Health-related quality of life in patients with dyspepsia presenting at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, South-South Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) examines the impact of the symptoms of dyspepsia on the daily life of sufferers. There are a few published studies related to HRQoL of persons with dyspepsia in Africa. Methods: this was a hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 324 dyspeptic patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to the University of Benin Teaching Hospitals (UBTH) The ROME IV criteria were used to recruit patients with dyspepsia. The short form Nepean Dyspepsia Index (SF NDI) was used to assess HRQoL in all participants. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed on all 324 dyspeptic patients. Results: the mean age of patients was 47.6 ± 15.6 years. Three hundred (92.6%) patients had significantly impaired HRQoL with an SF NDI mean score of 31.3 ± 9.1. Interference with daily activities and eating and drinking subdomains were more impaired than other subdomains of HRQoL (p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the impaired HRQoL in patients with functional dyspepsia and organic dyspepsia (p = 0.694). Among patients with organic dyspepsia, those with upper gastrointestinal cancers had significantly worse HRQoL SF NDI mean (sd) scores (39.7 ± 5.9) compared with patients with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and GERD with (30.3 ± 9.2, 31.5 ± 9.7 and 32.9 ± 7.1 respectively) (p = 0.01). Conclusion: health-related quality of life is significantly impaired in patients with dyspepsia and those with upper gastrointestinal cancers having overall worse scores. The physical, social and psychological well-being of a majority of patients with dyspepsia in South-South Nigeria is negatively affected by dyspepsia.

Staff risks stratification in preparation for COVID-19 in a tertiary healthcare facility in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: this report is a documentation of a staff risk stratification programme, undertaken in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, with outcomes, and the actions taken to protect staff. METHODS: an adapted risk stratification tool was circulated to all staff through their respective heads of departments/units. Staff were expected to voluntary assess their health and risk status in the context of COVID-19, using the tool. A central multi-disciplinary screening committee assessed submissions and invited staff who required further evaluation for physical interviews. Respondents were categorized into three risk/exposure groups from lowest to highest - A, B, and C, based on their individual health assessments, occupational exposures, and information obtained from direct interviews. RESULTS: the committee received submissions from 746 staff, representing 19.4% (about a fifth) of the hospital's 3,840 staff. One hundred and twenty two of these were invited for physical interviews, of whom 88 (72.1%) were categorized as high risk (Category C): pregnancy (53.4%); bronchial asthma (19.3%); hypertension (11.4%); cancer (3.4%) and sickle cell disease (2.3%); fractures and pulmonary tuberculosis (1%, respectively). These staff were recommended for redeployment from areas of high risk exposure to COVID-19. CONCLUSION: a management-driven risk assessment of hospital staff in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that a fifth of staff assessed themselves as being vulnerable to adverse outcomes from exposure. It is our hope that similar risk stratification programmes will become standard practice in healthcare facilities during disease outbreaks, especially in Africa.

Mainstreaming the private health sector in the response to COVID-19: facility readinessassessment for screening services in Edo State, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for the Nigerian health system to harness the potentials available in the private sector to augment the capacity within the public health system. This survey was carried out to assess private facility readiness in providing screening services in Edo State. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among private facilities in Edo state. Facilities were selected using stratified sampling technique. Data was collected using adapted questionnaires and an observational checklist. Facility readiness was assessed using the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recommendations for screening. Parameters were scored and overall scores were converted to proportions. Facilities that scored 70% and above were adjudged to be ready while facilities that scored 69% and below were adjudged to be not ready. RESULTS: A total of 252 health facilities were assessed, comprising 149 (59.1%) hospitals/clinics, 62 (24.6%) pharmacies and 41 (16.3%) laboratories. One hundred and forty-two (95.3%), 60 (96.8%) and 41 (100.0%) hospitals/clinics, pharmacies and laboratories, respectively had hand hygiene facilities. However, overall facility readiness assessment scores for screening services were low with only 51 (34.2%) hospitals/clinics, 2 (3.2%) pharmacies and 2 (4.9%) laboratories achieving high enough scores to be adjudged ready for screening services. CONCLUSION: Overall facility readiness of the private health sector to provide screening services in Edo State was assessed to be low. The government and facility owners will need to ensure that screening services are improved in all facilities to help mitigate community spread of COVID-19.

Staff risks stratification in preparation for COVID-19 in a tertiary healthcare facility in Nigeria

Introduction: this report is a documentation of a staff risk stratification programme, undertaken in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, with outcomes, and the actions taken to protect staff. Methods: an adapted risk stratification tool was circulated to all staff through their respective heads of departments/units. Staff were expected to voluntary assess their health and risk status in the context of COVID-19, using the tool. A central multi-disciplinary screening committee assessed submissions and invited staff who required further evaluation for physical interviews. Respondents were categorized into three risk/exposure groups from lowest to highest - A, B, and C, based on their individual health assessments, occupational exposures, and information obtained from direct interviews. Results: the committee received submissions from 746 staff, representing 19.4% (about a fifth) of the hospital's 3,840 staff. One hundred and twenty two of these were invited for physical interviews, of whom 88 (72.1%) were categorized as high risk (Category C): pregnancy (53.4%); bronchial asthma (19.3%); hypertension (11.4%); cancer (3.4%) and sickle cell disease (2.3%); fractures and pulmonary tuberculosis (1%, respectively). These staff were recommended for redeployment from areas of high risk exposure to COVID-19. Conclusion: a management-driven risk assessment of hospital staff in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that a fifth of staff assessed themselves as being vulnerable to adverse outcomes from exposure. It is our hope that similar risk stratification programmes will become standard practice in healthcare facilities during disease outbreaks, especially in Africa

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about the health hazards of biomass smoke exposure amongst commercial food vendors in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to biomass smoke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa. Commercial food vendors in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa are commonly exposed to biomass smoke from open fire cooking both at work and home. Little is known about the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of food vendors about the health hazards of biomass smoke exposure in Nigeria. METHODS: We did a descriptive cross sectional survey of the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of commercial food vendors in the cities of Benin and Calabar in Nigeria. We recruited respondents using a multi-stage approach. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. RESULTS: We recruited 308 participants (164, 53.2% female). The majority 185(60.2%) were married and had post-primary education 206(67.4%). The average monthly income was <30,000 Naira (US$150). Most 198(64.4%) were not aware that biomass smoke exposure is harmful to human health. About three-quarters (221; 71.8%) were unconcerned as to the effect of exposure to fumes from biomass fuels on their health. Less than half of respondents (110, 41.6%) believed biomass smoke was harmful to health. Male gender, being single, having post-primary education and preferring electricity or gas fuels were associated with good knowledge of the adverse health effects of biomass smoke exposure whilst female gender and having good knowledge of the adverse health effects of biomass smoke were associated with positive attitudes towards preventing exposure. CONCLUSION: Commercial food vendors in our study had limited knowledge about the adverse health effects of biomass smoke exposure and negative attitudes towards preventing these adverse health effects. We suggest an educational intervention is needed to improve this knowledge.