West African journal of medicine最新文献

Introduction: HPV infection is well-recognized as a cause of nearly all cases of cervical cancer. There are currently three prophylactic HPV vaccines; a bivalent (Cervarix), a quadrivalent (Gardasil), and a nonavalent vaccine (Gardasil- 9). With the recent rollout of HPV vaccines in Nigeria, it is imperative to understand potential barriers and facilitators to its uptake.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the awareness, perception, and willingness to accept HPV vaccine and explore enablers and barriers to HPV vaccine uptake among adolescents and caregivers.

Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted with adolescents from public and private secondary schools in Plateau, 4 with the parents of adolescents, and one IDI with the head of ANCOPSS. Each FGD had between 8-12 participants. Interviews were recorded and notes were taken. The interviews were transcribed, codes were generated and analysis was conducted using a thematic framework approach with NVIVO version 11 software.

Results: Most participants demonstrated inadequate knowledge and poor perception of HPV and the vaccine. Girls were willing to accept the vaccine, while boys saw it as a female problem. Parents had limited knowledge but expressed willingness to allow their children to be vaccinated. The fear of side effects, poor vaccine quality, and lack of parental approval were major barriers expressed by the girls while myths and misconceptions regarding the vaccine interference with fertility and as a means of population control were significant barriers on the parts of the parents.

Conclusion: Low awareness and poor perception of HPV vaccine exist among adolescents and caregivers. Long-term individual and community-level interventions are needed to provide accurate information address knowledge gaps and promote inclusive access.

Introduction: Oral rehydration solution (ORS), an effective, inexpensive intervention for treating dehydration in children with diarrhoea, prevents under-fives mortality from diarrhoea. However, this benefit is only achieved if caregivers are knowledgeable enough to prepare and use it appropriately.

Objectives: This study was carried out to assess the knowledge, perception, and use of ORS by mothers attending the paediatric outpatient clinic at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among mothers of under-five children attending the clinic. They answered specific questions on knowledge, perception, and practice of ORS. Correct responses were collated and converted to percentages and 50% was used as the cut-off value. Data analysis was done using SPPS version 23 and statistical significance was set at P value < 0.05.

Results: A total of 143 mothers aged 22-50 (32.1±5.4) years, participated in the study. A majority (95.1%) were married, para 1 and 2 (53.9%), and 83 (58%) belonged to middle socioeconomic class. About 80% knew ORS is used to prevent dehydration, however, 96 (71.6%) mothers had good knowledge, 104 (77.6%) good perception, and 95 (70.9%) good use of ORS. Middle socioeconomic class and higher parity were significantly associated with greater odds of having good knowledge and married mothers with good perception. Good knowledge of ORS was significantly associated with good perception and good practice.

Conclusion: Mothers' knowledge, perception, and use of ORS in this study were below expectation, despite decades of using ORS. This highlights the need for continuous enlightenment of the public on the appropriate use of ORS.

Domestic violence (DV) is a 'pandemic' with an estimated 30% of women experiencing violence by their intimate partner. This study aimed to determine and compare the prevalence, forms, risk factors, coping strategies, and consequences of DV among WCBA in rural and urban areas in Akwa Ibom State (AKS). The study, conducted in 2022, was a comparative cross-sectional study that used a mixed method of data collection. Four communities were chosen via multistage sampling, three in rural and one in urban areas. A total of 1,054 respondents participated in the survey. An interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire and FGD guide were used for data collection. The response rate was 99%. Both descriptive and inferential data analysis were used to answer the research questions. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The results showed that DV was prevalent in urban and rural areas in the 12 months that preceded the study (36.4 and 36. 2%). Physical, verbal and sexual abuse were more prevalent in urban areas than rural areas (41.6% vs 38.7%,65.7% vs 63.4% and 39.5% vs 25.6% respectively) p = 0.001. Moreover, the odds of emotional abuse also increased eightfold in urban than in rural areas while FGD showed physical violence as prevalent and the most harmful effect of DV was noted in rural areas than urban. It was concluded that the prevalence of DV among WCBA in both rural and urban areas in AKS was high with verbal violence being the highest. Various forms and risk factors of DV were more prevalent in urban than rural areas.

Introduction: Emerging literature suggests that shisha smoke contains many of the same toxicants as cigarette smoke, including carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A single shisha smoking session may involve inhalation of 50-100 times the smoke volume inhaled with a single cigarette. While tobacco control policies have largely centered on cigarette smoking, other forms like shisha, have largely been ignored.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of shisha smoking among students of Gombe State University in Gombe State.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design with mixed methods of data collection was used to study (200) respondents using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) for qualitative data.

Results: The prevalence of shisha smoking was 27% among the respondents with seven out of ten current shisha smokers being males. The majority of the respondents smoked daily. There was a statistically significant association (p=<0.05) between the present year of study, satisfaction with the present course of study, and current level of academic study with knowledge of the harmful effects of shisha smoking. Gender and the present year of study remained independent predictors of shisha smoking among study respondents. Male students were almost two and a half (2.4) times more likely to smoke shisha than females. Peer pressure and fun/pleasure-seeking were found to be motives for shisha smoking from the qualitative review.

Conclusion: Restraints should be imposed on shisha bars, cafés, and restaurants in the same way as tobacco control policies for cigarette smoking.

Introduction: Suicidal behavior remains a major public health problem all over the world. Suicide thoughts entail thoughts of engaging in self-injurious behavior with the intent to die.

Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence and risk factors associated with suicidal thoughts among secondary school adolescents in both urban and rural areas of Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methods: Using a comparative cross-sectional study design, data were collected from 1680 adolescents (839 in rural and 841 in urban) via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 25.

Results: The findings revealed that 26.5% of the adolescents reported having suicidal thoughts, with a slightly higher prevalence in rural areas (26.9%) compared to urban areas (26.0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified significant risk factors (p<0.05), including older age (middle and late adolescence), polygamous family structure, divorced or separated parents, single-parent families, academic difficulties, and dissatisfaction with daily activities. Specific factors such as being an orphan, having a family history of mental health issues, and experiencing loneliness were more significant in urban areas, whereas being in senior classes, living with the father alone, experiencing sexual abuse, and lacking social support were prominent in rural areas. Factorization of the three major grouped associated risk factors (environmental, psychosocial, and intra-personal) revealed intra-personal factors to be prevalent in adolescents with suicidal thoughts in rural secondary schools and psychosocial factors in the urban region.

Conclusion: Early identification and tailored public health interventions can help reduce the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and prevent progression to more severe suicidal behaviors.

Introduction/background: Parents of hospitalized preterm infants often experience a range of emotions and seek accurate information about their child's health progress. In low-resource settings, there is limited data on the specific communication and information needs of these parents during hospitalization. While some studies in Africa have identified poor communication as a factor affecting parental care experiences, few have explored solutions from the parent's perspective.

Objective: This study aimed to document the information and communication needs of parents of preterm infants in our neonatal unit, focusing on their preferences regarding content, timeliness, and approach.

Methods: This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach with purposive sampling until data saturation was achieved. Focus group discussions were conducted with 21 parents of preterm infants attending the follow-up clinic at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe between August 2023 and April 2024. Data were transcribed and managed using NVivo version 1.0. Both deductive and inductive coding approaches were used to identify emerging themes.

Results: Parents expressed a preference for receiving information both at the time of admission and daily during ward rounds. They emphasized the importance of involving both parents, particularly fathers, in counselling sessions. Information should be tailored to each family's unique needs, recognizing that not all parents desire full disclosure of their child's condition. Additionally, all interactions should be conducted with respect.

Conclusions: Parents of preterm infants desire practical, timely, and individualized information, with a focus on paternal involvement and respectful communication. Leveraging the routine of the neonatal unit to meet these needs could enhance the overall care experience.

Introduction: Viral hepatitis C (HCV) is a global public health problem, and its management could impose substantial financial burdens on households, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which has limited health coverage. This study assessed the economic impact of managing HCV patients in households in a resource-limited setting.

Methods: This was a facility-based cross-sectional survey involving a two-stage sampling method to select 90 hepatitis C patients at various stages of the disease. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26, and the results are presented in tables.

Results: The mean cost of managing hepatitis C for three months was N549,754 ($1,447). Up to 93.5% of hepatitis C patients pay out-of-pocket for health care. Only 3.3% of the patients had health insurance coverage, and the rest were covered by employers. The proportion of households that experienced catastrophic health expenditures because of care for hepatitis C was 70.5%. Before health payments, 3.2% of the households were already in poverty, and 1.1% were in extreme poverty. After healthcare payments, 17.9% more households were tipped into poverty and 18.9% into extreme poverty because of payment for their treatment.

Conclusion: Payment for the management of hepatitis C patients is predominantly out-of-pocket, and a significant proportion of households suffer financial catastrophe because of the cost of managing HCV. Coordinated efforts by stakeholders are required to implement prepayment schemes and direct subsidies to enhance financial protection for patients managed for HCV infection.

Introduction: Hypertension is a worldwide epidemic, and the prevalence in the black population is more compared to the Caucasians. Globally, an estimated 26% of the world's population has hypertension, and the prevalence is expected to increase to 29% by 2025 (Patricia M et al, 2005). While females have a lower prevalence of hypertension until the 5th decade of life. It should be noted that the prevalence of hypertension is increased in females compared to males afterward.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between blood pressure and other variables (glucose level, pulse rate, glucose level) among journalists, considering the potential impact of occupational stress, irregular work hours, and lifestyle factors on these health indicators.

Methods: The study was conducted among 37 journalists randomly selected from the Ogun State Television (OGTV) Commission. Criteria for inclusion included being a worker of OGTV and being able to communicate fluently in English. A questionnaire was administered to gather the sociodemographic information of the participants, and their pulse rate, blood pressure, and fasting blood sugar were measured and recorded. The JNC 7 was used as the criteria for the staging of hypertension, and the WHO criteria were used for diabetes. The data was cleaned, entered, and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Univariate analysis: Categorical variables were summarized using frequency and percentages. Bivariate analysis: ChiSquare test was used. The level of significance was set at p value < 0.05.

Results: 73% of the participants were middle-aged. 67.6% of them were male. A very few percent (18.9%) of the workers have normal blood pressure, 32.4% of them are in the pre-hypertensive category while about half of them (48.4%) are hypertensive. Only one participant (6.25%) had elevated FBS. Only age groups show a significant association with hypertension, 16 out of 18 participants within the middle age groups which accounts for 88.9% were hypertensive, this shows that there is strong association between increasing age and hypertension (P=0.034*).

Conclusion: This study reveals a significant prevalence of hypertension among journalists in the study location, aiding in the understanding of the unique health challenges faced by journalists, particularly regarding cardiovascular and metabolic health. In light of these findings, targeted health interventions, policies, and workplace wellness programs aimed at improving the overall health and well-being of journalists should be implemented.

Reference: Kearney PM, Whelton M, Reynolds K, Muntner P, Whelton PK, He J. Global burden of hypertension: analysis of worldwide data. Lancet. 2005 Jan 16;365(9455):217-23.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) is a multifactorial disease with multiple risk factors. It comprises a combination of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as well as for diabetes, fatty liver and several cancers. It is gradually becoming more in our environment but few epidemiological studies on the subject have been conducted in rural areas in Nigeria. Hence, the essence of this study.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome is considered an emerging epidermic in developing countries. However, there seems to be paucity of data on the prevalence. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors in Ilugun Community of Abeouta, Ogun State.

Methodology: A total of 51 participants who participated in the free medical outreach during the 2024 World Hypertension Day in Ilugun Community, a rural area in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Anthropometric variables, FBG, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C and blood pressure were assessed. The ATP III criteria were used to diagnose metabolic syndrome. Sociodemographic data, including age, gender, history of hypertension, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, exercise frequency, and body mass index (BMI) were also collected to assess the risk factors. The data was cleaned, entered, and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS 26.0 version). Univariate analysis: Categorical variables were summarized using frequency and percentages. Bivariate analysis: Chi-Square test was used. Level of significance was set at p-value < 0.05.

Results: The mean age of participants was 48.9. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the community was found to be 19.4%. The percentage of individuals with abnormal measurements were as follows: abdominal circumference (18%), blood pressure (43.2%), fasting blood glucose (7%) and triglycerides (17%). 14% of the participants were overweight to obese, abnormal BMI was identified as a important risk factor that showed a statistically significant association with metabolic syndrome (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors. The manifestation and impact of metabolic syndrome can vary across different ethnicities, age groups, and genders.

Background: Workplace hazards are produced in the process of quarrying stones and include heavy metals like Lead, Cadmium, Nickel, etc. These hazards are harmful to the workers whenever they accumulate above the maximum permissible level in the quarries.

Objectives: This study assessed the Lead level in dust samples and housekeeping practices in stone quarries in Gusau.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 307 quarry workers in Gusau between July and August 2022. The respondents were selected by a two-stage sampling technique. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire (ODK). Heavy metal analysis was conducted in the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology Zaria. Data was presented in tables and graphs. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health Zamfara State.

Results: The Lead levels in dust samples in Lalan, Damba, and Samaru quarry work and administrative areas were 0.30, 0.31; 0.09, <0.01; 0.01, 0.04 (mg/kg) respectively [t=0.10, (p=0.92)] and all were below the maximum permissible level (100mg/kg). Only two-thirds, 209 (68.1%) of the respondents take a bath always, about one-third 92 (30.0%) bath sometimes, while six (1.9%) respondents never take a bath before and after work. Almost all the respondents 302 (98.4%) had never used a uniform in the quarry. Only one-sixth, 47 (15.3%) of the respondents avoid food or drink at work areas.

Conclusions: This study revealed tolerable levels of lead but poor housekeeping practices in the quarries in Gusau. The quarry employers should ensure periodic training and education of the workers on good housekeeping practices in the quarries.