COVID-19: Socio-demographic determinants of knowledge

Background:Knowledge on etiology, risk factors, mode of transmission, signs and symptoms of COVID-19 is an essential element in pandemic control. Assessing the level of knowledge and determining sources from which information were derived is a fundamental element of situation analysis imperative in COVID-19 control.Materials and method: The study is a cross sectional study. All eligible visitors who presented at the general out-patient department for Medicare were enlisted into the study until required sample size was achieved. Pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents. Statistical analysis was done with multinomial logistic regression analysis using SPSS version 23.1 with statistical significance set at 0.05. Ethical approval and permission for the study from relevant authorities were granted.Conclusion:Knowledge of COVID 19 was poor. Higher educational qualification enhances better knowledge. Females, public servants, married persons, respondents who attended tertiary institution and those aged 31-40 years had better knowledge score.Results:Over all composite score for good knowledge was 1037(35.4%) with predominant statistically significant difference in knowledge. There was better knowledge score for females, public servants, married persons, respondents aged 31-40 years and those who had tertiary education

Socio-demographic determinants and impact on academic performance of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in school children in Benin City, Nigeria

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects children worldwide. In Nigeria, there is paucity of information on the socio-demographic associates of this important childhood condition. Methods: Across-sectional study was conducted between February and August 2006 among 1473 public primary school pupils aged 6 to 12 years, selected randomly among pupils drawn from Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The subjects were screened using Disruptive Behaviour Disorder (DBD) Rating Scale to identify children with ADHD symptoms. Identified subjects were further evaluated with questionnaires to ensure that they met the other explicit non-symptom criteria contained in the DSM-IV manual, such as functional impairments. Children who were confirmed to have ADHD were compared with randomly selected controls to determine the association, if any, between the prevalence of the condition and some sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The prevalence of ADHD was 7.6%. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of ADHD amongst the different age cohorts. No significant association was found between the prevalence of ADHD and socioeconomic background, size of family, age of parents and characteristics of the child's primary caregiver. The children with ADHD had significantly lower school aggregate than that of selected control (Mean aggregate score of 51.7+16.1% versus 63.7+ 16.5%,p<0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of ADHD in this study is relatively high. Community screening under the umbrella of the School Health Programme is required. Appropriate medications, educational support and psychotherapy when incorporated in the national health system will go a long way in redirecting affected children's developmental lives

Intergrating Health Research with Socio-Cultural Systems in the Fight against HIV/AIDS

The rapid spread of AIDS in Africa has brought into focus the need to integrate medical science with socio-cultural beliefs and practices. The scientific knowledge on HIV; immune systems and drugs is well established. However; the drugs which are in use in the developed countries are too expensive for the great majority of the persons with HIV/AIDS in Africa. On the other hand; Africa is rich in socio-cultural traditions which have served their respective communities well. However; because of poverty and ignorance; many of the socio-cultural systems are helping in HIV/AIDS to spread increasingly fast. This therefore means that the most important weapon that Africa has for fighting HIV/AIDS is education through our socio-cultural systems. In this connection; for example; it is necessary to make the people understand that malnutrition will help the HIV to destroy the immune systems faster than it would do in a well-nourished person. This means therefore that the people need to be educated on the types of foods they must eat in order to get the necessary vitamins; proteins and calories. This is turn has implications on agricultural practices. It is also vital to make the people understand that other diseases do help HIV in suppressing immunity and that they should seek medical help as soon as they feel unwell. HIV/AIDS is a very expensive public health crisis. Families and health services are finding it difficult to meet all the needs of persons with AIDS. It is because of this that the rich African tradition of mutual social responsibility can play a major role in ameliorating the suffering and sharing the responsibility. A very major component of mutual social responsibility is co-operation and co-operative education among members of the community. Since the young persons constitute the most affected population ; an educational system based on socio-cultural tradition of mutual social responsibility will help the young persons to acquire socially acceptable values and ethics which they need for survival. What has been said about HIV/AIDS is applicable to all health problems such as malaria and mother to child health (MCM). Health research and publications are important in making health policies precise and relevant. The application of those precise policies in solving health problems in Africa will in turn be more cost-effective and cost-beneficial if they are integrated with the socio-cultural systems

A sociological analysis of drug abuse and teenage pregnancy

The resources of any given society are limited. Consequently individuals have 'personal troubles' in coping with their day-to-day activities. Many individuals; although isolated from each other; share similar situational logic and this directs them to adopt the same tactics to ameliorate their personal troubles. When these troubles exceed their tolerable limits they become problems and 'public issue'. Public issues then are nothing but refractions and reflections of personal troubles of individuals. Two specific areas of major concern with their resultant problems facing Ghanaians currently and in fact the years ahead are the twin evils of so-called drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. It is the modest aim of this paper to demonstrate that what are considered problems are in reality effects of the 'structural' sources of 'contradictions' between the group that would be defined as the youth and the major institutional structures of society