Practice of trabeculectomy by ophthalmologists in Nigeria

Aim: To assess the practice of trabeculectomy among ophthalmologists in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which structured, self- administered questionnaires were distributed to 80 consenting ophthalmologists present during the 2010 annual scientific session of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria. All consenting ophthalmologists treat glaucoma patients. Information obtained were demographic characteristics, glaucoma outpatient load, number of trabeculectomies performed in the preceding 1 year and during residency training, and factors influencing trabeculectomy practice. Data were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Science version 16.0. Relationships between variables were tested using the Χ2 test for statistical significance. Results: Sixty-five of the 80 consenting ophthalmologists responded to the questionnaires (81.3% response rate); 32 (53.3%) were females and 28 (46.7%) were males (5 non-responders). Ages ranged from 30 to 60 years with a mean of 44 years ± SD 7.7. Only 36 (57.1%) performed trabeculectomy in the 1 year preceding the study. There was an overall trabeculectomy rate of 0.9/ophthalmologist/month. Of the 15 respondents who performed more than 15 trabeculectomies during residency, 14 (93.3%) also performed the surgery in the year preceding this study (P = 0.001). The main limitation to the practice of the procedure was patients' unwillingness to accept surgery, as identified by 50 (89.3%) respondents. Conclusions: A low trabeculectomy rate of 0.9/ophthalmologist/month was found in this study. It was significantly associated with insufficient exposure to the surgery during residency training and patients' poor acceptance of the surgery

The Perception of Health on Causes of Inter professional Conflict in a Tertiary Health Institution in Abakaliki; Southeast Nigeria

"BACKGROUND: Interprofessional conflict in university teaching hospitals in Nigeria is on the increase. This study was aimed at assessing the health professions' perception of factors responsible for conflict. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional descriptive survey among six health professions. RESULTS: The perceived causes of conflict include differential salary between doctors and others; physician intimidation and discrimination of other professions; ""inordinate ambition"" of the other professions to lead the health team; and envy of the doctor by the other professions. Doctors differed significantly from the other professions on the role of each of these in causing conflict. Mutual respect for each other's competence; proper remuneration and clear delineation of duties for all; and other groups appreciating the salary differential between them and doctors were perceived as means of resolving the conflict. While all accepted mutual respect and proper remuneration as effective; other health workers differed significantly from doctors on the effectiveness of appreciating salary differential between them and doctors in resolving the conflict. CONCLUSION : Differential salary between the doctor and the other health workers is the main factor perceived to cause interprofessional conflict. The government and all health professions should accept; and maintain the relativity in salary differential between doctors and other health professions."