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Introduction: High levels of HIV stigma as well as stigma directed towards sexual and/or gender minorities (SGMs) are well documented in the African setting. These intersecting stigmas impede psychosocial wellbeing and HIV prevention and care. Yet, there are few if any evidence‐based interventions that focus on reducing internalized stigma and promoting mental health and HIV wellness for SGMs in Africa. We developed and evaluated a group‐based intervention drawing on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) strategies for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) at risk for or living with HIV in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: The intervention comprised four weekly in‐person group sessions facilitated by community health workers. We conducted a delayed intervention group randomized controlled trial (April−September 2022), with pre‐post surveys plus 3‐month follow‐up (immediate group only), as well as qualitative research with participants and programme staff. Outcomes included internalized stigma related to SGM and HIV status, depression, resiliency/coping and pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)/HIV treatment use. Results: Mean age of the 240 participants was 26 years (range 18−42). Seventy‐seven percent self‐identified as MSM and 23% TGW; 27% were people with HIV. Most (88%) participants attended all four sessions, and 98% expressed high intervention satisfaction. There was significant pre‐post improvement in each psychosocial outcome, in both the immediate and delayed arms. There were further positive changes for the immediate intervention group by 3‐month follow‐up (e.g. in intersectional internalized stigma, depression). While baseline levels of ever‐PrEP use were the same, 75% of immediate‐group participants reported currently using PrEP at 3 months post‐intervention versus 53% of delayed‐group participants right after the intervention (p<0.01). Participants post‐intervention described (in qualitative interviews) less self‐blame, and enhanced social support and resilience when facing stigma, as well as motivation to use PrEP, and indicated that positive pre‐intervention changes in psychosocial factors found in the delayed group mainly reflected perceived support from the study interviewers. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a group‐based CBT model for MSM and TGW in Nigeria. There were also some indications of positive shifts related to stigma, mental health and PrEP, despite issues with maintaining the randomized design in this challenging environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on amphibian parasites has been on the increase because of the noticeable decline of amphibians. Studies on these parasites have been limited to their prevalence and infection patterns, and there is still a dearth of knowledge on the phenotypic variations. To characterise and investigate the genetic variability and relatedness of amphibian nematode parasites, two nematode parasites–suspected Cosmocerca sp. and suspected Rhabdias sp.–of the toad Schlerophrys regularis were investigated. One hundred and sixty-eight S. regularis were collected from three study areas: Ikorodu, Ojota and Badagry. Intestines were dissected to obtain the enteric parasites, and lungs were washed in saline solution. Parasites were labelled according to the location of collection (Badagry 5A-5I, Ikorodu 5J–5O, Ojota 5P and 5S) and were then preserved for further identification. Eighteen parasites were identified morphologically using standard keys and by amplification of the 18S small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA sequence. Phylogenetic analysis was done using the Neighbour-Joining method. From the sequence homology and phylogenetic analysis, the suspected Cosmocerca sp. shared the closest genetic relatedness with Aplectana chamaeleonis isolate AC3 with 100% similarities while the suspected Rhabdias sp. shared the closest genetic relatedness with Rhabditoides regina isolate DF5012 with 100% similarities. Based on location, four Aplectana chamaeleonis (5E, 5F, 5G, 5H) and five Rhabditoides regina (5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5I) were from Badagry, four Aplectana chamaeleonis (5J, 5M, 5N, 5O) and two Rhabditoides regina (5K, 5L) from Ikorodu, one Aplectana chamaeleonis (5S) and two Rhabditoides regina (5P, 5Q) from Ojota. We report that Rhabditoides regina, a parasite known to be associated with insects, was recovered in the lungs of toads. Further investigations to resolve the complexities of superfamily Cosmocercoidea are recommended. Relatedness was not influenced by collection location as parasites were not unique to a specific environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public Administration in Lagos state is undergoing a massive shift spurred by technology innovation against the prevailing bureaucratic model of operation. This transformation requires an immediate response to economic and social transformation that embraces efficiency, innovation, and performance as administrative styles. The objective of the study is to assess the implications of artificial intelligence in public administration on service delivery. The study was anchored on the technology acceptance model and digital era governance theories. An exploratory research design was employed for this study because it was found appropriate because of its flexibility to consider many different aspects of the phenomenon. The philosophical foundation the study adopted is interpretivism as articles published in journals, newspaper reports, and expert opinions were content-analyzed. The study adhered to the qualitative model of social research. The findings of the study reveal that Lagos State is still in the embryonic stages of the implementation and applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI); likewise, the government has seen the significant roles AI will play in discharging their duties in various MDAs as well as driving public service in the state. The study concludes that for the state to become a smart city, the state civil service cannot afford to keep struggling to key into the fundamentals of the New Age, which are AI and other emerging technologies that are transforming all aspects of the administrative and governance systems. The study recommends training and retraining for public servants on AI as well as emerging technologies. More investment in technological and physical infrastructure is needed. In addition, collaboration with private sector actors such as tech startups, cloud computing providers, and finance institutions to accelerate the digital transformation and broadband penetration in the state should also be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease of public health importance globally with an increasing burden of undiagnosed pre-diabetes and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, Nigeria in particular. Prediabetes and diabetes are established risk factors for cardiovascular complications. However, data are scanty on the current prevalence of these conditions in Nigeria, based on haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) diagnosis as recommended by the WHO in 2009. We aimed to determine the prevalence of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and undiagnosed diabetes among the adult population of Nigeria using HbA1c. Methodology: A cross-sectional, multi-site population study was carried out in selected states in Nigeria (namely, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, and Kwara states) involving 2,708 adults (≥18 years) in rural and urban community dwellers, without prior diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes. Participants with ongoing acute or debilitating illnesses were excluded. Data were collected using an intervieweradministered pretested, semi-structured questionnaire. Socio-demographic, clinical (weight, height, blood pressure, etc.), and laboratory characteristics of participants including HbA1c were obtained. Data were analysed using STATA version 16. Results: The mean age of participants was 48.1 ± 15.8 years, and 65.5% were female. The overall prevalence of pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes was 40.5% and 10.7%, respectively, while the prevalence of high blood pressure was 36.7%. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was the highest in Lagos (48.1%) and the lowest in Ekiti (36.7%), while the prevalence of diabetes was the highest in Kwara (14.2%) and the lowest in Ekiti (10%). There was a significant association between age of the participants (p< 0.001), gender (p = 0.009), educational status (p = 0.008), occupation (p< 0.001), tribe (p = 0.004), marital status (p< 0.001), blood pressure (p< 0.001), and their diabetic or pre-diabetic status. Independent predictors of diabetes and pre-diabetes include excess weight gain, sedentary living, and ageing. Participants within the age group 45–54 years had the highest total prevalence (26.6%) of pre-diabetes and diabetes. Conclusion: Over half of the respondents had pre-diabetes and diabetes, with a high prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes. A nationwide screening campaign will promote early detection of pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes among adult Nigerians. Health education campaigns could be an effective tool in community settings to improve knowledge of the risk factors for diabetes to reduce the prevalence of dysglycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TB is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with slum residents being disproportionately affected. This study aimed to assess health-seeking behavior among adult residents of slum communities presenting with coughs in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted across six urban slums in Nigeria as part of community outreaches to mark World TB Day. A structured, pretested questionnaire was used to capture relevant sociodemographic details and questions regarding symptoms of coughs and related symptoms as well as care-seeking behavior. Data were explored, analyzed, and presented using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 632 respondents participated in this study. The majority were 25–34 years old (24.7%), male (65.8%), Christian (55.7%), married (73.7%), with secondary education (37.8%), with 3–4 persons per household (41%) and with 1–2 persons per room (44.5%). In total, 26.6% had had a cough for two weeks or more and were considered as presumptive TB patients. Overall, 37.2% of respondents with a cough visited patent proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) as the first port of call. Good health-seeking behavior was exhibited by only 36.2% of respondents. In total, 38.9% delayed seeking care from a health facility (government or private) more than one month after the onset of symptoms. None of the factors included in the multivariate analysis showed a significant association with good health-seeking behavior (i.e., visiting government or private hospitals/clinics). Conclusions: The poor health-seeking behavior, delay in seeking TB care and preference for PPMVs emphasizes the need for National tuberculosis programs (NTPs) to further engage these informal providers in TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in urban slum communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonella infections remain an important public health issue worldwide. Some serovars of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) have been associated with bloodstream infections and gastroenteritis, especially in children in Sub-Saharan Africa with circulating S. enterica serovars with drug resistance and virulence genes. This study identified and verified the clonal relationship of Nigerian NTS strains isolated from humans, animals, and the environment. Methods: In total, 2,522 samples were collected from patients, animals (cattle and poultry), and environmental sources between December 2017 and May 2019. The samples were subjected to a standard microbiological investigation. All the isolates were identified using Microbact 24E, and MALDI-TOF MS. The isolates were serotyped using the Kauffmann-White scheme. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted using the disc diffusion method and the Vitek 2 compact system. Virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes, sequence type, and cluster analysis were investigated using WGS data. Results: Forty-eight (48) NTS isolates (1.9%) were obtained. The prevalence of NTS from clinical sources was 0.9%, while 4% was recorded for animal sources. The serovars identified were S. Cotham (n = 17), S. Give (n = 16), S. Mokola (n = 6), S. Abony (n = 4), S. Typhimurium (n = 4), and S. Senftenberg (n = 1). All 48 Salmonella isolates carried intrinsic and acquired resistant genes such as aac.6...Iaa, mdf(A), qnrB, qnrB19 genes and golT, golS, pcoA, and silP, mediated by plasmid Col440I_1, incFIB.B and incFII. Between 100 and 118 virulence gene markers distributed across several Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs), clusters, prophages, and plasmid operons were found in each isolate. WGS revealed that strains of each Salmonella serovar could be assigned to a single 7-gene MLST cluster, and strains within the clusters were identical strains and closely related as defined by the 0 and 10 cgSNPs and likely shared a common ancestor. The dominant sequence types were S. Give ST516 and S. Cotham ST617. Conclusion: We found identical Salmonella sequence types in human, animal, and environmental samples in the same locality, which demonstrates the great potential of the applied tools to trace back outbreak strains. Strategies to control and prevent the spread of NTS in the context of one's health are essential to prevent possible outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite the potential role of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and Traditional Healers (THs), little is known about their knowledge of tuberculosis (TB) management and referral practices in Nigeria. Objective: To determine knowledge and self-reported practices of traditional birth attendants and traditional healers in managing TB in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 120 THs and TBAs in three high TB burden Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected between April 2018 to September 2018 through interviewer-administered questionnaires. We used Statistical Package for Social Sciences software for data analyses. Independent predictors of being TBA or TH were determined using logistic regression at the statistical significance of P<0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Results: TB knowledge increased from 52.7% pre-test to 61.7% post-test and did not differ between TBAs and THs. Of the 120 Traditional Medical Practitioners studied, 70% (84) never treated TB; 57.3 % (69) ever referred chronic cough patients to a health facility; 90% (108) were willing to collaborate with National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP), 85% (102) attached monetary and token incentive as a condition for the collaboration. THs had decreased odds of ever referring TB patient to the hospital (AOR: 0.3, 95% CI:0.14-0.64, P=0.002); currently referring TB patients (AOR: 0.06, 95% CI:0.02-0.17, P<0.0001) and consulting <40 patients in a year (AOR: 0.22,95% CI:0.09-0.53, P<0.0001). Conclusion: Majority of the THs and TBAs were willing to collaborate with NTBLCP in the identification and referral of Presumptive TB patients. We suggest that NTBLCP empowers the TBAs and THs to help with an early referral of TB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of moonlighting on organizational performance in the Nigerian banking sector. It adopted a survey design that allowed the researcher to collect only cross-sectional data from the respondents. The questionnaire was administered to the staff of five (5) different banks in Lagos and Ogun states to seek their opinions. The responses were analyzed using regression analysis. The results revealed that, most of the respondents had heard and experienced moonlighting at various points of their career in the banking sector and that moonlighting negatively impacts firm performance in terms of employees' productivity, profitability, and dividend payment. The study recommends the need for policies to be put in place. Terms of policies must be incorporated in the employment contract for employees to know the consequences of breaching the contract. Finally, disciplinary action should be taken on the affected staff to serve as deterrent to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the patterns of presentation and early treatment outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament tears at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study in which the details of all anterior cruciate ligament injuries seen from January 2014 to December 2018 in our facility were noted. The bio-demographic details of the patients were noted as well as the side of the injury, mechanism of injury, type of sporting activity patient was engaged in at the time of injury and the early outcome of treatment of the patients were noted. A total of 19,707 new orthopaedic and musculoskeletal trauma cases were seen in the period. The overall hospital period prevalence rate of anterior cruciate ligament injury in the period was 3.6 per 1000 patients with a gender-specific prevalence rates of 5.7 per 1000 and 1.6 per 1000 for male and female patients respectively. The mean time between injury and presentation was 16 (±21) months with a range of 1-120 months. The commonest aetiology of anterior cruciate ligament injury was non-contact injury during sporting activities. There was a greater involvement of the young and active population in this injury. Sports and road traffic crash related injuries were the commonest injury aetiology in our environment. The early treatment outcomes revealed a significant improvement of the post-operative functional knee scores over the pre-operative functional knee scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study sought to find out the evaluation of the technical and vocational skills possessed by basic technology teachers in junior secondary schools in Lagos state for effective delivery towards national development. The study used a descriptive survey design and was aimed at evaluating the technical and vocational skills possessed by basic technology teachers in junior secondary schools in Lagos State for effective delivery towards national development. To facilitate the achievement of the above objectives, three research questions guided the study. The population of the study comprised 30 pre-vocational education teachers in junior secondary school in Ojo local government area of Lagos State who teach basic technology. A 30-item validated structured questionnaire was developed and used for data collection. To establish the reliability of the instrument, the Cronbach alpha formula was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument at 0.86. Data were analyzed using the mean to answer the research questions. The paper has the following major findings, that the teachers of basic technology do not possess adequate skills in woodwork technology, technical drawing, and information and communication technology, and where these skills are possessed, it is not adequately possessed, meaning that refresher training is needed. It was recommended that the identified skills items shortage which is required by basic technology teachers for effective delivery should be utilized for retraining of the basic technology teachers in woodwork technology, technical drawing, and information and communication technology for effective teaching of basic technology in junior secondary school, Modern tools and equipment should be adequately supplied and maintained regularly for improving practical projects in basic technology in junior secondary school and that Government should make funds available and sponsor basic technology teachers' attendance at conferences, seminars, and workshops on utilization of ICT for effective instructional delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Lagos State Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Program (LSTBLCP) started engaging private hospitals under the Public-Private Mix (PPM) Program in 2008. The study aimed to evaluate the trend and predictors of successful Tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes of patients managed across these private health facilities between 2010–2016 in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: Retrospective review of TB treatment register and treatment cards of patients commenced on TB treatment between January 2010 and December 2016 in 36 private health facilities engaged by the LSTBLCP. Between December 2016 and February 2017, data were collected and entered into Microsoft Excel by trained data entry clerks. The analysis was done using SPSS software. Independent predictors of successful treatment outcomes were determined using multivariate analysis at the statistical significance of p<0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 1660 records of TB patients were reviewed. 1535 (92.47%) commenced treatment, while 1337 (87.10%) of all records had documented treatment outcomes. Of the 1337 patients with outcomes, 1044 (78.09%) had a successful treatment outcome, and 293 (21.91%) had an unsuccessful outcome. Majority were male, 980 (59.04%), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) negative status, 1295 (80.24%), diagnosed with smear, 1141 (73.14%), treated in private not-for-profit (PNFP) hospital, 1097 (66.08%), treated for TB between 2014–2016 (18.96%-19.52%). In multivariate analysis, age>20years (aOR = 0.26, p = 0.001), receiving TB treatment in 2013 (aOR = 0.39, p = 0.001), having genexpert for TB diagnosis (aOR = 0.26, p = 0.031) and being HIV positive (aOR = 0.37, p = 0.001) significantly reduced likelihood of successful treatment outcome. The site of TB, being on ART or CPT, were confounding determinants of successful treatment outcomes as they became non-significant at the multivariate analysis level. Conclusion: Treatment outcome among Lagos private hospitals was low compared with NTBLCP and World Health Organization (WHO) target. We urge the government and TB stakeholders to strengthen the PPM interventions to improve adherence, particularly among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and older TB patients. Hence, promotion of early care-seeking, improving diagnostic and case holding efficiencies of health facilities, and TB/HIV collaborative interventions can reduce the risk of an unsuccessful outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model, a theoretical approach applied across Europe and Asia to explain relationship between job factors, occupational health, and job outcomes, is applied to the Nigerian work context to investigate the causal relationships between precarious employment and work conditions of contract bank employees and the effects on their work outcome. Cross-sectional design and stratified random sampling were adopted to collect quantitative data from 420 contract bank employees across four banks in Lagos, Nigeria. Hypotheses were tested with SPSS/Process Macro v. 3.5. Findings showed that job demand, job control and social support have significant main causal relationships with job performance of contract bank employees, with job demands negatively and job control and social support positively relating to their job performance. While social support was found to buffer the negative effect of job demands on their job performance, job control alone and in combination with social support did not show any buffer effect. Study provides partial support for the relevance and applicability of the JD-C-S model in the Nigerian banking work settings, particularly with respect to the contract employees in the industry. Limitations and implications of study for theory and practice are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over time, justice has been one of humanity's most important affairs the state institutions are mandated to achieve every in civil and criminal proceedings. However, the Nigerian state criminal justice system faces the issue of individuals embracing illegal punishment termed "mob justice" to address public security threats and police neighborhoods. Such punishment tends to violate human rights laws. Hence, this study explored mob justice issues and their intersection with human rights in Nigeria. From 1152 participants recruited in Lagos, Nigeria using simple random and convenience sampling methods, the data was gathered via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The findings indicated that institutional problems and unethical practices in the criminal justice system aggravate public distrust. In conjunction with socioeconomic disparities, the distrust triggers individuals to adopt an unconventional approach (mob justice) against crime suspects for public security's sake. Such an approach violates suspects' rights to life, a fair hearing, justice, and protection from degrading treatments as stipulated in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and international human rights treaties the country is a signatory to. However, the study advised the Nigerian state and criminal justice stakeholders to address structural and institutional issues that make mob justice an alternative form of justice appealing to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Healthcare workers (HCWs) play pivotal roles in outbreak responses. Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak spread to Lagos, Nigeria, in July 2014, infecting 11 HCWs (case fatality rate of 45%). This study was conducted during the outbreak to assess HCWs' EVD-related knowledge and practices.Methods: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs across Lagos State using stratified sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to elicit respondents' socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices. A checklist assessing health facility's level of preparedness and HCWs' EVD-related training was employed. HCWs' knowledge and practices were scored and classified as either good or poor. Multivariate analysis was performed with confidence interval set at 95%.Results: A total of 112 health facilities with 637 HCWs were recruited. Mean age of respondents was 40.1 ± 10.9 years. Overall, 72.5% had good knowledge; doctors knew most. However, only 4.6% of HCWs reported good practices. 16.6% reported having been trained in identifying suspected EVD patient(s); 12.2% had a triaging area for febrile patients in their facilities. Higher proportions of HCWs with good knowledge and training reported good practices. HCWs with EVD-related training were three times more likely to adopt good practices.Conclusion: Lagos State HCWs had good knowledge of EVD without a corresponding level of good practices. Training was a predictor of good practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]