ABSTRACT
Background: Globally prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death in men. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is present in small amount in the serum of men with healthy prostates, but is often elevated in the presence of prostate cancer and other prostate-related disorders. The aim of this present study was to determine the PSA levels among healthy men of African descent resident in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria. Methods: Testing was carried out using the CTK Biotech PSA kit (CTK Biotech Inc, San Diego, USA). The Onsite PSA Rapid Test is a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in human serum or plasma at a cut-off level of 4.0 ng/mL. Result: We investigated the PSA levels in 106 consecutively recruited men of African descent with age range and mean age of 40-70 years and 44.75 ± 7.91 years respectively. We observed a PSA of > 4ng/mL among 7 (6.6%) of subjects studied. Men > 60 had the highest prevalence of raised PSA level (33.3%) compared to those younger men (p= 0.001). We observed a higher prevalence among farmers (11.1%) compared to business men, civil servants and students. Conclusion: In this present study we observed a high prevalence of PSA >4ng/mL and a positive and significant correlation between age and raised PSA levels among men in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria. We recommend an annual PSA blood test for men ≥ 40 years of age and that those with a PSA value > 4.0 ng/mL should be considered for further evaluation. There is also the need to build capacity among biomedical and medical staff in Nigeria to facilitate effective diagnosis of prostate cancer. There is also the need for increased prostate cancer awareness in the area to facilitate voluntary testing.
ABSTRACT
The study examined the common nutritional problems among children in Oyo East Local Government Area of Oyo State. A descriptive research design was used; while the study population consisted of nurses and nursing mothers. These people represented the group of respondents used in the study. In all; one hundred and fifty respondents in the area of study were randomly selected. The variables tested in the area of study include common nutritional problems like kwarshiorkor; marasmus; anaemia and ricket among many others. Data was collected through the use of a self-designed questionnaire; duly validated and tested for reliability. The two results of test retest methods were later compared and correlation co-efficient of 0.65r was obtained; the level of correlation is onsidered acceptable for the study. The data was processed using simple percentage; mean score and chi-square at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The result revealed that children in Oyo East Local Government do not significantly suffer from the most common nutritional deficiencies diseases such as kwashiorkor; marasmus; anaemia and ricket. Based on the findings; It was recommended among others that adequate balanced diet should be given to children; through advocacy and antenatal education. Also; the health workers should encourage and educate nursing mothers on the importance of proper de-worming of children from time to time to prevent worm infestation which may lead to nutritional anaemia and to avoid cultural taboos that prevent children and nursing mothers from eating proteineous food like meat and snail among many others