Psychologic distress and coping strategies among caregivers of children with sickle cell disease; a comparative study of caregivers presenting to the University College Hospital, Ibadan Nigeria

Background: Caregivers of children may undergo psychologic challenges when their children fall ill. It is assumed that, caregivers ofchronically ill children differ in their experience of psychologic distress and coping strategies compared to caregivers of non-criticalacutely ill children. Irrespective, the psychologic effects of caregiving and the deployed coping strategies of caregivers should not beunderestimated. Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted at the Paediatric, Hematology and Family Medicine outpatient clinics of the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria. The research was conducted in April-July 2015, on 140 primary caregivers of young patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and caregivers of age-matched non-SCD patients. Results: The percentage of SCD patients' caregivers (17.1%) older than 50yrs, was approximately twice of non-SCD patients' caregivers (8.7%). Mild to moderate anxiety, was prevalent in 92.6% and 84.1% of caregivers of SCD and non-SCD patients, while more (13.2%) of non-SCD patients' caregivers experienced moderate depression. Humour (p=0.028) and “venting” (p=0.003) coping strategies, were utilized by more of the SCD patients' caregivers (19.7% & 21.2%) compared to fewer, of the non-SCD patients' caregivers (4.5% & 4.4%). Higher percentage of caregivers (86.6% & 61.2%) of SCD patients significantly deployed “religion” and “acceptance” as coping  strategies compared to (68.7% & 26.9 %) of non-SCD patients' caregiver (p=0.024 & < 0.001). Conclusions: Caregivers of children, experiences psychologic distress irrespective of nature of children's illness. However, older caregivers of children with chronic illness can adopt religious, acceptance, venting and humour as adaptive coping strategies. Keywords; Coping strategies, SCD, Caregivers, Psychologic distress, Ventin

Predictors of insomnia among adults presenting at the general outpatient department of a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Background: Sleeplessness has contributed negatively in no small measure to the quality of life of individuals who suffer from it. Itbecomes imperative to study if there are sociodemographic predictors of insomnia so as to educate and counsel those presenting withsimilar parameters. Aim: To determine the sociodemographic predictors of insomnia among adult patients. Method: The data for this descriptive, cross-sectional facility-based study was obtained through systematic random sampling  technique involving three hundred and seventeen adults selected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Result: The total prevalence of insomnia in the study was 28.4%. Poor sleepers were significantly older (χ2= 42.532; p < 0.001), married (χ2 = 18.894; p < 0.001), had a family history of insomnia (χ2 = 31.643; p < 0.001) and in polygamous family setting (χ2= 10.514; p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that younger age and monogamous family setting were less likely to suffer from insomnia. Conclusion: It is important for clinician to pay particular attention to family history of insomnia in their patient whatever their age.This will help to educate and counsel those with family history of insomnia to pay particular attention to their sleep hygiene while theyare still young. This will ultimately reduce man power loss and increase productivity. Key words: Insomnia, Adults, Sociodemographic, Predictor

Functional disability, psychological morbidity and acceptance of geriatric nursing home care among the elderly presenting at a geriatrics clinics, south west Nigeria

Aging and disability go concomitantly in the life of man with associated loss of function and limitations. Dependence is one of the compelling reasons for placement in the geriatric nursing home. The absence of national policy on the care of the elderly necessitates research in this direction. From this hospital based cross-sectional study of 290 subjects aged 60 years and above, dependence in the basic ADLs was highest (26.1%) in bladder control while it was in housekeeping (42.4%) in the IADLs. Most of respondents perceived their ability in conversation, vision and hearing as good with the highest impairment (10.0%) found in hearing. The burden of psychological morbidity was also low among respondents. Only 37.3% accepted to go to geriatric nursing home if the need arises and significant association exist between psychological morbidity and acceptance of nursing home. More research is recommended to draw the attention of the policy makers to the care of the elderly as practice in the developed world.Keywords: Disability, Psychological Morbidity, Nursing Home, Elderl