Risk factors for mild cognitive impairment among older adults in a hospital in southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: About 63% of people living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Emerging evidence suggests that early risk factors for the development of MCI and dementia can be modified by public health and preventive intervention approaches. AIM: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of MCI in older adult patients and its relationship with some risk factors. SETTING: The study was conducted among older adults at the Geriatric Clinic of the Family Medicine Department of a hospital in southern Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 160 subjects aged 65 years and above over a period of 3 months. Socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Subjects were accessed for impaired cognition using the 10-word delay recall test scale. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23. RESULTS: There were 64 males and 96 females; male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Majority of the study population were in age range of 65-74 years. The overall prevalence of MCI was 59.4%. Respondents with tertiary education were 82% less likely to have MCI on logistic regression analysis (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.465-0.719). CONCLUSION: Mild cognitive impairment was prevalent among older adults in this study and was found to be significantly associated with low level of education.Contribution: It is therefore recommended that screening for MCI and known risk factors should be prioritized at geriatric clinics.

Work-related stress perception and hypertension amongst health workers of a mission hospital in Oyo State, south-western Nigeria

Background: Globalisation and changes in the nature of work have resulted in increasing work-related stress in people in developing countries. Work stress is at present already acknowledged as one of the epidemics of modern working life. It is associated with a number of disease conditions; such as hypertension; cardiovascular diseases; affective disorders; depression; disturbed metabolism (risk of Type II diabetes) and musculoskeletal disorders. Objective: This study was a work site cross-sectional descriptive study carried out amongst the health workers at the Baptist Medical Centre Ogbomoso; Oyo State; south-western Nigeria. The aim of the study was to discern the prevalence of perceived work stress and to explore the relationship between perceived work stress and the presence of hypertension. Methods: A total of 324 consenting health workers of the institution were administered the job demand-control questionnaire to assess work stress. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and other personal data. Measurements of blood pressure; weight and height were carried out and body mass indices were calculated. Results: More than a quarter (26.2) of the subjects perceived themself as stressed at work. The single largest group of hypertensive subjects was seen amongst subjects with work stress. Conclusion: A significant number of health workers in this study is afflicted by work-related stress and perceived work stress was found to be significantly associated with higher hypertension prevalence