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The study ascertains knowledge of mothers of sufferers of sickle-cell anaemia specifically regarding aetiology of the disorder and acceptable medical care. One hundred fifty-seven mothers of children suffering from sickle-cell anaemia (HbSS) attending a haematology clinic of a general hospital in Lagos were randomly sampled and asked about the aetiology and their understanding of the rules of care using a short open-ended questionnaire. The mean age of the mothers was 37.4 and a significant majority belong to the lower socio-economic strata. Thirty-four percent reported having been informed of the hereditary basis of anaemia but 48.4% received no explanation. Doctors, nurses, and lay literature were the main sources of information on the condition, as well as its medical care. The considerable gaps in appropriate knowledge on sickle-cell anaemia in Nigeria observed indicates that adequate and properly-presented information to parents or guardians of patients should be an essential part of a comprehensive care plan.

There is an observed increasing trend of substance use among the adolescents and young adults. One of the important aetiologies is “modeling” especially from popular artists portraying their use to the viewing public over the electronic media. Indigenous films on video tapes acted in English or “Yoruba” (a popular Nigerian language) were randomly selected from various retail outlets in Lagos for viewing. The settings were the Ikorodu and Ipaja suburbs of Lagos. The viewing audience in each center was made up of a researcher and two adolescent secondary school students. They were to make notes on each film with scenes of substance use, type, and nature of use. A total of 479 video tapes were studied over a 6 month period, of which 268 (55.9%) contained scenes portraying the use of one or more substances. Two hundred forty-seven (51.6%, N= 479) depicted the use of only one type of substance and the rest, 21 (4.3%, N= 479), portrayed the use of multiple substances. The commonest substance portrayed to be used was alcohol, 197 (41.1%, N= 479), followed by tobacco, 81 (16.9%, N= 479). Cannabis was shown to be used in only 3 (0.6%, N= 479); Cocaine and Heroin in 8 (1.6%, N= 479) of the films. There was no statistically significant difference on substance use portrayal between the home movies acted in English and Yoruba (χ2= 32.8; df= 7 at p< 0.05). A significant number of films on video tapes in Nigeria portrayed substance use which could act as triggers or reinforcement for substance use among the viewing audience, especially adolescents and young adults. The need to censor video tapes on substance use portrayal was advocated.