Evaluation of Inhaler Techniques among Asthma Patients Seen in Nigeria: An Observational Cross Sectional Study

Background: An Adequate and an effective dose of inhalation drugs can be administered only if the correct inhaler-specific technique is followed by asthma patients. There is paucity of data on this subject among Nigerians and Africans. Aims: This observational study was to assess the inhaler techniques among asthma patients in Nigeria and also to identify the factors related to an inaccurate or poor inhaler use. Subjects and Methods: Consenting asthma patients on inhalers; who attended medical out-patients clinic; of two university hospitals in Nigeria were asked to use their inhalers while an inhaler-administration checklist was used to assess each patients inhaler technique. Information on demographics; asthma symptoms history and history of technique education were obtained. Data was analyzed using standard statistical methods. Results: A total of 140 asthma patients participated out of which 75 were females. All the patients used pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDI) type; 51 of them used dry powder inhalers (DPI) in addition. For pMDI; 22.1 (31/140) completed all required steps while 37.3 (19/51) did so for DPI (P = 0.04). Patients with higher educational qualification (P 0.01) and those with less frequent asthma symptoms (P 0.01) are more likely to use the pMDI inhalers more accurately while patients who have been taught previously by a Doctor were more likely to use the DPI better. Conclusion: Majority of asthma patients use their inhalers inaccurately. Patient-dependent factors were identified as the cause of incorrect technique of inhaler use. Asthma patients on inhalation medications should have routine assessment of their inhaler technique at every visit and corrected if found to be poor

Gender Perspectives of Sexual and Reproductive Practices of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Enugu; South East Nigeria

Nigerian major focus of attention in the efforts at controlling the spread of HIV infection has become the role of gender inequality.1; 2 The objective of the study was to compare the sexual practices of HIV-positive male and female patients who received counselling and treatment at an Anti-retroviral Clinic in Enugu; South-East Nigeria. Method: A comparative cross-sectional descriptive study of patients attending the free anti-retroviral clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu was done. Results: A total of 146 males (30.8) and 328 females (61.9) were studied. Although there was no significant difference in the prevalence of sexual activity between the sexes; the reasons for sexual practices differed. Females indulged in risky sexual activity principally in obedience to the demands of their male partners and were more likely to have sexual partners who were unaware of their seropositivity than males. Conclusion: Risky sexual behaviour among women living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu despite exposure to intensive counselling was still mainly driven by the subordinate traditional gender roles of women in this culture.: