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Aims: This study investigates the rural–urban differences in infant mortality rates (IMRs) and the associated risk factors in Nigeria. Methods: The dataset from the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey (NDHS), disaggregated by rural–urban residence, was analyzed using complex samples statistics. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was computed to explore the adjusted relationship and identify risk factors for infant mortality. Results: In rural and urban Nigeria, IMRs were 70 and 49 deaths per 1000 live births, respectively. Risk factors in rural residence were past maternal marital union (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.625, p = 0.020), small birth size (AOR: 1.550, p < 0.001), birth interval <24 months (AOR: 2.057, p < 0.001), residence in North-East (AOR: 1.346, p = 0.038) and North-West (AOR: 1.653, p < 0.001) regions, and cesarean delivery (AOR: 2.922, p = 0.001). Risk factors in urban residence were poor wealth index (AOR: 2.292, p < 0.001), small birth size (AOR: 2.276, p < 0.001), male gender (AOR: 1.416, p = 0.022), birth interval <24 months (AOR: 1.605, p = 0.002), maternal obesity (AOR: 1.641, p = 0.008), and cesarean delivery (AOR: 1.947, p = 0.032). Conclusions: Infants in rural residence had higher rates of mortality than their urban counterparts and disparities in risk factors exist between the residences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nigeria still grapples with low family planning (FP) use and a high fertility rate. This study explores the factors associated with the unmet need for FP and the coldspots of unmet need for FP in Nigeria. Methods: The 2013 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) data was used to investigate the unmet need for FP in Nigeria. A geo-additive model was specified to simultaneously measure the fixed, nonlinear, spatial and random effects inherent in the data. The fixed effect of categorical covariates was modelled using the diffuse prior, the nonlinear effect of continuous variable was modelled using the P-spline with second-order random walk, the spatial effects followed Markov random field priors while the exchangeable normal priors were used for the random effect of the community. The binomial distribution was used to handle the dichotomous nature of the dependent variable. Results: North East (OR: 1.8404, CI: 1.6170, 2.0941), North West (OR: 1.1145, CI: 1.1454, 1.1789), primary education (OR: 1.0441, CI: 0.9680, 1.1286), Hausa (OR: 2.7031, CI: 2.3037, 3.1513), birth interval greater than 12 months (OR: 1.0909, CI: 1.0447, 1.1379), community (OR: 1.6733, CI: 1.5261, 1.7899) and states (OR: 6.0879, CI: 2.5995, 29.6274) significantly increased the unmet need for FP. Conclusion: The unmet need for FP in Nigeria is positively associated with the Northern region, low level of education and birth interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]