V.Y. ADAM

BACKGROUND xiv Child injury and violence remain major public health problems, especially in low- and middle-income countries where children are often exposed to unsafe environments, poor supervision, and harmful disciplinary practices, and caregivers play a central role in preventing these occurrences. OBJECTIVE To assess child injury and violence prevention practices in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Edo State, to provide evidence that will improve child injury and violence prevention practices and reduce the health burden caused by these injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 572 primary caregivers of children aged 0– 17 years in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Edo State. A multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected using a pretested, interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and percentages, while chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine associations and predictors. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS The majority of respondents were female (84.4%), married (81.3%), and aged 30–39 years (42.1%). All respondents were aware of child injury and violence. Overall, 64.9% had good knowledge, while 62.9% had a good attitude towards child injury and violence prevention. Falls, burns, and cuts were the most commonly identified forms of child injury, while physical abuse was the most commonly identified form of violence. Falls were also the most frequently reported injuries experienced by children under the caregivers’ care. A very high proportion of respondents reported witnessing violence against children, with physical abuse being the most common form observed. Overall, 71.7% of xv respondents had good preventive practices, although unsafe practices such as allowing unsupervised play and keeping medicines or hazardous substances within children’s reach were still noted. Factors significantly associated with child injury and violence prevention included age, education, marital setting, income, household size, and occupation. On multivariate analysis, age, education, and marriage type were significant predictors of knowledge, marriage type significantly predicted attitude, while occupation was a significant predictor for practice. CONCLUSION The study found that caregivers in Ovia North-East LGA generally had good knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding child injury and violence prevention. However, important gaps remain in specific areas of home safety and violence prevention. There is a need for sustained community-based health education, targeted caregiver support, and practical interventions aimed at improving child safety and reducing violence against children in the community. KEYWORDS: Child injury, child violence, Prevention, Caregivers, Knowledge, Attitude, Practices, Ovia North-East

Background: Skilled birth care is important for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, yet its utilisation remains suboptimal in many low- and middle-income settings. In sub–Saharan Africa, where maternal deaths are highest, men play a key role in household decision-making, including access to maternal healthcare. Although male involvement has been linked to improved use of skilled services, gaps persist between knowledge, attitudes, and actual engagement due to sociocultural and financial constraints. Understanding these dynamics is essential for improving maternal health outcomes. Objective: This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, level of involvement, and factors influencing decision-making regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care among male partners in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2025 and April 2026 among 512 adult male partners residing in Egor Local Government Area, whose wives or partners were currently pregnant or had previously delivered. Participants were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and analysed with IBM SPSS version 27.0 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 44.8 ± 9.8 years. Most were married, 483 (94.3%), in monogamous unions, 495 (96.7%), lived in nuclear families, 444 (86.7%), and were in the high socioeconomic class, 364 (71.1%). Household size was ≥5 in 334 (65.2%). Most had good knowledge of skilled birth care, 480 (93.8%), with no significant predictors (p > 0.05). Positive attitude was reported by 207 (40.4%), with significant associations for age (p < 0.001), family setting (p = 0.001), household size (p < 0.001), and socioeconomic status (p = 0.008). Involvement was high in 502 (98.0%), with no significant predictors (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Knowledge and involvement in skilled birth care were high, but positive attitudes remained limited and were influenced by household and socioeconomic factors. Decision making was largely shaped by financial, accessibility, and sociocultural constraints. To improve utilisation and maternal health outcomes, interventions must expand health insurance and subsidised maternity services, strengthen transport and referral systems, institutionalise respectful high- quality facility care, and engage household decision- makers through community- based education

Background: The coronavirus disease was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Due to the rapid spread of the virus, various governments implemented major restrictions to control its transmission. These restrictions included an economic lockdown and restrictions on movement. The aftermath of this had effects such as a reduction in income, panic, and hunger. The COVID- 19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, including children, women, and the elderly, who are more susceptible to the virus due to their pre-existing health conditions and other factors. More than 7.5 million children die globally each year, partly due to the poor health-seeking behaviour and health beliefs of mothers. Methodology: This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 624 mothers of children under the age of 5 in the Oluku community were selected using a multistage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for this study. The data was
analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Results: A higher proportion of respondents (73.2%) were between the ages of 25 and 39, with a mean age of 30.7 ± 6.3 years. Out of the 624 respondents, 79.4% identified as Christians, 27.9% identified as being of Benin ethnicity, 50% had completed secondary education, 77.9% had a particular skill, 81.1% had an average income between ₦30,000 and ₦150,000, and 63.3% belonged to the middle socioeconomic status. Just over a quarter, 26.1% of individuals had xiii harmful health beliefs, while more than 55% exhibited good health-seeking behaviour. Age, religion, level of education, average monthly income, skill level, and socioeconomic status were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the impact of COVID-19 on health beliefs. Meanwhile, marital status, level of education, and socioeconomic status were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the impact of COVID-19 on health-seeking behaviour.