Factors Influencing the Onset of Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents in Konduga Local Government Area

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States; responsible for more than 400,000 deaths annually. There have been few reports in the literature about the association between these diseases and cigarette smoking from African countries, which may indicate that these diseases are not common inAfricans. There is a dearth of knowledge about the smoking habit among adolescents and factors influencing it in Africa. This is a survey of the factors influencing the onset of cigarette smoking among adolescents in Konduga local government area. Across-sectional study involving 400 randomly selected subjects from the four districts of the local government who responded to a modified version of the standard WHO questionnaire (WHO/SMO, 1984) for surveying smoking habit. The study showed that friends/peers (57%) as the major factor for initiating the smoking habit in adolescents. Others were pleasure (24%), stress (13%),family members (4%) and cigarette adverts (1%). The study also revealed that the adolescents continued to smoke even though they were aware of the health consequences of smoking. The majority of the respondents (70%) advocated outright ban on tobacco sales by the government as the most effective way to check this world's major preventable health hazard. The study showed that friends/peer groups were the dominant factor influencing the onset of cigarette smoking among adolescents. This underscores the need for targeting the group in behaviour change communication.

Sputum smear positivity among patients presenting to the dots clinic with chronic cough

Cough is one of the cardinal features of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB). However, even in communities with high prevalence of TB, lung diseases other than TB appear to account for this symptom. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of sputum smear positivity among patients with TB who presented with complaints of chronic cough to the Directly Observed Therapy Short Course (DOTS) clinic at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, North Eastern Nigeria. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) Borno state, Northeastern Nigeria between September 2014 and January 2017. All patients (new or previously treated) who presented to the DOTS clinic of the UMTH with complaints of chronic cough and had screening for pulmonary TB using sputum smear microscopy were reviewed. The minimum and the maximum ages were 1 year and 85 years, respectively, and the mean age was 36.0 (SD=14.0) years. The mean age did not differ among the male and female patients (i.e.37.3 ± 14.4 vs 34.1 ± 13.2, p=0.78). The overall prevalence of sputum smear positivity for TB was 26.5%. Although majority of patients who were sputum smear positive for TB fell within the age groups 30-39 and 20-29 thus accounting for 42.6% and 28.7% respectively, however, there was no significant association between age of those with chronic cough and sputum smear positivity TB (p=0.80). Among those who were sputum smear positive, 24.3% were new cases and 2.2% were previously treated. Conclusions: Data were entered into a computer database and analyzed with SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. Results: This study showed a high prevalence of sputum smear positivity among suspected TB patients with complaints of chronic cough This could be explained by the fact that the DOTS strategy has improved the case detection of PTB in this community. All patients with chronic cough should be evaluated for PTB

Essential Medicines at the National Level : The Global Asthma Network's Essential Asthma Medicines Survey 2014

Patients with asthma need uninterrupted supplies of affordable, quality-assured essential medicines. However, access in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. The World Health Organization (WHO) Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Global Action Plan 2013-2020 sets an 80% target for essential NCD medicines' availability. Poor access is partly due to medicines not being included on the national Essential Medicines Lists (EML) and/or National Reimbursement Lists (NRL) which guide the provision of free/subsidised medicines. We aimed to determine how many countries have essential asthma medicines on their EML and NRL, which essential asthma medicines, and whether surveys might monitor progress. A cross-sectional survey in 2013-2015 of Global Asthma Network principal investigators generated 111/120 (93%) responses41 high-income countries and territories (HICs); 70 LMICs. Patients in HICs with NRL are best served (91% HICs included ICS (inhaled corticosteroids) and salbutamol). Patients in the 24 (34%) LMICs with no NRL and the 14 (30%) LMICs with an NRL, however no ICS are likely to have very poor access to affordable, quality-assured ICS. Many LMICs do not have essential asthma medicines on their EML or NRL. Technical guidance and advocacy for policy change is required. Improving access to these medicines will improve the health system's capacity to address NCDs.Peer reviewe

Essential Medicines at the National Level: The Global Asthma Network's Essential Asthma Medicines Survey 2014

10.3390/ijerph16040605INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH16

Global Asthma Network survey suggests more national asthma strategies could reduce burden of asthma

Background Several countries or regions within countries have an effective national asthma strategy resulting in a reduction of the large burden of asthma to individuals and society. There has been no systematic appraisal of the extent of national asthma strategies in the world. Methods The Global Asthma Network (GAN) undertook an email survey of 276 Principal Investigators of GAN centres in 120 countries, in 2013–2014. One of the questions was: “Has a national asthma strategy been developed in your country for the next five years? For children? For adults?”. Results Investigators in 112 (93.3%) countries answered this question. Of these, 26 (23.2%) reported having a national asthma strategy for children and 24 (21.4%) for adults; 22 (19.6%) countries had a strategy for both children and adults; 28 (25%) had a strategy for at least one age group. In countries with a high prevalence of current wheeze, strategies were significantly more common than in low prevalence countries (11/13 (85%) and 7/31 (22.6%) respectively, p < 0.001). Interpretation In 25% countries a national asthma strategy was reported. A large reduction in the global burden of asthma could be potentially achieved if more countries had an effective asthma strategy. © 2017 SEICA

Global Asthma Network survey suggests more national asthma strategies could reduce burden of asthma

Background Several countries or regions within countries have an effective national asthma strategy resulting in a reduction of the large burden of asthma to individuals and society. There has been no systematic appraisal of the extent of national asthma strategies in the world. Methods The Global Asthma Network (GAN) undertook an email survey of 276 Principal Investigators of GAN centres in 120 countries, in 2013–2014. One of the questions was: “Has a national asthma strategy been developed in your country for the next five years? For children? For adults?”. Results Investigators in 112 (93.3%) countries answered this question. Of these, 26 (23.2%) reported having a national asthma strategy for children and 24 (21.4%) for adults; 22 (19.6%) countries had a strategy for both children and adults; 28 (25%) had a strategy for at least one age group. In countries with a high prevalence of current wheeze, strategies were significantly more common than in low prevalence countries (11/13 (85%) and 7/31 (22.6%) respectively, p < 0.001). Interpretation In 25% countries a national asthma strategy was reported. A large reduction in the global burden of asthma could be potentially achieved if more countries had an effective asthma strategy. © 2017 SEICA