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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine (Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd) is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Inadequate support services for common breastfeeding problems are major reasons why many nursing mothers quit exclusive breastfeeding practice in Nigeria. The recent exodus of doctors and other health-care workers has made the situation worse. Community-based interventions are urgently needed to avoid a relapse of the marginal increase of the exclusive breastfeeding rate in the country. Therefore, this study reviewed the feasibility and effectiveness of training and deploying pastors' wives as breastfeeding peer counselors along with leaders of women's Bible study classes as co-counselors in a church-based support service to boost exclusive breastfeeding practice in the country. Searches were conducted using appropriate keywords in journals and databases such as Google Scholar, Christian Journal of Global Health, and PubMed. Relevant papers were selected and read thoroughly. Ideas, phrases, and clauses that answered the research questions were synthesized into themes. Previous partnerships with the church to provide support for specific health problems such as HIV/AIDS had been fruitful. The adoption of the Community Infant and Young Child Feeding Counseling Package in small priority areas by the government and its development partners yielded positive results. However, partnerships are necessary to make the service available nationwide. The use of existing opportunities such as the network of pastors' will be an economical and rational form of the volunteer community mobilizers. Community-based breastfeeding peer counseling has effectively increased the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding and provided an opportunity to address other problems related to breastfeeding. However, the allocation of matching grants to local government areas will be necessary to increase nutrition interventions and to motivate peer counselors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Aims: This research aimed to study the profile, perceptions, barriers, and predictors of Nigerian resident doctors' level of engagement in scientific research. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey of 438 resident doctors in Nigeria. This study forms a part of the big CHARTING Study, the protocol of which was published in "Nigeria Journal of Medicine 2019;28:198-205." Results: Three hundred and eighteen (72.8%) respondents were male and 119 (27.2%) were female. There were 229 (52.4%) registrars and 208 (47.6%) senior registrars, while residents in surgical versus nonsurgical specialties were 190 (44.5%) and 237 (55.5%), respectively. Three hundred and sixty-eight (85%) respondents had participated previously in research; 67 (15.6%) and 72 (16.6%) had their papers published in local or international journals, respectively; and only 46 (10.6%) had held first authorship positions in peer-reviewed journal publications. The significant barriers to research identified among them included lack of funding, lack of free time, inadequate training/knowledge on research methodology, and the onerous nature of clinical research. The independent predictor of previous engagement with research was years on current job (P = 0.007). This was similar to finding for the first authorship of a peer-reviewed article among the respondents (0.017). Conclusion: This study concludes that publication and grantsmanship rates were very low among the surveyed resident doctors, despite their high rate of engagement in research projects. There is a need for increased research capacity building among resident doctors in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast‑conserving therapy (BCT) is the most common surgical treatment for breast cancer in high‑income countries. In Nigeria and many other low‑middle income countries, total mastectomy remains the mainstay. This often results in several women facing numerous psychosocial challenges associated with the removal of their breasts. This paper highlights the limitations and prospects of BCT in Nigeria. Increased community awareness aimed at promoting early presentation, more liberal use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, introduction of multidisciplinary team meetings, availability of other relevant support services and improved access to radiotherapy are key factors needed to change the current narrative. Nigeria, with its huge population of affected and at‑risk women, needs to intensify the drive towards de‑escalating breast cancer surgery. These measures have the potential of saving lives and preserving the quality of life of affected women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assessed health-care workers' awareness of the health and environmental hazards associated with plastic bags and available substitutes. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was carried out in two rural hospitals in Northwest Nigeria over a 4-week study period. It included permanently employed health workers who were residents in the study community. The data were analyzed using SPSS version-20; the association between respondents' sociodemographic characteristics and awareness of the harmful effects of plastic-bags was determined using the Chi-square test. Results: There were 200 respondents aged 20-55 years with a mean of 31.7 ± 8.6 years. Most, 45% (90/200), respondents were nurses/midwives; 21% (42/200) were doctors. Most respondents, 49% (98/200), would throw away the plastic bags after a single use; 23.5% (47/200) would keep and reuse, while 45.5% (91/200) use reusable bags for shopping. Most respondents, 91% (182/200), were aware of the harmful effect on the environment, while 74% (148/200) knew it could be harmful to health. Respondents' age (>30 years) was significantly associated with awareness of the harmful effects of used plastic bags (P = 0.03), while male gender, age >30 years, being married, and of non-Hausa/Fulani ethnicity were associated with awareness of plastic-bag substitutes. Conclusions: Most respondents were aware of the health and environmental hazards of plastic bags and the available substitutes. Promoting reuse of plastic bags and the use of available substitutes will help to control this growing hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Histopathology Request Forms (HRFs) serve as interphase between clinicians and pathologists in making diagnosis of tissue pathology. Inadequacies of the completion of HRFs have been a source of major frictions between the two groups of physicians. Various reports have highlighted this inadequacy. The need for adequate information on the HRF to be standardized cannot be overemphasized. Aim: The paper aims to evaluate the histopathology request forms from institutions in Nigeria and to propose an improved prostate disease-specific histopathology request form. Methodology: Histopathological request forms from some major Nigerian health institutions were analyzed for adequacy based on required information for a standardized histological reportage. A request form specific for suspected prostate diseases was designed from the review of literature. Results: Histopathology request forms (HRFs) from sixteen Nigerian health institutions were received from all the geopolitical zones of the country following a request. All the HRFs were neither organ nor disease specific. None of the HRFs was adjudged to be satisfactory to produce enough information adequate for comprehensive histopathology reportage. A prostate disease-specific histological request form is proposed following review of literature. Discussion: The need for a comprehensive prostate-specific HRF cannot be overemphasized to improve the relationships between surgeons and pathologists and to improve reportage of prostate pathologies and the management of prostatic diseases. Conclusion: Adequate clinical information is needed for early and complete reportage of histopathological report of prostate diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the teaching methods used by residents in paediatric surgery in Nigeria and their exposure to research and conferences. Materials and Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to trainees in paediatric surgery in Nigeria seeking information regarding different teaching methods used, frequency of use, involvement in research and participation in conferences. Results: There were 11 respondents (91.6%) of 12 questionnaires that were distributed. All of them were training in accredited teaching hospitals in Nigeria. All of them had been involved in teaching medical students. Ten residents were involved in teaching in wards/bedside two times or more in a week and all were involved in teaching at the clinics. Only one resident used audiovisual aid at least once a week to teach students. Eight trainees used tutorial or seminar group discussion as a teaching tool once a week. Four trainees had not used written essay as a way of teaching students while five had never given students lectures in a classroom before. All the respondents had participated in retrospective research while nine had been involved in prospective research. Nine residents had attended conferences nationally while two had attended international conferences. Six trainees presented a paper or more at national conferences while one presented at an international conference. Conclusion: Trainees in paediatric surgery in Nigeria are significantly involved in the teaching of undergraduate medical students and clinical research. This should be encouraged and further enhanced by motivating the trainees to attend international conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current discourses on healthcare environments' design suggest that qualitative healthcare is directly linked with the state and quality of the environment, making reference not only to the physical but also to the ambient and social environments. These conclude that in giving qualitative care to patients, who are the primary targets of these facilities, it is advocated that the healthcare environments are consciously humanised. Background: Current discourses on healthcare environments' design suggest that qualitative healthcare is directly linked with the state and quality of the environment, making reference not only to the physical but also to the ambient and social environments. These conclude that in giving qualitative care to patients, who are the primary targets of these facilities, it is advocated that the healthcare environments are consciously humanised. Results: This review reveals that even though humanisation is crucial, as a driver for change in healthcare environments, its definition varies contextually. The paper further maintains that culture is central to whatever the definitions given to the concept of humanisation and attempts to initiate a discussion on the definition for 'Humanisation' in healthcare environments in Nigeria. It also emphasises the need for and the benefits of evidence-based designs in ensuring the design of well-humanised healthcare environments. In addition, the study finds that there is a dearth of the literature on healthcare environments' design in Nigeria. Conclusion: Currently, there are no commonly identifiable definitions for humanistic designs in healthcare environments in Nigeria. Recommendations are that more healthcare design research should be conducted to support these observations with empirical evidence and uncover how humanisation is defined in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased breast density is a known risk factor for breast cancer; as such, it is a pertinent consideration for any breast cancer awareness and screening exercise. Ultrasound is the most frequently requested breast imaging examination and is the preferred imaging modality for assessing dense breasts. Objectives: This paper aims at describing the sonographic breast density patterns among women in Zaria using the American College of Radiology breast imaging and reporting data system (BIRADS) lexicon to estimate the prevalence of different breast sonographic patterns in Zaria and to relate this with age, parity, and menopausal status of the women studied. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of the sociodemographic and sonographic data of 503 women who presented for breast ultrasound at the Radiology department of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching hospital, Zaria, Nigeria between July 2014 and December 2016. Breast scans were performed using a Mindray DC-8 Ultrasound machine, equipped with a 7–12 mHz transducer. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences software for windows version 20 (SPSS, Inc. Chicago Illinois, USA). Results: Five hundred and three women participated in the study. There were 415 premenopausal and 88 postmenopausal women whose mean age was 36.1 ± 12.8 years. The most common breast density pattern was heterogenous (49.1%), which was independent of family history of breast cancer. The least common breast density pattern was homogenous fibroglandular. Breast density decreased significantly with increasing age, parity, and menopausal status (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Heterogenous pattern (ACR type 3) was the predominant breast density pattern in this study. Because this breast pattern has been significantly associated with breast cancer, further studies are needed to estimate cancer risk among our women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As red henna interferes with the working principles of pulse oximetry, it affects peripheral oxygen saturation readings. This study was conducted to determine the effect of henna on the pulse oximetry of sick children admitted to the emergency department (ED). Subjects and Methods: This was a prospective observational study on 100 sick children admitted to ED. The red henna was applied on the right index finger and right toe, while the left index finger and left toe served as control. SpO2 readings for the upper limbs and lower limbs were recorded simultaneously and compared. Results: The median (interquartile range) age was 4.0 (2.0--8.6) years. There was no significant difference between SpO2 (95.9±4.2 vs. 95.4±4.4) for the upper limb finger (t = 1.147, P = 0.254) and Spo2 (95.3% ±4.9% vs. 95.7% ±3.9%) for lower limb finger (t = 0.954, P = 0.342) with henna and their corresponding pair without henna. However, the SpO2 of children with hypoxia (92.12% ±5.6% vs. 86.88% ±9.6%) for upper limb finger (92.00% ±5.7% vs. 88.41% ±5.5%) and for the toe was significantly higher on digits with henna compared with their pairs without henna (t = 3.167, P = 0.006 upper limb pair; t = 6.351, P = 0.013 for lower limb pair). Conclusions: Red henna application does not significantly affect the reading of pulse oximetry among children without hypoxia but significantly overestimates the oximetry reading in hypoxic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improvements in sickle cell disease (SCD) care have resulted in the survival of many patients into adulthood, although this is accompanied by the increased incidence of end-organ damage, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objectives: This study assessed the prevalence, pattern and predictors of renal dysfunction in SCD patients and investigated the associated renal histopathologic changes. Methods: We evaluated 105 patients with SCD, for proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and tubular dysfunction. Renal biopsy was conducted on 22 patients who qualified. Data were analysed using SPSS package version 23. Results: Thirty-seven (35.2%) of the 105 patients had CKD, as defined by an eGFR of 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and/or proteinuria. The fractional excretion of potassium (FEK) was elevated in all patients, whereas the fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) was elevated in 98.1%. Glomerular filtration rate was negatively correlated with irreversible percentage sickle cell count (r = −0.616, P = 0.0001), FEK (r = −0.448, P = 0.0001) and FENa (r = −0.336, P = 0.004). Age, irreversible percentage sickle cell count, haemoglobin levels and FENa were the major predictors of CKD. The histological pattern in the 22 patients who had biopsies was consistent with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis 11 (50%), minimal change disease 6 (27.3%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis 3 (13.6%) and interstitial nephritis 2 (9.1%). Conclusions: CKD was prevalent in SCD patients, and it was characterised by tubular dysfunction and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis. The main predictors of CKD were increased age, severity of vaso-occlusive crisis, worsening anaemia and tubular dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of African Medicine is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Cleft lip (CL) and palate (CLP) management is multidisciplinary. A cleft team was formed in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital to address the health needs of cleft patients in the centre.Aim: This paper aims at documenting the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) management protocol for orofacial clefts and also to review our experience with CLP surgeries performed at AKTH since our partnering with Smile Train.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of all the cleft patients surgically treated from January 2006 to December 2014 under Smile Train sponsorship was undertaken. A descriptive narrative of the cleft team protocol was also given.Results: One hundred and fifty-five patients (80 males, 75 females) had surgical repairs of either the lip or palate. CL patients were 83 (53.55%), while CLP patients were 45 (29.03%) and isolated cleft palate patients were 27 (17.42%).Conclusion: The inclusion of various specialities in the cleft team is highly desirable. Poverty level amongst our patients frequently limits our management to surgical treatment sponsored by the Smile Train, despite the presence of other residual problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and Aim: Given the challenges of microscopy, we compared its performance with SD-Bioline malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluated the time it took for positive results to become negative after treatment of children with acute uncomplicated malaria. Subjects and Methods: We present the report of 485 participants with complete MRDT, microscopy, and PCR data out of 511 febrile children aged 3–59 months who participated in a cohort study over a 12-month period in rural and urban areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. MRDT-positive children received antimalaria and tested at every visit over 28 days. Speciation was also carried out by PCR. Results: With microscopy as the gold standard, SD-Bioline™ had 95.2% sensitivity, 66.4% specificity, 67.5% positive predictive value (PPV), and 94.9 negative predictive value (NPV), while with PCR the findings were 84.3% sensitivity, 66.5% specificity, 72.7% PPV, and 80.1% NPV. PCR speciation of malaria parasites revealed 91.6% Plasmodium falciparum, 18.9% Plasmodium malariae, and 4.4% Plasmodium ovale. Among the 47 children with P. malariae infections, 66.0% were coinfected with P. falciparum, while 54.6% cases of P. ovale occurred as coinfections with P. falciparum. The median time to a negative MRDT was 23.2 days, while the median time to a negative malaria microscopy was 3.8 days. The two survival curves were significantly different. Conclusions: The SD-BiolineTM MRDT performed well, with remarkable persistence of rapid test-positive for an average of 23 days post treatment. The prevalence of P. malaria is somewhat greater than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries, such as Nigeria, are at increased risk of malnutrition, especially obesity, but there is limited data describing the risk. We assessed this risk by examining the nutritional status and associated factors such as dietary habits, dietary diversity, nutritional knowledge and sociodemographic characteristics among adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study in which 682 adolescents were selected from their communities using a multistage sampling technique. Dietary habits were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary diversity was assessed through nonquantifiable 24-h diet recall. Anthropometric measurements were taken to determine nutritional status. Data were analyzed using Epi-Info software version 7.2.3.1. Nutritional status was evaluated using WHO AnthroPlus software. Chi-square was used to test for an association between categorical variables, and P values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the adolescents was 13.6 ± 2.3 years, and only 47.4% of them had good nutritional knowledge. Dietary habits were poor and dietary diversity was low. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 13.4% and 7.0%. Eating dinner, dieting to control weight and daily consumption of foods outside the home were associated with overweight and obesity (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dietary habits and diversity of the adolescents were poor, while overweight and obesity were high. Eating dinner and daily consumption of foods outside the home were factors associated with being overweight and obesity. Our findings emphasize the critical need for adolescent nutrition programs that address weight control, especially among those who eat outside their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of African Medicine is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Context: Swenson's pull-through is one of the standard operations for the treatment of children with Hirschsprung's disease. Complications arising from the operation are difficult to treat because of fibrosis in the pelvis. The posterior sagittal approach may be a safer alternative. Aims: The aim of this paper is to highlight our experience with the use of the posterior sagittal trans-sphincteric approach to treat unusual complications of Swenson's pull-through. Settings and Design: A retrospective study of four patients who had posterior sagittal repair of their complications of Swenson pull-through at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Four cases of Hirschsprung's disease that developed post-Swenson pull-through complications are presented. There were three males and one female. Their age ranged between 10 months and 15 years. The patients had rectovaginal fistula, rectourethral fistula, high trans-sphincteric fistula-in-ano and complete anastomotic disruption. Result: All the patients were successfully treated using the posterior sagittal approach. The approach was used twice in one patient without significant sequelae. The three patients were old enough to be assessed and had a Kelly score of 4-6 at follow-up. Conclusion: The posterior sagittal technique offers a safe approach to treat the complications of Swenson pull-through. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The changes in accessibility to gambling have led to an increase in gambling among young persons. Aims: The study aims to evaluate the association between gambling, perceived social support, and self-esteem among secondary school students in Orlu, Nigeria. Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 411 secondary school students in Orlu. Sociodemographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents was used to screen for problem gambling, while the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was used to measure perceived social support. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: The lifetime rate of gambling was 51.8%, while the 12-month rate was 18.2%. About 9.2% of the respondents met the criteria for at-risk gambling, while 4.6% met the criteria for problem gambling. Gambling in the past 12 months was significantly associated with lower perceived social support (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Gambling is associated with poorer perceived social support. This indicates a need to encourage improved social support towards students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to explain the current level of nursing care for people with diabetes in Nigeria, as well as the numerous challenges involved in providing appropriate nursing care. The main issue discovered was a lack of specialized diabetes nursing education, which should serve as the foundation for nurses working in endocrinology settings. Other issues include insufficient diabetes nursing care facilities and a lack of dedicated diabetes centers, which forces diabetes patients to be, managed in general wards. It is therefore recommended that a strong framework be put in place, such as the establishment of diabetes training schools and the development and strengthening of the nursing curriculum, which has a high potential for improving nurses' knowledge and abilities to care for people with diabetes in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Despite an increase in research evidence on media compliance with suicide reporting guidelines globally, evidence from Nigeria seems to be relatively limited. Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) helpful/harmful suicide reporting cues in suicide stories reported by Nigerian newspapers in 2021. Setting and Design: The setting is the entire Nigeria and the design is descriptive. Method: Quantitative content analysis method was adopted and 205 online suicide-related stories from news portals of 10 purposefully selected newspapers were analyzed. The newspapers selected were among the top 20 in Nigeria and had higher circulation/coverage and considerable online presence. Evaluation framework was designed following moderated WHO guidelines. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used for the analysis. Results: The study suggested high prevalence of harmful reporting and near absence of helpful suicide reporting cues among Nigerian newspapers. Majority of the stories, 95.6% mentioned suicide in the headline; 79.5% provided details on the suicide methods employed; 66.3% offered mono-causal explanation to suicide; and 59% featured images of suicide victims and/or suicide-related graphics. Helpful reporting cues were almost nonexistence as only less than 4% of the stories traced warning signs, reported mental health experts/professionals' opinions, featured research findings/ population level statistics, and provided details on the identity/contact of suicide prevention programs/support services. Conclusion: Prevalence of harmful suicide-reporting practice among Nigerian Newspaper presented a gloomy future for suicide prevention in the country. There be training and motivation programs for health/crime reporters/editors on responsive media coverage of suicide following (a domesticated) WHO guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the complex nature of the effect of occupational stress also known as work or job stress, on the quality of nurse-patient relationship, it appears a daunting task reaching a unified definition of work stress because of the acknowledged fact that a singular approach may not be able to encompass the breadth of the phenomenon. This study aims to provide a general review of some of the challenges of stress on nurse-patient relationship, and causes of occupational stress were examined in light of the conceptual typology that portrays various sources of workplace stress and strategies in preventing occupational stress. The data for this study were from published studies. Electronic databases of Medline, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched using keywords: occupational stress, nurse-patient relationship and quality of nursing care literatures were retrieved and screened for eligibility. The date limit considered in the literature search was from 2016 to 2023 to capture only the variables identified in this study objective. Stress sources are consequentially known to produce dire organization and extra-organizational outcomes such as low morale, poor performance, career uncertainty, poor care, health problems, work-life conflict, turnover, and other reverse that undermine the competitive objectives of business. Stress curative measures are discussed to assist nurses to understand the significance of providing effective stress management interventions that can enhance employee well-being and organizational productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of African Medicine is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the medical surgery training of undergraduate students conducted by the Department of Surgery of the University of Jos in Nigeria. Written and oral examinations have been conducted by the students to evaluate the principles of surgical pathology. An experimental result showed that oral examination would give good impact towards the performance of clinical teachers and students in caring of the sick people.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the prevalence and the determinants of incomplete childhood vaccination in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The data for this study was the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Multivariable multilevel logistic regression analysis techniques using Stata statistical software (version 13) were used in analyzing the data of 5,384 children aged 12–23 months old. Results: About 69.6% of the children were incompletely vaccinated. Individual-level factors such as maternal education, household wealth were associated with incomplete vaccination. The odds of incomplete vaccination among children of mothers without education was 68% higher than those with secondary education and above (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: (AOR = 1.68; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.56–2.56). Equally children from high wealth index have reduced odds of incomplete vaccination compared to those from low wealth index (AOR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.47–0.71). Community-level factors such as place of residence, difficulty in getting to health facility were equally associated with vaccination status. The likelihood of incomplete vaccination was 26% higher among children whose parents had difficulty reaching the health facility (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.11–1.50) than those that did not. In addition, the likelihood of been incompletely vaccinated reduced for children whose mothers live in urban areas (AOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.40–0.59). Conclusions: Incomplete childhood vaccination is prevalent in the country and associated with various individual and community factors. Program and policies aimed at improving childhood vaccination uptake should target the identified factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite concerted global efforts to reduce the burden of maternal anemia, it remains a major public health issue. Over 40% of pregnant women worldwide are anemic; low- and middle-income countries (especially those in sub-Saharan Africa) make a disproportionately higher contribution to the global burden. The condition can lead to undesirable outcomes for the mother and child. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy among women attending antenatal clinics in Chikun LGA, Kaduna. Methods: This study was conducted among 145 women attending antenatal clinics in Chikun LGA. Data were collected using a pretested, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Hemoglobin (Hb) level was determined and anemia was defined using the World Health Organization-recommended cutoff of <11 g/dl. The results were presented in frequency tables. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Fifty-five (37.9%) of the respondents were between the ages of 25 and 29 years. The mean age of the respondents was 28.61 ± 5.5 years. The majority, 107 (73.8%), had a household size of 2–4. Only 16 (11.0%) respondents were aware of anemia. Pregnant women were identified by half (50.0%) of the respondents as being more at risk of anemia. Only a quarter (25.0%) of respondents had good knowledge of anemia. Over two-fifth (42.8%) of the respondents were anemic. There was a statistically significant relationship between household size and anemia in respondents. Conclusion: A large proportion of the respondents were anemic; this underscores the need to strengthen the nutritional counseling and routine hematinics given during the antenatal period. Social drivers should also be addressed in terms of favorable public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cigarette smoke contains thousands of identified chemicals, among which sixty-nine (69) of these chemicals are known to be poisonous to humans and are capable of causing cancer in any part of the body. This study was conducted to evaluate the cytology of urinary cells among active and passive cigarette smokers in South-Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Urine samples were collected from 250 active cigarette smokers and 200 passive cigarette smokers who live in South-Western, Nigeria. The urine specimen was collected from participants and processed using the standard technique for microscopic examination. Smears were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and Papanicolaou stain. Results: The urinary smears of passive cigarette smokers revealed normal superficial squamous cells, transitional cells, cast, necrotic debris and mild inflammatory cells, while that of active cigarette smokers revealed high cellular turnover, protein casts, dysplastic epithelial cells and atypical urothelial cells with degenerative features. Conclusion: On the basis of this study, the cytomorphological analysis of urinary smears among active cigarette smokers revealed cytopathological features which connote the harmful effects of the chemical constituents present in cigarette smoke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The golden ratio is a mathematical formula proposed over the years to assess facial beauty objectively. The correlation between the golden ratio and facial attractiveness has been researched in the Caucasian and Asian populations, with little literature on the African population. This study aimed to establish a baseline study on the relationship between subjective assessment of facial beauty and the golden ratio among female students of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: One hundred female students aged 1622 years were mobilized for the study. The facial landmarks that Gary Meisner proposed and the PhiMatrix software to analyze golden facial ratios were employed. A relationship between the subjective perception of beauty and the golden ratio was established by having observers rate the photographs; based on this; the sample was grouped into esthetically pleasant, unpleasant, and acceptable. The golden facial ratios were then measured in these classified faces. Results: The result revealed that 68 females from the study sample conformed to the golden ratio. The highest percentage from the esthetically pleasant groups was significant at P < 0.05. When these ratios were isolated and tested, only four of the ratios were substantial, at P < 0.05. Conclusion: From this result, it is possible to infer a relationship between the golden ratio and facial attractiveness. However, it may not be used as an objective measure of facial beauty because many faces classified as acceptable and unattractive also exhibit golden proportions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: COVID-19 came suddenly, bringing to the fore the challenges inherent in the health system. In a developing country, such as Nigeria, which already had myriad problems with funds and equipment in the health sector. Aims: This study aims to examine the challenges encountered by the staff in Radiology facilities and how they combated the challenges. Settings and Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study of radiology facilities in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: Radiologists from nine government and four private facilities who attended to COVID-19 patients were asked to fill questionnaires on challenges faced and their coping strategies. Responses were sent through E-mail. Statistical Analysis Used: Data from the responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel for Mac 2011 and presented as figures and tables. Results: Majority of the government 7 (77.8%) and private facilities 4 (100%) had no equipment dedicated only to COVID-19 patients. Seven (77.8%) government facilities complained of inadequate staff, poor availability of personal protective equipment (PPEs) 8 (88.9%), and lack of technology for remote viewing 7 (77.8%). Fear of cross-infection was a challenge in one of the facilities 1 (11.1%). Coping strategies adopted include ensuring less traffic in the department by discouraging walk-in patients and canceling non-emergent cases, booking suspected/confirmed cases for lighter times, using old film for face shields and cloth for facemasks, staff education on COVID-19 and preventive measures, and sending reports to physicians through E-mail. Conclusions: There were a lot of challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, with government hospitals experiencing more challenges than private facilities. The challenges included among others inadequate staff strength and lack of technology for remote viewing. Some were overcome using education and by production of facemasks/shields production using recycled materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of abstracts presented at the annual scientific meetings of Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria and their final publication rate. Materials and Methods: All abstracts accepted for presentation at the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Nigeria meetings from 2004 to 2009 were identified from literature, search engines and other online materials. Abstracts accepted for the meetings but not presented during the meetings were excluded. Results: A total of 153 abstracts were examined, of which 52 (34%) resulted in publication in peer-reviewed journals. Median time from presentation to publication was 2 years (range 1-5 years). The median number of abstracts presented per year was 30 (range 25-40). About three quarters of abstracts were presented by consultants (114, 74.5%) and 39 (25.4%) by surgical trainees. Approximately threequarters of the abstracts were case series (111, 75.8%). Case reports accounted for 22.8% of the abstracts. Thirty-two (39.5%) of 81 retrospective studies, 8/31 (25.8%) prospective studies, and 11/35 (31.4%) case reports were converted to full publication (P = 0.403). Abstracts on surgical infection, paediatric surgical oncology, and gastrointestinal tract had the highest publication rates (54.5% [6/11], 46.2% [6/13], and 33.3% [22/66], respectively, P = 0.237). The largest numbers of the reports were published in the African Journal of Paediatric Surgery (16 of 48; 33%), the official Journal of the Association. Conclusions: Only a third of presented abstracts were subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. Effort to encourage the publication rates of presented abstracts by improving quality of research work as well as encouraging preconference submission of fulllength articles for accepted abstracts, for publication in a conference supplement of the Association's journal is advised.

Abstract: Objective: To assess women''s perceptions and risk factors that could expose them to intestinal parasitic infections in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 750 faecal samples were collected from women at different reproductive stages (pre-menstrual, menstrual and post-menstrual), and the faeces were tested by the formol ether concentration technique. Results: A total of 426 (56.8%) samples were found positive for various intestinal parasites with hookworm (4.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (9.3%), Taenia sp (2.1%), Entamoeba histolytica (18.9%) and Entamoeba coli (21.6%). Women at pre-menstrual and post-menstrual stages recorded higher prevalence rates with 72.8% and 63.9%, respectively. No significant difference in prevalence was observed between women at different reproductive stages and women infected by different parasites (χ2 = 30.6, P > 0.05). Sweet things, rotten fruits and improperly cooked meat were perceived as the causes of intestinal parasitic infections among the pre and post menstrual women. Sources of drinking water like river, well, water bought from vendors and patronizing food vendors were observed as risk factors contributing to the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among women. Factors like not washing hands before eating and after defaecation, use of leaves and ordinary papers for cleaning after defaecation were also observed to be contributing to the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. Conclusions: Persuasive health education and rigorous hygiene measures should be employed in schools, maternity clinics and among the populace to reduce transmission and infection with intestinal parasites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Context: Postnatal care remains the most neglected component of maternal and child health. It is determined by postnatal practices, which may be beneficial, innocuous or harmful as prevalent in low and middle income countries including Nigeria. Aim: To compare postnatal care practices among mothers in urban and rural communities. Settings and Design: A comparative cross-sectional design was used to assess postnatal care practices among 130 mothers each in urban and rural communities of Kano using multistage systematic sampling. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from mothers who delivered a live baby within the preceding year using an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis used: Data collected was analysed using the SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Results: Findings show poor postnatal care practices like delay in initiation of breastfeeding (77.2% and 88.4%, respectively), poor cord care (97.6% and 100%, respectively) and ingestion of potash gruel (35.4% and 65.9%, respectively) were abundant. Postnatal care practice was significantly associated with respondents' education and husband's education in the urban area (and age of respondents in the rural community (P < 0.05). Marital setting was the only predictor of postnatal practice (odds ratio = 0.25, 95% confidence interval [0.09–0.69]), where mothers in a monogamous setting had a 75% likelihood of good practice as compared to their polygamous counterparts. Conclusion: The preponderance of bad postnatal practices found among mothers in both urban and rural settings indicates the level of danger that mothers and their newborns are exposed to in the studied communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing consumption of vended foods may pose a significant public health threat associated with food-borne illnesses. Context: Increasing consumption of vended foods may pose a significant public health threat associated with food borne illnesses. Aim: To assess and compare the determinants of personal hygiene practices among street food vendors and canteen food handlers in a commercial city of northwestern Nigeria. Settings and design: Using interviewer-administered questionnaire, comparative cross-sectional design was used Materials and Methods: As much as 310 (in each group) street food vendors and canteen food handlers, selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data analysis used: The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 22.0 Results: The proportion of street food vendors practicing correct personal hygiene measures were 214 (70.2%), compared with 213 (74.0%) canteen food handlers, respectively. There was a significant association between street food vendor's sex, ethnicity, educational status, hepatitis A or typhoid vaccination status, and the correct practice of personal hygiene (P < 0.05). Sex was found to be an independent predictor of personal hygiene practice (adjusted odds ratio = 4.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.3–16.7) among street food vendors with female street food vendors being five times more likely to observe correct personal hygiene practice than their male counterparts. Conclusions: Personal hygiene practice was found to be good among both street food vendors and canteen food handlers. However, there is a need for improvement if food-borne diseases are to be controlled; therefore, the government should ensure training and enforcement of all regulations to improve the personal hygiene practice thereby reducing the burden of food-borne illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of widespread resistance of Plasmodium species to most antimalarial drugs has led to a more vigorous and concerted research on traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of malaria. Objective of Study: The study was aimed to investigate the in vitro antiplasmodial activity of crude ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus amarus against clinical isolates of Plasmodium falciparum in Northwestern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The plant was extracted using two solvents, water and ethanol, where a high yield was obtained from the aqueous extracts (11.9%) as compared to the ethanolic extract (9.64%). The extracts were evaluated in vitro at concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/ml, and the level of potency in each case was expressed as the concentration of the extract that exhibited a 50% reduction of the parasites relative to control (100%) parasitemia. Artemether-lumefantrine was used as a positive standard in the assay. Results: All extracts showed a significant reduction in parasite growth relative to control (P ≤ 0.05). Ethanolic extract exhibited a higher antiplasmodial activity of 76.8%, half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5.80 μg/ml, and aqueous extract had an activity of 75.3%, IC50 of 7.94 μg/ml. Both extracts exhibited very active antiplasmodial activity. Oral acute toxicity test in the doses of 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg showed no sign of toxicity on albino mice after 48 h. Conclusion: Although there was an increase in appetite after 24 and 48 h, the findings from this study show that P. amarus possesses a promising antimalarial activity which can be exploited for malaria therapy and justifies the traditional use of the plant in malaria treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Family planning helps individuals and couples to avoid unwanted pregnancies, regulate interval between pregnancies, and determine the number of children in the family. Family planning is an effective intervention for promoting maternal health, but its acceptability and utilization are impeded by many factors. Aim: This study was conducted to assess the rural women's awareness and practice of family planning in two communities in Ogun State. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 561 women of reproductive age. Data collection was done using interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Frequencies were generated and Chi-square test was used to explore associations. Binary logistic regression was used to determine predictors of ever-used family planning. Results: Majority were aware of family planning (410, 73.1%). The method most commonly known was male condom (348, 84.9%), pills (276, 67.3%), and injectables (231, 56.3%). Respondents who had ever-used family planning were (265, 47.2%). The methods commonly used were injectables (104, 39.2%) and pills (85, 32.1%). Reasons for not using family planning include the desire for more children (78, 26.3%), lack of spousal support (56, 18.9%), and fear of undesirable effects (44, 14.9%). Determinants of ever-used family planning after logistic regression were age and occupation. Women between 31 and 40 years of age were two times more likely than women <20 years to have used family planning (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17–1.23). Farmers were 53% less likely than traders to have ever-used family planning (AOR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.29–0.78). Conclusion: Although the awareness of family planning was high in this study, it did not correspond to practice. Campaigns promoting the use of family planning for child spacing, male involvement in family planning and dispelling of fears is recommended to improve practice of family planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, preeclampsia; an idiopathic pregnancy-related proteinuric hypertensive disorder remains one of the major causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, worst so in low resources settings. Accumulating evidence indicates that the outcome is influenced by the gestational age at onset of the disorder. Aim: We investigated the perinatal and maternal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and in addition compared the early onset and late onset types. Materials and Methods: An analytical observational study was carried on all cases of preeclampsia managed in tertiary hospital between 2013 and 2019. The participants were comparatively studied for maternal and perinatal outcomes. Results: The incidence of preeclampsia was 7.1%. About a third 31.9% were early onset and 68.1% late onset disease. Maternal complications were frequent in preeclampsia; 24.5% eclampsia, an incidence of eclampsia of 56/3474 (1.61%), 74.2% cesarean section, 23.6% severe proteinuria, 12.2% anemia, 11.4% postpartum hemorrhage, 3.1% pulmonary edema, 1.7% thrombocytopenia, 0.9% hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet syndrome and acute renal failure, respectively. These were more frequent in late preeclampsia but severer in early onset disease. Case fatality rate was 1.75% and maternal mortality ratio 117.7/100,000 live births. Mean gestational age at delivery in preeclampsia was 35.4 weeks with 51% preterm births and 28.8% small for gestational age neonates with early onset disease contributing more than twofold. The perinatal mortality was high at 21.4%; a perinatal mortality rate of 14.2/1000 total births with 6-fold among early onset disease mostly from iatrogenic prematurity. Conclusions: The incidence of preeclampsia was high, maternal morbidity though more common among late onset disease, was severer among the early onset disease which also had worse adverse perinatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality and morbidity amongst people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS, improves their quality of life and reduces the potential to infect others. The goal of National Agency for the Control of AIDS is to achieve and sustain an AIDS-free Nigeria by 2030 hinged on its strategic framework. Achieving this goal is threatened by certain identified challenges. Aim: This study is to review the contents of the national HIV and AIDS strategic framework in a bid to identify the challenges confronting its full implementation in the management of HIV in Nigeria. Methods: Several published articles on HIV prevalence, factors influencing trend and spread, and sociodemographics of the affected were reviewed as well as three federal government of Nigeria national HIV and AIDS strategic framework. Articles were sourced from online indexes such as Medline; sampling about 60 peer-reviewed articles from which information relevant to the topic were retrieved. Publication by relevant bodies on HIV and AIDS was likewise reviewed, and relevant information was retrieved from them. Results: Challenges identified include AIDS-related stigmatisation and discrimination, socio-cultural norms and practices, especially denial of women to inheritance and widow inheritance with its resultant feminisation of poverty and female genital mutilation, reduced funding following the withdrawal of donor agencies, anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer bias, bureaucratic and structural problems, as well as negative attitude of healthcare professionals. Conclusion: The study concludes that achieving an AIDS-free Nigeria with zero new infection and zero. AIDS-related stigmatisation by 2030 will require mitigating against the aforementioned challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to Imatinib (Glivec®) is of critical importance in achieving optimal treatment outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Objective: This study aims to investigate adherence to therapy and factors that could influence patient adherence to Glivec®. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study conducted at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile--Ife. Seventy consenting newly diagnosed CML patients in the chronic phase were counseled on adherence to therapy and administered 400 mg/day dose of Glivec. Six months after commencement, they were evaluated for adherence using two structured self--administered questionnaires. The first one to evaluate adherence (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale) and the other was administered to identify factors known to influence adherence to therapy. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 Statistical package (2012, IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA.). Results: The study participants had a mean age of 38.4 ± 12.7 years. The male--to--female (male:female) ratio was 1.7:1. Thirty--three (47.1%) of the patients were classified as adherent. Family support was significantly associated with adherence (P = 0.012). The distance of >200 km away from the point of drug collection, OAUTHC, Ile--Ife was significantly associated with nonadherence to Glivec therapy (P = 0.008). Conclusion: This study found that adherence in patients on Glivec® therapy was <50%. Distance of >200 km and family support were significant determinants of adherence in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This narrative review aimed to show the approaches recommended for the prevention of dental caries in Nigeria by epidemiological surveys (P), primary preventive methods and strategies, ( I) comparison preferred by experts (C) in the prevention of dental caries (O). Methods: An electronic literature search of some databases such as Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Google Scholar, African Journal Online (AJOL) and Medline was conducted using these keywords delimited by Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT: “dental caries” “prevention” “Nigeria. Epidemiological studies using WHO criteria published in English between 1999 and 2019 were included in this study. Results: All studies that met the inclusion criteria were epidemiological cross-sectional studies, non-clinic –based. The approaches recommended include need for continuous caries surveillance, preventive and restorative programmes, primary prevention, use fluorides, oral health education and atraumatic restorative treatment. Conclusions: The recommended approaches should include continuous caries monitoring, comprehensive preventive and restorative programmes, primary prevention, use fluorides, oral health education and atraumatic restorative treatments in public schools and primary health care (PHC) centres. It is necessary to augment these approaches with undergraduate cariology curriculum review of dental schools, public-private partnership and oral health policy implementation with emphasis on prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the anthropometric indices, lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins (LBP), and lipid profile in patients with metabolic endotoxemia. Methods: The study comprised of 47 patients with metabolic endotoxemia (the metabolic endotoxemia group) and 43 controls (the control group). Patients in the metabolic endotoxemia group were categorized further into three subgroups including the normal weight group (n=8), the overweight group (n=12) and the obese group (n=27). Height, weight, waist, and hip circumference were measured, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. LBP was determined by ELISA and total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein by the respective enzymatic colorimetric methods. In addition, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein were determined by Friedewald's formula. Results: The mean waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), BMI, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and LBP of the metabolic endotoxemia group were significantly higher (P< 0.05) than those of the control group. WHR, TG, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein of the metabolic endotoxemia group were not significantly different (P>0.05) from those of the control group. The mean WC, HC, WHR, and BMI of the obese group with metabolic endotoxemia were significantly higher (P< 0.05) than those of the overweight group and the normal weight group with metabolic endotoxemia. Significant positive correlations were obtained between BMI and LBP (r=0.610, P=0.001), total cholesterol and LBP (r=0.385, P=0.007), TG and LBP (r=0.356, P=0.014) in patients with metabolic endotoxemia. Conclusions: Metabolic endotoxemia arising from increased circulating level of bacterial derive particles consequent to perturbation in the gut microbial community and the elevated serum level of LBP may precede the development of obesity, characterized by dyslipidemia, dysregulation of gut energy harvest, and metabolic energy imbalance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quality assurance (QA) is indispensable to assure safety and quality in radiation medicine practices. This study performed an in‑depth analysis of reject radiographic films to assess the contributory factors and the related implications as a form of audit. Materials and Methods: Data on radiographic films were obtained from the archives of two reputable hospitals in South‑Western Nigeria. Information such as type of examination, reasons for rejection, film size and number of rejects were recorded on a purposely designed data collection form. The analysis of data was performed using Microsoft Excel 2016. Results: Reject analysis (RA) performed indicated 4.54% and 3.34% reject rates at Centre 1, and 8.94% and 5.55% reject rates at Centre 2 for 2016 and 2017, respectively. The major factors contributing to film reject at Centre 1 were found to be under‑exposure, 21.13%; over‑exposure, 20.07%; and fog, 21.30% in 2016 while in 2017, corresponding values were 20.87%, 16.69% and 16.86%. A similar trend was obtained at Centre 2 where the same factors accounted for reject rates at 20.60%, 25.13% and 18.59%, respectively, as above in 2016 and 24.29%, 26.91% and 17.07% in 2017. This study has shown a loss in yearly productive time of up to 150 working hours per machine. Conclusions: Repeating X‑ray examinations engender wastage of time and finance as well as additional radiation exposures to the attendants. RA serves as a form of QA audit for monitoring and improving imaging services and the cost‑effectiveness of diagnostic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children aged less than 5 years. Healthcare providers are responsible for implementing strategies for control of rotavirus gastroenteritis. Aims: To determine knowledge of healthcare providers regarding rotavirus gastroenteritis, its burden, management, and prevention. Materials and Methods: The study was a crosssectional descriptive survey of healthcare providers working in facilities caring for children. A selfadministered questionnaire was given to subjects containing questions on demographics and knowledge covering burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis, modes of transmission, age of occurrence, prevention, and rotavirus vaccines. Statistical analysis used: Data analysis was carried out with SPSS version 20. Results: Questionnaires were issued to 75 participants of which 65 (response rate = 86.7%) returned filled questionnaires. Majority (70.8%) of the subjects were females. Subjects included medical doctors (33.8%), nurses (32.3%), community health extension workers (27.7%), and laboratory scientists (4.6%). Most [39, 60.0%] subjects identified rotavirus as the commonest cause of diarrhea and only 21 (32.3%) indicated rotavirus contributed over 30% to the burden of diarrhea in these children. Fecooral route was recognized as a route of transmission by most subjects (95.4%) and 67.7% identified vaccination as a modality for prevention. Only six (9.2%) respondents could name any rotavirus vaccine. None of the demographic or occupational characteristics of the subjects was significantly related to awareness of effective rotavirus vaccines (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: Healthcare providers were aware of rotavirus as a cause of gastroenteritis in underfive children but most had poor understanding regarding its burden, prevention, and existing vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever disease (LVHFD) outbreak usually occurs in the Northern senatorial district of Ondo State, Nigeria. Precisely local government areas (LGAs) such as Ose and Owo LGAs; these are the adjacent LGAs to Edo State in Nigeria where LVHFD outbreak has been recorded highest in the country at recent times. Aim: This research was designed to disseminate a general public awareness message about the recent trend regarding the observed seasonal variation pattern in the epidemiological transmission, outbreak, and status of Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever disease in Ondo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational longitudinal study carried out to report the recent trend regarding the observed seasonal variation pattern and changing epidemiology of Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever disease in Ondo State, Nigeria. The data in this study were sourced and collected from the state epidemiological records on Lassa fever (LF) at the Department of Public Health Services, Epidemiology Unit, State Ministry of Health, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Results and Findings: The outbreak of the disease has been recurring since 2014 up till date (2018). LF outbreak in the period under consideration showed an increasing trend, except in 2015, where the rate of seropositively infected and confirmed cases reduced by 62.5% (dropped from 8 to 3 cases). The rate of confirmed seropositive cases increased by 533.3% in 2016 compared to 2015, 300% in 2017 compared to 2016, and 19.7% increase in 2018 compared to 2017 events. The mortality rate recorded which was also directly dependent on the rate of confirmed seropositively infected cases; it was 50% in 2014, 0% in 2015, 63.1% in 2016, 23.6% in 2017, and 25.3% in 2018. Furthermore, the peak seropositive outbreak cases for Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever disease in the year 2017 analyses occurred during February (12 cases) and August (12 cases), and then followed by June (11 cases) and December (9 cases). Conclusion: The observed seasonal variation pattern and changing epidemiology of Lassa viral hemorrhagic fever disease in Ondo State, Nigeria, can be attributed the challenging poor socioeconomic factors and persistent situations peculiar to the outbreak. The year 2017 analyses revealed that there was an all year round disease outbreak for LF in the state. This was contrary to the widely circulating report that LF outbreak is being influenced by dry seasons. The peak of the disease outbreak in the year 2017 occurred during February and August, as this is the peak months of dry seasons and wet seasons, respectively, in Ondo State, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of a reminder short message service (SMS) on the uptake of glaucoma screening by first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in North-central Nigeria following a telephone invitation for screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the eye clinic of a tertiary hospital in Jos, North-central Nigeria. Two hundred FDRs of patients with POAG were invited through phone for free glaucoma screening and randomly allocated into two groups. The intervention group received a reminder SMS, whereas the control group did not receive a reminder. Those who failed to turn up for screening were contacted through phone to determine the reasons for their nonattendance. Chi-square test and bivariate analysis were used to compare attendance rate between the two groups. RESULTS: Sending a reminder SMS following a telephone invitation had no effect on the uptake of glaucoma screening. The response rate was lower in the phone call plus reminder SMS group (43.0% vs. 53.0%) though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.157). Competing needs such as work and lack of transport fare were the most common reasons given for not attending the screening. CONCLUSION: A reminder text message is not an effective tool for increasing the uptake of glaucoma screening in at-risk individuals in North-central Nigeria. Existing barriers to health care in the country need to be addressed before mobile phone technology can be effectively used in increasing the utilization of any free eye screening service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses caregivers (CGs) are critical to the care and recovery of stroke survivors (SSs), in the community. Topics include the instruments used including sociodemographic Clinical Questionnaires , the Zarit Burden Interview and the World Health Organization QoL‑BREF scale; and caregiver burden refers to alterations in CGs emotional and physical health that occuring when care demands outweigh available resources.

The activity concentrations of naturally-occurring radioactive materials present in soil, vegetables, and food crops and their transfer factor (TF) in some high background areas of northern parts of Oyo state, Nigeria, were measured using gamma spectrometry. The average concentration of226Ra,228Ra, and40K in soil is 25.3 ± 7.1, 26.2 ± 5.0 and 381.8 ± 16.0 Bq/kg, respectively in Agbaaru; 25.4 ± 3.1, 39.5 ± 3.8, and 401.9 ± 25.4 Bq/kg in Abuja; 26.5 ± 3.3, 39.2 ± 7.4, and 394.9 ± 18.6 Bq/kg in Arget; and 26.5 ± 3.5, 38.8 ± 2.5, and 389 ± 18.6 Bq/kg in Igbeti. The soil-to-vegetables TF for226Ra,228Ra, and40K is 0.123, 0.058, and 0.215, respectively, in Agbaaru; 0.065, 0.040, and 0.185 in Abuja; 0.093, 0.035, and 0.243 in Arget; and 0.080, 0.050, and 0.265 in Igbeti. Furthermore, the TF from soil to food crops is within the recommended value. Therefore, consumption of these vegetables and food crops will not pose any radiation health concerns to the consumers and the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Excessive ingestion of fluoride during tooth development, particularly at the maturation stage, may result in dental fluorosis, with clinical implications. Literature is scarce on dental fluorosis in Enugu, Nigeria.Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental fluorosis in Enugu, a major city in South East Nigeria.Materials and Methods: A multistage sampling technique was used to select a calculated sample of 400 students. A pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to ascertain student's sociodemographic and related variables. The student participants were examined for dental fluorosis using Dean's index criteria according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16, and Chi-square test of association was used to compare proportions and ratios with significant level set at P < 0.05 and 95% confidence level.Results: Among the 400 students analyzed, 231 (57.8%) and 169 (42.2%) were male and female, respectively. Mean age was 13.43 ± 1.021 years. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 11.3%, with the preponderance of very mild score (82.2%), and no observed severe dental fluorosis. The difference in the distribution of the scores of fluorosis among the children was highly statistically significant (χ2 = 72.80, P = 0.000). Dental fluorosis was found present in 39 (10.3%) of 378 users of fluoridated toothpaste and in 6 (27.7%) of the 22 users of nonfluoridated toothpaste. The differences in the presence and absence of dental fluorosis were statistically significant among users of fluoridated toothpaste.Conclusion: This study shows the prevalence of dental fluorosis to be low among secondary school students of Enugu metropolis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess emergency department utilization at a semi-urban (resource-limited) Nigerian hospital. Methods: A systematic random sampling technique was adopted. A proforma was used to obtain general information such as age, gender, mode of transfer, time of presentation, symptom duration, diagnoses, treatment duration, treatment outcome (transfer to the ward, referral to another hospital, discharge or death) and date and time of discharge. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the association of variables with mortality and predictors, respectively. Results: Patients were predominantly male (62.2%) with a mean age of (36.0±19.0) years. Most visits occurred in September (49.1%). The median symptom duration was 24 h (interquartile range: 4.0, 72.0). More incidences were caused by non-surgical (61.9%) than surgical reasons. Infectious diseases (predominantly malaria, 34.5%) and injuries from road traffic accidents (mostly head injuries, 9.4%) were the commonest non-surgical and surgical cause, respectively. The mortality rate was 9.2%. Typhoid-intestinal-perforation and sepsis contributed 45.2% of overall mortality. Age (χ2=16.44, P<0.001), symptom duration (χ2=22.57, P<0.001), and visiting month (Fishers exact, P=0.002) were associated with mortality. Moreover, age (37 years) (0R=4.60, 95%C/=1.96-10.82, P<0.001) and visiting in September/October (0R=4.01, 95%C/=1.47-10.93, P=0.007) were the predictors of mortality. Conclusions: Though most patients in emergency department survive, the mortality is still high. Appropriate hospital and community interventions should be implemented to reduce mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tantalite and other solid mineral deposits in Oke-Ogun occupy a very large landscape, and the possibilities of further exploration in new landscape and abandoning unproductive sites cannot be ruled out. These landscapes when abandoned become hideout for criminals and ritualistic activities which pose a great threat to the wellness of the people in the area and Nigerians at large. Objectives: This study attempts to investigate the radiological safety of these abandoned mines so as to convert them to economical valuable sites that can serve as a means of employment for population of the unemployed youth in the area and Nigeria at large. Materials and Methods: A total of seventeen soil samples were randomly selected. These samples were processed and analyzed for activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K using Hyper Pure Germanium Gamma Spectrometer. RESidual RADioactivity software version (6.5), a computer program developed by the Environmental Assessment Division of Argonne National Laboratory, was used for dose prediction for 70 years using the activity concentrations of soil samples from all the selected sites as its input parameter for the software. Predicted doses were estimated with respect to the three exposure pathways, namely external gamma irradiation from radionuclides in the soil samples, inhalation of dust particles, and inadvertent ingestion of soil. Results: The measured activity concentrations of radionuclides: 226Ra for all the sites is in the range of (17–177) Bq/kg, 232Th in the range of (2–107) Bq/kg, and 40K in the range of (650–1667) Bq/kg. The predicted dose for all the sites is within the range of 0.05–0.35 mSv/y with Eluku mining site having values greater than the permissible limit of 0.25 mSv/y. The health implication of these values is that three of the sites (Gbedu, Sepenteri, and Komu) are safe for other usages. Conclusion: Any of these three mining sites may be used for re-creational purposes, fishing and building of estates to mention but a few. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]