KNOWLEDGE, RISK PERCEPTION AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES OF COVID-19 AMONG STAFF OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

INTRODUCTION: Kaduna State is among the three States with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, risk perception and practices of staff towards prevention and control of COVID-19 infection in schools to provide policy makers, education and health managers required information to manage the epidemic as the schools prepare to re-open. METHODS: This was a school-based survey conducted using purposive sampling of 55 schools located in nine LGAs with the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases as at October 2020. Five schools with the highest students'/pupils' enrollment in each of the LGA were selected and all staff were interviewed. Information on knowledge, risk perception and practices of prevention was collected. Descriptive statistics were generated using Stata v14 software. RESULTS: A total of 1065 staff in 55 schools completed the interview. Major sources of information are television (73%), radio (61%), and social media (57%); and 76% indicated that a virus is the causative agent of COVID-19. Overall, 70%, 19%, 7%, 9.3% and 0% respectively had adequate knowledge of cause, preventive measures, respiratory hygiene, modes of transmission and symptoms of COVID-19; however only 14% ever attended a workshop on COVID-19. Eighty-two percent and 89% respectively believed in the efficacy of face masks and handwashing as means of prevention; 39% thought that they are likely to contract COVID-19. Ninety-nine percent and 90% have ever used face mask and hand sanitizer to prevent COVID-19; 96% and 85% respectively have use these methods in previous 24hours. Between 42% and 73% of schools needed additional commodities/requirements/supplies to comply fully with COVID-19 prevention protocols. CONCLUSION: While knowledge of COVID-19 is suboptimal, perception is positive and practice is high. Thus, teachers need to be well informed and encouraged to sustain current levels of preventive measures. Government needs to provide schools with adequate preventive commodities to ensure compliance.

Tuberculosis among nomads in Adamawa, Nigeria: outcomes from two years of active case finding.

BACKGROUND: Nomadic populations are often isolated and have difficulty accessing health care, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Although Nigeria has one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdens in Africa, case detection rates remain relatively low. METHODS: Active case finding for TB among nomadic populations was implemented over a 2-year period in Adamawa State. A total of 378 community screening days were organised with local leaders; community volunteers provided treatment support. Xpert(®) MTB/RIF was available for nomads with negative smear results. RESULTS: Through active case finding, 96 376 nomads were verbally screened, yielding 1310 bacteriologically positive patients. The number of patients submitting sputum for smear microscopy statewide increased by 112% compared with the 2 years before the intervention. New smear-positive notifications increased by 49.5%, while notifications of all forms of TB increased by 24.5% compared with expected notifications based on historical trends. Nomads accounted for respectively 31.4% and 26.0% of all smear-positive and all forms TB notifications. Pre-treatment loss to follow-up and treatment outcomes were similar among nomads and non-nomads. DISCUSSION: Nomads in Nigeria have high TB rates, and active case-finding approaches may be useful in identifying and successfully treating them. Large-scale interventions in vulnerable populations can improve TB case detection.

Clustering of cardiovascular disease risk-factors in semi-urban population in Northern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are major causes of morbidity and mortality particularly for developing countries. Large proportion of all NCDs deaths are occurring in low- and -middle-income countries are estimated to occur in people under 70-years-old. These low- and middle-income are undergoing epidemiological transition which allows the concomitant occurrence of both communicable and NCDs due to adoption of western life-style that predisposes them to development of these diseases. It is also known that there are risk-factors that tend to cluster in individuals and make them more susceptible to NCDs especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Among NCDs, CVDs constitute the largest share responsible for 48% of all deaths due to NCDs. To determine extend of clustering of these risk-factors in a semi-urban community in northern Nigeria, a population-based study was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in Dakace, a semi-urban settlement near Zaria. A simple random sampling of 199 eligible respondents out of 424 was adopted to select study participants. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information, smoking habits, alcohol consumption as well as level of physical activity. The following measurements were carried out on these respondents: Blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose, serum lipids, weight, and height to calculate body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: There were of 199 participants: 94 males (47.2%) and 105 females (52.8%) with an overall mean age of 39.9 ± 15.6 years. About 20% had no risk factor; more females than males had risk-factors. Proportion of subjects with risk-factors increase with increasing BMI, particularly high BP; physical activity does not protect subjects from developing risk-factors. CONCLUSION: This study clearly shows that CVD risk-factors are prevalent even in segment of the population that hitherto may be considered free and the prevalence of these risk-factors are high compared to some obtained from other part of Nigeria.

Geographical distribution of publications in the African Journal of Reproductive Health: an analysis of 2006 - 2010 papers.

Scientific research has been recognized as one of the cornerstones of economic growth and development. Publication of research findings in biomedical journals has grown exponentially in the past few decades globally but the contribution of developing countries is still abysmally low. To evaluate the productivity of Nigerian biomedical community, this study was conducted using the African Journal of Reproductive Health (AJRH) as a benchmark. This was a retrospective review of all articles published in AJRH between 2006 and 2010. Using a proforma all relevant information in the journal were extracted. There were a total of 204 articles produced by 798 authors. In terms of geographical spread of authors within Nigeria Edo, Oyo and Kaduna states are the three leading states, while outside Nigeria, the US is the leading country. More than 81% of the authors are affiliated to either the University or Research Institutions. In six publications, funding came from within Nigeria while in 87 funding was from outside Nigeria.

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 56.2% in 2001 to 85% in 1999. The proportion of garbage codes ranges from 0% to 2.4% while 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.

Attitude of Final Year Medical Students Towards Community Medicine in Ahmadu Bello University; Zaria; Nigeria

Background: Several studies were conducted in the past in Nigerian Universities to determine undergraduate medical students' attitudes; aspirations and career preference but none was conducted in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU); Zaria. This study was undertaken to determine final year medical students' attitudes toward Community Medicine. Methodology: The study was cross-sectional and descriptive in design. A total of 94 graduating medical students during the 2006/2007 academic session were invited to participate in the study. All the 94 students were given self-administered structured and closed-ended questionnaire. We collected information on socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents; general and specific attitudes towards Community Medicine (CM); class attendance in Community Medicine; and choice of CM as a field for future specialization. Result: Seventy-two students (76.7) have made up their minds to specialize in a chosen field of Medicine while fourteen (14.4) were undecided. Thirty-five (48.69) students said they could specialize in CM while 19(26.4) cannot. Of the clinical discipline for possible specialization in the future by the whole class; 32(34.0) respondents declared to specialize in Obstetrics et Gynecology; 18(19.1) in Community Medicine 11 (11.7) in surgery. Conclusion: Our finding demonstrated that final year medical student favorably perceived community medicine as a future career

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

Prevalence of diabetes in a semi-urban community in Northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health problem both in developing and developed nations. The prevalence of diabetes globally is projected to rise from 2.8% in 2000 to 4.4% in 2030. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of diabetes in Dakace village, near Zaria METHOD: This study was part of a larger study to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults in Dakace village, near Zaria. Out of a total of 492 eligible respondents for the study, a subsample of 199 persons was recruited using a systematic sampling technique had their fasting blood glucose levels determined. Body mass indices of the participants were also determined. RESULTS: A total of 199 subjects (94 males and 105 females) participated in this segment of the study Three subjects had fasting blood glucose (FBG) of more than 7.0 mmol/L; one participant a previously known diabetic on medication had a good glycaemic control. The overall prevalence of diabetes was 2.0%.Five participants (2.5%) had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Among the diabetics, one was overweight (BMI = 27.43 Kg/m2) and one was obese (BMI = 31.55 Kg/m2), while among those with impaired fasting glucose two were overweight. Forty-three subjects (21.6%) were overweight and 15 (7.5%) were obese. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in this semi-urban community is keeping with what had been reported earlier from across the country.

Prevalence of Diabetes in a Semi-Urban Community in Northern Nigeria

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health problem both in developing and developed nations. The prevalence of diabetes globally is projected to rise from 2.8in 2000 to 4.4in 2030.This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of diabetes in Dakace village; near Zaria Method: This study was part of a larger study to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults in Dakace village; near Zaria. Out of a total of 492 eligible respondents for the study; a subsample of 199 persons was recruited using a systematic sampling technique had their fasting blood glucose levels determined. Body mass indices of the participants were also determined. Results: A total of 199 subjects (94 males and 105 females) participated in this segment of the study. Three subjects had fasting blood glucose (FBG) of more than 7.0mmol/L; one participant a previously known diabetic on medication had a good glycaemic control. The overall prevalence of diabetes was 2.0.Five participants (2.5) had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Among the diabetics; one was overweight (BMI= 27.43Kg/m2) and one was obese (BMI=31.55Kg/m2); while among those with impaired fasting glucose two were overweight. Fortythree subjects (21.6) were overweight and 15 (7.5) were obese. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in this semi-urban community is keeping with what had been reported earlier from across the country