Work-related psychological distress among teachers in southwest Nigeria: a rural and urban comparison

Background: The jobs of teachers involve high demand and low control, which predisposes them to psychological distress. Differences in the basic infrastructure in rural and urban areas may influence the psychological health status of teachers. Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of psychological distress and associated work-related factors among secondary school teachers in rural and urban areas of southwest Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study design was utilised. Teachers from rural (n = 578) and urban (n = 596) areas were selected using multistage sampling. Sociodemographic and occupational characteristics were recorded, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to assess psychological distress, using a cut-off score of ≥ 3 to indicate distress. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23. Chi-square analysis was used to test for differences between categorical variables and Student's t-test was used to check for differences in means. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine predictors of psychological distress. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: Rural-based teachers were significantly younger than those in urban locations (p = 0.013), had fewer mean years of work experience (p = 0.043), taught larger class sizes (p < 0.000), had more financial dependants (p = 0.001), and spent less time at work each day (p < 0.000). More rural- than urban-based teachers had other jobs in addition to teaching (p = 0.023). Overall, 38.1% of the teachers were psychologically distressed: 42.7% in rural and 33.6% in urban schools (p = 0.001). Factors associated with psychological distress were being married (p = 0.007), teaching in a public school (p = 0.007), and teaching > 5 subjects (p < 0.001). The adjusted odds of psychological distress were higher in teachers in rural schools (AOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.02­1.67), and in public schools (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.19­2.11). The adjusted odds increased by 19% for every additional subject taught, and by 2% for every hour spent teaching. Conclusion: Teachers in rural schools had more psychological distress than those in urban ones. Distress was associated with both individual and workrelated characteristics. Teachers' work conditions in rural schools need to be improved to provide an incentive for them to work and remain in remote

Management and outcome of colorectal cancer in a resource-limited setting: Ahmadu Bello university teaching hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in the Western World. It is increasing in developing countries due to adaptation of the western lifestyle with an incidence of 6% in Nigeria. Treatment options are dependent on the stage of disease at presentation, the performance status of the patient, and increasingly the molecular makeup of the tumor. There is a dearth of data on the treatment options obtainable for the management and outcome of CRC cases in Northwestern, Nigeria. Aim: The study assessed the treatment options and outcome of colorectal cancer patients in a tertiary institution, in Northwestern, Nigeria over a 10-year period. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2015, data of one-hundred and twenty-two histologically confirmed colorectal cancer cases seen at the Surgery, Radiotherapy and Oncology Departments, ABUTH Zaria, were retrieved retrospectively from the case files and treatment cards of the patients at the health information unit of the hospital. The stage at disease presentation, treatment received, and outcome were analyzed. Results: Nearly a quarter of the patients fell within the age bracket 31­40 years with the median age being 41 years. While only 41% of the patients had their disease staged, 30.4% of the patients presented with advanced disease (Dukes'C + D). Only 95 cases received a form of surgery or the other. Colostomy however accounted for 28.4%. Eighty-nine of the patients received chemotherapy either as neoadjuvant, adjuvant or with palliative intent. External beam radiotherapy either with radical or palliative intent was received by 60 patients (49.2%). At 1-year follow-up sixty cases had been lost to follow up, and thirty-six cases had defaulted on one form of treatment. Conclusion: The study showed that stage at presentation and the available treatment options in the hospital informed treatment offered to the patients. However, surgery was readily performed due to the pattern of presentation and most patients benefited from just a diverting colostomy. Majority of the patients presented with rectal tumor which required radiotherapy as part of its treatment modality, although this is still a luxury in this part of the world. Chemotherapy is also readily available and often prescribed. Cost and limited facility for biomarker (K-ras) testing restrict the use of targeted therapy. Outcome at 1-year follow-up was poor with whereabouts of nearly half of the patients unknown.

Biochemical and bacteriological profiles of asymptomatic bacteriuria among school children in Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria

Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in children is a predisposing factor to symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) that may be complicated by blood stream infections if not appropriately treated with resultant mortality or morbidity. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of ASB, and evaluate both biochemical and bacteriological characteristics of urine samples of primary school pupils in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun State, Nigeria. Methodology: Three hundred and seventy-two (186 males and 186 females) apparently healthy (asymptomatic) pupils aged 2-16 years from four randomly selected primary schools in the LGA were screened for ASB. Clean catch specimen of midstream urine was collected from each subject. Biochemical analysis of the urine was performed with Combi 10 reagent strip. MacConkey and Cysteine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient (CLED) agar plates were inoculated with calibrated wireloop delivering 0.01 ml of urine for aerobic culture at 37oC for 24 hours. Identification of significant bacteria on culture plates was done using conventional biochemical tests. Results: The frequency of clear, slightly turbid and turbid urine were 31 (8.3%), 99 (26.6%) and 56 (15.1%) respectively. All analyzed urine samples were alkaline and negative for ketone, glucose and blood, but contained protein in 230 (61.8%), bilirubin in 184 (49.5%), nitrites in 64 (17.2%) and urobilinogen in 14 (3.7%) subjects. The prevalence of significant bacteriuria was 11.8% (44 of 372) with 7.0% in males and 16.7% in females (p = 0.0063). The frequency of bacteria isolated in descending order were Escherichia coli 61.4%, Staphylococcus saprophyticus 61.4%, Staphylococcus aureus 45.5%, Bacillus subtilis 45.5%, Enterococcus faecalis 43.2%, Enterobacter spp 36.4%, Serratia marscencen 31.8%, Klebsiella pneumoniae 22.7%, Proteus mirabilis 22.7% and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 20.5%. Conclusion: This result highlights the presence of significant bacteriuria among apparently healthy pupils in the study area, with higher prevalence in the female pupils. The apparent risk of developing symptomatic UTI with the attendant complications in these pupils should spur preventive education of parents/guardians and the general populace about this entity

Prevalent Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Their Correlates in Apparently Healthy Individuals in Sub-saharan Africa.

Aim: To assess the prevalent components of metabolic syndrome (MSC) and their related determinants of lipid metabolism in the Nigerian for early diagnosis, prevention and management of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and its associated diseases. Study Design: Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan between March and August 2010. Methodology: 534 apparently healthy Nigerian traders aged 18–105 years were participants of a cohort study. The IDF (2005) criteria was used for MS diagnosis. Anthropometric indices and blood pressure (BP) were obtained by standard methods. Fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) were determined by enzymatic methods while low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) was calculated. Data analysed were statistically significant at P<0.05. Results: 60.1% of traders had 2 and 3MSC. 0.6%, 1.1% and 9.6% of traders had all 5MSC, ≥3MSC without elevated waist circumference (WC) and zero MSC respectively. Elevated WC, reduced HDLC and high BP were more frequent MSC representing 70.2%, 63.1% and 47.9% while FPG and TG were less frequent representing 11.2% and 2.2% of traders respectively. This pattern was similar in MS and non-MS groups. 25.3% of males and only 2.2% of females had no MSC. Reduced HDLC and elevated WC were the most frequent MSC in males and females respectively. All metabolic risk factors (MRF) except TC were significantly different in comparison between MS and non-MS groups as well as among traders with 0-5 MSC. WHR was the only parameter that correlated significantly with all MRF. Conclusion: Elevated waist circumference, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high blood pressure may be prevalent metabolic syndrome components and important in managing metabolic syndrome in Nigeria. Regional specific cut-offs for these components for the African population is needed.

Genetic Variability in Cultured and Wild Population of Clarias gariepinus Using Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

Aim: The present study was undertaken to determine the genetic differences between cultured and wild populations of Clarias gariepinus in Southwest Nigeria using Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Study Design: Three wild populations from River Osun, Owena, and Agbabu and three farmed populations from hatcheries in Akure, Ilesa and Ado-Ekiti, were collected for the study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, between june 2012 and January 2013 Methodology: Two hundred and forty live specimens of C. gariepinus were analysed for their genetic differences. Live specimens comprising forty individual from each location were collected and kept in six concrete tanks (2x1x1) m3 at Teaching and Research Farm of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Federal University of Technology, Akure. Blood samples were collected and used for Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel (SDSPAGE) for the protein profiling. Results: The protein profile produced two clusters which indicate divergence of the species into two sub species. There was high level of genetic heterogeneity among samples of Clarias species and those from various locations under study. The SDS-PAGE banding patterns across the six populations studied showed that the mean heterozygosity for the six populations ranged from 0.398 to 0.425. Conclusion: This study has established that there is genetic difference in both wild and cultured C. gariepinus. Further study involving RAPD, microsatellite, and AFLP can be used to maximize the efficiency of the study. Also, increased number of samples could improve the validity of this study.

Effects of Variations of the Ration of Sorghum Malt with Sweet Potato Flour on the Quality of Glucose Syrup Produced Through Enzyme Conversion Activity of Sorghum Malt.

The chemical parameters of glucose syrup produced from five different weight ratios of sorghum malt and sweet potato flour using sorghum malt as a source of enzyme hydrolysis were studied. There were variations in the chemical parameters of the samples as a result of the different weight ratios of sorghum malt and sweet potato flour used. The moisture content ranged from 5.33 – 8.26%, ash content 0.010 – 0.040%, the dextrose equivalent 37.00 – 39.33%, the acid content 0.02 – 0.09%, the pH 5.4 – 5.8, and the brix value 82 – 86%. Significant differences were observed between the parameters (except the brix value) of the samples. All the samples had chemical parameters (except acid content of GA and dextrose equivalent of GB and GD) whose values were within the glucose syrup specifications set by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as 18% maximum for moisture content, 0.3% maximum for acid content, (38 – 42)% for dextrose equivalent, (4.0 – 6.0) for pH and 82% minimum for brix value. Only the sample (Glucose Syrup E) with the lowest ratio (1:4) of sorghum malt to sweet potato flour had the most desirous qualities having the lowest moisture content, lowest ash content, lowest acid content, good brix value and good pH.