HIV and AIDS-related knowledge, HIV risk perception, uptake of HIV testing and its predictors among prison inmates in Bauchi State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: globally, HIV infection among prison inmates is significantly higher than in the general population. Therefore, it is important to identify inmates-living-with-HIV, through HIV-testing, in keeping with the target of UNAIDS vision 90-90-90. We assessed HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, HIV-risk perception and predictors of HIV-testing-uptake in Bauchi Prison. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study among 310 inmates selected with 2 stage sampling. Data was collected using a pretested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Inmates that consented to HIV-test were tested. We estimated inmates' knowledge about HIV/AIDS, the level of HIV testing uptake and predictors of HIV testing-uptake using multiple logistic regression at 5% significant level. Results: the mean age (SD) was 32.3 (±9.4) years and 94.8% were males, 47.1% (95% CI: 41.6-52.7) of the respondents had good knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Fifty-five percent (95% CI: 49.9-60.9) felt they were not at risk of contracting HIV. Uptake of HIV-testing was 58.1% (95% CI: 52.5-63.4). Independent predictors for the uptake of HIV-testing were age 35-44 years (aOR= 3.3; 95% CI: 1.4-7.7), positive risk perception (aOR= 3.3; 95% CI: 1.8-6.2), good knowledge of HIV (aOR= 9.6; CI: 5.1-18.0) and knowing someone who had died of AIDS (aOR= 4.1; 95% CI: 1.9-6.4). Conclusion: good knowledge of HIV/AIDS and HIV-testing-uptake was low among the inmates. We recommended the development and implementation of targeted HIV-testing interventions that cater to the specific needs of different age-groups within the prison population. The prison authority should develop prison-specific health education programme and awareness campaigns aimed at promoting accurate HIV-risk perception, improving their knowledge and help inmates make informed decisions that will prevent them from contracting HIV.

Predictors of bullying perpetration among adolescents attending secondary schools in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria, 2019.

INTRODUCTION: bullying affects up to 85% of in-school adolescents in Nigeria. It presents a potentially serious threat to healthy adolescent development. Bullying has not been extensively studied in Nigeria and more so in northern Nigeria. Therefore, we investigated the types and predictors of bullying perpetration among adolescents in secondary schools. METHODS: we conducted a cross-sectional study between January and March 2019. Using a multistage sampling technique, we recruited 390 adolescents. We estimated the prevalence and types of bullying perpetration, and we examined the predictors of bullying among the participants using chi-square and binary logistic regression at a 5% level of significance. RESULTS: the mean age of adolescents was 15.2 ± 1.9 years. Majority of the participants 234 (60.0%) were in late adolescence (15-19 years), and 205 (52.6%) were males. The most prevalent type of bullying perpetrated was verbal [69.7%; 95% CI = 64.9-74.3%]. Overall, 307 [78.7%; 95% CI = 74.3-82.6%] had perpetrated at least one type of bullying. Male gender (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 2.70; 95%CI = 1.43 - 5.10), attending a boarding school (aOR: 7.93, 95% CI = 2.91 - 21.58) and frequent parental conflicts (aOR: 5.23, 95% CI = 2.15 - 12.71) were independent predictors of bullying perpetration. CONCLUSION: there is a high prevalence of bullying perpetration among adolescents in Sokoto metropolis, especially among males, those in boarding schools and those who experience frequent parental conflicts. We recommend that school principals should pay close attention to this behaviour and parents should be sensitized on the consequences of their domestic actions on their children.

Epidemiology of COVID-19 and Predictors of Outcome in Nigeria: A Single-Center Study.

There is a paucity of information regarding the epidemiology and outcome of COVID-19 from low/middle-income countries, including from Nigeria. This single-center study described the clinical features, laboratory findings, and predictors of in-hospital mortality of COVID-19 patients. Patients admitted between April 10, 2020 and June 10, 2020 were included. Forty-five patients with a mean age of 43 (16) years, predominantly male (87%), presented with fever (38%), cough (29%), or dyspnea (24%). In-hospital mortality was 16%. The independent predictors of mortality were hypoxemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.3-5.1) and creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL (aOR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.9-9.8).

COVID-19 in children: a case series from Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The global spread of COVID-19 remains unabated in the past few months with a rise in the number of available literature on the novel virus. There are very few paediatric studies and are mainly from developed countries with a paucity of information on the clinical manifestation of COVID-19 disease in African children, including Nigeria. METHODS: We described the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome in a group of five Nigerian children managed at a COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre in Nigeria. RESULTS: We managed a total of five children with an age range of 3 months to 8 years in the last four weeks (16th April to 15th May 2020). Three of the five children were males. All the children had close contact with family members that tested positive for COVID-19. Out of the five children, one had moderate disease, three had mild symptomatic disease, and one was asymptomatic. Two out of the five children had lymphocytosis. Out of the four children who had chest radiograph, two had features of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 is not uncommon in Nigerian children, and all had a confirmed family member with COVID-19. Besides, contrary to leucopaenia with lymphopaenia observed in the adult's population, we found lymphocytosis in this cohort and about 50.0% had pneumonic changes on chest radiograph.

COVID-19 in children: a case series from Nigeria

Introduction: the global spread of COVID-19 remains unabated in the past few months with a rise in the number of available literature on the novel virus. There are very few paediatric studies and are mainly from developed countries with a paucity of information on the clinical manifestation of COVID-19 disease in African children, including Nigeria. Methods: we described the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome in a group of five Nigerian children managed at a COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre in Nigeria. Results: we managed a total of five children with an age range of 3 months to 8 years in the last four weeks (16th April to 15th May 2020). Three of the five children were males. All the children had close contact with family members that tested positive for COVID-19. Out of the five children, one had moderate disease, three had mild symptomatic disease, and one was asymptomatic. Two out of the five children had lymphocytosis. Out of the four children who had chest radiograph, two had features of pneumonia. Conclusion: COVID-19 is not uncommon in Nigerian children, and all had a confirmed family member with COVID-19. Besides, contrary to leucopaenia with lymphopaenia observed in the adult's population, we found lymphocytosis in this cohort and about 50.0% had pneumonic changes on chest radiograph