Choices and determinants of delivery location among mothers attending a primary health facility in Southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The delivery locations of pregnant women contribute greatly to their birth outcome. The objectives of this study were to determine the choices and determinants of delivery locations among mothers attending a primary health centre (PHC) in southern Nigeria. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among mothers attending PHC, West Itam, Itu, Nigeria. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire and analysed with STATA version 12.0. Level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 185 mothers participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 27.6 ± 5.2 years. The delivery locations of last pregnancy were health facility (64.9%), traditional birth attendant's place (23.3%), respondent's residence (6.3%) and church (5.4%). The top five reasons that influenced the choice of delivery locations were distance (45.4%), cost (34.6%), skills of healthcare workers (30.3%), drug availability (27.6%) and attitude of healthcare workers (26.5%). Utilisation of healthcare facilities for delivery increased significantly with level of education and income of respondents and spouses (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Different non-institutionalised delivery locations were utilised by some of the respondents. Factors influencing women's choices of delivery locations included distance, cost and attitude of health workers. It is recommended that pregnant women be offered free or highly subsidised healthcare services to encourage their delivery at health facilities. Healthcare providers should endeavour to develop better relationship with clients who patronise their services. Female education should also be encouraged as this would empower them to make better choices about their health services options.

Awareness and Practice of Breast Self Examination among Women in Different African Countries: A 10-Year Review of Literature.

Breast self examination (BSE) is an important screening technique in detecting breast abnormalities. This procedure enables women become familiar with their breasts, thus making it easier for them to detect any changes that may occur. Routine performance of BSE is recommended for females above 20 years. This review of literature was conducted to assess the awareness and practice of BSE among women in different countries in Africa. A total of 28 out of 80 articles were reviewed from 15 African countries based on relevance. Review identification was performed through the search of Google Scholar and PubMed/MEDLINE/PubMed Central databases. Search terms used were "BSE," "awareness," "practice," and "Africa." Reference lists of identified studies were also used to find more studies. Majority of the reviewed studies showed adequate awareness, mainly from the media, but poor practice of BSE among women in various countries in Africa. A major barrier identified was inadequate knowledge of BSE technique. Although awareness of BSE was relatively high in many of the reviewed studies, the practice was low. Educational intervention program should be carried out among women in various African countries, not only to raise awareness but also to educate on the skills required to carry out BSE effectively.

Knowledge of Cervical Cancer and the Uptake of the Papanicolaou Smear Test among Public Secondary School Teachers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a public health problem that disproportionately affects women in less-developed countries despite the availability of effective screening tools. The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of cervical cancer and uptake of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test among teachers in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study among 370 female teachers in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire and were analyzed using Stata software version 10. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 37.9 ± 7.9 years. More than two-thirds (71.0%) of the respondents had low knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors, whereas 168 (57.9%) respondents had low knowledge of the symptoms. Among the 226 (77.9%) respondents who knew that cervical cancer was preventable, only 65 (28.8%) had high knowledge of preventive measures. About 42.2% of respondents were aware of the Pap smear test and only 8.4% had ever had a Pap smear test. There were significant associations between knowledge of symptoms, prevention of cervical cancer, and the uptake of the Pap smear test (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The levels of knowledge of risk factors, symptoms, and methods of prevention of cervical cancer were low in this study. This may have accounted for the low uptake of the Pap smear test. Regular and comprehensive health education concerning cervical cancer and its prevention is advocated in the media and clinics to encourage higher uptake of the Pap smear test.

Occupational Hazards and Health Problems among Butchers in Uyo, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Butchers are exposed to various types of hazards in the course of their work, which could lead to health problems of varying severity. The aim of this study was to identify the occupational hazards and health problems of butchers in Uyo and also assess the physical conditions of their slaughter facilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 157 butchers in Uyo using a semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. Facility assessment was made using a checklist. Analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 33 ± 9.94 years. Most respondents were males (83.4%). The most commonly reported workplace hazards were knife (93.6%), bones (57.3%), and slippery floor (24.8%). The most common health problems were knife cuts (87.3%), cuts from bones (50.3%), and neck pain (36.9%). Having injuries from live animals and back pain were significantly associated with working with cows (P < 0.05). The most common de-furring method was burning with firewood (61.1%). The slaughter facilities lacked many expected amenities of a standard abattoir. CONCLUSION: Identified hazards and health problems of butchers were numerous. The slaughter facilities lacked appropriate equipment that promotes workers' health and safety. It is recommended that slaughter facilities be upgraded to meet the standard abattoir practice. Regular training of butchers should be organized by their association to encourage safer practice, including the use of appropriate protective wears. Use of the chemical method of de-furring should also be encouraged to limit exposure to harmful gases.

Occupational hazards and health problems among butchers in Uyo, Nigeria

Introduction: Butchers are exposed to various types of hazards in the course of their work, which could lead to health problems of varying severity. The aim of this study was to identify the occupational hazards and health problems of butchers in Uyo and also assess the physical conditions of their slaughter facilities. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 157 butchers in Uyo using a semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. Facility assessment was made using a checklist. Analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 33 ± 9.94 years. Most respondents were males (83.4%). The most commonly reported workplace hazards were knife (93.6%), bones (57.3%), and slippery floor (24.8%). The most common health problems were knife cuts (87.3%), cuts from bones (50.3%), and neck pain (36.9%). Having injuries from live animals and back pain were significantly associated with working with cows (P < 0.05). The most common de-furring method was burning with firewood (61.1%). The slaughter facilities lacked many expected amenities of a standard abattoir. Conclusion: Identified hazards and health problems of butchers were numerous. The slaughter facilities lacked appropriate equipment that promotes workers' health and safety. It is recommended that slaughter facilities be upgraded to meet the standard abattoir practice. Regular training of butchers should be organized by their association to encourage safer practice, including the use of appropriate protective wears. Use of the chemical method of de-furring should also be encouraged to limit exposure to harmful gases