Department of Biological Sciences
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://dspace.njala.edu.sl/handle/20.500.144402/136
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Item What Happened to the Forests of Sierra Leone?(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2019-05-09) Wadsworth, Richard A.The last National Forest Inventory of Sierra Leone took place more than four decades ago in 1975. There appears to be no legal definition of “forest” in Sierra Leone and it is sometimes unclear whether reports are referring to the forest as a “land use” or a “land cover”. Estimates of forest loss in the Global Forest Resource Assessment Country Reports are based on the estimated rate during the period 1975 to 1986, and this has not been adjusted for the effects of the civil war, economic booms and busts, and the human population doubling (from about three million in 1975 to over seven million in 2018). Country estimates as part of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Global Forest Assessment for 2015 aggregate several classes that are not usually considered as “forest” in normal discourse in Sierra Leone (for example, mangrove swamps, rubber plantations and Raphia palm swamps). This paper makes use of maps from 1950, 1975, and 2000/2 to discuss the fate of forests in Sierra Leone. The widely accepted narrative on forest loss in Sierra Leone and generally in West Africa is that it is rapid, drastic and recent. We suggest that the validity of this narrative depends on how you define “forest”. This paper provides a detailed description of what has happened, and at the same time, offers a different view on the relationship between forests and people than the ideas put forward by James Fairhead and Melissa LeachIf we are going to progress the debate about forests in West Africa, up-to-date information and the involvement of all stakeholders are needed to contribute to the debate on what to measure. Otherwise, the decades-old assumption that the area of forest in Sierra Leone lies between less than 5% and more than 75%, provides an error margin that is not useful. This, therefore, necessitates a new forest inventory.Item Do disempowered childbearing women give birth at home in Sierra Leone? A secondary analysis of the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic health survey(BioMed Central, 2023-11-22) James, Peter BaiBACKGROUND: A nationwide assessment of the link between women's empowerment and homebirth has not been fully examined in Sierra Leone. Our study examined the association between women's empowerment and homebirth among childbearing women in Sierra Leone using the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (2019 SLDHS) data. METHOD: We used the individual file (IR) of the 2019 SLDHS dataset for our analysis. A total of 7377 women aged 15-49 years who gave birth in the five years preceding the survey were included. Outcome variable was "home birth of their last child among women in the five years preceding the 2019 SLDHS. Women's empowerment parameters include women's knowledge level, economic participation, decision-making ability and power to refuse the idea of intimate partner violence. We used the complex sample command on SPSS version 28 to conduct descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Three in every 20 women had home childbirth (n = 1177; 15.3%). Women with low \[aOR 2.04; 95% CI 1.43-2.92\] and medium \[aOR 1.44; 95%CI 1.05-1.97\] levels of knowledge had higher odds of giving birth at home compared to those with high levels of knowledge. Women who did not have power to refuse the idea of intimate partner violence against women were more likely to had given birth at home \[aOR 1.38; 95% CI1.09-1.74\]. In addition, women with no \[aOR 2.71; 95% CI1.34-5.46) and less than four antenatal care visits \[aOR 2.08; 95% CI:1.51-2.88\] and for whom distance to a health facility was a major problem \[aOR 1.95; 95% CI1.49-2.56\] were more likely to have had a homebirth. However, no statistically significant association was observed between a women's decision-making power and home birth \[aOR 1.11; 95% CI 0.86-1.41\]. CONCLUSION: Despite improvements in maternal health indicators, homebirth by unskilled birth attendants is still a public health concern in Sierra Leone. Women with low knowledge levels, who did not have power to refuse the idea of intimate partner violence against women, had less than four ANC visits and considered distance to a health facility as a major problem had higher odds of giving birth at home. Our findings reflect the need to empower women by improving their knowledge level through girl child and adult education, increasing media exposure, changing societal norms and unequal power relations that promote gender-based violence against women, and improving roads and transport infrastructure.Item Early sexual debut among adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone: A multilevel analysis of prevalence and predictors(BioMed Central, 2024-11-12) Osborne, AugustusBACKGROUND: Early sexual debut among young women is associated with adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes, including unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Despite its negative impact, there is limited research on this issue in Sierra Leone. This study aims to address this gap by examining the prevalence of early sexual debut and its associated factors among adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years in Sierra Leone. METHODS: Data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey was used for the study. Provincial variations in the proportion of early sexual debut were visualised using a spatial map. A mixed-effect multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the factors associated with early sexual debut. The results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The prevalence of early sexual debut was 26.1% \[24.3, 28.0\]. Adolescent girls and young women aged 20-24 were less likely to engage in early sexual debut \[aOR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.65\] than those aged 15-19. The odds of early sexual debut was lower among adolescent girls and young women with secondary/higher education \[aOR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.85\] compared to those with no education. Adolescent girls and young women who used the internet in the last 12 months \[aOR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.73\] and those who belonged to the Fullah ethnic group \[aOR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.85\] were less likely to engage in early sexual debut relative to those who did not use the internet and those belonging to the Creole ethnic group respectively. Adolescent girls and young women who intend to use contraceptives \[aOR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.77\] and those who do not intend to use contraceptives \[aOR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.88\] were less likely to engage in early sexual debut than those who were using contraceptives. Conversely, adolescent girls and young women who were working \[aOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.77\] had higher odds for early sexual debut than those not working. The odds of early sexual debut were higher among adolescent girls and young women who were married/cohabiting \[aOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.32, 2.22\] and previously married \[aOR = 3.26; 95% CI: 1.61, 6.56\] than those who were never married. Adolescent girls and young women living in the North Western area \[aOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.13\] had higher odds for early sexual debut than those living in the Eastern province. CONCLUSION: Early sexual debut is prevalent among adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone. Age, education, internet use, ethnicity, contraceptive use intention, marital status, employment status, and province of residence were the factors associated with early sexual debut. The study underscores the need for policymakers, government, and non-governmental organisations to design and implement comprehensive and multifaceted interventions to promote informed decision-making and reproductive health among adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone.Item Provincial distribution of unintended pregnancy and its associated factors in Sierra Leone(BioMed Central, 2025-01-02) Osborne, AugustusBACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy is a significant public health concern in Sierra Leone, with far-reaching consequences for both mothers and children. This issue impacts individual well-being, strains healthcare systems, and hinders socioeconomic development. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancy in Sierra Leone. METHODS: Data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey was used for the study. Provincial variations in the prevalence of unintended pregnancy was presented using a spatial map. A mixed-effect multilevel binary logistic regression models was fitted to examine the factors associated with unintended pregnancy. The results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and intra-cluster correlation coefficients. RESULTS: In Sierra Leone, the national prevalence of unintended pregnancy was 16.4% in 2019. Women aged 20-49 exhibit lower odds of unintended pregnancy compared to those aged 15-19, with the lowest odds found among those aged 30-34. Factors associated with decreased odds include being employed, married or cohabiting, and belonging to the Fullah tribe, while living in various provinces outside the Western area also correlates with lower odds. Conversely, women with secondary education, listened to the radio, those with more children (5+), contraceptive users, larger household sizes (six or more), and those in the middle wealth index had increased odds of unintended pregnancies. CONCLUSION: The results from Sierra Leone indicate that various socio-economic and demographic factors significantly influence the prevalence of unintended pregnancies, suggesting critical areas for intervention. For women in the 20-49 age group, the lower odds of unintended pregnancies compared to younger women suggest that targeted educational and health initiatives could further enhance their reproductive health outcomes. The protective factors associated with employment, marital status, and tribal affiliation highlight the importance of promoting stable family structures and economic opportunities. Also, women living in the Eastern, Northwestern, Northern, and Southern provinces, the results imply a need for province-specific interventions. These areas may require tailored outreach programs that address cultural and socio-economic barriers to contraceptive use and reproductive health education. The increased odds linked to secondary education, listening to radio, those with more children, contraceptive users, and larger household sizes suggest that educational initiatives should also address family planning and reproductive health. A focused approach that considers the unique needs of these women could lead to more effective strategies in reducing unintended pregnancies in Sierra Leone.Item Progress and inequalities in early initiation of breastfeeding among women in Sierra Leone, 2008–2019(BioMed Central, 2025-08-07) Wongnaah, Florence GyembuzieBACKGROUND: Early initiation of breastfeeding, defined as placing a newborn to the breast within the first hour of birth, is vital for improving neonatal survival, strengthening the mother-child bond, and ensuring the delivery of essential nutrients and antibodies. This study examines progress and socioeconomic inequalities in the early initiation of breastfeeding among women in Sierra Leone from 2008 to 2019. METHODS: We used data from the three rounds of the Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2008, 2013, and 2019. We used the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit developed by the World Health Organisation to calculate the inequality measures among women 15-49 years, which include simple difference (D), ratio (R), population attributable risk (PAR), and population attributable fraction (PAF). The inequality assessment was conducted based on six stratifiers: age, economic status, level of education, place of residence, sex of the child, and sub-national region. RESULTS: In Sierra Leone, the early initiation of breastfeeding rate increased from 48.7% in 2008 to 75.2% in 2019. Higher rates of early initiation of breastfeeding were observed among mothers (15-19 years), women from the lowest wealth quintile, those without formal education, and those residing in rural areas. However, regional inequalities persisted, with the Eastern region showing the lowest rates. The inequality (D) in age increased from - 0.2 in 2008 to -1.6 in 2019. The economic status disparity increased from - 8.7% in 2008 to -18.4% in 2019. Inequality for education decreased from - 10.6 in 2008 to -4.7 in 2019. The increase in place of residence inequality was from -2.6% in 2008 to -13.4% in 2019. For the sex of the child, the disparity increased from - 1.5% to -3.6% in 2019. Regional disparity increased from 19.7 in 2008 to 28.6 in 2019. PAR also rose from 8.9 to 11.1 percentage points. CONCLUSION: Early initiation of breastfeeding has shown substantial improvement in Sierra Leone, highlighting the effectiveness of recent public health interventions. However, inequalities accross economic status, level of education, sex of the child, and sub-national region still persist. To sustain these gains and ensure equitable progress, continued policy attention and targeted strategies are essential to address persistent socio-economic and regional inequalities disparities.Item A study of vulnerable student populations, exclusion and marginalization in Sierra Leonean secondary schools: a social justice theory analysis(BioMed Central, 2025-03-18) Osborne, AugustusBACKGROUND: Sierra Leone faces challenges in ensuring equitable and inclusive education for all its citizens. Certain groups, including pregnant students, student mothers, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and those without family support, are particularly vulnerable to exclusion and marginalisation. These groups are identified as vulnerable based on criteria established by organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which highlight the interplay between health, socio-economic status, and access to education. This study explores the extent of exclusion and marginalisation experienced by these vulnerable groups within Sierra Leonean educational institutions. METHODS: Between November and December 2023, a participatory study design was utilised, employing purposive sampling to gather diverse perspectives from 127 key informant interviews with 366 participants, including teachers, parents, students with disabilities, pregnant students, students who are mothers, and economically disadvantaged students across 11 schools in six districts in Sierra Leone. The analysis was performed manually using Microsoft Word, with four researchers responsible for organising, coding, and identifying patterns and themes within the dataset. RESULTS: Pregnant students are often stigmatized, being perceived as immoral and a negative influence on their peers. This stigma results in social isolation, bullying, and derogatory comments from both peers, and at times, teachers. Students with disabilities frequently experience bullying and social exclusion; however, there are also positive examples of peer support that facilitate their inclusion in schools and the broader community. Economically disadvantaged students are often subjected to bullying and discrimination based on their socioeconomic status, which contributes to feelings of self-isolation, reduced self-esteem, and low participation in school activities. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that pregnant students, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and those lacking family support face stigma, social isolation, and limited access to education in Sierra Leone. These challenges are deeply rooted in societal attitudes, parental expectations, and inadequate support from teachers. To address these systemic issues, policymakers and educators should adopt comprehensive strategies, including evidence-based community awareness campaigns to challenge harmful societal attitudes, the promotion of inclusive education practices through clear and targeted policies, and the establishment of robust support services within schools. Such measures are essential to create an equitable and inclusive educational environment for all students.