Sexual Risk Behaviour and Knowledge of HIV/AIDS among Male Prison Inmates in Kaduna State, North Western Nigeria.

Background: The average numbers of Nigerians who have been incarcerated over the past three decades when HIV/AIDS was discovered have been increasing and the seroprevalence of HIV/AIDS amongst the prison inmates remained higher than the national average due to the occurrence of risky sexual practices among inmates and inadequate HIV prevention, care and support services. This study assessed the sexual risk behaviour and knowledge of HIV/AIDS among inmates in Kaduna State, north western Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study with qualitative method of data collection (focus group discussion) was conducted on 107 inmates aged 20 to 55 years in Kaduna State Prisons Command between September 8th and October 2nd 2010. Information elicited were transcribed and translated where appropriate and presented as tables and in narrative forms with relevant quotations. Results: The mean average age of the respondents was 34(±8.62) years. The general awareness and knowledge of causative agent of HIV infection was high (96.3% and 67.3% respectively). However, some have misconceptions of witchcraft (9.3%), enemies (11.2%), bacteria (12.1%) and mosquitoes’ bite (15.9%) as the causative agent/ mode of transmission of HIV infection. 99.5% acknowledged that HIV/AIDS and risky sexual practices occurred in prison but denied taking part. Sex in prison was often associated with homosexual behavior among the males but participants were pessimistic about condom distribution due to fear of promotion of homosexuality (65.4%) and non compliance with religion (34.6%). Conclusion: Despite high level of awareness of HIV/AIDS among inmates, there are still misconceptions. Homosexual practices associated with HIV/AIDS transmission is practiced among the male inmates; however, the use of condom which is one of the evidence based strategies for the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS is met with a high degree of resistance by inmates. Therefore, there is need for implementation of HIV/AIDS interpersonal communication and counseling programmes for the inmates in Nigeria prisons.

Mortality and Cause of Death in Abuth; Zaria: 1999-2005

Background: Accurate mortality statistics are needed for policy formulation; implementation and monitoring of health intervention that are aimed at improving the health status of the people. Mortality level is one of the indicators of the quality of life and status of health of a population. However; accurate collection; collation; analysis and interpretation of such data is poorly organised in developing nations; including Nigeria leading to a gap in health policy formulation; implementation and monitoring. Therefore; policies and strategies for disease prevention are based on empirical evidence rather than on data primarily collected to formulate disease specific interventions.Though; hospital data have inherent deficiency in its use to design prevention. However; when accurately generated and adequately managed would provide both qualitative and quantitative information on morbidity and mortality if not for the entire society at least for a segment of the population utilizing it. We implemented a system of death certification to determine causes and pattern of mortality in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital; Zaria Methods: From May 1999 to November 2005; all case folders of deceased patients were retrieved from the central library of health information management department of the hospital; case folders of deceased patients are required to have in them a completed IFMCCD(International Form of Medical Certification of Cause of Death). All case folders of deceased patients after relevant information were extracted by the staff of health management information department; were passed on to the staff of department of Community Medicine directly involved in this study. The completed cause of death certificates received in the department of Community Medicine (between May 1999 and November 2005); were examined. Coding rules were employed to select the appropriate code for those certificates that were incorrectly completed. The underlying cause of death as identified from the correctly completed IFMCCDS is coded according to ICD-10. Results: For the period under study; there were 4019 deaths: 2212 males and 1807 females. Total of 2914 (72.5) deaths were certified; using the IFMCCD of which 1641 of them were males and 1273 females and formed the basis of this analysis. Coverage rates ranges from 56.2in 2001 to 85in 1999. The proportion of garbage codes ranges from 0to 2.4while the three leading causes of death are HIV infection; road traffic accident (RTA); and cardiovascular diseases among the ten. The time-trend of the leading causes of death show RTA maintaining steady upward climb while malaria; septicemia; PEM; sepsis in the neonatal period shows unsteady fluctuation. Conclusion: This study assessed the pattern of mortality and causes of death in ABU Teaching Hospital; Zaria; it also provided information on leading causes of death

Profile of institutional infrastructure for implementing universal precautions in primary health care facilities in Sokoto State, Nigeria: Implication for occupational safety

Background: The adoption of primary health care in Nigeria has led to the expansion of health care delivery frontiers especially at the rural level. At this level is the most critical health services delivery point, with an attendant increase in contact between primary health care providers and patients. There is however also a simultaneous increased exposure to occupational and related health risks and hazards. Methods: The objectives of this study were to assess the universal precaution profile of primary health care facilities and determine those factors that inform their prevailing safety status. Using a structured checklist, 23 representative primary health care facilities from the 23 local government areas in Sokoto State were randomly selected for the study, one from each of the local government areas. Results: The facilities were found to have poor universal precaution profile that could guarantee effective control of infection transmission and safety of their personnel. The facilities' mean score on measures and frameworks for ensuring the implementation of Universal Precautions was 53.12% ± 21.68% with only 56.52% scoring above 50%. Conclusion: Safety protocol and facilities for ensuring safe environment were inadequate and poorly developed. None of the facilities had full complement of facilities or resources for ensuring safety of working environment and for personnel's implementation of Universal Precautions. Policy for safety practice was poor, and post exposure intervention programmes for staff in event of accidental exposure grossly underdeveloped. Interventions to improve safety environment and creation of safe climate are essential to protect primary health care workers against occupational hazards

Knowledge and Practice of Breast-Self Examination among Female Undergraduate Students of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria; Northwestern Nigeria

Background: Carcinoma of the breast is an important public health problem in Nigeria and studies have reported low levels of awareness and practice of breast self examination as an important method of prevention. Breast self examination is a cost-effective method of early detection of cancer of the breast especially in resource poor countries. We assessed knowledge and practice of breast-self examination (BSE) among female undergraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria; Nigeria. Method: In this study; knowledge and practice of BSE were examined among 221 female students aged 16 - 28 years old studying at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria using self administered questionnaires. Results: It was found that despite nearly three quarter of the respondents (87.7) had heard of BSE; only 19.0of them were performing this examination monthly. Regarding the sources of information about BSE among respondents; media was found to be most common followed by health workers accounting for 45.5and 32.2respectively. Regular performance of BSE was significantly correlated with duration of stay in the University (X2 = 81.9; df = 3; P .05) and family history of breast cancer (X2