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Nosocomial infections are infections that are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients, and can lead to higher healthcare costs and longer hospital stays in both developed and developing countries. The objectives of the study were to identify the level of knowledge and perception of patients on nosocomial infection, and to determine the factors affecting the knowledge and perception of patients on nosocomial infection in Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos (FMC). A cross-sectional research design was used in carrying out the research among in-patients of FMC where an interview-based semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Patients' knowledge was categorised as good (≥ 70% score), fair (50-69%) and poor (< 50% score) while perception was grouped as positive and negative. Independent sample T-test and One-way Analysis of Variance was used to assess statistical difference in knowledge scores between categorical variables with 2 and 3 groups respectively. A total of 102 patients gave consent to participate in this study of which 46.1% were male, 27.5% were aged between 38 and 47 years and 69.6% were married. About 24% did not know what is meant by nosocomial infections while 53.9% stated that all hospital-acquired infections are preventable. Less than 19% strongly disagreed that making alcohol rubs mandatory for all visitors would decrease the incidence of nosocomial infections while all strongly agreed that if left untreated, such infections can become life-threatening. Overall, 15.7% showed good knowledge while most patients showed fair knowledge (71.6%) and a negative perception (51%) of nosocomial infections. There was a significant difference in patients' knowledge of nosocomial infections based on age (0.012). There was also a statistically significant association between age and perception of patients towards nosocomial infections (p = 0.031). This study showed that most patients had fair knowledge as well as negative perception towards nosocomial infections. Age, had an influence on patients' perception and knowledge of nosocomial infection.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection , Humans , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Female , Cross Infection/etiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Nigeria/epidemiology , Hospitals , Surveys and Questionnaires , PerceptionABSTRACT
Background: Healthy eating habits during childhood have been identified as a foundational support for the growth, development, and intellectual well-being of schoolchildren and as a protection against diseases that affect learning and functional capacity. This study examined the eating habits of the previous day, weekly, and daily between Nigerian children in rural and urban elementary schools. Methods: Data were collected between March and May 2021 with an instrument extracted from the Health and Attainment of Pupils in a Primary Education Network Survey (HAPPEN survey). Participants for the study were school children (aged 7-13 years). The multistage sampling technique was used to draw samples from the target population. Two schools were randomly selected for the study (one in the urban area of Lagos and the other in the rural area of Ekiti state). A total of 214 healthy children (urban school = 118; rural school = 96). The survey was conducted online and on-site during the school hours. The data were analysed using frequency count, percent, mean, standard deviation, and independent t-test at p < 0.05 level of significant. Results: The result of the t-test showed that there are significant differences in the weekly consumption of soft drinks (p = 0.02), fizzy drinks (p = 0.00), sugary snacks (p = 0.00) and the consumption of fish (p = 0.00) by the rural and urban schoolchildren. Conclusions and recommendations: Based on the results, it was concluded that most of the children were relatively well fed with moderately healthy dietary choices. Urban children are making healthy dietary choices and few unhealthy choices. However, rural schoolchildren are making healthy dietary choices relative to affordable options. The government to urgently bridge the nutritional gap between urban and rural schoolchildren through food market intervention and school nutrition campaign.
ABSTRACT
Objective: the objective of this study was to examine the anthropometric and physical profile of selected school-age children in rural and urban setting. Methods: the descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted for the study while multistage sampling techniques, which included simple random and systematic sampling techniques, were used to draw samples from the target population. The sample constitute healthy children who voluntarily participated in the study after consent for participation was given by individual parent. Anthropometric measurements for the study included height, weight, sitting height and BMI while the physical fitness tests for the study included sit and reach, handgrip strength, speed bounce, standing broad jump, 10m x 5 shuttles run and multistage fitness test. Z score, STEN score and independent T-Test were used for data analysis. Results: a total of 222 healthy children with average age of 10 years (male=112, female=109) participated in the study. The results showed that the urban children were taller (Urban=141.3±9.2m; Rural=134±21.3m), heavier (Urban=37.6±10.4kg; Rural=28.2±6.2kg), had more leg power (Urban=105.7±25.5; Rural=49.4±41.0) and arm strength (Urban=15.7±4.1; Rural=13.4±5.2) than rural children. However, the rural children had higher sit and reach score (Rural=25.3±5.8; Urban=22.8±6.0) and completed more laps in multistage fitness test (Rural=35.5±25.5; Urban=12±5.7). The statistical analysis showed that all the variables were significantly different urban and rural children (P<0.05). Conclusion: the current study shows that the children in the urban and rural settings differed in the selected anthropometric and physical variables Therefore, the physical education program and infrastructural facilities for physical activity and sport participation for school age children should be designed based on the socioeconomic status, social amenities and level of development of the host community
Objetivo: examinar o perfil antropométrico e físico de crianças em idade escolar selecionadas em ambientes rurais e urbanos. Métodos: foi realizado um estudo transversal aplicando técnicas de amostragem em vários estágios, que incluíam processos de amostragem aleatória simples e sistemática, usadas para extrair amostras da população-alvo. A amostra constitui-se de crianças saudáveis que participaram voluntariamente do estudo, após consentimento para participação dado por um dos pais. As medições antropométricas incluíram altura, peso, altura sentada e IMC, enquanto os testes de aptidão física para o estudo incluíram sentar-se e alcançar, força de preensão manual, salto de velocidade, salto em largura, corrida de vaivém de 10 x 5 metros e teste de aptidão multiestágio. Foram usados para a análise escore z, escore STEN e teste t independentemente dos dados. Resultados: um total de 222 crianças saudáveis com idade média de 10 anos (masculino=112, feminino=109) participaram do estudo. Os resultados mostraram que as crianças urbanas eram mais altas (Urbano=141,3±9,2m; Rurais=134±21,3m), mais pesadas (Urbano=37,6±10,4kg; Rurais=28,2±6,2kg), tinham mais força nas pernas (Urbano=105,7±25,5; Rurais =49,4±41,0) e força de braço (Urbano=15,7±4,1; Rural=13,4±5,2) do que as crianças da zona rural. No entanto, as crianças da zona rural tiveram maior pontuação de sentar e alcançar (Rural=25,3±5,8; Urbana=22,8±6,0) e completaram mais voltas no teste de condicionamento físico multiestágio (Rural=35,5±25,5; Urbana=12±5,7). Todas as variáveis eram significativamente diferentes entre crianças urbanas e rurais (P<0,05). Conclusão: o presente estudo mostrou que as crianças das áreas urbana e rural diferiram nas variáveis antropométricas e físicas selecionadas. Portanto, o programa de educação física e as instalações de infraestrutura para atividades físicas e participação em esportes para crianças em idade escolar devem ser projetados com base no status socioeconômico, nas comodidades sociais e no nível de desenvolvimento da comunidade anfitriã
Subject(s)
Child , Anthropometry , Rural Population , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
Under-utilization of mental health services among university students is a major public health concern. This study assessed the factors affecting the utilization of mental health services among undergraduate students. This research was a cross-sectional survey carried out among students of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. A semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and multi-stage sampling technique was used in sampling the participants. Utilization, attitude, and health seeking behavior were categorized into good (≥50% score), and poor (<50% score), while social support was categorized into poor (8-18), moderate (19-25), and strong (26-32). Chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to assess the relationship between the categorical variables. 450 students enrolled in this study of which 52.4% were females and mean age of 19.40 ± 1.65 years. Most students showed a good attitude (87.5%), health seeking behavior (67.8%), and poor social support (69.4%) towards mental health services. There was an association between source of information (p = 0.005), health seeking behavior (p = 0.001) and utilization of mental health services. There was also a higher likelihood for students of female gender (OR: 1.621 (1.072-2.452)) and being aged above 20 years (OR: 1.331 (0.822-2.153)) to have good utilization of mental health services. Majority of the students showed good attitude and health seeking behavior towards mental health services but there was poor utilization as well as poor to moderate social support towards mental health services. Gender, age, attitude, source of information as well as health seeking behavior are important factors that can affect the utilization of mental health services among undergraduate students. Interventions targeted towards these factors should be done to ultimately improve utilization of mental health services among undergraduate students.
ABSTRACT
Background: The global impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)has led to the need to prioritise public health campaign by all stakeholders among diverse population groups. This study investigated the dispositions of Nigerian adolescents towards the prevention of the spread of COVID-19. Methods: The young adolescents (n=1,529) included in this study, were between the ages of 15 and 26 years from Afe Babalola University. Students were contacted through their various colleges and residential hostels to complete the questionnaire via a shared link. All students included, voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study by completing the adapted COVID-19 knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. The collected data were analysed to show the level of knowledge, attitude and preventative practices and also to test for significant association between gender and variables for the study. The study was conducted between March 23-April 25, 2021. Results: The outcome of the findings showed that students with families with 5-10 members showed significant association with knowledge accuracy on COVID-19 (χ 2 = 6.077, p = 0.044). There was a significant association between gender and the need to report the suspected case of COVID-19 infection to the health authorities (χ 2 = 14.075, p = 0.001) with more females likely to report a suspected case. More females (59.2%) were significantly (χ 2 = 8.904, p = 0.012) involved in the practice of social distancing or home quarantine as a preventive measure. Conclusions: This study showed evidence of high prevalence of knowledge related to COVID-19 in majority of the study participants. This is a pointer to the efficacy and success of present public health campaigns in Nigeria.
