Mental health distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: Need for psychological intervention

Background: The world began to realise the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January 2020, and since then the number of people infected has exceeded 1 million globally. In less than 1 month following the first reported case in Nigeria, over 180 people had tested positive to the disease. Studies have shown that such rapidly spreading infectious diseases have the potential to create widespread fear, apprehension, panic and anxiety amongst the general public. Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the impact of information dissemination and public mental healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. It also hopes to determine if there is an unmet need for telepsychiatry in Nigeria. Setting: Community-based study covering the North, South and West of Nigeria. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using an on-line survey form via the snowballing sampling method. Results: Social media was identified as the main source of information concerning COVID-19, and half of the respondents opined that information dissemination was inadequate. Psychological distress was present in 90.5% of the participants and 61.8% admitted that this distress was worsened by fake news and myths concerning COVID-19. However, 53.8% of the participants were willing to access mental healthcare services, with telepsychiatry being the preferred choice. Conclusion: There is a need to implement a national public mental health service during this emergency. Telepsychiatry has numerous advantages in this context and maybe an opportunity to roll out a novel means of delivering mental healthcare.

Knowledge sharing among healthcare providers in Gombe State, Nigeria

This study examined the barriers to, and channels of knowledge sharing among secondary healthcare providers including medical doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Medical laboratory scientist in Gombe State, Nigeria. The total enumeration technique was used because the population of 665 healthcare providers was not so large. Questionnaires were administered to the 665 healthcare providers, out of which 467 copies were found valid for analysis, giving a response rate of 70 percent. Key informant interviews were also held with 10 medical directors. The results showed that respondents have a high level of knowledge sharing. It also revealed the most frequently used channels through which healthcare providers in Gombe State share knowledge included the use of discussion group with the highest frequency of 314 (67.2%) followed by bulletin boards with 94 (20.1%) while the coffee room discussion had the lowest frequency of 8 (1.7%). The main barriers included bureaucratic procedures involved in knowledge sharing, lack of open-minded sharing environment, lack of trust of other peoples' knowledge, no proper organizational guidelines for sharing, Lack of training, lack of team work and lack of reward schemes for knowledge shared. The study recommended that the hospital administrators and hospital board should ensure that the identified barriers to knowledge sharing are removed, while the frequently used channels are strengthened in order to facilitate knowledge sharing among healthcare providers. This will curb the challenge of brain drain, promote quality service delivery and promote well-being of patients.

Resources, indicators, data management, dissemination and use in health information systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: results of a questionnaire-based survey

OBJECTIVE:To describe the status of health information systems in 14 sub-Saharan African countries of the World Health Organization African Region.DESIGN:A questionnaire-based survey.SETTING:Fourteen sub-Saharan African countries of the African Region.PARTICIPANTS:Key informants in the ministries of health, national statistics offices, health programmes, donors and technical agencies.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:State of resources, indicators, data sources, data management, information products, dissemination and use of health information.RESULTS:The highest average score was in the identification and harmonisation of indicators (73%), reflecting successful efforts to identify priority indicators and reach international consensus on indicators for several diseases. This was followed by information products (63%), which indicated the availability of accurate and reliable data. The lowest score (41%) was in data management, the ability to collect, store, analyse and distribute data, followed by resources - policy and planning, human and financial resources, and infrastructure (53%). Data sources (e.g. censuses, surveys) were on average inadequate with a score of 56%. The average score for dissemination and use of health information was 57%, which indicated limited or inadequate use of data for advocacy, planning and decision-making. CONCLUSIONS:National health information systems are weak in the surveyed countries and much more needs to be done to improve the quality and relevance of data, and their management, sharing and use for policy-making and decision-making

Institutionalisation of knowledge transfer on sexual behaviour in the times of AIDS: a case study from a village community in North-Central Namibia

This paper concentrates on the changes in knowledge transfer in northern Namibia with respect to sexual norms; behavioural advice and sexual health information. The research was conducted in a small village community in Ohangwena region; where over 100 semi-structured and structured interviews were held with a sample of 67 community members and 50 professionals dealing with HIV/AIDS issues. The results of the research indicate the change in social roles in family and community dynamics; especially between generations; and thus a change in trust; respect and responsibility attached to information sharing. This further exerts pressure on the classification; choice; adaptation and transmission of information at both the individual and family level. Secondly; and partly as a consequence of this; the levels of indigenous; community level information from elders to youth and the level of institutionalised information sharing leave space for variations in behavioural norms. The research contributes to the discussion on problems in information sharing; knowledge transfer and adaptation of behavioural advice in HIV/ AIDS work

Effectiveness of Data Collection and Information Transmission Process for Disease Notification in Anambra State; Nigeria

Background: Disease surveillance and notification (DSN) has been shown to be weak in Nigeria; thus; its inability to promptly detect and control epidemics.Objective: To examine the completeness and timeliness of data collection and information transmission process for DSN in the Anambra state.Materials and Methods: The study was of cross-sectional design and employed the multistage sampling method to select 270 health workers who are involved in DSN in Anambra state. Data were collected by a mix method of interviewer administered questionnaire and observational checklist preceded by key informant interviews and desk review.Results: One hundred (43.9) health workers reported regular supply of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) forms; 25 and 16.2 reported it was irregular and usually out of stock; respectively. Most facilities (81.5) were the least correct; while out-patient register (88.9) was the most correct. Only 10.0 of health facilities submitted completed forms 5 days after completion; 88.9 of them submitted completed IDSR002 forms within 2 days of completion; while the remainder was submitted 4 days later.Conclusion: The health workers were not operating the DSN system in the State to optimal functionality. Recommendations were therefore made for the periodic training-retraining of health personnel on DSN; improved funding; provision of logistics; improved supervision; and feedback of information

Parental HIV Disclosure in Burkina Faso: Experiences and Challenges in the Era of HAART

Increasingly parents living with HIV will have to confront the dilemmas of concealing their lifelong treatment or disclosing to their children exposed to their daily treatment practices. However; limited data are available regarding parental HIV disclosure to children in Burkina Faso. Do parents on antiretroviral therapy disclose their HIV status to their children? What drives them? How do they proceed and how do children respond? We conducted in-depth interviews with 63 parents of children aged seven and above where the parents had been in treatment for more than 3 years in two major cities of Burkina Faso. Interviews addressed parental disclosure and the children's role in their parents' treatment. The rate of parental HIV status disclosure is as high as that of non-disclosure. Factors associated with parental disclosure include female sex; parent's older age; parent's marital history and number of children. After adjustment; it appears that the only factor remaining associated with parental disclosure was the female gender of the parent. In most of the cases; children suspected; and among non-disclosers many believed their children already knew without formal disclosure. Age of the children and history of divorce or widowhood were associated with parental disclosure. Most parents believed children do not have the necessary emotional skills to understand or that they cannot keep a secret. However; parents who disclosed to their children did not experience blame nor was their secret revealed. Rather; children became treatment supporters. Challenges to parental HIV disclosure to children are neither essential nor specific since disclosure to adults is already difficult because of perceived risk of public disclosure and subsequent stigma. However; whether aware or not of their parents' HIV-positive status; children contribute positively to the care of parents living with HIV. Perceptions about children's vulnerability and will to protect them against stigma lead parents to delay disclosure and not to overwhelm them with their experience of living with HIV. Finally; without institutional counselling support; disclosure to children remains a challenge for both parents and children; which suggests a need for rethinking of current counselling practices

Le conseil post-test encourage-t-il les PVVIH a partager leur statut serologique? Pratiques et suggestions des conseillers au Burkina Faso

Full Title:Le conseil post-test encourage-t-il les PVVIH a partager leur statut serologique? Pratiques et suggestions des conseillers au Burkina Faso (Does post-test counseling support PLHIV in disclosing their HIV status? Practices and propositions by counselors in Burkina Faso)Le partage du resultat du test VIH est; selon les normes; aborde lors du counseling post-test. Cependant; alors que les obstacles au partage d'un resultat VIH positif sont attestes; la litterature reste peu abondante sur la maniere dont les directives sont appliquees sur le terrain. L'objectif de cet article est d'examiner les pratiques de conseil concernant le partage du resultat avec l'entourage rapportees par les clients et les prestataires du conseil et test VIH (CTV) au Burkina Faso. Une enquete transversale a ete conduite en milieu urbain et en milieu rural en 2008. Un questionnaire integrant des questions semi-ouvertes a ete utilise. Un nombre total de 542 personnes qui ont realise le test depuis 2007 et 111 prestataires de services de conseil et test VIH ont ete interviewes. Les donnees ont ete analysees sur SPSS 12. Seulement 29des personnes testees declarent que le theme du partage du resultat avec l'entourage a ete discute avec elles lors du counseling post-test. Ce resultat s'explique par les incertitudes et les inquietudes des prestataires sur la maniere de partager et sur les risques de consequences defavorables du partage. Des strategies sont developpees par les prestataires pour soutenir les personnes dont la seropositivite a ete depistee a partager cette information avec l'entourage mais ils reconnaissent que ces actions sont insuffisantes. Les suggestions des prestataires pour ameliorer la situation incluent la lutte contre la stigmatisation vis-a-vis des personnes vivant avec le VIH; le renforcement des competences des prestataires et l'adoption de textes juridiques pour rendre obligatoire le partage du resultat avec le partenaire. En conclusion; l'etude a identifie plusieurs pistes pour ameliorer les pratiques de conseil concernant le partage des resultats au Burkina Faso. Ces observations pourraient avoir une portee globale pour la region Afrique

Information Sharing in Professional Associations: the Case of the Ethiopian Journal of Health Development in Strengthening the Ethiopian Public Health Association

The Ethiopia Public Health Association (EPHA) was established in 1989 and legally registered under the Ethiopian law in 1991; with the objective of attaining an optimal standard of health for the people of Ethiopia by promoting better health services to the public and high professional standards through advocacy; active involvement and networking. EPHA is committed to improve the health and wellbeing of Ethiopians through the dedicated and active involvement of its members and in collaboration with all stakeholders. As stated in its constitution; establishing forums for promoting communication among members and the public on health and health-related matters; and advancing research in public health and publishing scientific journals; newsletters and bulletins for disseminating the results forthe advancement of knowledge and excellence in public health practice are the prominent objectives of the Association

L'Afrique contre le Sida : Materiel d'information et de prevention

Ce catalogue presente des documents pedagogiques sur le Sida produit en Afrique pour les Africains montrant ainsi la diversite et la creativite africaine pour informer et sensibiliser la population sur cette pandemie. Il comprend une liste des rubriques et un index des pays et un index des organismes termine le document

Quand tout un monde s'interroge : Recueil de citations sur le VIH/SIDA

Ce document est une compilation de pensees des acteurs de la lutte contre le Sida. Il se veut un outil de discussion et d'etayage de discours sur le VIH/SIDA