62 research outputs found
Election Gifting and the Ordeal of Democracy in Nigeria
Over-time, researchers have failed to show how citizens share, if not all, a part of the blame in Nigeria's failing democracy. Through election gifting, the community of voters in Nigeria have been selling their commonwealth to politicians who should not be anywhere close to power. Using secondary sources of data and relying on Robert Dahl’s theory of democracy, the paper argues that since the people are the custodians of the political mandate in any democracy, they should be held accountable when there is a problem. The paper further identifies the history, effect, scope, and predisposing factors of election gifting in Nigeria. This paper focuses on the fact that the non-evaluative and clientelist approach to democracy are the reason for the sad realities in Nigeria and concludes that only the engagement in a civil society can revive Nigeria’s failing democracy
Psychoactive substance use and level of risk among a geriatric population accessing three primary care facilities in Nigeria
We aimed to assess the prevalence, correlates of psychoactive substance use including misuse of prescription medications and its associated harm among a group of elderly patients attending three primary care facilities in Benin-city, Edo state, Nigeria. The WHO ASSIST was administered to assess for psychoactive substance use and level of risk of some elderly participants. Lifetime prevalence and current prevalence of substance use was obtained. Among participants, 12.7% demonstrated moderate risk to alcohol use while 2.9% demonstrated high risk to its use. Fifteen percent (15%) demonstrated moderate risk to stimulant use while 1.2% demonstrated high risk to its use. Twentyeight percent (28.3%) demonstrated moderate risk to opioid analgesic use while 0.6% demonstrated high risk to its use. Male gender was associated with a higher risk of tobacco use, alcohol use and stimulant use. Female gender was associated with a higher risk of sedative use. Only 3(1.7%) of these participants had received previous treatment for a substance use disorder.
Keywords: Elderly, primary care, substance use, prescription medication, level of ris
Simultaneous Quantification of Ciprofloxacin, Quinine and 3-hyrdoxyquinine in Human Plasma using a HPLC Method
Malaria has been shown to strongly predispose patients in areas of malaria endemicity to bacteremia with severe outcomes, thus justifying the use of antibiotics in combination with antimalarial therapy in patients with severe malaria. This study describes a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) method for simultaneous determinations of Ciprofloxacin (CPN), Quinine (QN), and its major metabolite, 3-Hydroxyquinine (3-HQN), in human plasma. Following a simple precipitation with acetonitrile, chromatographic separation was achieved on a reversed-phase Agilent Zorbax (CN) column (5 µm, 150 X 4.6 mm i.d) using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile: potassium dihydrogen phosphate (pH = 2.8; 0.02 M) (42:58, v/v). Retention times for CPN, 3-HQN, IS and QN were 2.7, 3.3, 3.6 and 4.9 minutes respectively. The limits of detection and validated lower limits of quantitation were 30 and 70 ng/ml for both QN and 3-HQN while the corresponding values were 50 and 100 ng/ml for CPN, respectively. The new HPLC method here developed, when compared with previous methods for the analysis of either or both drugs is simple, rapid, selective, reproducible and costeffective. It is also suitable for conducting a simultaneous therapeutic monitoring of quinine and ciprofloxacin in patients when concomittantly administered as demonstrated in five healthy volunteers
Self-reported psychological distress and its relationship with religiousness of Nigerian physicians: A multicenter study
Physicians are prone to psychological distress, and this has been poorly studied in association with religiousness. As a result, the prevalence of psychological distress among physicians and its relationship with religiousness was investigated. The study was conducted at two neuropsychiatric centers, and two teaching hospitals in the South-South and South-West regions of Nigeria. Demographics and practice-related characteristics of 231 physicians were collected in addition to report on psychological distress using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and a religiousness measuring scale, Ironson–Woods Spirituality/Religiosity Index. Chi-square and t-test analyses were done using SPSS version 19. The prevalence rate of significant psychological distress among physicians was 19.05%. The physicians’ specialty of practice fell short of statistically significant association with religiousness (X2=9.02, p=0.06). There was no significant association between physicians’ state of health and religiousness. Psychological distress is fairly common among physicians and shows no relationship with religiousness
Performance Evaluation of Software using Formal Methods
Formal Methods (FMs) can be used in varied areas of applications and to solve critical and fundamental problems of Performance Evaluation (PE). Modelling and analysis techniques can be used for both system and software performance evaluation. The functional features and performance properties of modern software used for performance evaluation has become so intertwined. Traditional models and methods for performance evaluation has been studied widely which culminated into the modern models and methods for system and software engineering evaluation such as formal methods. Techniques have transcended from functionality to performance modeling and analysis. Formal models help in identifying faulty reasoning far earlier than in traditional design; and formal specification has proved useful even on already existing software and systems. Formal approach eliminates ambiguity. The basic and final goal of the performance evaluation technique is to come to a conclusion, whether the software and system are working in a good condition or satisfactorily
Opportunities for technologically driven dialogical health communication for participatory interventions: Perspectives from male peer navigators in rural South Africa
There is increasing interest in the potential to deliver participatory dialogical HIV and intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention interventions via digital platforms, though the majority of mHealth interventions have been didactic in approach. We undertook 10 in-depth interviews with male Peer Navigators (PNs) who had been extensively trained and working on a larger intervention promoting young people's sexual and reproductive rights, in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Interviews focused on their, and their peers', use of technology in their everyday lives. Data were transcribed and translated, and subjected to thematic analysis. PNs described structural barriers to the use of technology, including poor connectivity, high data costs, and erratic electricity. They primarily used Facebook and WhatsApp for communication and highlighted how reading messages asynchronously was important to overcome connectivity challenges. PNs shared how groups were primarily for information sharing, they also discussed 'sensitive' issues online. Privacy was a concern, especially for conversations, and there was recognition of how confidentiality could be breached. It was also felt that WhatsApp could potentially support greater openness in discussions. We reflect on the potential for online interventions to support dialogical health communication, highlighting how dialogical health communication may be enabled through information provision, the asynchronous communication enhancing the potential for reflection, and greater participation in discussion by those who are shyer. Despite this potential there remain important risks around privacy of discussions and how to implement these approaches online
Service providers perception of a home-based intervention to test and start (HITS) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Profitability of Watermelon to Farmers in Ibarapa Central Local Government Area of Oyo State
The study analyzed the profitability of
watermelon as an alternative crop to the melon
the farmers in Ibarapa Central Local
Government Area of Oyo state, Nigeria are used
to grow traditionally. Unfortunately, melon had
remained a poor marketing commodity over a
long period of time due to price fluctuation.
Data collected were analyzed using descriptive
statistics and gross margin. Budgetary analysis
revealed a profitability of watermelon with gross
margin of ₦2.18 is realized for every ₦1 invest
on watermelon per hectare. The result of the
analysis also showed that total cost was
N3254250 and the total revenue was N7109600.
This gave a gross margin of N3855350 of
watermelon produced it therefore recommended
that the local government should acquire more
tractors for hiring to the farmers while subsidy
is required in other to reduce the cost of land
clearing. Finally, government should as a matter
of urgency make credit facilities and fertilizer
available to farmer, grade and open up more
road network that will facilitating easy
transportation of farm produce and reduce cost
of transportatio
- …