Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cervical cancer cases globally, with women living with HIV having a higher risk of persistent HPV infection and HPV-associated disease. The HPV vaccine is a promising tool to reduce cervical cancer rates, but its uptake among women living with HIV in Nigeria is unknown. Methods: A facility-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1371 women living with HIV to assess their knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine as well as their willingness to pay for the vaccine at the HIV treatment clinic at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos. To identify factors associated with the willingness to pay for the HPV vaccine, multivariable logistic regression models were developed. Results: This study found that 79.1% of participants had not heard of the vaccine, and only 29.0% knew its efficacy in preventing cervical cancer. In addition, 68.3% of participants were unwilling to pay for the vaccine, and the average amount they were willing to pay was low. Knowledge of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer and income were factors associated with the willingness to pay for the vaccine. Health workers were the primary source of information. Conclusions: This study highlights the lack of knowledge and low willingness to pay for the HPV vaccine among women living with HIV in Nigeria and emphasizes the importance of improving education and awareness. Factors associated with the willingness to pay, such as income and knowledge, were identified. Practical strategies, such as community outreach and school-based education programs, could be developed to increase vaccine uptake. Further research is needed to explore additional factors influencing the willingness to pay.

This scoping review mapped and critically reviewed the extant literature exploring associations between oral disease status and adverse pregnancy outcomes among women residing in sub-Saharan Africa. A literature search was conducted in July 2023 using PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The articles selected were those published in the English language between 1990 and 2022. After screening 833 potential studies, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 12 (80.0%) adopted a descriptive research design, while 3 (20.0%) used experimental methodologies. Eight (53.3%) studies were conducted in East Africa, fourteen (93.3%) studies were hospital-based, and one (6.7%) study was community-based. Periodontitis was linked with low birth weight, preterm birth, preterm birth and low birthweight, stunting, wasting, and underweight in most studies. Periodontitis was, however, not linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes in four studies. Caries was not linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes, but its sequalae was linked with low birth weight, preterm birth, neonatal stunting, and small head circumference. Two studies showed that periodontal diseases were linked with preeclampsia and chorioamnionitis. Maternal poor oral hygiene was linked with stunting. Two other studies showed no links between maternal periodontal disease and preterm premature rupture of membranes, eclampsia, spontaneous abortion, and vaginal bleeding. Furthermore, two intervention studies found that the treatment of periodontal diseases during pregnancy reduced the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the effect size of the links observed between oral diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Pregnancy often intensifies psychological vulnerabilities in women living with HIV due to increased stressors such as health concerns, infant infection risks, and the management of special neonatal needs like prophylactic antiretroviral care. The study was conducted in four HIV treatment centres with participant selection based on the following criteria: an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 13 or above, gestational age between 14 and 40 weeks, less than five years of antiretroviral therapy (ART) usage, and history of partner conflict. This research forms a more extensive study of stress and depression amongst pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV. In-depth interviews, ranging from 20 to 40 min, were conducted with 26 HIV-positive pregnant women in private rooms within selected antiretroviral clinics from October and December 2022. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis to investigate the experiences of depression and other psychosocial challenges among women living with HIV during pregnancy and postpartum and their coping strategies. The study discovered that the support received from healthcare providers concerning ART and Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission practices alleviated women’s fear of death and perinatal transmission, which bolstered their involvement in HIV care and fostered the birth of children not infected with HIV. Women perceived monogamy as a protective measure against HIV contraction. Participants who reported having partners engaging in unsafe sexual practices expressed anger and blame. The observation of other women with similar experiences aided in coping mechanisms, reaffirming previous findings that knowing someone living with HIV helps to accept their status due to the comfort derived from shared experiences. Healthcare providers attending to pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV can alleviate psychological distress by reinforcing positive coping strategies. These include consistent psychological distress screenings in HIV clinics and relevant mental health evaluations with appropriate care referrals.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of dental caries among 6–11-year-old children in Nigeria and its distribution by sex, socioeconomic status, and geopolitical zones. Method: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) to identify relevant studies published between 2012 and 2022. Cohort, cross-sectional, and observational studies reporting dental caries prevalence data among 6–11-year-olds in Nigeria were included. Using the random effects model, prevalence was analysed based on sex, socioeconomic status, and the country’s six geopolitical zones. The primary outcome was the pooled prevalence of dental caries. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model, and study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. The systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023396948). Results: Data were pooled from 8 of 1237 screened articles. The pooled prevalence of dental caries was 1.5% (95% CI: −1.2–4.1). Prevalence was higher among males (1.5%, 95% CI: −1.4–4.3) compared to females (1.4%, 95% CI: −1.6–4.4). It was 0.1% (95% CI: −1.0–1.1) among those with high socioeconomic status, 0.2% (95% CI: −1.6 to 1.9) among those with middle socioeconomic status, and 0.6% (95% CI: −2.8 to 3.9) among those with low socioeconomic status. The prevalence also ranged from 1.1% (95% CI: −1.8 to 4.1) in southwest, 1.1% (95% CI: −5.4 to 7.6) in south-south, 2.3% (95% CI: −7.1 to 11.6) in southeast, and 2.3% (95% CI: −7.1 to 11.7) in northwest. Conclusions: Caries intervention among adolescents in Nigeria may need to be tailored to address the observed sex, socioeconomic status, and geopolitical zone disparities.

The interaction of adolescent pregnancy with HIV is a complex and crucial public health issue worldwide. This is evident in sub-Saharan Africa, where the co-occurrence of HIV and adolescent pregnancies represents a high risk for additional health and social consequences for both adolescent mothers and their children. This study aims to explore literature to provide a clear synthesis of data related to pregnancies among adolescents living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. A literature search was conducted in July 2023 using PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, African Journals Online, and World Health Organization Global Index Medicus. Two authors screened potential studies. Articles selected were those published in or translated into the English language between 2002 and 2022. Among 1,560 identified results, 25 peer-reviewed publications on pregnancy among adolescents living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa were included after screening. The studies, included both qualitative and quantitative data, with a total of 178,227 participants in the age range of 12-18 years. The majority of the studies reported quantitative data, while a few presented qualitative or mixed-methods findings. This scoping review highlights disparities in pregnancy prevalence, revealing varied rates among different age groups. The underrepresentation of adolescents in demographic studies suggests diverse vulnerabilities and access to healthcare. The study also emphasizes the need for tailored healthcare services and comprehensive interventions addressing HIV risk, mental health challenges, and socio-economic barriers.

Background: Malnutrition in under-five children remains an issue of public health, especially in low and middle-income countries, and is associated with inadequate child development and poor survival. Recent public health intervention strategies for malnourished children allow for localized targeted supplementation with locally available materials to replace the imported Ready-to-Use-Supplementary-Food (RUSF) for the target group. Aims: The aim of the study was to develop a local supplementary food and determine its effects on hematological parameters of weanling rats. Material and Methods: The experimental study involved thirty weanling albino rats, grouped into groups A, B, and C, each consisting of ten rats. All the groups were acclimatized for fourteen days, thereafter, groups A and B were induced with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) by feeding with only corn starch for fourteen days. Weight, tail length, and hematological parameters (hemoglobin level, white blood cell count) of all the weanling albino rats were determined and recorded as baseline values on the fourteenth day. Therapeutic food made from millet, soybean, and grasshopper blends was produced and fed to group A as the intervention, Group B was fed with corn starch only and group C was fed on normal rat pellets for twenty-eight days. Weight, tail length, and hematological parameters were determined and recorded at the end of the intervention. Results: Experimental group A had the lowest packed cell volume (PCV) value with a difference of 2.20 ± 0.56 %, the lowest hemoglobin (Hb) level with a difference of 0.58 ± 0.02 g/dL, the control group had the highest PCV, Hb, and RBC with values of 4.10 ± 0.5 %, 1.58 ± 0.21 g/dL, and 0.9 ± 0.05 x 106 µ/L respectively. Conclusions: With the evidence provided by the parameters assessed in the study, it can be concluded that the developed therapeutic food is efficacious in the treatment of malnutrition especially in weanling albino rats. Keywords: Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), Ready-to-Use-Supplementary-Food (RUSF) Malnutrition, Complementary feeding, Animal studies.