Evaluation of the effectiveness of deworming and participatory hygiene education strategy in controlling anemia among children aged 6-15 years in Gadagau community, Giwa LGA, Kaduna, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is one of the most common and most serious health disorders worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 40% of the total world's population (more than 2 billion individuals) suffer from anemia. In developing countries, the prevalence rate of anemia is about 20% in school-aged children. More than 10 million African children are thought to be anemic (Hb < 11 g/dl). Also, in Africa, it is estimated that more than half of all children over 5 years and pregnant women are anemic. Community-based estimates of anemia prevalence in settings where malaria is endemic range between 49% and 76%. In Nigeria, the prevalence rate for anemia among children was 29.4%. It was highest in the South-East (49.7%) and lowest in the North-East (11.1%). OBJECTIVE: The study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of deworming and participatory hygiene education strategy in controlling anemia among children aged 6-15 years in the Gadagau community, north-western Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 306 children aged 6-15 years selected from two rural communities (Gadagau, which was the study group and Karau-Karau, which was the control group) in the Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State Nigeria using a multistage sampling technique. The studies involved parasitological examination and anemia evaluation before and at 3 months after the children were dewormed. RESULTS: Only 301 children (150 children in study group and 151 children in control group) were studied. The results showed that those who were dewormed and had participatory hygiene education lectures (study group) had significantly higher mean hemoglobin, from an initial 10.4 g/dl to a post-intervention of 12.4 g/dl (paired t-test = 13.96; P = 0.00). Also, there was a rise in the mean hemoglobin of the control group, but not as much as in the study group, from an initial mean hemoglobin of 10.5 g/dl to a post-intervention of 11.2 g/dl (paired t-test = 2.89; P = 0.004). Comparing the study and the control groups, those who were dewormed and also had participatory hygiene education lectures (study group) had a significantly higher reduction in the level of children who had ova of intestinal helminthes present in their stool than those in the control group (Χ 2 = 31.61; df = 1, P = 0.00). CONCLUSION: This study therefore concludes that including participatory hygiene education to deworming programmes will greatly improve the hemoglobin level of children in areas where there is a high prevalence of hookworm infections, especially as a short-term preventive measure for anemia in children.

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.

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