Outcome of training on yellow fever surveillance in a South-Western State, Nigeria: Implications for improved field implementation

Nigeria is in the process of strengthening yellow fever case-based surveillance with the collection of serum samples among suspected case patients. Atraining conducted for surveillance officers in the local government areas (LGAs) of Osun State on yellow fever case-based surveillance was assessed to determine its immediate impact on the knowledge of participants. The training focused mainly on how to detect and report a suspected case of yellow fever to the national authorities and the reference laboratory. Training materials included theWorld Health Organization district guidelines for yellow fever surveillance.Apre and post test was used to evaluate the immediate impact of the training on knowledge among participants. Atotal of 31 officers participated. The mean scores for pre and post tests were 7.1 (SD 3.6) and 20.7 (SD 3.4) out of a total of 30 points respectively. More than 80% of participants rated the training as excellent in overall organization.All participants indicated that they were very confident to fully implement yellow fever surveillance in their LGAs

Sexual practices of deaf and hearing secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Adolescents and young people with disabilities generally face various forms of discrimination. Inspite of this, they have to deal with similar reproductive health issues encountered by their abled peers. This situation is made worse by misconceptions that they are not sexually active.Objective: The objective was to compare the sexual practices of the hearing impaired students with their non-hearing impaired counterparts.Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. All consenting deaf students and an equal number of hearing students attending a half way school in Ibadan participated. Four of the hearing students did not complete the survey and their responses were excluded from the final analysis.Results: A total of 78 deaf students and 74 hearing students with mean ages of 17.1 (S.D. ± 3.0) and 15.8 (S.D. ± 1.9) years respectively participated. Twenty-six (33.3%) deaf and 36 (48.6%) hearingstudents had ever had sexual intercourse (p = 0.055). Median ages at sexual debut were 16 and 14 years for the deaf and hearing students respectively. The number of sexual partners ever had ranged from 1 to 8 among the deaf and 1 to 6 among the hearing students. Four (15.4%) deaf and 23 (63.9%) hearing students reported that they used a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse.Conclusion: The study revealed that hearing-impaired students like their hearing counterparts were sexually active however deaf students were more likely to engage in unsafe sex. There is therefore a pressing need for comprehensive sexuality education for deaf students in the study area.Keywords: Sexual practices, deaf and hearing students, Ibada

A comparative study of hiv/aids knowledge and attitudes of hearing-impaired and non-hearing-impaired secondary school students in Ibadan

The study showed that the hearing-impaired students had poorer knowledge and attitudes to HIV/AIDS compared with their non-hearing-impaired counterparts. There is a pressing need for developmentA cross-sectional survey of all the hearing impaired students and an equal number of nonhearing-impaired students enrolled in a half way school in Ibadan was conducted. Four non-hearingimpaired students did not complete the survey and their responses were excluded from the finalanalysis. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 11.0). Seventy-eight hearing-impaired and non 74 non-hearing impaired students completed the survey. Thirty (38.5%) hearing-impaired and 67 (90.5%) and non-hearing-impaired students knew that HIV could be transmitted via semen, vaginal fluid and blood, (

Pattern of seat belt use by drivers in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Trinidad and Tobago, the law on the mandatory use of seat belts was passed in 1995, but this law is hardly enforced. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and predictors of seat belt use by motor vehicle drivers in the country.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>A cross-sectional study of 959 motor vehicle drivers using a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis included Pearson Chi square test and multinomial logistic regression analysis in order to determine the possible predictors of seat belt use by the drivers in Trinidad and Tobago. A majority of the drivers sometimes (51.8%) or always (31.6%) use a seat belt. About 16.7%, 29% and 54.2% of the drivers perceived that the other drivers use their seat belts more frequently, with the same frequency and less frequently respectively compared to themselves. The main reason for not using seat belt by the drivers was given as frequent stops (40.7%) and the main motivation to use seat belt by the drivers was given as stiffer penalties for non-compliance with the seat belt law (44.5%). The predictors of seat belt use were male driver, no formal or lower level of education, driving for less than 10 years, and the perception that the other drivers use seat belts with the same or higher frequency compared to the respondents.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Only a small proportion of the drivers in Trinidad and Tobago always use a seat belt when driving. There is the need to enforce the seat belt legislation in the country.</p

Mobilidade, acidentes de trânsito e fatores associados entre estudantes universitários da Guatemala

El objetivo fue identificar y cuantificar la asociación entre la intensidad de exposición (km/año recorridos), la accidentalidad y sus factores asociados en universitarios de Guatemala. Se realizó un estudio trasversal durante el curso 2010-2011, sobre una muestra de 1.016 conductores, quienes cumplimentaron un cuestionario autoadministrado que valoraba: patrones de movilidad, uso de dispositivos de seguridad, estilos de conducción y accidentalidad. Se obtuvieron asociaciones positivas entre la intensidad de exposición y la mayor implicación en circunstancias de riesgo al volante (coeficiente de regresión ajustado de 3,25, IC95%: 2,23-4,27, para las mayores exposiciones). Tanto una mayor implicación en tales circunstancias, como una mayor edad, fueron las variables más fuertemente asociadas con la mayor accidentalidad. Pese a que la intensidad de exposición se asocia positivamente con una mayor accidentalidad, se constató que la mayor parte de dicha asociación está mediada por una mayor implicación en circunstancias de riesgo al volante.The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the association between the amount of driving (km/year), traffic accidents, and other factors among university students in Guatemala. A cross-sectional study was performed during the 2010-2011 school year in a sample of 1,016 drivers who completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed mobility patterns, use of safety accessories, driving style, and automobile crashes. The results showed a positive association between amount of driving and greater involvement in risky driving (adjusted regression coefficient 3.25, 95%CI: 2.23-4.27, for the highest level of exposure). More frequent involvement in risky driving and older age showed the strongest associations with traffic accidents. Although the amount of driving was positively associated with a higher accident rate, most of this association was found to be mediated by involvement in risky driving practices.O objetivo foi identificar e quantificar a associação entre a intensidade de exposição (km/anos percorridos), a acidentalidade e os seus fatores em universitários da Guatemala. Realizou-se um estudo transversal durante o curso 2010-2011 sobre uma amostra de 1.016 condutores de veículos, que responderam a um questionário autoadministrado que valorizava: padrões de mobilidade, uso de dispositivos de segurança, maneira de condução e acidentalidade. Obtiveram-se associações positivas entre intensidade de exposição e maior implicância em circunstâncias de risco ao conduzir (coeficiente de regressão ajustado a 3,25; IC95%: 2,23-4,27, para as maiores exposições). Tanto a maior implicância em ditas circunstâncias como uma maioridade foram as variáveis mais fortemente associadas com a maior acidentalidade. Apesar de a intensidade de exposição ser associada positivamente com uma maior acidentalidade, estabelecemos que a maior parte da dita associação está mediada pela maior implicância em circunstâncias de risco ao conduzir

Risk factors Schistosoma hematobium in Ajelanwa area of Oyo state, Nigeria

Infection with Schistosoma hematobium has been on the rise in developing countries with studies done in Nigeria alluding to the risk factors for infection. However, these risks factors have often not been properly described in the context in which they occurred. This study aims to describe the situation in which these risk factors occur in a rural pcpulation. A cross sectional study of children aged 5 to 24 years was conducted in a rural transborder community in Nigeria using a systematic random sampling method. Five hundred and thirty one participants were interviewed and examined for anaemia, cleanliness and skin infections, while a mid-day urine sample was taken for microscopic identification of S haematobium. A large proportion of respondents were either dirty 271 (51.0%) or unkempt - uncut nails, unkempt hair and tattered clothes 105 (19.8%) with 11 (2.1 %) having scabies. Clinically detectable anaemia was present in 153 (28.8%) of the subjects. The prevalence rate of S haematobium was 14% in the study population with those within the ages 15 and 19 having the highest prevalence figure of 16.5%. Males were also more infected 48 (15.1%) than females 26 (12.2%). The risk factors for infection were water activities like swimming (OR 2.97,95% CI 1.55 - 5.77) and bathing (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.53 - 6.79). In addition water visitation in the afternoon was also a risk factor for infection (OR 4.21,95% CI 1.85 - 9.93). It is advocated that water contact activities be reduced in areas at increased risk of infection with S haematobium. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 54 (1) 2008: pp. 3-

Poliomyelitis in Osun State, Nigeria: Two Confirmed Cases After 6 years Without Polio

The Clinico-epidemological characteristics of two confirmed cases of poliomyelitis detected by Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance in Osun State of Nigeria after almost 6 years of the last confirmed case in the State was reported to provide information for formulating possible aetiological hypothesis and to adequately respond to preventing future occurrences. The major findings in the assessments of these cases supported the laboratory diagnosis of Wild Poliovirus (WPV). Though the 2 cases occurred around the same time, there is no epidemiology linkage in terms of districts of occurrence and persons affected. The widespread transmission of the virus in the Northern part of Nigeria, low routine immunization coverage, poor cold chain system and absence of supplemental immunization activities (SIA) in the State and the affected localities ( a year before the occurrences of the disease) coupled with social and environmental factors that favour transmission were some suggested for the occurrences of the disease. Keywords: Poliomyelitis; clinico-epidemological; assessments Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 66-6

Use of seatbelts by vehicle occupants in University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

No Abstract.Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine Vol. 3 (2) 2005: pp. 57-6