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Background: The high maternal death burden in developing countries when compared to the developed could be attributed to differences in use of antenatal and skilled delivery care. Aim: To assess the differences in utilization of antenatal and delivery services in urban and rural communities of Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study design was used. Two stage (cluster) sampling technique was used to select 660 women in 4 of 13 local government areas in the state. The respondents were women who were permanent residents of communities and have delivered in last one year. Outcome measure was good utilization of antenatal and delivery services and was assessed by proportion of respondents who obtained antenatal and delivery from a skilled provider and also made at least four antenatal visits. Results: The mean age of respondents was urban, 29.6 ± 6.2 and rural, 28.6 ± 5.1 years. Majority in urban, 51.8% utilized tertiary health facility for antenatal care while in rural, 77.9% used primary health centers (P < 0.001). Comparable proportions in urban, (77.3%) and rural, (79.1%) had good use of antenatal and delivery services (P = 0.572). Predictors of good use of antenatal and delivery services in urban included having one child (AOR = 4.8; 95%C1: 1.4--17.0), having attained tertiary education, (AOR = 2.6; 95%C1: 1.2--5.5), being in low socioeconomic class, (AOR = 0.4; 95%C1: 0.2--0.7), and having good knowledge of danger signs, (AOR = 2.6; 95%C1: 1.3--5.4). In rural, predictors included having one child, (AOR = 2.8; 95%C1:1.1--7.1), being unmarried, (AOR = 0.3; 95%C1: 0.1--0.9), and having good knowledge of danger signs (AOR = 3.7; 95%C1: 1.8--7.5). Conclusion: Utilization of antenatal and delivery services in health facilities in study area was high but there is room for improvement. There is need to plan specific interventions aimed at improving utilization of maternal health services by some groups like urban poor and unmarried mothers, especially teenagers. Emphasis should also be placed on improving community understanding of danger signs of pregnancy.

Background: In developing countries, school age children continue to bear the greatest burden of intestinal parasites and schistosomiasis. This study determined the prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice of preventive measures of intestinal and urinary parasitic infections among primary school children in Ebonyi, Nigeria Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 120 pupils in two primary schools in Igbeagu community in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The pupils were purposively selected based on willingness to participate. Data were collected using questionnaires and stool and urine analyses. IBM-SPSS software version 20 was used for data analysis. Chi square test was done at 5% level of significance and 95% confidence interval. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results: Mean age of respondents was 11.33±2.46, with majority between 6-13 years (102, 85.0%). There were 66 (55.0%) females and 104 (86.7%) respondents had good knowledge about intestinal parasites. Drinking contaminated water (104, 86.7%), using clean toilets (102, 85.9%) and diarrhea (105, 87.5%), were the most identified ways of transmission, prevention and symptomatology respectively. Overall, 117 (97.5%) had good attitude towards prevention and control of intestinal and urinary parasites. Respondents had good preventive practices against intestinal and urinary parasites with majority washing their hands with soap after defecation (100, 83.3%), and before eating (101, 84.2%). Conclusion: This study reported high levels of knowledge, good attitude and preventive practices against intestinal and urinary parasites. No parasites were found. We recommend that caregivers be targeted for behaviour change interventions as this will augment the positive results already being reported.

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