The knowledge of and the perceived susceptibility to HPV infection and HPV-related diseases among female students in the University of Lagos were generally low. The need for a well-designed HPV-educational program to bridge the knowledge gap cannot be overemphasized.

Background: It is projected that low and middle-income countries will bear a major burden of tobacco related morbidity and mortality, yet, only limited information is available on the determinants of smoking initiation among youth in Africa. This study aimed to assess the determinants of smoking initiation and susceptibility to future smoking among a population of high school school students in Lagos, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Baseline data from an intervention study designed to assess the effect of an anti-smoking awareness program on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents was analyzed. The survey was carried out in six randomly selected public and private secondary schools in local government areas in Lagos state, Nigeria. A total of 973 students completed self-administered questionnaires on smoking initiation, health related knowledge and attitudes towards smoking, susceptibility to future smoking and other factors associated with smoking. Results: Of the respondents, 9.7% had initiated smoking tobacco products with the predominant form being cigarettes (7.3%). Males (OR: 2.77, 95%CI: 1.65-4.66) and those with more pro-smoking attitudes (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.34-1.54) were more likely to have initiated smoking. Those with parents and friends who are smokers were 3.47 (95%CI: 1.50-8.05) and 2.26 (95%CI: 1.27-4.01) times more likely to have initiated smoking. Non-smoking students, in privately owned schools (OR: 5.08), with friends who smoke (5.09), with lower knowledge (OR: 0.87) and more pro-smoking attitudes (OR 1.13) were more susceptible to future smoking. In addition, respondents who had been sent to purchase cigarettes by an older adult (OR: 3.68) were also more susceptible to future smoking. Conclusions: Being male and having parents who smoke are predictors of smoking initiation among these students. Consistent with findings in other countries, peers not only influence smoking initiation but also influence smoking susceptibility among youth in this African setting. Prevention programs designed to reduce tobacco use among in-school youth should take these factors into consideration. In line with the recommendations of article 16 of the WHO FCTC, efforts to enforce the ban on the sales of cigarettes to minors should be also emphasised.

In almost all societies in the world there is an increase in sexual activity among young persons (10-24 years). There is a need for contraceptive use among them to prevent high risk unintended pregnancies. This study was carried out to determine the contraceptive prevalence among young women in Nigeria. The study population was 832 young women between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Only 11.1% of the respondents had ever used contraceptives although 63.2% of them had had sexual intercourse. Contraceptive usage was significantly higher (p<0.05) among the single sexually active women (38.5%) than among the married women (7.7%). Only 7.3% of respondents are currently using a contraceptive method. The main methods in use were condoms and pills. There is an unmet need for contraceptives among young women in Nigeria. It is necessary to improve these young women's abilities to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies.

IntroductionThe true burden of child sexual abuse in Nigeria is not known as most reports are institutional based. This study was designed to determine population level data on the burden and pattern of child sexual abuse among adolescents in South Western Nigeria.MethodsA community based study among adolescents in SouthWestern Nigeria. Semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through a multistage sampling technique. Analysis was with SPSS version 20.Results398 adolescents (314 females and 84 males) aged 10–19 years with a mean age of 15.6 ± 2.0 years participated in the study. Most were single (90.7%), in school (84.2%), and lived with their parents/guardians (89.4%). The prevalence of CSA was 25.7%. Penetrative abuse occurred in 7.5%, and forced abuse in 46.2% of cases. Perpetrators were mostly boyfriends (31.2%) and neighbours (16.1%). Intra-familial abuse occurred in 7.5% of cases. Only 34.4% of cases ever disclosed the abuse.ConclusionCSA is common in the community, with perpetrators majorly persons known to the adolescents. A large number of cases are not reported. Efforts should be made to educate children and their parents on various ways to reduce child sexual abuse and its consequences.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates until 6 months in most low and middle income countries (LMICs) are well below the 90% World Health Organization benchmark.This systematic review sought to provide evidence on effectiveness of various interventions on EBF until 6 months in LMICs, compared with standard care. Experimental and observational studies with concurrent comparator promoting EBF, conducted in LMICs with high country rates of breastfeeding initiation, were included. Studies were identified from a systematic review and PUBMED, Cochrane, and CABI databases.Study selection, data abstraction, and quality assessment were carried out independently and in duplicate. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for individual studies and pooled. High heterogeneity was explored through prespecified subgroup analyses for the primary outcome (EBF until 6 months) by context and by intervention for the randomized controlled trials. Prediction intervals were calculated for each effect estimate. Sixty-seven studies with 79 comparisons from 30 LMICs were included. At 6 months, intervention group infants were more likely to be exclusively breastfed than controls (RR = 2.19, 95% CI [1.73, 2.77]; I 2 78.4%; 25 randomized controlled trials). Larger effects were obtained from interventions delivered by a combination of professional and laypersons (RR 3.90, 95% CI [1.25, 12.21]; I 2 46.7%), in interventions spanning antenatal and post-natal periods (RR 2.40, 95% CI [1.70, 3.38]; I 2 83.6%), and when intensity was between four to eight contacts/sessions (RR 3.20, 95% CI [2.30, 4.45]; I 2 53.8%). Almost every intervention conducted in LMICs increased EBF rates; choice of intervention should therefore be driven by feasibility of delivery in the local context to reduce infant mortality. /journal/mcn 1 of 26 | Exclusion criteriaStudies with interventions targeted primarily at sick mothers or babies or with special/medical needs, such as prematurity, low birth weight, or tuberculosis, were excluded. | OutcomesThe primary outcome was the rate of EBF up until 6 months as defined by study authors. Secondary outcomes were EBF feeding rates at 0 to 1, 2 to 3, and 4 to 5 months of age; EBF rates of infants 0-5 months; early initiation of breastfeeding (proportion of infants put to breast within 1 hr of birth), and continued breastfeeding at 1 year (WHO, 2008). EBF rates were measured using 24-hr, 7-day, previous month, or since birth recalls; in some studies, assessment mode was not specified. The outcome measuring EBF of infants 0-5 months was derived from WHO Core Indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices (WHO, 2008) and included any study that assessed EBF among a group of infants between 0 and 5 months Key messages • In LMICs, delivery of any intervention to support breastfeeding (insufficient evidence for telephone support) will improve EBF rates, by approximately twofold. • Policy makers in LMICs should identify and implement interventions that best suit their resources, cultural c...