scholarly journals Cigarette prices in eight sub-Saharan African countries in 2018: a cross-sectional analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e053114
Author(s):  
Kiara Chang ◽  
Emily Mayne ◽  
Anthony A Laverty ◽  
Israel Agaku ◽  
Filippos T Filippidis

ObjectiveWhile the trend in smoking prevalence is decreasing worldwide, the number of male tobacco smokers is growing in Africa. This study compares the cigarette market in eight sub-Saharan African countries. This includes examining cigarette prices, pricing differentials, pack sizes and affordability at national and subnational levels.Design and settingA cross-sectional data analysis using data from the Data on Alcohol and Tobacco in Africa (DATA) Project. The DATA Project was centrally coordinated by project supervisors following a standardised protocol. University students were recruited to conduct data collection and a total of 22 347 retail cigarette price data points collected between June and August 2018 were analysed (including Botswana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe). Prices were converted to US$ and standardised to the price of a 20-cigarette pack.ResultsThis research found large price differentials within provinces/states, with the gap between medium and minimum prices per 20-cigarette pack exceeding 50% of the medium price in 18 out of 24 provinces/states. Single cigarettes were widely available, especially in Lesotho and Ethiopia. Results of multivariable regression suggest prices (per 20-cigarette pack) were lower for cigarettes sold in packs than single sticks (−US$0.27, 95% CI: −US$0.39 to −US$0.23) and lower in less populated areas (−US$0.28 in rural compared with urban settings, 95% CI: −US$0.41 to −US$0.15). Availability of cheaper single cigarettes (lower per unit price than packed cigarettes) were identified for Lesotho and South Africa.ConclusionsThese findings identify a varied picture in cigarette pricing in studied countries and suggest measures to tackle pricing differentials and availability of single sticks are warranted. These measures should counteract the potential health consequences of the increasing penetration of tobacco industry in these sub-Saharan African countries.

Author(s):  
Anne Conan ◽  
Joy A.C. Geerdes ◽  
Oluyemisi A. Akerele ◽  
Bjorn Reininghaus ◽  
Gregory J.G. Simpson ◽  
...  

Dogs (Canis familiaris) are often free-roaming in sub-Saharan African countries. Rabies virus circulates in many of these populations and presents a public health issue. Mass vaccination of dog populations is the recommended method to decrease the number of dog and human rabies cases. We describe and compare four populations of dogs and their vaccination coverage in four different villages (Hluvukani, Athol, Utah and Dixie) in Bushbuckridge Municipality, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in the villages of Athol, Utah and Dixie, while data from a Health and Demographic Surveillance System were used to describe the dog population in Hluvukani village. All households of the villages were visited to obtain information on the number, sex, age and rabies vaccination status of dogs. From May to October 2013, 2969 households were visited in the four villages and 942 owned dogs were reported. The populations were all young and skewed towards males. No differences were observed in the sex and age distributions (puppies 0–3 months excluded) among the villages. Athol had a higher proportion of dog-owning households than Hluvukani and Utah. Vaccination coverages were all above the 20% – 40% threshold required for herd immunity to rabies (38% in Hluvukani, 51% in Athol, 65% in Dixie and 74% in Utah). For the preparation of vaccination campaigns, we recommend the use of the relatively stable dog:human ratio (between 1:12 and 1:16) to estimate the number of dogs per village in Bushbuckridge Municipality.


Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie ◽  
Samuel Kofi Odame

AbstractSuicidal ideation is a critical risk for attempted suicide and eventual suicide. Little is known about suicidal ideation among rural adolescents in most sub-Saharan African countries. We aimed to estimate the 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation and to describe some of the common and gender-specific associated factors among in-school adolescents in rural Ghana. We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving a random sample of 1101 in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years in a rural district in Eastern Ghana. The Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised was used to assess suicidal ideation. Overall, 25.1% participants (95% CI = 22.5–27.7), representing 28.3% females (95% CI = 24.7–32.2) and 21.5% males (95% CI = 18.0–25.2) reported suicidal ideation during the previous 12 months. Females who experienced personal and interpersonal adversities mainly outside the family context were likely to report suicidal ideation, while suicidal ideation among males was associated with conflict with parents. Regardless of gender, adolescents who reported exposure to a friend’s attempted suicide were about two times more likely to report suicidal ideation. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents in rural Ghana compares with in-school estimates from other countries within sub-Saharan Africa, but also underscores the need for targeted and universal prevention programmes and intervention efforts to mitigate the potential transition from suicidal ideations to suicidal attempts and eventual deaths by suicide among rural adolescents.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva-Maria Egger ◽  
Cecilia Poggi ◽  
Héctor Rufrancos

This study explores the relationship between household poverty and depth of informality by proposing a new measure of informality at the household level. It is defined as the share of activities (hours worked or income earned) without social insurance for wage workers in the household. We apply cross-sectional regressions to five urban sub-Saharan African countries, showing that a household head informality dummy obscures a non-linear relationship between the depth of household informality and welfare outcomes. In some countries, a small share of income from formal jobs is associated with at least the same welfare as a fully formal portfolio. By assessing transitions between household portfolios with panel data for urban Nigeria, we also show that most welfare differences are explained by selection and that movements in and out of formality cannot sufficiently change welfare trajectories. The results call for better inclusion of informal profiles to social insurance programmes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19
Author(s):  
Nepha Musonda ◽  
◽  
Micah Mutuna Simpamba ◽  

Background:Physiotherapists are better placed to spearhead health promoting activities by encouraging health enhancing lifestyles as part of their practice. This study reviews health promotion practices of Physiotherapists in African countries in order to identify gaps and make recommendations to improve the health promotion practices. Methods:This narrative review was developed from a literature review of previous studies on health promotion practices among physiotherapists in Africa, which were published in English from the years 2010-2020, retrieved from Google Scholar and PubMed. Only articles that focused on health promotion, physical activity, practices, Physiotherapy and Africa were included.Results:Nine (9) studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Five (5) studies were from Nigeria while one study each from Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia. Most studies reviewed used quantitative cross-sectional surveys. The focus of these studies were mainly exploring Physiotherapists’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards health promotion and physical activity promotion. Others looked at Physiotherapy practices with regards to counseling, risk factor assessment and interventions as well as perceived barriers and educational needs. Conclusion: It is evident that there is little research done on health promotion practices among Physiotherapists in African countries. There is need to conduct more studies in this area in order to identify the challenges and improve the health promotion practices among Physiotherapy practitioners in the region.


Social Forces ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wade M Cole ◽  
Claudia Geist

Abstract Taking world society theory as our point of departure, we examine the effect of world culture on contraceptive use rates around the world. World-cultural rhetoric frames contraception as a necessity for economic development, a human rights issue, and a women’s health matter. Using data on contraceptive use among married women for a sample of 159 countries over the period from 1970 to 2012, we find that linkages to all three sets of discourses are associated with increased use of modern contraceptive methods, over and above countries’ sociocultural and economic characteristics. Nevertheless, we also find that world society influences vary across major cultural zones, defined in terms of predominant religions and geographic regions. World cultural effects are strongest in Orthodox Christian, Hindu, non-Western Protestant, and sub-Saharan African countries. There is no effect in Western and East Asian countries, where contraceptive use is comparatively high, or in zones such as non-Western Catholic nations, where the unmet need for contraception is often greatest. Compared to development and women’s rights rhetoric, health-based frames appear to have the broadest and most effective reach across cultural divides. Overall, however, we find that world society processes tend to produce cross-cultural convergence in contraceptive use rates.


Climate ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun Samuel Oduniyi ◽  
Michael Akwasi Antwi ◽  
Sibongile Sylvia Tekana

Rural livelihoods in most developing countries are threatened by climate-related risks such as drought, flood, heat waves, storms, and so on. Although farmers have adopted several adaptation strategies, they have proven less effective than hoped. Hence, index-based livestock insurance, an innovation that significantly assists farmers to acclimatise to climate-related risks, has been proposed; and its adaptability has attracted a notable increase in other African countries. However, the success of its adoption is dependent on the inclination of the farmers to pay for the service. Accordingly, this study investigates their willingness to pay for index-based livestock insurance and its determinants, and the factors influencing the total livestock units to be insured in the North West province of South Africa. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 277 cattle farmers, drawn randomly from the study area. The contingent valuation method was applied to determine the farmers’ willingness to pay; and only 10.8% were willing to pay. Simultaneously, the Heckit sample selection model was used to analyse the data to identify the factors responsible for farmers’ willingness to pay and total livestock units to insure. The findings revealed that farmer’s experience, age, education, marital status, awareness of insurance and household dependents were statistically significant, and influenced the maximum price R600 ($42, max willingness to pay, WTP) of those who accepted index-based livestock insurance. However, by implication, the study concluded that to adopt index-based livestock insurance in the study area among the livestock farmers, there should be policies to cater for the aforementioned factors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Urban ◽  
Elena Gaffurini

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between different dimensions of organizational learning capabilities (OLC) and levels of social innovation in social enterprises. Design/methodology/approach The empirical strategy adopted is a cross-sectional study based on primary survey data. Following a survey of social enterprises in South Africa, statistically analysis is conducted using regression analyses to test the study hypotheses. Findings The findings show that the OLC dimensions of knowledge conversion, risk management, organizational dialogue and participative decision-making all have a significant and positive relationship with social innovation. Research limitations/implications In many emerging economies, the notion of organizational learning appears to have considerable potential relevance, particularly as African countries are moving toward knowledge-based economies. By focusing on OLC, it is anticipated that social enterprises can configure and leverage the different factors in ways that enable them to overcome the constraints of the complex and unpredictable environments and increase their levels of social innovation. Originality/value The paper provides a pioneering empirical investigation into the impact that OLC has on levels of social innovation, in an under-researched emerging market context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 675-687
Author(s):  
Florence Nakazi ◽  
Immaculate Babirye ◽  
Eliud Birachi ◽  
Michael Adrogu Ugen

Unlike many other Sub-Saharan African countries, for many years Kenya had comparative advantages in the manufacturing of processed bean products. However, for new competitors intending to join the bean processing industry, little is known about marketing strategies for value added bean products. Using data from 90 retailers in the Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya, a two-step econometric procedure-multivariate probit and Poisson regression models were applied to analyse retailers’ marketing strategy decisions. Findings show that information sources, cost of marketing, supply modalities, price of products, and quantities handled significantly influenced retailers’ marketing strategy choice. Surveyed retailers applied varying marketing strategies to market value added bean products. There is need for prospective retailers to choose an appropriate mix of strategies to penetrate the dynamic market with a number of value added bean products, and promote local consumption of value added bean products.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
T. Makumbi ◽  
M. Galukande ◽  
A. Gakwaya

Introduction. Mastalgia is a common breast condition among women referred to breast clinics worldwide. Whereas the prevalence is known in the Western world and Asia, the prevalence of the disease is unknown in many African countries. The aim of this study therefore was to determine the prevalence and describe factors associated with mastalgia among women attending a tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. A cross-sectional study was done in Kampala, Uganda. Mastalgia was defined as self-reported breast pain (unilateral or bilateral) for a period not less than two months. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 11. Ethical approval was obtained. Results. Out of the 1048 women who presented to the breast clinic during the study period, 168 (16%) were diagnosed with mastalgia in the absence of breast cancer. Noncyclical and cyclical mastalgia were 22/168 (13%) and 5/168 (3%), respectively. The onset of noncyclical category as compared to the cyclical type of mastalgia was observed to manifest before 24 years of age (P=0.006). Conclusion. Mastalgia was a common condition among women in this sub-Saharan African setting as is elsewhere. The early onset mastalgia in this sub-Saharan African study requires further exploration for determination of its risk factors.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document