Autism Spectrum Disorders in Nigeria: A Scoping Review of Literature and Opinion on Future Research and Social Policy Directions.

INTRODUCTION: Research about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in sub-Saharan Africa is sparse and limited. However, research studies coming from Nigeria in West Africa as a country have contributed significantly to the subject of ASD in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study is a scoping review of research literature on ASD in Nigeria through June 2017 conducted by searching the key terms autism and Nigeria on PubMed and Google Scholar. Included in the review are works concerning case reports and co-morbidities associated with ASD in Nigeria; prevalence of ASD; genetic study of ASD; clinical characteristics of children with ASD; knowledge and awareness about ASD; socio-cultural factors affecting ASD. Expert opinion on social policy and public health issues affecting ASD in Nigeria are discussed. CONCLUSION: Wide research and intervention gaps are noted and we suggest directions for future research, social policy development, and intervention services for individuals with ASD in Nigeria.

Improving access to interventions among mothers screened positive for post-partum depression (PPD) at National Programme on Immunization (NPI) clinics in south-western and south-eastern Nigeria - A service development report.

We investigate the possibility of improving access to interventions among mothers screened positive for post-partum depression (PPD) at National Programme on Immunization (NPI) clinics randomly selected from Lagos and Enugu States in south-western and south-eastern Nigeria respectively. The principle of human centred design was employed by engaging the mothers screened positive for PPD to be part of the decision making regarding their further assessment and intervention services. The study brought intervention services to primary healthcare centre at the NPI clinics. Improvement in willingness to seek interventions was observed among the mothers screened positive for PPD in this study when compared to our observation in a previous report, where mothers diagnosed with PPD were referred and requested to visit a mental health facility closer to their NPI clinics for further assessment and interventions (95.2% versus 33.7%). Interventional services for the mothers diagnosed with PPD also impact positively on the growth parameters of their infants on follow-up. Principle of human centred design improved access to intervention services among the mothers and infants studied. NPI clinics at primary healthcare level would provide appropriate forum for early screening of mothers for PPD and interventions in low-resource setting like Nigeria. There would be improvement in maternal and child health coverage if the Nigerian Government can adapt human centred design principles employed in this study nationwide.

Feasibility of parent-mediated behavioural intervention for behavioural problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Nigeria: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a disabling and lifelong neuro-developmental disorder. Challenging behaviours such as aggression and self injury are common maladaptive behaviours in ASD which adversely affect the mental health of both the affected children and their caregivers. Although there is evidence-base for parent-delivered behavioural intervention for children with ASD and challenging behaviours, there is no published research on the feasibility of such an intervention in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the feasibility of parent-mediated behavioural intervention for challenging behaviour in children with ASD in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a pre-post intervention pilot study involving 20 mothers of children with DSM-5 diagnosis of ASD recruited from a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service out-patient Unit. All the mothers completed five sessions of weekly manualised group-based intervention from March to April, 2015. The intervention included Functional Behavioural Analysis for each child followed by an individualised behaviour management plan. The primary outcome measure was the Aggression and Self Injury Questionnaire, which assessed both Aggression towards a Person and Property (APP) and Self Injurious Behaviour (SIB). The mothers' knowledge of the intervention content was the secondary outcome. All outcome measures were completed at baseline and after the intervention. The mothers' level of satisfaction with the programme was also assessed. Treatment effect was evaluated with Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests of baseline and post-intervention scores on outcome measures. RESULTS: The children were aged 3-17 years (mean = 10.7 years, SD 4.6 years), while their mothers' ages ranged from 32 to 52 years (mean 42.8 years, SD 6.4 years). The post intervention scores in all four domains of the APP and SIB were significantly reduced compared with pre-intervention scores. The mothers' knowledge of the intervention content significantly increased post-intervention. The intervention was well received with the vast majority (75 %) of participants being very satisfied and all (100 %) were willing to recommend the programme to a friend whose child has similar difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-mediated behavioural intervention is a feasible and promising treatment for challenging behaviour in children with ASD in Nigeria. Behavioural intervention should be an integral component in scaling up services for children with ASD in Nigeria.

Perception of service satisfaction and quality of life of patients living with schizophrenia in Lagos, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To assess service-satisfaction and quality of life among patients with schizophrenia in a tertiary psychiatric healthcare facility in Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of 101 (out of 120) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia attending the outpatient clinic of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV diagnosis (SCID), Charleston Psychiatric Out-patient Scale (CPOSS), and the World-Health Organisation Quality of Life -Bref scale (WHOQOL-BREF) was used in assessing diagnosis, patient satisfaction and subjective quality of life respectively. RESULTS: The ages of the patient ranged from 19-81. Males (49.5%) and females (50.5%) had almost equal distribution. Mean duration of attendance was 8.7years ± 8.50. Service satisfaction ranged between 25-60 on the CPOSS. Areas that had higher mean scores on CPOSS were with items (1) Helpfulness of the records clerk (3.70±1.1), (7) Helpfulness of services received (3.69±1.0). Subjective quality of life was high (3.65±1.8), satisfaction with health was also high (3.40±1.1). Service satisfaction correlated with Quality of life at P < 0.00.

Neurodevelopmental delay among children under the age of three years at immunization clinics in Lagos State, Nigeria - Preliminary report.

Late diagnosis and interventions characterize childhood neurodevelopmental disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa. This has negatively impacted on the prognosis of the children with neurodevelopmental disorders. This study examined the prevalence and pattern of neurodevelopmental delays among children under the age of 3 years attending immunization clinics in Lagos State, Nigeria and also affords opportunity of early follow-up and interventions, which had been documented to improve prognosis. The study involved two stage assessments; which consisted of first phase screening of the children for neurodevelopmental delays in immunization clinics at primary healthcare centers Lagos State, Nigeria and second phase which consists of definitive clinical evaluation and follow-up interventions for children screened positive for neurodevelopmental delays. Twenty seven (0.9%) of a total of 3,011 children under the age of 3 years were screened positive for neurodevelopmental delays and subsequently undergoing clinical evaluation and follow-up interventions. Preliminary working diagnoses among these children include cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder trait, nutritional deficiency, Down syndrome and Non-specific neurodevelopmental delay with co-morbid seizure disorder accounting for 33.3%, 14.8%, 18.5%, 7.4% and 25.9% respectively. This is a preliminary report that would be followed up with information on medium and long term intervention phase.

Public health and research funding for childhood neurodevelopmental disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: a time to balance priorities.

Sub-Saharan African (SSA) population consists of about 45% children, while in Europe and North America children population is 10-15%. Lately, attention has been directed at mitigating childhood infectious and communicable diseases to reduce under-five mortality. As the under-five mortality index in Sub-Saharan Africa has relatively improved over the last two decades, more Sub-Saharan African children are surviving beyond the age of five and, apparently, a sizeable percentage of this population would be living with one or more childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). The distribution of child mental health service resources across the world is unequal. This manifests in the treatment gap of major childhood onset mental health problems in SSA, with the gap being more pronounced for childhood NDD. It is important to balance the public health focus and research funding priorities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We urgently need to define the burden of childhood NDD in the region for healthcare planning and policy formulation.

Factors associated with caregiver burden in a child and adolescent psychiatric facility in Lagos, Nigeria: a descriptive cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Definitions of burden of care stress the effect of the patient's mental illness on the family. There are generally very few studies in this environment on caregiver burden in child/adolescent mental ill-health. This study aimed to identify patient and caregiver characteristics that are associated with caregiver burden. METHOD: Caregivers of patients attending the Child and Adolescent Clinic of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos [n = 155] were consecutively recruited over a one-month period. The caregivers were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire, Zarit Burden Interview, and the Columbia Impairment Scale. Scoring on the Children's Global Assessment Scale was done by clinicians. RESULTS: Most caregivers observed in this study were females (80.5%), with mothers of the patients accounting for 78% of all the caregivers. A higher percentage of the patients were males (52.8%). Moderate to severe/severe burden was recorded among 25.2% of caregivers. Factors associated with caregiver burden were patient's level of functioning [r = 0.489, p < 0.001], psychiatric morbidity in the caregiver [r = 0.709, p < 0.001], level of impairment as assessed by the caregiver [r = 0.545, p < 0.001], and child's level of education [t = 3.274, p = 0.001]. Each one independently predicted caregiver burden. CONCLUSION: The study reveals a high level of burden among the caregivers of children and adolescents with mental health problems.

A comparison of the prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and comorbidities among adolescents in the United States of America and Nigeria.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) often starts in adolescence, but there are limited data on its prevalence. The specific aims of this study were to (1) describe the prevalence of PMDD in adolescents presenting to clinics in the midwestern United States and 2 Nigerian cities, (2) identify cultural differences, and (3) screen for comorbidities. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adolescents attending outpatient clinics in the 3 sites. Study participants provided demographic information and completed a modified version of the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool. They also completed the modified Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview screen for comorbid psychiatric conditions. RESULTS: Five-hundred thirty-seven patients participated in the study. The participants were between 13-21 years old (mean [SD] =16.9 [2.02] years). The overall prevalence of PMDD was 4.1% (Maiduguri, Nigeria 6.5%; Lagos, Nigeria 3.1%; and 2.9% in Akron, United States). The differences were not statistically significant (P = .167). The prevalence of moderate to severe premenstrual syndrome ranged from 12.4%-16.3% among the 3 sites, with an overall prevalence of 14.5%. There was a significantly higher prevalence of other mood disorders in Akron (19.3%) compared to the Nigerian sites (P < .001.). This difference across cultures was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is prevalent across different cultures. It is a chronic condition that causes significant morbidity among adolescents. There is a need for simple diagnostic methods for early detection and evidence-based management guidelines.

Prevalence and correlates of poor medication adherence amongst psychiatric outpatients in southwestern Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the rate of adherence to medications amongst psychiatric outpatients in Nigeria and examine factors associated with medication nonadherence amongst this group. METHOD: Psychiatric outpatients (n=342) from three centres were assessed for medication adherence using the Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire. Details regarding sociodemographic variables (age, sex, education, religion, marital status, employment, income, medication cost), illness related variables (diagnosis, duration, number of episodes/admissions, insight, severity of symptoms, mental state, functional status), medication related variables (type, mode of administration, side effect, attitude to medication) and perception related variables (self-stigma, perceived causation and prognosis) were also obtained. RESULTS: There were 76 participants (22.2%) with good medication adherence, 102 (29.8%) with moderate adherence and 164 (48.0%) with poor adherence. The significant independent correlates of poor medication adherence included being employed [odds ratio (OR) 3.42, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.17-5.39], poor social support (OR 5.86, 95% CI 2.87-12.17), high self-stigma (OR 4.70, 95% CI 2.24-9.96) and perceived spiritual causation of mental illness (OR 3.74, 95% CI 1.87-7.74). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of psychiatric outpatients in southwestern Nigeria had poor medication adherence. Our findings stressed the importance of patients' perception and social environment in determining treatment adherence and the necessity of educating the patient. Clinicians' attention to psychological barriers early in treatment may improve medication adherence and ultimately affect the course of illness.