Challenges With the Use of Insecticide Treated Nets Among Pregnant Women in Ife-Ijesha Zone, South Western Nigeria

Background: Malaria in pregnancy cannot be controlled if there is poor compliance with preventive strategies including use of insecticide treated nets (ITN). This study examined the use of ITN during pregnancy and also identified various factors that are associated with the use /non-use among the pregnant women. Methodology: This study was carried out in antenatal clinics of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex. It employed a descriptive cross sectional study design and was conducted among 320 pregnant women who gave their consent within the four weeks study period. Data was collected using facilitated self administered, pretested, semistructured questionnaire. Univariate and bivariate analysis were done using SPSS version 16 and critical level was set at 0.05. Results: Majority of the respondents (88.1%) did not sleep under ITN. Reasons for non-compliance include ignorance (55.8%), unavailability of the product (52.7%), exorbitant price (24%), personal beliefs about the chemicals used (23.3%) and inconveniences associated with use (12%). Having treated malaria in the index pregnancy was significantly associated with sleeping under ITN as 21.1% of them slept under ITN compared to none among those that have not had treatment (Fishers p=0.001). However, none of the socio-demographic variables tested had statistically significant association with the use of ITN.Journal of Community Medicine & Primary Health vol 23 (1-2) 201

Quality of Life and Adjustment to Psychosocial Morbidity Among Adults Attending a Dermatology Clinic

Background: The skin is the largest organ in the body and has aesthetic significance. The presence of any skin lesion or skin disease might be associated with psychosocial morbidity and negative impact on the quality of life. Objectives: To determine the level and degree of adjustment to psychosocial morbidity associated with the presence of dermatological conditions and assessing the quality of life of affected adults.  Methods: Data were collected from 189 new patients attending the Dermatology Clinic at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria using systematic random sampling. The validated Adjustment to Chronic Skin (ACS) diseases questionnaire and Finlay’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire were the research instruments. Results: The respondents consisted of 80 males (42.3%) and 109 females (57.7%) with a mean age of 36.3± 15.3 years. The least adjustment to skin-related psychosocial morbidity (49.7%) was observed with the helplessness scale. The mean score on the DQoL was 9.9 ± 6.2 and over half of the respondents (53.9%) reported moderate to an extremely large negative effect on their quality of life. Conclusion: The presence of dermatological conditions impact negatively on the quality of life and the least adjustment to skin-related psychosocial morbidity was experienced on the helplessness scale. Dermatology practitioners should acquire psychological evaluation and/or counselling skills to provide holistic care

A Comparative Study of School Based Violence and Strategies for Control in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Osun State

Background: Violence is universal; it occurs in schools (both public and private). The study aim was to assess the rates of violence as well as existing violence prevention strategies in public and private schools in Osun state. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 800 secondary school students (599 in public and 201 in private schools) selected by multi­stage sampling technique using quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Results: The mean age for all the respondents was 14.26 years ±2.00. Males make up about 51% of the respondents in both public and private schools. Respondents from public schools assaulted other students and staff with a weapon more than their colleagues in private schools (24.7% and 9.7% against 12.9% and 6.5% respectively). The commonest violence 'prevention' strategy in both schools was punishment for violent acts (>90%). Conclusion: Respondents in public schools perpetrated and experienced virtually all forms of school-related violence more than those in private schools. There were mild differences in existing violence prevention strategies in both schools. School connectedness seems to be a major factor in the differential rates of violence between both groups of schools. Keywords: School, violence, public, private, preventio

Awareness and Use of Modern Contraceptives Among Physically Challenged In-School Adolescents In Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed awareness and use of modern contraceptives among physically challenged in-school adolescents in Osun State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 215 adolescents in the special schools in the state. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers. Data analysis was done using SPSS 17 and statistical level of significance was set at p< 0.05. The mean age of the respondents was 15.5years and more than half of them (56%) were males. Only about two fifths of them (38%) had ever heard about modern contraceptives. More males, older adolescents and visually impaired respondents had significantly heard about modern contraceptives compared with females, younger ones and those with other challenges at p-values of 0.026, 0.001 and 0.003 respectively. Only 34% of sexually experienced respondents had used a modern contraceptive method. The male condom was the most commonly used method. Afr J Reprod Health 2014; 18[2]: 87-96).Keywords: Blind, Deaf, family planning, Adolescents, Schoo

Effect of mass media and Internet on sexual behavior of undergraduates in Osogbo metropolis, Southwestern Nigeria

Olusesan S Asekun-Olarinmoye,1 Esther O Asekun-Olarinmoye,2 Wasiu O Adebimpe,2 Akin G Omisore21Department of Mass Communication, Babcock Business School, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria; 2Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State, NigeriaIntroduction: The influence of media portrayals of sexual attitudes and normative expectations of young people at a critical developmental stage is of public health concern.Objectives: To examine the role of mass media and Internet utilization in shaping the sexual health attitudes and behaviors of young undergraduates in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria.Materials and methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 400 undergraduates were selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Four hundred and fifty pretested, semistructured questionnaires were distributed; of these, 400 were returned properly filled. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 16.Results: Mean age of respondents ± standard deviation was 23.6±2.99 years. Most were aware of the various forms of mass media (>95%). Most (64.0%) respondents spent 1–5 hours watching television, daily, and most used the Internet often. About 38.3% and 24.2% of respondents used the Internet and radio/television, respectively, as sources of information on sexual issues. Most respondents used the Internet for school assignments (83.0%, n=332), electronic mail (89.0%, n=356), and for accessing sexually explicit materials (74.5%, n=298). Most of the respondents (73.5%) opined that the Internet has a bad influence on youths' sexual behavior, although accessing the Internet for sexual material or movies was acceptable to 25.3% of them. Of the 226 respondents who had ever had sex, 226 (100%), 37 (16.4%), 31 (13.7%), and 10 (4.4%) practiced coitus, oral sex, masturbation, and anal sex, respectively; 122 (54.0%) always used condoms, whereas 90 (40.0%) never used condoms during sexual activity; 33 (14.6%) had had sex with commercial sex workers. Further analysis showed that those who were yet to marry (single) were less likely to be sexually experienced than those who were married (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.075, 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.008–0.679), and those who said accessing the Internet for sexual material is not acceptable to them were also less likely to be sexually experienced than those to whom it was acceptable (AOR =0.043, 95% CI =0.016–0.122). Predictors of having multiple sexual partners include the sex of the respondent and the frequency of Internet use, with females (AOR =0.308, 95% CI =0.113–0.843) and those who rarely use the Internet less likely to have multiple sexual partners.Conclusion: We conclude that uncontrolled exposure to mass media and Internet could negatively influence the sexual patterns and behavior of youths.Keywords: mass media, Internet, sexual behavior, undergraduate