Background:Appropriate infant feeding is the key to optimum infant and child development and survival. This study investigates age-appropriate infant feeding practices and nutritional status of infants attending the immunization and child welfare clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.Materials and Methods:Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, a sample of 300 sets of infants (age ≤12 months) and caregivers was systematically selected and studied. The data were analyzed using the MINITAB® 12.21 (USA) statistical software.Results:All the infants studied were still on breast milk. Most of the mothers demonstrated correct body positioning (89.9) and attachment (78.7%) during breastfeeding, and effective suckling was demonstrated in 77.0%. Interestingly, none of the infants was either exclusively breastfed for 6 months or currently on exclusive breastfeeding. Furthermore, only 64 (58.2%) of the 110 infants that were more than 6 months of age had appropriately been started on complementary feeding from 6 months of age. Overall, most caregivers (88.7%) had “fair” to “good” infant feeding practices. The practices were significantly associated with their level of education, and their relationship with the infants. Up to 40.0% and 73.7% of the infants had varying degrees of wasting and stunting respectively. Infant feeding practices and the age of the infants emerged as the only factors significantly associated with stunting, while both the caregivers’ practices and age of the infants emerged as significant predictors of wasting in the infants.Conclusion and Recommendations:Barely 3 years to the 2015 target of the millennium development goals (MDGs), infant feeding and nutritional status still poses a serious threat to the dream of realizing the MDG-4. The Ministry of Health and relevant developing partners in this region should as a matter of urgency, formulate and implement a strong community-based public health intervention program to improve the knowledge and practices of mothers on infant feeding.
Sexual and reproductive health of prison inmates suffers from serious neglect in Nigeria. This mixed method study examined prison officials and 160 inmates on prison law and administration, and sexual health of inmates. Most of the inmates examined (82.5%) reported having frequent sexual desire. Wet dreams (46.2%) and watching others' nakedness (25.0%) were the common means by which inmates manifest sexual desire. Majority relieve sexual desire through anal sex (72.0%) and masturbation (69.7%). Common forms of sexual violence observed include forceful fondling with genitalia (47.4%) and forceful insertion of finger/object in the anus (21.0%) in males and rape (15.8%) in females. All victims were younger inmates (18 -34 years). There is a need for legislation on sexual violence and exploring the practice of conjugal visits or furloughs as practiced in some countries. (Afr J Reprod Health 2016; 20[1]: 98-103 RésuméLa santé sexuelle et de la reproduction des prisonniers souffre de négligence grave au Nigeria. Il est nécessaire de réviser la loi de la prison pour inclure la santé sexuelle. Cette étude à méthode mixte est basée sur les responsables des prisons, 160 prisonniers et sur le droit et l'administration pénitentiaire, et sur la santé sexuelle des prisonniers. La plupart des prisonniers interrogés (82,5%) ont déclaré avoir fréquemment le désir sexuel. Avoir les rêves humides (46,2%) et regarder la nudité des autres (25,0%) ont été les moyens communs par lesquels les prisonniers manifestent le désir sexuel. La majorité se soulagent du désir sexuel par le rapport sexuel anal (72,0%) et la masturbation (69,7%). Les formes courantes de violence sexuelle observée comprennent des attouchements de force avec des organes génitaux (47,4%) et l'insertion forcée de doigt / objet dans l'anus (21,0%) chez les hommes et le viol (15,8%) chez les femmes. Toutes les victimes étaient les plus jeunes prisonniers (18 -34 ans). Il faut une législation sur la violence sexuelle et il faut 'explorer la pratique des visites conjugales ou congés c'est le cas dans certains pays. (Afr J Reprod Health 2016; 20[1]: 98-103).
terized by lots of experimentations and risk taking including behavior that predisposes to diseases. By the end of 2012, about 2.1 million adolescents globally were living with HIV, and over 90% were in sub-Saharan Africa. [2,3] Adolescents living with HIV confront numerous psychosocial stressors in addition to having to cope with developmental challenges of normal adolescent children. HIVrelated challenges may start with the emotional trauma from disclosure of their HIV status, the fear of uncertainties from disease progression, deterioration of quality of life, and death or bereavement related to the death of loved ones on one hand; on the other hand, the stress of long-term treatment and coping with stigma and discrimination at the different levels Background: HIV-infected adolescents confront numerous psychosocial stressors in addition to coping with the developmental challenges of normal adolescent children. These may adversely affect their adherence to antiretroviral treatment. Objective: To determine the psychosocial challenges of HIV-positive adolescents in Kano, Nigeria, and how they influence their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Materials and Methods: Using descriptive cross-sectional design, we studied a random sample of 400 HIV-positive adolescents attending the ART center in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 16.0, computer statistical software. Result: The mean age of the adolescents was 14.9 ± 3.15 years; majority of them were female subjects (54.8%) and from polygamous family setting (57.5%). More than half (54.5%) of them reported being anxious or depressed most of the times, commonly from fear of death (51.4%) or associated stigma (24.3%). Furthermore, 52.0% of them had lost a parent or spouse to HIV infection and about one-tenth reported being discriminated upon. More than one-third (38.5%) of them were out of school, of which 56.5% of them dropped out because the parents/guardians could not afford the combined burden of hospital costs and school. Most of them (90.5%) adhered well to prescribed medications. On multivariate analysis, anxiety or depression, loss of parent or spouse, and avoidance by friends/colleagues emerged as the independent psychosocial predictors of the adolescents' adherence to ART. Conclusion: HIV-infected adolescents have varied and sensitive needs that must attract high-level understanding of program managers and the social environment to achieve an optimum level of adherence for ART.
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