Prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis B and C viral co-infections in HIV infected children in Lagos, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The study was carried out to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis B and C viral co-infections in HIV infected children in Lagos. METHOD: A cross-sectional study conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B and C viral co-infection in children aged 2 months to 13 years. There were 187 HIV infected and 187 HIV naïve age, sex-matched controls. Blood samples of participants were assayed for the serologic markers [HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV)] of HBV and HCV viral infections using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULT: The prevalence of HBV infection using HBsAg was 5.3% and 4.8% (p = 0.814), among HIV-infected and HIV naïve children respectively, while using anti-HBc the prevalence was 7.0% and 7.5% (p = 0.842) among HIV- infected and HIV naïve children respectively. The prevalence of HCV infection among HIV- infected and HIV naive children were equal to 0.5% (p = 1.000). There was also no significant association with the identifiable risk factors (sharing of a toothbrush, sharing of needles, incision marks/tattoo, hepatitis B immunization status, history of blood transfusion, previous surgical operation, sexual exposure/abuse, history of jaundice, and genital circumcision) and the HBV and or HCV status among both groups of children. History of sexual exposure/abuse and history of jaundice were however found to be predictors of the presence of HBsAg among HIV infected children only, using a binary logistic regression model. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HBV and or HCV infection among HIV-infected children is similar to the prevalence among HIV naïve children, suggesting that HIV-infected children are not more predisposed to viral hepatitis than healthy children. Also, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBV infection irrespective of the use of HBsAg or anti-HBc.

Perceived Effect of Occupational Safety Measures on Workers' Performance in Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, Delta State, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational safety measures when put in place in organizations are expected to increase the productivity of employees and drive organizations to better performance. This study was aimed at assessing the perception of workers at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) on the effect of implemented occupational safety measures on their individual and organizational performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was cross-sectional in design conducted at the WRPC, Delta state, Nigeria, among 236 workers of the WRPC selected via a simple random sampling technique across different job cadres (junior, senior, and management) in the organization. Data were collected using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistical tests of the SPSS version 20 with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 43 ± 2.26 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.8:1. More than 50% of the respondents attested that occupational safety measures had been well implemented at the WPRC. Almost all the respondents, 219 (92.8%) and 224 (94.9%), agreed that occupational safety measures in place and trainings on safety measures had improved individual worker's performance, respectively. Respondents' length of service and job cadres were significantly associated with their perceived effect of the existing occupational safety measures at the WRPC on individual worker and organizational performance (P < 0.001). They were also significantly associated with their perceived effect of the neglect of these safety measures on high labor turnover rate (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Occupational safety measures were perceived to have positively affected workers' and organizational performance.

Prevalence and modes of complementary and alternative medicine use among peasant farmers with musculoskeletal pain in a rural community in South-Western Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Anecdotally, use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Musculoskeletal Pain (MSP) is common in Nigeria; however, there seems to be a dearth of empirical data on its prevalence and mode of use. This study investigated the prevalence and modes of use of CAM for MSP among farmers in a rural community in South-western Nigeria. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey employed multistage sampling technique guidelines for conducting community survey by the World Health Organization among rural community farmers in Gudugbu village, Oyo State, Nigeria. A questionnaire developed from previous studies and validated by expert reviews was used to assess prevalence and modes of CAM use. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 230 consenting rural farmers volunteered for this study with a valid response rate of 93.9 % (n = 216). The lifetime, 12-month and point prevalence of CAM for MSP was 96.8 % respectively. Herbal therapy and massage were the predominant types of CAM therapies among previous (83.8 and 80.1 %) and current CAM users (37.5 and 37.5 %). CAM was largely used as sole therapy for MSP (75.5 %) and also in combination with orthodox medicine (23.6 %), and it is consumed on daily basis (21.8 %). CAM was perceived to be very good in maintaining a healthy life (87.1 %) and has less side effects (74 %) and more healthy than taking doctors' prescriptions (63.4 %). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of CAM among Nigerian rural farmers. The most commonly employed CAM for MSP were herbal remedies and massage which are attributable to beliefs on their perceived efficacy.