Emergency situations, including epidemics, increase incidence of violence against women, especially intimate partner violence (IPV). This paper describes specific scenarios of IPV reported by women ...during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria to provide insight for policy and programmatic efforts.
This paper draws on seven de-identified case reports from organisations serving women experiencing IPV as well as media coverage of IPV cases in Nigeria, between April and May, 2020.
In most cases, reports identified IPV that was occurring prior to the lockdown, but increased in severity or involved new types of violence during the lockdown. The case scenarios included descriptions of many forms of IPV commonly reported, including physical, economic, psychological and sexual violence, often concurrently. Several women also reported threats of being thrown out of their homes by perpetrators, which threatens women's ability to protect themselves from exposure to COVID-19, but could also leave women stranded with no access to transportation, social services, or other resources during the lockdown. Several women also reported IPV that involved custody of children, as well as IPV that disrupted women's income generation. IPV was also reported in relation to economic stressors associated with the lockdown. Reports highlight how the lockdown disrupted women's social support, hindering accessibility of formal and informal sources of help.
The lockdowns in Nigeria may have inadvertently placed women already experiencing partner violence at risk for experiencing more severe violence, new challenges to cope with violent experiences, and other forms of violence, including violence that used the lockdown as a way to threaten women's security and ability to protect themselves from the virus. Hence, there is need for innovative approaches to support victims, with emphasis on ways in which perpetrators of IPV may be using the threat of COVID-19 to further gain power and control over partners.
Paucity of data exists on the timing of puberty, particularly the pubarche, in developing countries, which has hitherto limited the knowledge of the timing of pubarche, and assistance offered by ...physicians to anxious young people in Nigeria. Factors associated with the timings of puberty and pubarche are not well documented in Nigeria. We hypothesized that the timing of pubarche in Nigeria differs by geographical regions and other characteristics. We assessed the timing of pubarche among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria and identified prognostic factors of the timing by obtaining information on youths' sexual and reproductive developments in a population survey among in-school and out-of-school youths aged 15 to 24 years in Nigeria. A total of 1174 boys and 1004 girls provided valid information on pubarche. Results of time-to-event analysis of the data showed that mean age at pubarche among males aged 15 to 19 years and 20 to 24 years was 13.5 (SD = 1.63 years) and 14.2 (SD = 2.18 years) (respectively) compared with 13.0 (SD = 1.57 years) and 13.5 (SD = 2.06 years) among females of the same age. Median time to pubarche was 14 (Interquartile range (IQR) = 3) years and 13 (IQR = 3) years among the males and females, respectively. Cumulatively, 37% of the males had attained pubarche by age 13 years versus 53% among females, 57% vs 72% at age 14, and 73% vs 81% at age 15. The likelihood of pubarche among males was delayed by 5% compared with females (Time Ratio (TR) = 1.05: 95% CI = 1.03-1.05). Every additional one-year in the ages of both males and females increases the risk of pubarche by 1%. Similar to the females, males residents in Northeast (aTR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07-1.21), in the Northwest (aTR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.13-1.27) and in the Southwest (aTR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11-1.26) had delayed pubarche than males from the South East. Yoruba males had delayed pubarche than Ibo males (aTR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.12). Age at pubarche among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria differed among males and females with earlier onset among females. Pubarche timing varied mainly by ethnicity, region, and location of residence. Our findings will aid medical practitioners in providing appropriate advice and support on pubarche-related issues among adolescents in Nigeria as it could help douse pubarche anxiousness in relation to request for medical assistance.
Paucity of data exists on the timing of puberty, particularly the pubarche, in developing countries, which has hitherto limited the knowledge of the timing of pubarche, and assistance offered by ...physicians to anxious young people in Nigeria. Factors associated with the timings of puberty and pubarche are not well documented in Nigeria. We hypothesized that the timing of pubarche in Nigeria differs by geographical regions and other characteristics. We assessed the timing of pubarche among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria and identified prognostic factors of the timing by obtaining information on youths’ sexual and reproductive developments in a population survey among in-school and out-of-school youths aged 15 to 24 years in Nigeria. A total of 1174 boys and 1004 girls provided valid information on pubarche. Results of time-to-event analysis of the data showed that mean age at pubarche among males aged 15 to 19 years and 20 to 24 years was 13.5 (SD = 1.63 years) and 14.2 (SD = 2.18 years) (respectively) compared with 13.0 (SD = 1.57 years) and 13.5 (SD = 2.06 years) among females of the same age. Median time to pubarche was 14 (Interquartile range (IQR) = 3) years and 13 (IQR = 3) years among the males and females, respectively. Cumulatively, 37% of the males had attained pubarche by age 13 years versus 53% among females, 57% vs 72% at age 14, and 73% vs 81% at age 15. The likelihood of pubarche among males was delayed by 5% compared with females (Time Ratio (TR) = 1.05: 95% CI = 1.03–1.05). Every additional one-year in the ages of both males and females increases the risk of pubarche by 1%. Similar to the females, males residents in Northeast (aTR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07–1.21), in the Northwest (aTR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.13–1.27) and in the Southwest (aTR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11–1.26) had delayed pubarche than males from the South East. Yoruba males had delayed pubarche than Ibo males (aTR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.12). Age at pubarche among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria differed among males and females with earlier onset among females. Pubarche timing varied mainly by ethnicity, region, and location of residence. Our findings will aid medical practitioners in providing appropriate advice and support on pubarche-related issues among adolescents in Nigeria as it could help douse pubarche anxiousness in relation to request for medical assistance.
This study determined the past-year prevalence of physical, sexual and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated factors among young women in urban slums and non-slums of Ibadan, ...Nigeria.A cross-sectional study, using a multistage cluster sampling method was used to select 1050 ever-partnered young women aged between 18 and 24 years from the five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ibadan municipal. All localities were classified into slums and non-slums using the UN-Habitat 2003 criterion. Independent variables were respondents' and partners' characteristics. Dependent variables were physical, sexual and psychological IPV. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model (α0.05).Prevalence of physical (31.4%, 13.4%), sexual (37.1%, 18.3%), and psychological IPV (58.6%, 31.5%) were significantly higher in the slum than non-slum communities. Multivariate analysis showed that secondary education (aOR:0.45, 95%CI: 0.21 - 0.92) reduced IPV experience while being unmarried (aOR:2.83, 95%CI: 1.28 - 6.26), partner's alcohol use (aOR:1.97, 95%CI: 1.22 - 3.18), and partner's relationship with other women (aOR:1.79, 95%CI: 1.10 -2.91) increased IPV experience in slum communities. In non-slum communities, having children (aOR:2.99, 95%CI: 1.05-8.51), non-consensual sexual debut (aOR: 1.88, 95%CI: 1.07-3.31) and witness of abuse in childhood (aOR:1.82: 95%CI: 1.01 - 3.28) increased experience of IPV. Acceptance of IPV and partner's witness of abuse in childhood increased experience of IPV in both settings.This study confirms that IPV is common among young women in Ibadan, Nigeria, but higher among women in slum communities. Findings also showed different factors associated with IPV in slum and non-slum communities. Therefore, targeted interventions for each urban stratum are recommended.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to any behavior by either a current or ex-intimate partner or would-be rejected lover that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm. It is the most common ...form of violence in women's lives. According to a World Health Organization report, about 1 in 3 women worldwide experience at least one form of IPV from an intimate partner at some point in her life. In the Gambia, about 62% of pregnant women experience at least one form of violence from an intimate partner. IPV has severe physical and mental health consequences on a woman ranging from minor bodily injury to death. It also increases the risk of low birth weight, premature delivery, and neonatal death.
A health facility-based cross-sectional study design was carried out to assess the magnitude and factors associated with intimate partner violence among pregnant women seeking antenatal care in the rural Gambia. The study enrolled 373 pregnant women, and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from the study participants. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Ver.22. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed to determine the presence and strength of associated factors with IPV.
The study reveals that the prevalence of IPV in The Gambia is 67%, with psychological violence (43%) being the most common form of IPV reported by the respondents. The multivariate logistic regression result reveals that being aged 35 years or older AOR 5.1(95% CI 1.5-17.8), the experience of parents quarreling during childhood AOR 1.7(95% CI 1.0-2.75), and having cigarette smoking partners AOR 2.3 (95% CI 1.10-4.6) were significantly associated with IPV during pregnancy.
This study has demonstrated that all forms of IPV in rural Gambia are frequent. Women older than 35 years, had experienced parents quarreling, had a partner who smoked, and a partner who fight with others were more likely report IPV compared to other pregnant women in the study. We recommend that IPV screening should be included as an integral part of routine antenatal care services in The Gambia. Community-based interventions that include indigenous leaders, religious leaders, and other key stakeholders are crucial to create awareness on all forms of IPV and address the risk factors found to influence the occurrence of IPV in rural Gambia.
Routine immunisation (RI) contributes immensely to reduction in mortality from vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) among children. The Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, 2008 revealed that only ...58 % of children in Osun State had received all recommended vaccines, which is far below World Health Organization (WHO) target of 80 %. We therefore, assessed RI uptake and its determinants among children in Atakumosa-west district of Osun State.
Atakumosa-west district has an estimated population of 90,525 inhabitants. We enrolled 750 mothers of children aged 12-23 months in this cross-sectional study. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of mothers on RI, history of RI in children and factors associated with full RI uptake. A fully-immunised child was defined as a child who had received one dose of Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin, three doses of Oral-Polio-Vaccine, three doses of Diptheria-Pertusis-Tetanus vaccine and one dose of measles vaccine by 12 months of age. We tested for the association between immunisation uptake and its likely determinants using multivariable logistic regression at 0.05 level of significance and 95 % confidence Interval (CI).
Mean ± (SD) age of the mothers and children were 27.9 ± 6.1 years and 17.2 ± 4.0 months, respectively. About 94 % (703/750) of mothers had received antenatal care (ANC) and 63.3 % (475) of the children possessed vaccination cards. Seventy-six percent (571/750) had good knowledge of RI and VPD. About 58 % (275/475) of children who possessed vaccination card were fully-immunised. Mothers antenatal care attendance (aOR = 3.3, 95 % CI = 1.1-8.3), maternal tetanus toxoid immunisation (aOR = 3.2, 95 % CI = 1.1-10.0) access to immunisation information (aOR = 1.8, 95 % CI = 1.1-2.5) and mothers having good knowledge of immunisation (aOR = 2.4, 95 % CI = 1.6-3.8) were significant determinants of full immunisation.
Routine immunisation uptake was still below WHO target in the study area. Encouraging mothers to attend antenatal care and educational interventions targeted at rural mothers are recommended to improve vaccination status of children in the rural communities.
Most studies on gender-based violence (GBV) have focused on its physical, sexual, and psychological manifestations. This paper seeks to draw attention to the types of economic violence experienced by ...women, and describes its consequences on health and development. Economic violence experienced included limited access to funds and credit; controlling access to health care, employment, education, including agricultural resources; excluding from financial decision making; and discriminatory traditional laws on inheritance, property rights, and use of communal land. At work women experienced receiving unequal remuneration for work done equal in value to the men's, were overworked and underpaid, and used for unpaid work outside the contractual agreement. Some experienced fraud and theft from some men, illegal confiscation of goods for sale, and unlawful closing down of worksites. At home, some were barred from working by partners; while other men totally abandoned family maintenance to the women. Unfortunately, economic violence results in deepening poverty and compromises educational attainment and developmental opportunities for women. It leads to physical violence, promotes sexual exploitation and the risk of contracting HIV infection, maternal morbidity and mortality, and trafficking of women and girls. Economic abuse may continue even after the woman has left the abusive relationship. There is need for further large-scale studies on economic violence to women. Multi-strategy interventions that promote equity between women and men, provide economic opportunities for women, inform them of their rights, reach out to men and change societal beliefs and attitudes that permit exploitative behavior are urgently required.
The N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) enzyme has been understudied in Nigerians including genotype-phenotype association studies.
The aim of this study was NAT2 haplotype identification and ...genotype-phenotype investigations in HIV-positive and HIV-negative Nigerians.
Phenotypes included self-reported sulphonamide hypersensitivity survey, experimental and computational NAT2 phenotyping. The NAT2 gene was amplified by PCR. Gene sequencing used ABI 3730 and Haploview 4.2 for haplotype reconstruction. Genotype-phenotype analyses used the χ P-value and odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval.
Self-reported sulphonamide hypersensitivity showed a prevalence of 3.1 and 12.4% in HIV-positive and HIV-negative Nigerians, respectively. NAT2 genetic variants 191G>A, 282C>T, 341T>C, 481C>T, 590G>A, 803A>G and 857G>A were not significantly different between both groups (odds ratio=0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.54-1.38, P=0.55). Nine haplotypes: NAT2*4, NAT2*12A, NAT2*13A, NAT2*5B, NAT2*6A, NAT2*7B, NAT2*5C, NAT2*14B and NAT2*14A had frequencies more than 1%, whereas NAT2*12B had 1.1% in the HIV-positive and 0.4% in the HIV-negative group. Overall, slow acetylator haplotypes made up 68%. The NAT2*12 signature single-nucleotide polymorphism was in high linkage disequilibrium with signature single-nucleotide polymorphism for NAT2*13 (D'=0.97, r=0.61) and NAT2*5 (D'=0.98, r=0.64). Genotype-phenotype association analysis showed haplotypes NAT2*13A, NAT2*5C, NAT2*7B and NAT2*14A to be associated strongly with the slow metabolic phenotype (P=0.002, 0.029, 0.032 and 0.050, respectively). Computational phenotypes were similar, with 30.9, 66 and 3.1% for slow, intermediate and rapid acetylators, respectively, among HIV-positive Nigerians and 31.2, 66.3 and 2.5% among the HIV-negative group. Overall, slow phenotypes made up 31%.
NAT2 haplotype frequencies are similar in Nigerians, irrespective of HIV status, but genotype-phenotype discordances exist.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is one of the most pervasive human rights violation which has negative impacts on the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities.
The aim of this ...study was to explore the perceptions of male civil servants in Ibadan, Nigeria about the perpetration of IPV and to document their suggested measures to prevent IPV in our communities in Nigeria.
Four focus group discussions were conducted among 36 male civil servants selected from Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan using purposive sampling technique. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic approach.
Six major themes were identified; awareness of the forms of IPV, women and men as victims, causes, attitude, consequences as well as the suggested strategies for the prevention of IPV. Physical and psychological abuse were mentioned across the groups. The respondents pointed out that women experience IPV more than men, but that men also experience it. Some respondents stated that physical and psychological abuse against female intimate partners were acceptable in some circumstances according to the societal norms. The negative effects of IPV on physical, mental and social well-being of the individual, families and society were mentioned. Suggested ways of preventing IPV include tolerance and patience which will promote healthy, respectful and non-violent relationships among intimate partners.
Considering the perceptions and attitudes of these men to IPV, it is important to reach out to both genders for appropriate preventive and educational intervention in ending IPV among women and men.
The COVID-19 pandemic control strategies disrupted the smooth delivery of essential health services (EHS) globally. Limited evidence exists on the health systems lens approach to analyzing the ...challenges encountered in maintaining EHS during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify the health system challenges encountered and document the mitigation strategies and adaptations made across geopolitical zones (GPZs) in Nigeria.
The national qualitative survey of key actors across the six GPZs in Nigeria involved ten states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which were selected based on resilience, COVID-19 burden and security considerations. A pre-tested key informant guide was used to collect data on service utilization, changes in service utilization, reasons for changes in primary health centres' (PHCs) service volumes, challenges experienced by health facilities in maintaining EHS, mitigation strategies implemented and adaptations to service delivery. Emerging sub-themes were categorized under the appropriate pillars of the health system.
A total of 22 respondents were interviewed. The challenges experienced in maintaining EHS cut across the pillars of the health systems including: Human resources shortage, shortages in the supply of personal protective equipments, fear of contracting COVID-19 among health workers misconception, ignorance, socio-cultural issues, lockdown/transportation and lack of equipment/waiting area (. The mitigation strategies included improved political will to fund health service projects, leading to improved accessibility, affordability, and supply of consumables. The health workforce was motivated by employing, redeploying, training, and incentivizing. Service delivery was reorganized by rescheduling appointments and prioritizing some EHS such as maternal and childcare. Sustainable systems adaptations included IPC and telehealth infrastructure, training and capacity building, virtual meetings and community groups set up for sensitization and engagement.
The mitigation strategies and adaptations implemented were important contributors to EHS recovery especially in the high resilience LGAs and have implications for future epidemic preparedness plans.
PDF
