Stroke-related knowledge and attitudes among university students in Northeast Nigeria

te public knowledge of stroke, but the impact in Nigeria is notwell known. This study assessed stroke-related knowledge andattitudes among university students in Nigeria, where health stud-ies are parts of college curricula. This was a cross-sectional studyof students at three universities in Northeast Nigeria. Using ques-tionnaire survey, we assessed biographical data and participantknowledge of the primary site, warning signs and risk factors ofstroke. Responses were graded on a knowledge score, where ≥2.5points indicated adequate knowledge. Data were analyzed with theSPSS version 21 program. We studied 824 participants, 67.1%males. Males were older than females (mean age ± SD: 27.42±5.58years versus 26.27±5.31 years; P = 0.009; 95% CI: 0.29 ­ 1.99)and 14.5% participants had stroke lectures during general studies.Major sources of stroke knowledge were personal discussions(44.6%) and internet websites (24.5%). Only 15.7% participantscorrectly identified the brain as the primary site of stroke, whileknowledge of one or more stroke warning signs and risk factorswere noted in 42.2% and 49.6%, respectively. Mean knowledgescore was 1.08 ± 0.99. Adequate knowledge of stroke was noted in13.2% participants, and was higher in females (17.7% versus10.7%; P = 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed significantassociations between adequate knowledge of stroke with femalesex (OR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2 ­ 2.8; P = 0.008) and a history of strokein close relatives (OR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1 ­ 2.6; P = 0.025) but notwith age, academic discipline or stroke lectures. University stu-dents in Northeast Nigeria have low knowledge of stroke, which isworse in males. Although health issues are taught at universities,little is taught on stroke, suggesting a need to prioritize strokeknowledge in the universities little is taught on stroke, suggeting a need to prioritize stroke knowlegde in the university curriculum .

Association between maternal lipid profile and gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: Dyslipidemia is the third component of metabolic syndrome and is a wellknown cardiovascular risk factor. However, the association of dyslipidemia with gestational diabetes mellitus is still a subject of ongoing research in Nigerian obstetric populations.Objective: To determine the relationship between second trimester maternal fasting plasma lipid constituents and gestational diabetes mellitus.Methods: This was a prospective nested case control study that enrolled 288 pregnant women out of which 36 women with GDM (cases) where matched with 72 without GDM (controls) following results of oral glucosetolerance testing and plasma fasting lipid profiles done between 24 28 weeks. The patients were followed up until delivery to document maternal and fetal outcomes. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Categorical variables were presented in percentages while continuous variables were expressed as means (±Standard Deviation). Student ttest and Chisquare test or Fishers exact test were used for comparing variables between the two groups. A value of <0.05 at 95%confidence interval was considered statistically significant.Results: The overall mean plasma lipid levels for the four lipid constituents in the study population were 187.9mg/dL, 163.5mg/dl, 49.1mg/dL and 108.1mg/dL for TC, TG, HDLc and LDc respectively. The mean plasma triglyceride was significantly higher in cases compared to the controls: 187.0±67.7mg/dL vs. 151.7±66.4mg/dL, (p = 0.01). Abnormaltriglyceride was significantly associated with GDM (AOR:4.8, 95% CI (1.6-14.4), (p= 0.005).Conclusion:Maternal dyslipidemia (abnormal triglyceride) was shown to be significantly associated with GDM in this study and it appeared to be causally related

Complementary feeding practices and nutritional status of young children in a community in Sokoto

Background: Complementary feeding is the cornerstone of child's nutrition. Most malnourished children had their predicament originating from the period of transition from breastfeeding to family diet.Objectives: To determine the complementary feeding practices and nutritional status of young children in Gwiwa community.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Gwiwa community, Wammakko LGA, Sokoto State between January and June, 2018. Three hundred and ten mothers with their children aged 6 ­36 months were interviewed using structured interviewer - administered questionnaire and the children's nutritional status was assessed using WHO classification of malnutrition. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0.A p-value ≤0.05 was taken as significan.Results: One hundred and forty (45.2%) respondents were aged 15 ­ 24years and 168(54.2%) were of low socio-economic class. There were 190 males and 120 females with 66 (21.3%) children exclusively bre as t - fed for 6months. The mean age of cessation of breast feeding was 17.8 ±3.6 months. One hundred and sixty-nine (54.5%) children commenced complementary feeding at 6-8month of age with the mean age of 5.7(±2.6) months. One hundred and eighty-four (59.4%) used plain pap with 41.2% fed more than 3 times per day. Eighty-two (26.5%), 56(18.1%) and 76 (24.5%) children were underweight, wasted and stunted respectively.Conclusion: The complementary feeding practices were suboptimal in this community and might explain the poor nutritional status of their under- fives. Efforts should be geared towards optimal complementary feeding practices in this community