Uptake of a vaccine is complete if individuals are aware of the associated risks of the vaccine, accept the vaccine, and respond positively to the nudges (activation) to increase the uptake, and respond when the vaccine is made accessible and affordable. We mapped systematically the existing literature concerning the 5As—acceptability, accessibility, affordability, awareness, and activation—of COVID-19 vaccination among adults and, specifically, older adults (55 years and older) in Africa. We searched multiple databases from 2020 to December 2021. Using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers screened citations, conducted title and abstract screening, and extracted data independently. We included 68 articles conducted in 33 African countries, primarily cross-sectional studies (n = 49, 72%). None of the articles focused on older adults only, but 22 articles (32%) included at least one older adult (55 years and older) in their sample size. Acceptance (n = 58, 85%) was the most commonly researched aspect of vaccine uptake, followed by accessibility (n = 17, 25%), awareness (n = 13, 19%), and affordability (n = 5, 7.0%). We found only one report on activation. Factors affecting acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Africa were grouped into sociodemographic factors; knowledge-, attitude-, and belief-related factors; a COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety concern factor; and trust in government and public health authorities. The governments of African nations should focus on strategies to influence the modifiable factors identified in this review. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of nudges (activation) to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in African nations.

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Background: Loneliness is a public and social issue affecting older adults, but in varying degrees across ethnic groups. Black older adults (BOAs) are more prone to loneliness because they have unique and accumulated factors (e.g., low socioeconomic status, high number of chronic conditions) that predispose them to loneliness. This review aims to describe the extent and the nature of research activities on loneliness and identify the contributory factors to loneliness among BOAs as presented in the global literature. Methods/Design: We will follow the five steps of Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework to search multiple databases from inception till June 2021. MeSH terms and keywords, e.g., “older adults,” “blacks,” and “loneliness,” will be adopted for several databases, including CINHAL, Ageline, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Registers of Control Trials, PubMed, Web of Science, Social Science Abstract. Multiple reviewers will independently screen citations (title/abstract and full text) and extract data using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. “Best fit” framework synthesis using the six social provisions of Weiss’ framework as a priori themes will guide the data analysis.  Discussion: This review will inform policy development around contributory factors for loneliness among BOAs and the most relevant issues on loneliness related to BOAs.

Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult (CVI) or brain attack, is when poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death, there is need for concurrent coping with stroke demand cognitive effort from the patient. Social support intervention is best started as early (at diagnosis) and demands continuous effort. Hence, the study examines the effectiveness of social support in coping with stroke by medically ill patient in Ibadan.The study is a descriptive survey research and a total of 50 stroke patients attending the government hospital of Adeoyo, Ibadan were purposively selected for the study. The study adopted the researchers, Multidimensional Scale of Social Support and the result yielded r=0.78 while coping with stroke was measured using a scale from Journal compilation (2008) Blackwell publishing Ltd. titled stroke self-efficacy questionnaire, the result yielded 0.81. The study developed five hypotheses and pearson product moment correlation was used to analyze of the findings.The result revealed that, there was a significant effect of family support on coping with stroke by the medically ill patients (r=0.352, N=50, p<0.05), there was a significant effect of financial support on coping with stroke by the medically ill patients (r=0.658, N=50, p<0.05), there was a significant relationship of emotional support on coping with stroke by the medically ill patients (r=0.402, N=50, p<0.05), there was a significant effect of companionship support on coping with stroke by the medically ill patients (r=0.654, N=50, p<0.05), the multiple regression analysis showed that, Family Support (β=-0.391, p<0.05) had significant effect followed by Financial Support (β=0.418, p<0.05), followed by Emotional Support (β=0.165, p<0.05) and Companionship Support (β=0.7878, p<0.05)Hence, the study revealed that, living with stroke requires joint effort of family support, financial support, emotional support and companionship support to help make the necessary changes to cope and adapt to stroke.The study recommended that, Social support from family members and caregivers especially to patients suffering from stroke is of great importance to improve their health. Family and care givers of stroke patients should always remember that low social support has a negative response to the health stroke patients. It is also recommended that care givers should be optimistic seeing the brighter side of patient's life. The medical social workers, nurses and other health care givers should improve their scope of knowledge and skills to have a greater understanding of how personal factors impact the health of medically ill patients suffering from stroke.

Black older adults’ (BOAs) experience of loneliness differs from other ethnic groups because of the disproportionate disadvantages faced across their life course. This scoping review aimed to describe the range of research on loneliness or subjective social isolation among BOAs, identifying the contributing factors to loneliness in this population, based on Weiss’ Social provision Framework. Of the 15,345 initial retrieved citations from seven databases and corporate websites, we included 27 studies conducted in the USA, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Uganda. Studies reporting on BOAs’ experience of loneliness focused on the influence of attachment, social integration, opportunity for nurturance, reassurance of worth, guidance, socio-economic factors, health-related factors and behaviors, and technology, media device possession and usage. There is a need for future studies to identify which social provisions (when targeted) could reduce loneliness, allowing clinicians to develop relevant interventions.