ABSTRACT
Background: Sickle cell disease is a condition in which an individual has inherited two abnormal hemoglobin genes at least one of which is hemoglobin S (HbS) and the resulting symptomatology or pathology is attributed to the sickling phenomenon. About 5% of the world’s population carries genes responsible for hemoglobinopathies and each year about 300 000 infants are born with major hemoglobin disorders including more than 200 000 cases of sickle-cell anemia in Africa. Sickle cell anemia is a very common disorder in Nigeria with birth rate of about 1 in 50 and about 150,000 children are born annually with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria alone. The study aimed to explore the knowledge and attitude of nursing students about premarital screening for sickle cell disease. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered semi-structured questionnaire among 176 students. Results: Majority of respondents knew sickle cell disease and also knew their genotype 97.6% and 71% respectively, although up to 9.1% selected blood group as their genotype. More than half of respondent (51.7%) said sickle cell disease can be transmitted through blood, 55.1% of respondent said they think government should prohibit marriage between incompatible couples with regard to sickle cell disease, Only about one third (34.1%) of respondent have good knowledge of SCD, and 34.3% of respondent have good knowledge of premarital screening for SCD, More than half (55.4%) of respondent have good attitude regarding premarital screening for SCD. Conclusion: The study shows that the respondent have poor knowledge of sickle cell disease and premarital screening though more than half of the respondent have good attitude towards premarital screening. The results of this study reflect the importance of health education as a keystone in improving knowledge and attitude towards premarital screening for sickle cell disease.
ABSTRACT
Background: Self-medication is a common and regular practice of using medicines, common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs without any medical supervision, by the people themselves for self-treatment considering it a part of self-care in both developed and developing countries. It also encompasses utilization of surplus and left over medicine at home, seeking advices of surrounding people as friends and relatives for the medication. Prevalence rates of self-medication are reported to be higher in developing countries mostly due to fact that people generally considers it as a first aid in treating minor ailments or acute symptoms such as vomiting, headache, nausea, fever, cold etc. However, few other reasons reported in the literature that could lead to self-medication includes previous experience of treating similar diseases, knowledge of drugs and their use, incessant advertising and lack of availability of qualified health professionals. This study aimed to assess knowledge and practice of self-medication among undergraduate students in UDUS Methods: : A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 299 undergraduate students selected by multistage sampling technique. Data was collected with a set of self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Majority 283 (95%) of the respondents are aware of self-medication while 16 (5%) are not aware of selfmedication. A majority, 235 (78.6%) of the 299 respondents had ever engaged in the practice of self-medication. Most of the study subjects 221 (74%) had self-medicated in the last 6 months while 26.7% have not. Conclusion: This study demonstrated good knowledge of self-medication among undergraduate students with the majority having good knowledge of the dangers associated with self-medication as well as had ever engaged in self-medication. Organization of health weeks, school-based educational interventions and enlightenment program should be created to emphasize on the dangers of self-medication and the common side-effects of the frequently used drugs.
ABSTRACT
Aims: Alcoholism is a global public health problem with significant socioeconomic implications. The aim was to investigate the effect of alcoholism on the haematological and haemostatic parameters of consecutively recruited alcoholics in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State and North Western Nigeria. Study Design and Methodology: This prospective case-control study included one hundred adults alcoholics [≥18 years), aged range (18-60), mean age (38.46 ± 13.26) and made up of 68 males (68%) and 32 females (32%)]. Fifty gender and age matched non-alcoholics were monitored as controls. Ethical approval was obtained from the research and ethics committee in the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, North Western Nigeria. Written informed consent was obtained from all study subjects after counselling. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the service laboratory in the Department of Haematology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science in Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto North Western Nigeria between May 2011 to February, 2012. Result: Participants for this study included 50 heavy alcoholics and 50 moderate alcoholics (subjects) and 50 age and gender –matched non-alcoholics (controls). Platelet count of non-alcoholics, moderate and heavy alcoholics was; 260.7 ± 48.17, 253.3 ± 43.16 and 130.6 ± 6.79 respectively. Platelet count was significantly lower among heavy alcoholics compared to non-alcoholics (p=0.0001). Although marginally higher, there was no statistically significant difference in the platelet count of moderate alcoholics and non-alcoholics (p=0.10). We observed a negative correlation between platelet count and duration of alcoholism (r=-0.62). The mean prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) values of non-alcoholics, moderate alcoholics and heavy alcoholics was; (14.46 ± 0.97 and 34.82 ± 13.71), (15.74 ± 1.26 and 35.78 ± 3.50) and (19.46 ± 0.93 and 43.42 ± 5.13) respectively. Prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time values were significantly lower among heavy alcoholics compared to non-alcoholics (p=0.0001). PT and APTT were marginally higher among moderate alcoholics compared to non-alcoholics but the difference however was not statistically significant (p= 0.08 and 0.62 respectively). We observed a positive correlation between duration of alcoholism and prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time (r = 0.46 and 0.55 respectively). Conclusion: Our study has shown that alcoholism produces a significant adverse effect on some haematological and haemostatic parameters. Evidenced data generated from this study can facilitate the development of a policy on the effective management of haematological and haemostatic complications associated with alcoholism. There is need to enact laws that regulate the production, sales and consumption of various alcoholic beverages to prevent abuse and protect the health of citizens.
ABSTRACT
"Background: Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome and tuberculosis are commonly called the ""deadly duo""; because human immunodeficiency virus increases susceptibility to tuberculosis which in turn accelerates its progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. This study describes human immunodeficiency virus/ tuberculosis co-infection in Sokoto State; Nigeria. Methods: Data were extracted from medical records of human immunodeficiency virus infected patients on antiretroviral therapy in health facilities that offer comprehensive care for human immunodeficiency virus infected patients in Sokoto State; and analysed. Results: Majority of the 353 study subjects were females (60.6) aged 30-39 years (37.4) and living in Sokoto state (78.5). Care entry points were Medical Outpatient Department (36.8); General Outpatient Department (35.4) and voluntary counseling centre (23.5). Enrolment for human immunodeficiency virus care was highest in May (13.4) and lowest in March (5.1). The functional status of majority (75.8) of the study subjects was asymptomatic normal activity. Thirty-three (9.3) of the study subjects were human immunodeficiency virus/Tuberculosis co-infected. Human immune deficiency virus only cases and human immunodeficiency virus/Tuberculosis co-infected cases were similar with respect to age and sex but differed significantly with respect to WHO clinical stage; CD4 count and functional status. Conclusion: Human immunodeficiency virus only and human immunodeficiency virus/tuberculosis coinfection cases have similar demographic characteristics but differ with respect to the stage of acquired immune deficiency syndrome."