ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT FAMILY FUNCTIONING ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN BAUCHI NORTH-EAST NIGERIA.

Introduction: Malnutrition is a major public health problem in developing countries including Nigeria. Assessment of the nutritional status of children and the effect of family functioning on it will improve understanding of the magnitude of the problem and aid planning of appropriate interventions that will improve child health and development. Objective: The goal of this study is to assess the effect of family functioning on the nutritional status of under-five children attending ATBUTH, Bauchi. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 349 under-five children attending the Paediatric Outpatients' Clinic of ATBUTH, Bauchi. Data were collected and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Frequency and percentages were used to summarize the data. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used for analysis at p < 0.05. Result: The age range of the participants was 13-24 months with males accounting for 64.2%. The study observed 70.5% of the respondents perceived their family to be functional. Nutritional status of under-five children using weight for height z-score was found to be an independent predictor of family functioning (p=0.010). However, no significant relationship was found between the nutritional status of under-five children using height for age z-score and family functioning (p=0.112). Conclusion: The study concludes that the functionality of the family determines the weight of under-five children, while the functionality of the family has no effect on the height of the under-five children.

Predictors of blood pressure control amongst primary care patients of a teaching hospital in Bauchi, North-Eastern Nigeria.

Background: Poorly managed hypertension is still a serious global public health issue, despite medication. It is unclear what is causing treated hypertensive patients to have trouble achieving their target blood pressure (BP). Aim: The goal of this study was to determine the predictors of BP control amongst hypertensive patients attending a teaching hospital in North-eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 277 hypertensive patients from a tertiary healthcare institution. Data were analysed using version 20 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Frequency and percentages were used to summarise data while Chi-square test was used to test for associations. To identify the factors linked to BP control, logistic regression was employed. At P < 0.05, predictors of BP control were found using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The respondents' average age was 53.1 ± 14.6 years, of which 67.5% were female. The level of optimal BP control was 40.8%. Factors associated with reduced BP control include not currently married (AOR = 0.29 [95% CI: 0.16-0.53], P ≤ 0.0001), imperfect adherence (AOR = 0.37 [95% CI: 0.22-0.64], P ≤ 0.0001), taking more than two drugs (AOR = 0.3 [95% CI: 0.14-0.64], P = 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 (AOR = 0.40 [95% CI: 0.22-0.72], P = 0.002). Conclusion: The optimal BP control is alarmingly low in this setting. Marital status, medication adherence, increased pill burden and BMI ≥25 kg/m2 negatively affect the attainment of BP control.