Epidemiology of psychoactive drug use amongst adolescents in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria.

The study was conducted in response to the lack of epidemiological data in recent time on the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents in metropolitan Lagos-a city unique for its socio-economic profile. We considered some methodological issues omitted in several previous studies. A total of 4,286 school pupils (mean age 15.2) were anonymously administered a Self-Report Questionnaire to ascertain a range of key drug use factors in lifetime and 1-year periods. The rate of use of most of the 14 substances investigated was much higher than reported in any other study on comparable population sample. We found that 61.8 and 32.1% of respondents have used one or more substances in their lifetime and in the past 1 year, respectively. High lifetime rates of use were found for common stimulants: coffee, kolanut, and prescription drugs (barbiturates and minor tranquilisers). The rate of use of proscribed addictive substances, cannabis, heroin, and cocaine, ranged between 4.0 and 4.8%. Missing data and non-response rates were few; however, social acquiescence, under and over reporting, could be mitigant to estimation of rates and patterns of use. We advocate properly articulated school-based educative programmes that can facilitate drug demand reduction.

Mother's knowledge of sickle-cell anaemia in Nigeria.

The study ascertains knowledge of mothers of sufferers of sickle-cell anaemia specifically regarding aetiology of the disorder and acceptable medical care. One hundred fifty-seven mothers of children suffering from sickle-cell anaemia (HbSS) attending a haematology clinic of a general hospital in Lagos were randomly sampled and asked about the aetiology and their understanding of the rules of care using a short open-ended questionnaire. The mean age of the mothers was 37.4 and a significant majority belong to the lower socio-economic strata. Thirty-four percent reported having been informed of the hereditary basis of anaemia but 48.4% received no explanation. Doctors, nurses, and lay literature were the main sources of information on the condition, as well as its medical care. The considerable gaps in appropriate knowledge on sickle-cell anaemia in Nigeria observed indicates that adequate and properly-presented information to parents or guardians of patients should be an essential part of a comprehensive care plan.

Psychotropic drug prescribing in a Nigerian psychiatric hospital.

Psychopharmacotherapy dominates the therapeutic arsenal of psychiatrists and, not surprisingly, psychotropic drugs are widely consumed in psychiatric practice. The pattern of prescribing of these drugs needs to be appraised in terms of 'rational drug use', which may be defined as 'the use of the least number of drugs to obtain the best possible effects in the shortest possible time and at a reasonable cost' (Gross, 1981).

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among Nigerian primary school children: prevalence and co-morbid conditions.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ADHD and co-morbid conditions in a sample of primary school children aged 7-12 years in Nigeria. METHOD: A two-staged procedure in which primary school pupils aged 6-12 years (n = 1112) were assessed for DSM-IV criteria of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by their teachers in the first stage and their parents in the second stage. A flexible criterion was used for estimating the prevalence. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD was 8.7%. The prevalence of the subtypes were: predominantly Inattentive 4.9%, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive 1.2% and combined 2.6%. The male to female ratio was 2:1 for all the subtypes of ADHD except hyperactive/impulsive which was 3.2:1. The co-morbid conditions include oppositional defiant disorder (ODD - 25.8%), conduct disorder (CD - 9.3%) and anxiety/depression (20.6%). While ODD and CD were associated with the hyperactive/impulsive subtype, anxiety/depression was associated with inattentive subtype. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the notion that ADHD occurs across cultures. Given the prevalent rate, efforts should be made to map out strategies for early identification and referral of these children for proper evaluation and treatment. This study can serve as a platform for future analytical studies about this challenging research issue in sub-Saharan Africa.