Objective: To identify relevant factors influencing the practice of self-care measures for prevention of the ongoing COVID-19 preventions based on prior evidence-based experiences. Method: We conducted a literature review of empirical studies conducted between the years 2000 and 2020 focusing on self-care measures in a pandemic situation. Result: Of the 250 studies identified, 19 studies met inclusion criteria. Sixty-three percent of the eligible studies reported handwashing, 21% reported social distancing, facemask wearing, 11% reported social avoidance and information-seeking behaviour. The identified factors motivating these practices include risk perception, health education and social trust. Conclusion: We found that public health agencies commonly recommend self-care measures during pandemics. The adherence to them depends on individuals' perception of risk, knowledge about the situation, trust in the government agencies providing the recommendations and empathy that can motivate adherence. Practice Implication: The public, researchers, and policymakers could learn from the past and present situation to understand what measures are proven relevant and what factors could motivate adherence. More emphasis could be placed on the role of individuals in health promotion and disease prevention as they have been proven to be helpful.

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Introduction Obesity is a global health concern, with the prevalence increasing worldwide. In the USA, the prevalence increased from 30.5% to 42.4% among adults from 2000-2018, while in Nigeria, 14.3% of adults were obese in 2020. The rising prevalence of obesity is associated with an increased risk of chronic medical conditions and their complications, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Obesity is no longer solely an adult problem; it now affects children and adolescents. This study aims to compare the impact of obesity on academic performance among college students in the United States and Nigeria. Method This was a cross-sectional study that recruited randomly selected students of Western Illinois University (WIU), Macomb, IL, USA, between August 15, 2019, and December 15, 2019, and Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, between June 2020 and July 2020. The primary aim was to compare academic performance measured by the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) between obese and propensity score-matched controls with normal body mass index (BMI) in the two colleges. In addition, in the two colleges, students were matched for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and level of schooling. Results A total of 709 and 405 students from WIU and ABUAD were included in the study. Females constituted the majority of students in both schools. The prevalence of obesity was higher among WIU students (30.30%) than ABUAD students (10.62%). The WIU study showed no significant difference in mean CGPA between the obese and matched controls (3.70 ± 0.17 versus 3.73 ± 0.17, p=0.19). Similarly, in the ABUAD study, there was no significant difference in mean CGPA between obese and matched controls (4.05± 0.61 versus 4.19± 0.62, p=0.21). Conclusion In conclusion, our study suggests that obesity does not significantly influence academic performance among college students in the United States and Nigeria. Thus, it is unlikely that obesity alone is a predictor of poor academic performance. Instead, other factors may be responsible for any observed academic performance differences between obese and non-obese students in tertiary institutions.

Background: With 42% of adult Americans obese and 2/3rd of Americans overweight or obese, increased body mass index (BMI) is fast becoming normalized. There is a need to continue highlighting the association between pre-pregnancy obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the country. The aim of the present study is to determine the association between increasing pre-pregnancy BMI and pregnancy outcomes.Methods: We utilized the United States Vital Statistics records to collate data on all childbirths in the United States between 2015 and 2019. We determined the association between increasing pre-pregnancy BMI and adverse pregnancy outcomes using multivariate analysis. Neonatal outcomes measures include the 5-min Apgar score, neonatal unit admission, neonates receiving assisted ventilation > 6 hours, neonatal antibiotics use, and neonatal seizures. Maternal outcomes include cesarean section rate, mothers requiring blood transfusion, unplanned hysterectomy, and intensive care unit admission. In addition, we controlled for maternal parameters such as race/ethnicity, age, insurance type, and preexisting conditions such as chronic hypertension, and prediabetes. Other covariates include paternal race, age and education level, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), induction of labor, weight gain during pregnancy, gestational age at delivery, and delivery weight. Results: We studied 15 627 572 deliveries in the US vital statistics records between 2015 and 2019. Among these women, 3.36% were underweight, 43.19% were with a normal BMI, 26.34% were overweight, 14.73% were in the obese class I, 7.23% were in the obese class II, and 5.14% in the obese class III. Increasing pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with significant adverse outcomes across all measures of maternal and neonatal outcomes. Conclusion: Increasing pre-pregnancy body mass index is associated with significant adverse pregnancy outcomes. Since pre-pregnancy BMI is a modifiable risk, women should be encouraged to lose weight before pregnancy to improve pregnancy outcomes.