Use of Herbal Medicine by Rural Residents in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Medicinal plants have been used for years in daily life all over the world. Herbal medicines (HM) may be beneficial but are not completely harmless especially with unregulated use. AIM: To assess the knowledge, preference and use of HM in a rural setting, western Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study among 417 residents of Epe Local Government Area, Lagos State Nigeria conducted in mid 2016. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Epi- info version 7.1.5.2. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done. P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS: Nearly half (48.7%) of the respondents were between the ages of 18-33 years, over three fourths (78.4%) were married and majority (89.2%) were Yoruba. About half 207(49.6%) of respondents had good knowledge of HM. Over two thirds (67.6%) would use HM as first line treatment and 69.3% perceive it more effective than conventional medicine. Almost all (95.7%) respondents have used HM, majority (87.4%) in the last six months prior to study. Factors significantly associated with knowledge of HM are age (p=0.001) and sex of respondents (p=0.014). Significant factors influencing HM use include level of education (Fisher's exact p=0.017), religion (Fisher's exact p=0.001), and ethnicity (Fisher's exact p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Participants were fairly knowledgeable about herbal medicine but most were oblivious of its potential side effects. Majority were HM users mainly because of its perceived effectiveness. There is need for health education in rural areas on the side effects and safe use of herbal medicines.

CONTEXTE: Les plantes médicinales sont utilisées depuis des années au quotidien la vie partout dans le monde. Les médicaments à base de plantes (HM) peuvent être bénéfiques, mais ne sont pas complètement inoffensifs, surtout avec une utilisation non réglementée. OBJECTIF: Évaluer les connaissances, les préférences et l'utilisation de HM dans un cadre rural, dans l'ouest du Nigéria. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Il s'agissait d'une étude transversale menée auprès de 417résidents de la zone d'administration locale d'Epe, État de Lagos Nigéria menée à la mi-2016. Les répondants ont été sélectionnés à l'aide d'une technique d'échantillonnage en plusieurs étapes. Les données ont été recueillies à l'aide d'un questionnaire prétesté administré par l'intervieweur et analysé à l'aide deEpi- info version 7.1.5.2. Les statistiques descriptives et inférentielles étaient fait. La valeur P de <0,05 a été considérée comme statistiquement significative. RÉSULTATS: Près de la moitié (48,7 %) des répondants avaient entreâgés de 18 à 33 ans, plus des trois quarts (78,4 %) étaient mariés etla majorité (89,2 %) étaient des Yoruba. Environ la moitié 207 (49,6%) des répondants avait une bonne connaissance de HM. Plus des deux tiers (67,6 %) utiliseraient HM comme traitement de première intention et 69,3 % le perçoivent comme plus efficace quemédecine conventionnelle. Presque tous les répondants (95,7 %) ont utilisé HM, majorité (87,4 %) au cours des six derniers mois précédant l'étude. Facteurs significativement associés à la connaissance de HM sont l'âge (p = 0,001)et le sexe des répondants (p = 0,014). Facteurs importants influençant HMl'utilisation comprend le niveau d'éducation (p exact de Fisher = 0,017), la religion(p exact de Fisher = 0,001) et origine ethnique (p exact de Fisher<0,001). CONCLUSION: Les participants connaissaient assez bien les plantes médicinales médecine mais la plupart étaient inconscients de ses effets secondaires potentiels. La majorité étaient des utilisateurs de HMprincipalement en raison de son efficacité perçue. Il y a un besoin de santé l'éducation dans les zones rurales sur les effets secondaires et l'utilisation sûre des plantes médicinales. Mots-clés: Médecine alternative et complémentaire, santé publique,rural, Phytothérapie, Nigéria.

Visual acuity, safe/unsafe practices and self-reported road traffic crash experiences among commuter bus drivers from two motor parks in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Road Traffic injuries remain a significant public health problem with serious health and economic implications. This study was conducted to determine visual acuity, safety practices and road traffic crash (RTC) experiences of commercial bus drivers in Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved visual acuity screening and interviewer- administered questionnaire survey. Participating motor parks were selected by simple random sampling and all intercity, commercial minibus drivers were included. Data was analyzed with Epi info version 3.5.1. RESULTS: A total of 407 drivers participated with a mean age of 43.4 ± 10.8 years. A total of 68 (16.7%) of the drivers did not meet the minimum VA standard required for driving; 8.6% of them use mobile phones while driving; 97% fasten their seatbelt, out of which almost 98% do so always. Fourteen percent also admitted eating while driving. Sixty two (15.2%) of drivers had been involved in RTC in the past 5 years prior to interview. CONCLUSION: A proportion of commercial minibus drivers did not meet the minimum VA required for driving. Some of them also practiced distracted driving. Free visual acuity screening within the motor park is recommended for commercial drivers at least once a year. There should be awareness campaigns to enlighten commercial drivers on the dangers of distracted driving in addition to strict enforcement of regulations and Highway Code.

Compliance with driver's license laws and illegal licensing among commercial bus drivers in Lagos, Nigeria: policy implications and evidence for action.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of compliance with driver's license laws among commercial bus drivers in Lagos, Nigeria. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two intercity motor parks were selected by simple random sampling and all consenting minibus drivers participated in the study. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were also conducted with selected officials in the driver training and licensing authorities. RESULTS: Compliance with the minimum age for driving was high (93.6%), so also was having driving test prior to driver's license procurement (83.3%). Formal driver training and VA testing were very low, (26.1% and 32.9% respectively) Overall, only 9.3% of them were found to have fulfilled all the pre-license obligations before obtaining their first driver's license. The odds of a driver with a secondary education having formal driver training is 3.33 times higher than those with no education (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.01-11.35). Drivers who were 60 years or older were 3.62 times more likely to be compliant than those who were between 20-29 years (OR 3.62, 95% CI 0.56-29.19). For the 98.3% of them who possessed valid licenses, 52.3% of them obtained them illegally. All the key officials saw RTIs as a serious public health problem but faced several challenges in the course of their work. CONCLUSION: Overall compliance with pre-license regulations was very poor. There is need for a review and strict enforcement of driver's license laws to improve compliance. Also vital are fostering inter-sectoral collaboration and improvement in the operations of all establishments involved in driver training and license procurement in Nigeria.

Work related stress and coping mechanisms among bankers in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed knowledge, prevalence, associated factors and mechanisms of coping with stress among bankers in Lagos State. METHODS: It was a descriptive cross sectional study. A two stage sampling technique was used to select two hundred and twenty seven (227) respondents. Data was collected using a structured self administered questionnaire. The analysis was done using Epi-info version 2002 software and Chi Square was used to determine association between variables at p value 0.05. Fischer's Exact test was used where Chi-square was not valid. RESULTS: The age range of respondents was between 20 and 49 years while the mean age was 31.3 +/- 5.0 years. Only 3.6% had good level of knowledge about stress, 42.2% had fair level while more than half of the respondents had poor level of knowledge about stress (54.3%). Majority (67.0%) of the respondents were moderately stressed while one quarter (24.7%) were highly stressed. Majority (92.4%) of the respondents used good coping mechanisms though 69.5% of the respondents also used bad coping mechanisms. A greater proportion of those who had poor knowledge about stress were stressed or highly stressed (p = 0.002). A statistically significant association was also found between the departments in the bank and level of stress of the respondents (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The prevalence of stress was high among the bank workers studied. It is recommended that effective stress management programmes are implemented to address the problem of stress among bank workers.

Orthodox versus unorthodox care: A qualitative study on where rural women seek healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth in Southwest, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Utilization of orthodox health facilities for maternal health services is determined by factors operating at the individual, household, community and state level. The prevalence of small family norm is one of the identified variables operating within the community which influences the decision of where to access care (orthodox/traditional). The objective of the study was to determine the use of orthodox versus unorthodox maternity healthcare and determinants among rural women in southwest Nigeria. METHODS: A qualitative study was done and involved three focus group discussions. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect information from women of reproductive age group within a rural Local Government Area in Lagos state. RESULTS: Most of the women access some form of healthcare during pregnancy, orthodox, unorthodox or both. Those who patronize both services concurrently do so to benefit from the two as each has some unique features such as herbal concoctions for traditional, ultrasound and immunization of babies for orthodox. Traditional belief exerts a strong influence on decision of where to access maternal healthcare services. Actual place of delivery is determined by individual and household factors including financial resources. CONCLUSION: Rural women utilize one or both orthodox and unorthodox maternal health services for different reasons. Ward Development Committees should be strengthened so as to reach the communities, educate and convince women to dispel myths which limit their use of orthodox care. Training and monitoring of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are vital to eliminate harmful practices. We also recommend improved financial access to orthodox healthcare.

Use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets for children under five years in an urban area of Lagos State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) have proven to be one of the most effective means of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality in children and pregnant women. This study is carried out to determine the practice and determinants of ITN use for children under five years among care givers in an urban area of Lagos State. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based, cross sectional study was carried out in Lagos State in April 2007 among three hundred and forty (340) care givers primarily responsible for child care at home. They were selected by a multi-stage sampling method using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire. RESULTS: ITN use rate for under-fives was high (61.8%) and this was significantly determined by care giver's marital status (P < 0.001) and the number of children under five years in the household (P = 0.006). Educational level of care giver and occupation of head of the household were not significant determinants. CONCLUSION: There is need for health campaigns on ITNs targeted at unmarried care givers of young children. In addition, we also recommend social marketing of modern family planning methods to reduce family size, thereby increasing chances of ITN use among children less than five years to reduce malaria burden.

Home management of malaria by care givers of under-five children in an urban area in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: One of the key interventions proposed under the Roll back malaria initiative is improvement of case management of malaria at the home and community levels to reduce malaria burden. This study was conducted to determine the practice and determinants of Home Management of Malaria (HMM) among care givers of children below 5 years old in an urban community in Lagos State, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2007. A multi-stage sampling method was used to select the 340 respondents who participated in this study. Data was collected using interviewer administered questionnaires and analysed with Epi-info software. A care giver was included in the study if he/she takes care of a child/children less than 5 years old. RESULTS: The commonest treatment practice by caregivers for their young children with malaria was home treatment with antimalarial drugs [51.5%]. HMM was not significantly determined by care givers' age nor educational level. Most children were treated with chloroquine and only a few [4.2%] of the children were treated with the recommended drug [ACT]. Overall, only 1.24% received adequate treatment. CONCLUSION: Few respondents correctly practice HMM. There is need to educate care givers of young children on the proper management of malaria at home.