Background:Although, antenatal care (ANC) attendance in sub Saharan Africa is high, however this does not always translate into quality ANC care service utilization.Aim:This study therefore is aimed at exploring pattern of maternal health (MH) services utilization and the socio-demographic factors influencing it in Anambra State, South East Nigeria.Subjects and Methods:A total of 310 women of reproductive age with a previous history of gestation attending ANC services between September, 2007 and August, 2008 in selected Primary Health Centers in Anambra State were studied. Responses were elicited from the study participants using a pre-tested, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 (SPSS Inc, Chicago Illinois, USA). Association between socio-demographic characteristics and pattern of utilization of ANC and delivery services was measured using χ2-test, Regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with utilization of MH services. P < 0.05 was assumed to be significant.Results:Use of health facility was 293 (97.0%) and 277 (92,7%) out 302 women for ANC and delivery services respectively. Most women attended their first ANC consultation during the preceding pregnancy was after the first trimester and about 31% (94/298) of them had <4 ANC visits prior to delivery. Socio-demographic factors were found to be significantly associated with places where MH care services are accessed. Parity was found to be associated with timing of ANC booking and number of ANC attendance (χ2 = 9.49, P = 0.05). Odds of utilizing formal health facility for MH services were found to be significantly associated with increasing age (P < 0.01) and educational status of mothers (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The study revealed high maternal service utilization and 10% fetal loss, hence the need to address the gaps of late ANC booking and low ANC visits.
Prompt diagnosis and early treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) cases is an important strategy in TB prevention and control. Thus, passive case finding of TB suspects, sputum examination for diagnosis, and prompt treatment using Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) are key elements in the national guideline for TB control programme. The aim of this study is to determine the time interval between diagnosis of smear-positive TB cases and the commencement of treatment in DOTS facilities in southern Nigeria. The study was carried out in 20 healthcare facilities supported by TB Control Assistance Program (TB-CAP) involved in TB management in southern Nigeria, which comprised tertiary, secondary, and primary healthcare facilities including public and private facilities. Data were collected through review of clients' and facility records covering July-September 2009. Data collected were sociodemographic characteristics, sputum-smear result, date of diagnosis, and date of commencement of treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 software. Of the total 2,507 TB suspects examined for Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB), 323 were diagnosed to be Sputum-Smear-Positive (SS+ve), However, 269 new smear positive cases were commenced on treatment within the period, thus 54 (17.0%) of the new SS+ve cases defaulted initially. One hundred and two (38%) of them commenced TB treatment within 3 days of smear examination for diagnosis, while 59 (22%) commenced 4-6 days after diagnosis. The study revealed significant delay in commencement of TB treatment for most new smear positive TB cases in southern Nigeria and underlines the need to further explore factors responsible for delay in commencement of TB treatment following diagnosis.The journal issue has a unique new feature for reaching to the journal's website without typing a single letter. Each article on its first page has a "Quick Response Code". Using any mobile or other hand-held device with camera and GPRS/other internet source, one can reach to the full text of that particular article on the journal's website. Start a QR-code reading software (see list of free applications from http://tinyurl.com/ yzlh2tc) and point the camera to the QR-code printed in the journal. It will automatically take you to the HTML full text of that article. One can also use a desktop or laptop with web camera for similar functionality. See
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.