Psychosocial dysfunction among adolescents who abuse substances in secondary schools in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Substance abuse has been associated with psychosocial dysfunction from previous reports; however, the prevalence and pattern of such morbidity is unknown in our environment. AIMS: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of psychosocial dysfunction among adolescents who abuse substance. METHODS: A case-control study was carried out among adolescents selected from five secondary schools in Abakaliki. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select the students and the World Health Organization student drug use questionnaire was used to screen respondents for substance abuse. Substance abusers and matched controls (non substance abusers) were assessed for psychosocial dysfunction using the 35-item Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC). Socioeconomic classification was done using the parental educational attainment and occupation. RESULTS: Two hundred and four students were abusers of one or more substances. The mean PSC score for substance abusers was 21.96 ± 10.77 whereas that for controls was 16.07 ± 8.69 (t = -6.74, P = 0.000). Eighty-nine individuals (43.7%) and 28 controls (13.9%) had PSC scores in the morbidity range of ≥ 28 for psychosocial dysfunction. This was statistically significant (χ2 = 13.57, P = 0.001). Prevalence of dysfunction was significantly associated with age group, gender, and socioeconomic class in both participants and controls. The prevalence of dysfunction was significantly higher in multiple abusers than the single abusers. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction is higher in adolescents abusing substance than in controls. Psychosocial dysfunction was however not related to age, gender, or social classes in the study population but was related to the abuse of multiple substances.

The Burden and Outcome of Pediatric Renal Admissions at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki: A 3-year Review (2011-2013).

BACKGROUND: Renal diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide particularly in the resource-poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Adequate data on these diseases in children in our setting are limited as a result of late/nonpresentation. AIM: The aim of the study is to review the pattern and outcome of pediatric renal admissions at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FETH) Abakaliki over a 3-year period. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective observational review of all childhood renal admissions in FETH, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state between 2011 and 2013. Relevant clinical data extracted from the hospital records included patients' biodata, presenting symptom(s), examination finding (s), laboratory investigation results as well as treatment and outcome using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS software package version 16.0. The differences in proportions were tested for statistical significance using the Chi-square statistics. Statistical significance was based on P < 0.05. RESULTS: In the period under review, 1780 children were admitted, of which 4.4% (79/1780) had renal disorders. The mean age of the children was 8.37 (5.1) years. Nephrotic syndrome 32.9% (26/79) was the most common while on individual basis, meatal stenosis, acute kidney injury and end-stage renal disease, respectively, 1.3% (1/79) were the least renal disorders in the study population. The association between treatment mode and outcome of the treatment was statistically significant (P = 0.03), whereas other variables, such as age (P = 0.42), sex (P = 0.28), socioeconomic status (P = 0.33), and type of renal disease (P = 1.00) were not statistically significant. The case fatality rate was 3.8% (3/79). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of individual renal cases in the current study appears to be high. Nephrotic syndrome was the most common with the majority having favorable outcome. There is need to encourage early presentation as the outcome of some of these renal diseases is encouraging, especially when diagnosis and effective management are possible.

Nocturnal Enuresis among Nigerian Children and its Association with Sleep, Behavior and School Performance.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of nocturnal enuresis with sleep, behavior and school performance. METHODS: Hospital-based, cross-sectional descriptive study of 216 children (?6-year-old) using structured questionnaire and behavioral tools. SETTING: Two hospitals at Lucknow in Northern India. RESULTS: Prevalence of enuresis was 37.0%. Nocturnal enuresis was significantly associated with abnormal behaviour (P=0.049) and poor sleep hygiene (P%0.05). School performance was not associated with enuresis. CONCLUSION: Children with nocturnal enuresis were at an increased risk of behavioral problems and poor sleep hygiene.