: This study examined the longitudinal stability of the factor structure of the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) across intervals of 16-week naturalistic treatment follow-up.

Psychosocial aspects of Noma (Cancrum Oris) in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review.

Noma is a neglected tropical disease of an underserved population. Our review describes the volume and scope of existing research evidence on psychosocial aspects of Noma in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our literature search was conducted on all original peer-reviewed research articles on the psychosocial aspects of Noma in each country in SSA using PubMed, Google Scholar, and a direct search of reference list of pertinent journal articles.

Use of coercion in mental healthcare services in Nigeria: Service providers' perspective.

Background: There is increasing advocacy to reduce coercive practices in mental healthcare. Little research has been done on the topic in developing countries.

Aims: To explore what mental health professionals in Nigeria think about coercion, why it is used, and what contextual factors influence its use in mental healthcare services.

A qualitative integrative analysis of service users' and service providers' perspectives on ways to reduce coercion in mental health care.

Purpose: The movement to develop and implement non-coercive alternatives in the provision of mental health care is gaining momentum globally. To strengthen the basis of potential interventions that will be contextually relevant, and to complement the body of literature which is largely from high-income settings, the current study sought to explore the suggestions of service users and providers in Nigeria on how to reduce the use of coercive measures in mental health settings.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 30 mental health professionals and four focus group discussions among 30 service users from two psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria were conducted.

Family, twin and adoption studies of severe mental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Purpose: The traditional genetic epidemiological studies are necessary to improve accurate risk communication to service users and their families. This scoping review aimed to describe the volume and scope of existing research evidence on family, twin and adoption studies of severe mental disorders (SMDs) in SSA. This is with a view to identifying gaps in the literature and the adequacy of data for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Experiences and perceptions of coercive practices in mental health care among service users in Nigeria: a qualitative study.

Background: People with mental health problems are more vulnerable to a broad range of coercive practices and human rights abuses. There is a global campaign to eliminate, or at the very least decrease, the use of coercion in mental health care. The use of coercion in psychiatric hospitals in developing countries is poorly documented.

Psychosocial aspects of adult cancer patients: A scoping review of sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: Psychosocial aspects of adult cancer patients in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been described in silos of research articles. Integrative analysis of regional evidence is lacking. This review aimed to describe the scope of existing research on mental health problems, identify research gaps and make informed research, policy and practice recommendations.

Nigeria's mental health and substance abuse bill 2019: Analysis of its compliance with the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Countries are struggling with reconciling their national mental health legislation with the CRPD approach, which stresses equality as the focal point of legislation, policies, and practices that affect people with disabilities. Several failed attempts have been made over the last two decades to update Nigeria's obsolete mental health legislation. The most recent attempt is the Mental Health and Substance abuse Bill 2019, which aims to protect the rights of people with mental health needs.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among HIV-Infected Children and Its Association With Socio-Demographic, Clinical and Nutritional Variables: A Comparative Approach.

Background: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its treatment impact the child's life as well as that of their caregivers. As therapeutic advances are made in the field, improved survival has shifted the focus from morbidity and mortality to quality of life. This study aims to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children living with HIV in comparison with an HIV-negative control group and determine its relationship with socio-demographic, clinical, and nutritional variables.

Psycho-behavioral responses of Nigerian health workers to an initial human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus disease.

Previous pandemics have had significant impact on psychological well-being of front-line health care workers. Issues such as fear of contracting the disease, high workload as a result of high numbers of infected cases, increased job stress and unavailability of personal protective equipment have been implicated in development of psychological distress in this subset of individuals. The aim of the present paper is to describe psychobehavioral responses of health care workers and potential predictors of emotional response at onset of COVID- 19 outbreak in Nigeria.

The effect of structured psychoeducation on caregiver burden in carers of patients with schizophrenia in Nigeria: A 12-week follow-up investigation.

Background: Despite robust evidence of the huge burden of caregiving amongst caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, there is a paucity of data in Africa on the interventions to address this enormous burden of caregiving.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of structured psychoeducation intervention on the burden of caregiving in comparison with 'care as usual' in a Nigerian Psychiatric Hospital.

Setting: This study was done at the out-patient and in-patient units of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

Aftermath of COVID-19: Forestalling Irreparable Medical Brain Drain in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With the escalation of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across the globe, shortages in the already scarce medical workforce are imminent. Historically, more developed economies have looked abroad to augment their health systems. This paper aims to offer plausible solutions on how to avert future medical brain drain from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Stress in teachers of children with neuro-developmental disorders: Effect of blended rational emotive behavioral therapy.

Background/objectives: Neuro-developmental disorders impose a wide range of learning barriers on learners, increasing stress among their teachers. Evidence attests to the heightened stress among teachers teaching children with such conditions. This study tested the efficacy of blended Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy in reducing job stress among teachers of children with neuro-developmental disorders in Abia State, Nigeria.

The effect of sickle cell anemia on the linear growth of Nigerian children.

Objectives: Despite the high prevalence of children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in West Africa, there is paucity of data on the height velocity and prevalence of growth failure in SCA patients. With advances in clinical care of SCA patients, could there be a spatial and secular trend in the growth pattern of these children? Hence, the compelling needs to embark on this study. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of growth failure among patients with SCA and its correlation with age, gender and age at diagnosis.

Yoga complemented cognitive behavioral therapy on job burnout among teachers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Background/objective: Job burnout is a syndrome of reaction to chronic job-related stress which affects overall health, limits occupational efficacy, and personal accomplishments of employees thereby thwarting organizational outcomes. Burnout symptoms are common among teachers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and affect the academic progress of the children. This study investigated the effectiveness of Yoga-based cognitive behavioral therapy (Y-CBT) in reducing occupational burnout among teachers of children with autism in Lagos States, Nigeria.