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Working in kitchens places significant stress on women especially if conducted in awkward postures and poor work environment. This study assessed Kitchen workstation and Stress in meal preparation by women in Households in Ogun State, Nigeria. Multistage Sampling technique was utilized to select 42 women; Google form was used to collect data for the study. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, PPMC and ANOVA. The results revealed that 42.9%, 47.6%, 57.1% of the women used modern kitchen workstation partially equipped with furniture and appliance with meal prepared two times daily and spent 3-5hours in preparing meal for members of the household. PPMC (r = 0.443, P

AbstractBackground Stroke rehabilitation presents a complex challenge, necessitating innovative approaches to optimise functional recovery. Virtual Reality-Based Rehabilitation (VRBR) has emerged as a promising intervention that capitalises on immersive technology to engage stroke survivors in their recovery journey. This review aims to examine the efficacy of VRBR in stroke rehabilitation, focusing on its advantages and challenges.Methods A comprehensive search of relevant literature was conducted to gather evidence on the efficacy of VRBR in stroke survivors. Studies that investigated the impact of VRBR on patient engagement, functional recovery, and overall rehabilitation outcomes were included. The review also assessed the ability of VRBR to simulate real-life scenarios and facilitate essential daily activities for stroke survivors.Results The review highlights that VRBR offers a unique immersive experience that enhances patient engagement and motivation during rehabilitation. The immersive nature of VRBR fosters a sense of presence, which can positively impact treatment adherence and outcomes. Moreover, VRBR’s capacity to replicate real-world scenarios provides stroke survivors with opportunities to practice vital daily activities, promoting functional independence. In contrast, conventional rehabilitation methods lack the same level of engagement and real-world simulation.Conclusion VRBR holds promise as an efficacious intervention in stroke rehabilitation. Its immersive nature enhances patient engagement and motivation, potentially leading to better treatment adherence and outcomes. The ability of VRBR to simulate real-life scenarios offers a unique platform. However, challenges such as cost, equipment, patient suitability, data privacy, and acceptance must be addressed for successful integration into stroke rehabilitation practice.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288971.].

Abstract Background The external validity of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) refers to the extent to which the results of the RCT apply to the relevant, non-trial population and is impacted by its eligibility criteria, its organization, and its delivery of the intervention. Here, we compared the outcomes of mortality and hospitalization between an RCT and a cohort study that concurrently enrolled HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) newborns in Botswana. Methods The Mpepu Study (the RCT) was a clinical trial which determined that co-trimoxazole (CTX) provided no survival benefit for HEUs, allowing both arms of the RCT to be used. The Maikaelelo study (the cohort study) was a prospective observational study that enrolled HEU newborns with telephone follow-up and no in-person visits. Rates of death and hospitalization in the pooled population, were modeled using cox-proportional hazards models for time to death or time to first hospitalization, with study setting (RCT vs. cohort study) as an independent variable. The causal effect of study setting on morbidity and mortality was obtained through a treatment effects approach. Results In total, 4,010 infants were included; 1,306 were enrolled into the cohort study and 2,704 were enrolled into the RCT. No significant differences in mortality were observed between the two study settings (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.76, 2.13), but RCT participants had a lower risk of hospitalization (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.89) that decreased with age. However, RCT participants had a higher risk of hospitalization within the first six months of life. The causal risk difference in hospitalizations attributable to the RCT setting was -0.03 (95% CI: -0.05, -0.01). Conclusions Children in an RCT with rigorous application of national standard of care guidelines experienced a significantly lower risk of hospitalization than children participating in a cohort study that did not alter clinical care. Future research is needed to further investigate outcome disparities when real-world results fail to mirror those achieved in a clinical trial. Trial registration The Mpepu Trial was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (No. NCT01229761) and the Maikaelelo Study was funded primarily by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (32AI007433-21).

The economic and humanistic impact of COVID-19 pandemic is enormous globally. No definitive treatment exists, hence accelerated development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines, offers a unique opportunity for COVID-19 prevention and control. Vaccine hesitancy may limit the success of vaccine distribution in Africa, therefore we assessed the potentials for coronavirus vaccine hesitancy and its determinants among Africans. An online cross-sectional African-wide survey was administered in Arabic, English, and French languages. Questions on demographics, self-reported health status, vaccine literacy, knowledge and perception on vaccines, past experience, behavior, infection risk, willingness to receive and affordability of the SARS-COV-2 vaccine were asked. Data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 5,416 individuals completed the survey. Approximately, 94% were residents of 34 African countries while the other Africans live in the Diaspora. Only 63% of all participants surveyed were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible and 79% were worried about its side effects. Thirty-nine percent expressed concerns of vaccine-associated infection. The odds of vaccine hesitancy was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.30) among those who believed their risk of infection was very high, compared to those who believed otherwise. The odds of vaccine hesitancy was one-fifth (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.28) among those who believed their risk of falling sick was very high, compared to those who believed their risk of falling very sick was very low. The OR of vaccine hesitancy was 2.72 (95% CI: 2.24, 3.31) among those who have previously refused a vaccine for themselves or their child compared to counterparts with no self-reported history of vaccine hesitancy. Participants want the vaccines to be mandatory (40%), provided free of charge (78%) and distributed in homes and offices (44%). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is substantial among Africans based on perceived risk of coronavirus infection and past experiences.

Abstract Background Systematic studies on the association between men’s sexual dysfunction (low sexual desire, ejaculation disorders, erectile dysfunctions, genital ulcers, testicular disorders, prostate cancer or sexually transmitted infections) and marital conflict are emerging. However, the coping strategies adopted by wives in such circumstances are not commonly reported in the literature. Male sexual functioning is vital to the marital relationship, lack of it can result in intolerable cohabitation or relationship breakdown, and could also cause infertility, infidelity, and arouse stigma in Nigeria. The understanding of coping strategies by female partners could guide in the counselling and treatment of men’s sexual health problems. Effective coping has the potential to lessen or prevent negative outcomes, and thereby could reduce marital conflict. Objectives This study examined the coping strategies adopted by women whose husbands have reproductive health challenges in two of the five states with the highest proportion of divorce/separation in Nigeria. Methods Four focus group discussions were conducted in two local government areas. The women were recruited from a quantitative couple-study for men with sexual health problems. Focus group responses were transcribed and analysed using systematic-content-analysis with thematic organisation of the summaries and systematic typologies of participants’ responses. Results The results revealed the coping strategies employed by women in this environment: seeking guidance from their religious leaders and family doctors, physical-sexual-therapy, abstinence and concubinage. The participants indicated that they encountered difficulties in discussing their husbands’ sexual health problems with a third party. Conclusion The study concludes that husband’s sexual ability is crucial to the sustenance of the marital relationship. Religious leaders and family doctors often serve as mediators to husband-wife conflict management. Counselling is recommended in cases of sexual health problems. Husbands should be encouraged to seek treatment and share their sexual challenges with their spouse. The medical officers and religious leaders could also be trained in family-conflict management.

BackgroundBotswana introduced the HBV vaccine at birth for all newborns in 2000. To the best of our knowledge, since the introduction of HBV vaccination, there have been limited data for vaccine response to HBV and its impact on early childhood HBV infections among children HIV exposed but uninfected in Botswana.AimsTo determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV vaccine response in 18 months old children HIV exposed but uninfected in Botswana.MethodsStored plasma samples from 304 children at 18 months of age and 287 mothers from delivery were tested for HBsAg. Mothers with positive HBsAg had HBV DNA level tested, and their HBV genotypes were determined by amplifying a 415-base pair (bp) region of the surface gene. Plasma samples from children exposed to HIV were tested for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titers.ResultsNo children (0 of 304) were positive for HBsAg at 18 months while 5 (1.74%) of 287 HIV-positive mothers were HBsAg positive. Four of the HBsAg positive mothers were infected with genotype A1, while 1 was infected with genotype E. The median anti-HBs titer in children was 174 mIU/mL [QR: 70, 457]. Three (1.1%) of 269 children had an inadequate vaccine response (ConclusionNo HBsAg positivity was identified in a cohort of children HIV exposed but uninfected. The absence of HBsAg positives was associated with good HBV vaccine responses and low maternal HBsAg prevalence in Botswana.

BackgroundRotavirus vaccine (RV) and pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) decrease diarrheal and respiratory disease incidence and severity, but there are few data about the effects of these vaccines among HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children.MethodsWe recorded RV and PCV vaccination history in a placebo-controlled trial that studied the need for cotrimoxazole among HEU infants in Botswana (the Mpepu Study). We categorized infants by enrollment before or after the simultaneous April 2012 introduction of RV and PCV, and compared diagnoses of diarrhea and pneumonia (grade 3/4), hospitalizations, and deaths from both disease conditions through the 12-month study visit by vaccine era/status across two sites (a city and a village) by Kaplan-Meier estimates.ResultsTwo thousand six hundred and thirty-five HEU infants were included in this secondary analysis, of these 1689 (64%) were enrolled in Gaborone (344 pre-vaccine, 1345 vaccine) and 946 (36%) in Molepolole (209 pre-vaccine, 737 vaccine). We observed substantial reduction in hazard of hospitalization or death for reason of diarrhea and pneumonia in the vaccine era versus the pre-vaccine era in Molepolole (hazard ratio, HR = 0.44, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.28, 0.71) with smaller reduction in Gaborone (HR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.57, 1.45). Similar downward trends were observed for diagnoses of diarrhea and pneumonia separately during the vaccine versus pre-vaccine era.ConclusionsAlthough temporal confounding cannot be excluded, significant declines in the burden of diarrheal and respiratory illness were observed among HEU children in Botswana following the introduction of RV and PCV. RV and PCV may maximally benefit HEU children in rural areas with higher disease burden.