Utilization of Secondhand Childcare productsand Perceived Health Risks among Mothers of Under-Five Years Children in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Second-hand economy is a universal phenomenon. In Nigeria, it cut across many decades and all spectrums of life even in childcarepractice. The role of second-hand products in childcare practice and provisioning has been under reported in scholarly discuss in Nigeria. Hence,the prevalence of secondhand childcare products utilization, different categories of secondhand products available for childcare, the perceived health hazards and the reasons why consumers patronize secondhand products for childcareamong mothers of under five years in Ibadan Nigeria.Methods:A cross sectional concurrent mix-methods approach was used in the study. The quantitative and qualitative data weredone simultaneously. While mothers of under-five children were purposively selected for in-depth interviews, a total sampling of all consenting mothers of under-five found at immunization clinic of Primary health care centres were sampled for survey. A total number of 403 mothers of under five children participated in the survey while 50 IDIs were conducted with buyers (mothers) and traders of secondhand children's products. Qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis, while the quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi-square test.Results:The mean age of mothers is ± SD 28.6 ± 5.4. Majority of respondents 209 (51.9%) had senior secondary education, 140 (34.7%) had tertiary education and only 2 (0.5%) had no formal education. About 339 (84.1%) utilized secondhand childcare products, while 64 (15.9%) never used secondhand childcare products. Mothers with at least senior secondary education 209 (51.9%) were found to be the highest users of secondhand childcare products. Procurement and utilization of secondhand childcare products was based on quality value, availability, affordability attached to constructed superiority of western civilization wrapped around provisioning in childcare. Conclusion: Many mothers of under-five children in Ibadan utilizes secondhand products in childcare. Embedding secondhand products health hazard in health talk during immunization clinics will be beneficial and help in educating mothers on reduced and safe utilization of secondhand products in childcare

The use of mobile phone technology as an assistive tool for emotional support of adolescents orphaned by AIDS in South Africa

The majority of adolescents in developing countries own and use cell phones. Given the number of adolescents orphaned by HIV and AIDS in South Africa; use of mobile phones to monitor their progress; and provide emotional support seems a feasible and cost effective option to provide support. The purpose of the study was to solicit caregivers' views on the use of mobile phone technology as an assistive tool in providing emotional support to adolescents. Three focus group interviews were conducted among caregivers working in an AIDS Awareness Centre which is visited regularly by adolescents orphaned by AIDS. Contrasting views on the use of mobile technology as an assistive tool in providing emotional support were raised by the caregivers. Two major themes emerged: Doubts about the efficacy of using mobile phones for counselling and providing emotional support were expressed based on the fact that there will be a lack of direct physical interaction and communication. The second theme; in direct contrast with the first theme illustrated that the majority of caregivers acknowledged the potential and positive application in supporting adolescents. If appropriately applied; mobile phone technology could be helpful as a supportive tool for adolescents in a primary health care context

In What Ways Can Community Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (C-IMNCI) Improve Child Health?

Background: In addition to access to quality health services; family child care practices play a major role in improving child health and achieving reduction in childhood mortality. Objective: To assess the effect of community integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness interventions on family practices for child care. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Dabat District; northwest Ethiopia. A total of 800 mothers or caretakers of children of under two years form the Community Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses intervention and non-intervention areas were selected using a multistage sampling procedure and interviewed in November 2007. Result: Three hundred thirty seven (84.3) of the mothers from the intervention area and 358 (89.5) from nonintervention area were illiterate. Thre vast majority (99.5) of the fathers in each of the areas were farmers. Mothers/care takers from community IMNCI intervention areas reported better child care practices in terms of time of breastfeeding initiation (OR=9.10; 95CI=5.45; 12.43); avoiding prelacteal feeding (OR=11.01; 95CI=7.98; 15.43); initiation of supplementary feeding (OR=3.63; 95CI=2.23; 5.93) compared to mothers/care takers form non intervention areas. Regarding water; personal hygiene and environmental sanitation; statistical significant differences were observed in using a safe drinking source of water (OR=6.36; 95CI=4.49; 9.01) and availability of pit latrines (OR=43.52; 95CI=25.46; 67.89) between the intervention and non-intervention areas. The likelihood of seeking care for diarrhea was about five times and that of fever is three times higher in the intervention areas compared to thenon-intervention one. Conclusion: Community IMNCI has positive effects on child feeding; disease prevention; health care seeking practices and these practices are expected to improve child health and survival. Thus the program needs to be scaled up in other areas. Further studies may assess the actual effect of the intervention on child morbidity and mortality

Influence of family size, household food security status, and child care practices on the nutritional status of under-five children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Fertility pattern and reproductive behaviours affect infant death in Nigeria. Household food insecurity and poor care practices also place children at risk of morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to assess the influence of family size, household food security status, and child care practices on the nutritional status of under-five children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 423 mothers of under-five children and their children in the households selected through multistage sampling methods. Food-insecure households were five times more likely than secure households to have wasted children (crude OR=5.707, 95 percent CI=1.31-24.85). Children with less educated mothers were significantly more likely to be stunted. The prevalence of food insecurity among households in Ile-Ife was high. Households with food insecurity and less educated mothers were more likely to have malnourished children (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[4]: 123-132)

Child Fosterage and the Developmental Markers of Ovambo Children in Namibia: A Look at Gender and Kinship

The purpose of this study is to better understand the practice of child fosterage both in and out of crisis among Owambo speaking people in Namibia; Southern Africa. The study utilized the existing 2000 Namibian Demographic and Health Survey (N=5949) (Macro 2000). Results indicate that when controlling for age of the child; fostered children experience less education and probability of attending school than biological children. Degree of relatedness to the head of household further differentiates the disparities. Gender differences emerged to disadvantage less closely related boys. No differences were found between orphans and non-orphans in education or health. Fosterage seems to be a protective factor for orphans closely related to their caretakers. Understanding how gender and kinship; and the broader context of fosterage shape family life for both orphans and non orphans may help the development community identify interventions for the most vulnerable of children in Africa

Development of a WHO child care facility schedule (CCFS) : a pilot collaborative study

This paper describes the research conducted by a WHO collaborative study group for the development of a questionnaire method for the assessment of quality in child-care settings. The results of an inter-rater reliability study undertaken in Greece and Nigeria suggest that the Child Care Facility Schedule (CCFS), composed of 80 items, offers a satisfactory system of rating, especially after modifications were made to refine certain items, alter the scoring system so as to grasp nuances, and clarify the instructions in the users' manual, including revisions in the interviewing technique. A validity study to confirm the usefulness of this method is being carried out in Athens

Condicoes de enquadramento familiar da crianca deficiente mental

Condicoes de Enquadramento Familiar da Crianca Deficiente Mental e um trabalho que aborda as praticas socio-culturais ligadas a Saude Mental; a partir de um levantamento dos problemas de adaptacao social das criancas com deficiencia mental em alguns bairros suburbanos da cidade de Maputo. O estudo faz uma analise do conceito de deficiencia mental segundo os praticantes de medicina tradicional (PMT); pais e familiares de criancas deficientes mentais e analisa o papel da medicina tradicional no diagnostico e no tratamento de deficiencias mentais bem como as condicoes de integracao familiar da crianca deficiente mental. Na tentativa de uma analise comparativa do papel desempemhando pelos sectores moderno e tradicional da medicina; o presente trabalho aborda aspectos da cultura local que influem no comportamento das pessoas quanto as doencas e aos meios de as curar. Assim fez a constatacao de que entre os PMT; pais e familiares de criancas deficientes mentais; existe um conceito comum da doenca quanto as suas causas e tratamento. Segundo eles; as deficiencias mentais tem causas sobrenaturais e; consequentemente; devem ser tratadas pela medicina tradicional; chegando mesmo a ser contraindicado o tratamento pela medicina moderna/formal. Constatou ainda que existe uma concepcao segundo a qual a crianca deficiente mental e um ser do outro mundo podendo representar; perante a familia; o simbolo do seu castigo; uma dadiva dos espiritos dos ancestrais ou simplesmente a maldade de outras pessoas; nas comunidades estudadas. Por tudo isto; a medicina tradicional ocupa um lugar mais importante do que a medicina moderna/formal; no diagnostico e tratamento das deficiencias mentais; dado o facto de se crer que elas tem origem sobrenatural e que o seu tratamento passa pela invocacao dos espiritos. Em suma; a presente investigacao demonstra que as atitudes da familia em relacao a crianca deficiente mental variam com a idade da crianca; com as causas e com o modo como a familia as encara. O fim ultimo deste trabalho e contribuir no aconselhamento das familias no que diz respeito ao enquadramento e socializacao das referidas criancas; na educacao popular no tocante saude a mental da crianca e as atitudes da familia em relacao a sua educacao

Manual do metodo mae canguru

O metodo de mae canguru e uma das alternativas de cuidados para a crianca prematura e a de baixo peso (menos de 2500 g). O presente manual e um instrumento valioso para fornecer informacao ao pessoal de saude que cuida desses bebes nas maternidades perifericas e hospitais do pais; de modo a orientar as maes sobre os cuidados em relacao a crianca prematura e de baixo peso ao nascer. Este manual ira melhorar a prestacao de cuidados as criancas pretermo e de baixo peso nos hospitais ou maternidades e isso vai contribuir para a reducao da mortalidade infantil e neonatal