Association between life satisfaction and health behaviours among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Introduction: Life satisfaction is a key indicator of successful ageing and reflects well-being. There is evidence of the association between life satisfaction and health behaviours among older adults. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis protocol seeks to determine the strength and direction of the association between life satisfaction and health behaviours among older adults.

Hybrid Mentorship of Medical Laboratories to Achieve ISO 15189:2012 Accreditation in Malawi: The University of Maryland Malawi Experience.

Introduction: As part of a laboratory strengthening program in Malawi to achieve and maintain International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 accreditation, we intended to mentor selected HIV molecular laboratories to achieve this accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mentorship pivoted to a hybrid model using an Internet-based approach and on-site mentorships. We describe the implementation of this strategy, successes, and challenges.

Private sector tuberculosis care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional standardised patients study of adherence to national TB guidelines in urban Nigeria.

Only a third of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Nigeria in 2020 were diagnosed and notified, in part due to low detection and under-reporting from the private health sector. Using a standardised patient (SP) survey approach, we assessed how management of presumptive TB in the private sector aligns with national guidelines and whether this differed from a study conducted before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 13 SPs presented a presumptive TB case to 511 private providers in urban areas of Lagos and Kano states in May and June 2021.

Challenges and prospects of clinical trials in Nigeria - Lessons from the WHO COVID-19 solidarity plus trial.

Conducting randomized clinical trials (RCTs) during a pandemic is essential for obtaining timely evidence on safe and effective treatments, but it presents numerous obstacles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) sponsored multinational RCTs investigating repurposed drugs among hospitalized COVID-19 patients across countries with varying clinical research capacities. In Nigeria, several challenges hindered our progress, including inadequate infrastructure, initial insufficient investigator certification and expertise, and delays in securing regulatory approvals due to bureaucratic hurdles.

A PROTOCOL FOR ACCELERATING THE ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED MATERNAL, NEWBORN, CHILD, AND NUTRITION HEALTH (MNCNH) INNOVATIONS TO REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY IN NIGERIA.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, where 28.5% of global maternal deaths occur. Barriers such as weak policy environments and lack of product availability hinder the implementation of life-saving interventions.

CHILDHOOD UNINTENTIONAL HOME INJURIES: CAREGIVER'S PERCEPTION AND PRACTICE IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

Introduction: Unintentional home injuries (UHI) pose an enormous danger to a child's well-being; therefore, understanding the variations in caregiver approaches across different settings is invaluable for targeted prevention strategies. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and practice of caregivers on UHI in children under five years of age.

Methods: The comparative cross-sectional study design with a multistage random sampling technique was utilized to select 494 caregiver/child pairs, proportionate to size, from selected communities in both rural and urban areas of Plateau State.

THE NIGERIAN ATRIAL FIBRILLATION NATIONAL REGISTRY: RATIONALE, DESIGN AND EARLY FINDINGS.

Introduction/background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The AF Atrial Fibrillation Registry, which commenced in June 2023, was designed to provide clinical epidemiological data on patients with AF in the country.

Objective(s): The objective is to describe the rationale, design, and early findings from the registry.

UNDERSTANDING THE PREVALENCE OF GAMBLING IN NIGERIA: A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION.

Background: There has been an increase in gambling or betting in the population, increasing the risk of gambling-related disorders. There is insufficient knowledge about the extent and determinants of this problem across Nigeria.

Objective: To assess the prevalence, pattern, and sociodemographic correlates of gambling behaviour across different geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

A STUDY OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN NIGERIAN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, THEIR FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES AND HEALTHY CONTROLS.

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric condition with cognitive symptoms infrequently assessed clinically, yet, they impact the functioning of patients. Cognitive impairments have been found more in unaffected relatives of patients with schizophrenia, compared to healthy controls, suggesting them as endophenotypes of schizophrenia. There are few studies in Nigeria and Africa on these.

ASSESSMENT OF THROMBOSPONDIN-1 IN SICKLE CELL VASOOCCLUSIVE CRISIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PLATELET INDICES AND INFLAMMATION.

Introduction: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a key protein product of activated platelets which is significantly increased in sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and other inflammatory conditions. This study aims to determine TSP-1 levels and their relationship with platelet indices and inflammation.

Objective: To evaluate TSP-1 levels in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients and assess their relationship with platelet indices and inflammation.

PATTERN OF MORBIDITY OF PATIENTS ADMITTED TO NIGERIAN TERTIARY-LEVEL HOSPITALS: INSIGHTS FROM THE MOHOPA STUDY.

Background: There is a paucity of nationally representative data on the pattern of morbidity of hospitalised medical patients in Nigeria. We hereby provide insights from the MOHOPA (Pattern of Morbidities, Mortality and Healthcare Financing of Hospitalised Medical Patients in Hospitals) study on the pattern of morbidity among patients admitted to the medical wards of Nigerian tertiary-level hospitals.

Methods: At least 100 patients admitted to the medical and emergency wards of 7 tertiary-level hospitals, spread across the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the Capital City of Abuja, were consecutively recruited to join the study after obtaining written informed consent.

Protocol for the development and piloting of a cluster randomised controlled trial for stress prevention, management, and coping mechanism among police officers in Nigeria.

Background: Policing is a stressful occupation. Police officers are exposed to stressors that are inherent in the organization and operations of law enforcement. Similar to their counterparts around the world, many Nigeria police officers are exposed to high levels of stress, making them vulnerable to stress-related mental health conditions and other noncommunicable diseases.

POST-MEASLES ACUTE VELOPHARYNGEAL INCOMPETENCE: A RARE CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Summary/introduction: Velopharyngeal incompetence(VPI) is the failure of closure of the velopharyngeal sphincter, which consists of the muscles of the soft palate and the superior pharyngeal constrictor, and functions to separate the nasopharynx and oropharynx during phonation and swallowing. VPI is most frequently congenital/syndromic (with structural deficit) but can be acquired. A subset of acquired VPI, occurring in structurally intact velopharynx, has been described in children, and these are isolated and acute-onset, with a substantial proportion thought to have an infectious origin.

Lassa fever in Nigeria: epidemiology and risk perception.

Annual outbreaks of Lassa fever have resulted in a public health threat in Nigeria and other endemic countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the Lassa Virus (LASV) is endemic in rodent populations, zoonotic spillover to humans causes annual outbreaks. This study reviewed the burden of Lassa fever (LF) in Nigeria between 2020 and 2023 and conducted a cross-sectional survey of Nigerians to evaluate their risk perceptions of LF.

CEPHALIC TETANUS: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Summary/introduction: Cephalic tetanus (CT) constitutes only 1-3% of total reported tetanus cases. It is marked by flaccid paralysis of one or more cranial nerves (CN) with or without spasticity, typically following craniofacial injuries. The facial nerve is the most frequently paralyzed.

PNEUMONIA-ASSOCIATED ACUTE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS IN A NIGERIAN ADOLESCENT.

Summary/introduction: Acute Glomerulonephritis (AGN) is one of the most common childhood renal diseases in Nigeria. Acute Post-infectious glomerulonephritis (APIGN)-typified by post-streptococcal AGN (PSGN)-is the commonest, usually developing 1-6 weeks after an infectious episode. Rarely, AGN may occur concurrently with the inciting infectious process and may go unnoticed by clinicians.

IMPERATIVE OF SPIRITUALITY HISTORY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, A PRIMARY CARE PERSPECTIVE; IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE, RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, PORT HARCOURT.

Cultural practices and spirituality militate against effective utilization of healthcare facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in primary care settings. Spirituality history in clinical practice will help the health professional understand patients' values, religious beliefs, cultural practices, and preferences. It gives insight into proper counseling, and appropriate treatment and serves as an adjuvant to necessary therapeutic approaches.

Examination of factors impacting spitting or vomiting among children under 5 years of age during seasonal malaria chemoprevention: a quantitative study in Burkina Faso, Chad, Nigeria and Togo.

Background: Since 2012, the World Health Organization has recommended seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine (SPAQ) for children aged 3-⁠59 months in regions where malaria transmission is seasonal. Full ingestion of SMC medicines without spitting or vomiting during a complete 3-day course is critical to ensure effectiveness of SMC medicines and to avoid development of antimalarial resistance. Although evidence suggests that spitting or vomiting is not rare, there is limited analytical evidence on potential factors associated with spitting or vomiting in SMC campaigns.

The Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum: An African qualitative consensus propagating continental national surgical healthcare policies and plans.

Access to equitable, safe, affordable, timely, and quality surgical healthcare in Africa remains limited. Few African countries have surgical healthcare plans or policies. Where these exist, there are significant gaps in dissemination, funding, and implementation.

EFFECT OF ELECTRONIC SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE REMINDERS ON MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN KATSINA STATE: A QUASIEXPERIMENTAL STUDY.

Introduction: Globally, hypertension is considered a public health problem affecting over 1.3 billion individuals of which 60% need reminders to take medication to achieve adherence, optimal blood pressure and avert complications. Literature shows electronic short message reminders (eSMS) improved medication adherence.

The economic burden of child marriage in Nigeria.

Background: Child marriage affects young boys and girls, especially in low and middle income countries, where it represents a dereliction of child rights, duty of care, and the promotion of public health. In Nigeria, child marriage presents a significant challenge, especially for girls, impacting education, health, and national development profoundly. Despite the importance of comprehending the effects of child marriage on health and education and quantifying its economic impact on Nigerian society through these crucial domains, there remains limited knowledge on this matter.

Acceptability, barriers and facilitators of using dried blood spots-point-of-care testing for sickle cell disease in Africa: an implementation science protocol for a multinational qualitative study.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent inherited blood disorder. Globally, approximately 515 000 babies are born with SCD annually, with 75% of these births occurring in Africa. Integrating newborn screening (NBS) for SCD into primary healthcare structures, such as immunisation programmes, holds significant promise, with dried blood spots (DBS)-point-of-care technologies (POCT) like HaemoTypeSC offering cost-effective screening solutions.