ABSTRACT
Background: Occupation may affect health seeking behaviour. Very little is known about this behaviour in labourers. This study assessed the health-seeking behaviour of the female manual labourers to fever in Jos; Nigeria. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 300 female manual labourers from a randomly selected cluster in Jos; using a pre-tested interviewer-administered semistructured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Epi info. Results: Fever episode was reported by 85 percent of respondents during the last one month before the survey. Forty-seven percent `observed' the fever and hoped for self resolution. Home treatment was reported as the first response to fever by 23and 49of the labourers sought treatment for fever within the first 24 hours of onset. Early treatment-seeking pattern was reported among those who self-medicate; followed by those that visited pharmacy stores. Cost was the major reason for delay in seeking timely and appropriate care
Subject(s)
Fever , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , WomenABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Secondary school students are a high risk group for HIV transmission. They could also be easily reached with health education interventions. There is as yet no global consensus on the nature, content and effectiveness of this intervention among this group. It is also not known how effective this intervention is in reducing sexual risk behaviour among secondary school students in our environment. The aim of the study was to find out the impact of HIV/AIDS health education intervention on the sexual risk behaviour of secondary school students. METHODS: This was an interventional follow-up study among senior secondary school students with controls selected from similar schools. The students' sexual risk behaviour was assessed at baseline followed by a HIV/AIDS health education intervention. The risk behaviour was then re-assessed 6 months after the intervention. RESULT: Students who lived in urban areas and those who lived with both parents were less likely to have experienced sexual intercourse at baseline than those who lived in the rural areas (but school in Jos during school sessions), and those who lived with single parents and other relations. Health education delayed sexual debut among students who were sexually naïve but had no effect on the sexual activity of those who were already sexually experienced. CONCLUSION: Health Education intervention has a place in reducing secondary school students' sexual risk behaviourif commenced before their sexual debut.
Subject(s)
Health Education , Risk-Taking , Schools , Sex Education , Sexual Behavior , Students , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Nigeria , Pilot ProjectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Secondary school students are a high risk group for HIV transmission. They could also be easily reached with health education interventions. There is as yet no global consensus on the nature, content and effectiveness of this intervention among this group. It is also not known how effective this intervention is in reducing sexual risk behaviour among secondary school students in our environment. The aim of the study was to find out the impact of HIV/AIDS health education intervention on the sexual risk behaviour of secondary school students.METHODS:This was an interventional follow-up study among senior secondary school students with controls selected from similar schools. The students' sexual risk behaviour was assessed at baseline followed by a HIV/AIDS health education intervention. The risk behaviour was then re-assessed 6 months after the intervention.RESULT: Students who lived in urban areas and those who lived with both parents were less likely to have experienced sexual intercourse at baseline than those who lived in the rural areas (but school in Jos during school sessions), and those who lived with single parents and other relations. Health education delayed sexual debut among students who were sexually naïve but had no effect on the sexual activity of those who were already sexually experienced.CONCLUSION:Health Education intervention has a place in reducing secondary school students' sexual risk behaviourif commenced before their sexual debut
