Lifestyle Habits and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Nurses at The University College Hospital, Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

This study set out to identify the unhealthy lifestyle habits adopted by nurses at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan which could predispose to Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and assess the cardiovascular risk factors among them. A cross sectional study design was utilized. The study population consisted of nurses working on the wards at the UCH, Ibadan who were between the ages of 30-60 years. Systematic random sampling was adopted in selecting 196 nurses for this study. A structured questionnaire was administered to consenting nurses. Focus group discussions were conducted to further probe into the details of the questionnaire. 94.9% of respondents were female and the mean age of respondents was 39.3±7.4 years. About 32% of the respondents engaged in moderate exercise less than once a week, 59% of the respondents slept between 5-6 hours at night, 44.9% ate fried food 1-2 times weekly, 42.9% consumed one or more litres of soda drink per week. Majority demonstrated high level of awareness about cardiovascular risk factors such as cigarette smoking (78.1%), alcohol use (76.5%), overweight/obese (75.5%), high blood cholesterol (73.5%), physical inactivity (71.9%) and diabetes mellitus (70.9%). However, there was a low level of awareness about cardiovascular risk factors such as race (41.3%) and gender (34.2%). A significantly higher proportion (70%) of respondents who ate fried foods on an average of 3-6 times per week were overweight/obese (p=0.016). Obesity was also associated with family history of cardiovascular diseases (p=0.04). The focus group discussions highlighted nurses’ views about difficulties in practicing known healthy lifestyle habits. The study highlighted a moderate prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, consumption of fried foods and physical inactivity among nurses. Efforts should be directed towards the promotion of healthy lifestyles among nurse

Working Capital Management and Firm Profitability: Evidence from Nigerian Quoted Companies

This study examines the relationship between working capital management and firms’ profitability of twenty-five Nigerian quoted companies for the seven-year period 2005-2011. Data used in the study were sourced from audited financial statements of the companies. Multiple Regression analysis was used to analyze the data and results showed a negative relationship between working capital management (Cash Conversion Cycle) and firm profitability (ROA). This finding is consistent with prior empirical studies and provides evidence in support of aggressive policy of working capital management. Keywords: Working Capital Management, Cash Conversion Cycle, ROA, Nigeria

Riskscapes and Sexscapes: the Socio-Spatial Dialectics of Brothels in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

The state of anomie in cities has induced several sociological problems that are place and space specific. Against this background, the study assesses the socio-environmental effects of brothels in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. The study identifies the social and environmental characteristics of brothels, evaluate the behavioral attitudes of residents in the selected neighborhoods including morals, culture, norms, values, etc, and assess relationships between existence of brothels and the moral/ behavioral attitudes of residents in their neighborhood. Both the primary and secondary data were used. A structured questionnaire was administered to 67 respondents, pro-rata at the ratio of 17:17:33, in the three zones at each of the seven brothel areas. The study thus used a multi-stage sampling procedure. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Chi-square and ANOVA were used to explain the difference in the characteristics of resident between and among the zones on the one hand and among the brothel areas on the other. Linear regression analysis was used to explain the relationship between environmental characteristics and social behavior of the residents. The study observed that there is a reliable relationship (R = .973) between the location of brothels and socially unacceptable behavior among residents. This observation do not differ significantly among the brothel areas but among the zones; indicating the distances from brothels. The study thus recommends an aggressive planning that incorporates sociological considerations in the ordering of the use of land. Keywords: Riskscapes, Sexscapes, Brothels, Environmental Characteristics, Social Behavio

The Antioxidant Effects of Mushroom Extracts in Boosting Immune System in Mammals using Albino Rats as a Model

Mushrooms have been widely used as medicine in the treatment of several infections and also boosting the immune system. The present study was carried out to ascertain the haematological and the antioxidants properties of aqueous extracts of Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus tuber-regium. Twenty five albino rats were grouped into five, each group consisting of five rats of A to E. Group A serves as the control, group B to D were fed with Pleurotus tuber-regiumin 400mg, 600mg and 1000mg concentration respectively while group E was fed with 400mg of Agaricus bisporus. On completion of the administration of extracts, the haematological profiles and antioxidant parameters were analysed. The experimental rats showed some little significant increase in both the haematological profile and biomarkers properties with P<0.05, Generally the haematological profiles implies that there was no significant decrease in the level of the experimental rats immunity and also some organs such as the liver and the kidney were intact. SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA are antioxidant enzymes measured to detect toxic consequences of oxidative stress in mammalian systems. The SOD values in rats treated with 400mg/kg/lb of SOD is 113.58mm/mg/protein and rats treated with1000mg/kg in pleuntus tuberregium, the values of MDA is 23.32±2.09 (nmol/ml). There was a significant difference in the liver homogenated and kidney homogenated biomarkers in the rats treated with Pleurotus tuber regium and Agaricus bisporous. They are cellular and enzymatic defenses against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes toxic and adaptive responses within a cell. The importance of an antioxidant defenses in protecting cells and organisms from oxidative damage and toxicity. Further research with higher dosage of the extracts may be required to test on laboratory rats before providing the true haematological and antioxidant properties. Keywords: Mushroom, Antioxidants and Albino rat

Effect of Interest Rate Spread and Bank Specific Factors on Survival of Tier-One and Tier-Two Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

In today’s economic setting, there must be a healthy banking sector for banks to survive. Banks survival determine sound financial mediator in achieving economic performance. However, bank spread and unstable policies towards bank specific factors have become threat to bank survival in Nigeria. Secondary data and ex-post facto research design were used within the period of 2011-2020 for both Tier-1 and Tier-2 deposit money banks in Nigeria. The study found that interest rate spread, asset quality, management efficiency, bank size and board size affect bank survival in Nigeria. The study suggests that bank managers should give maximum attention to interest rate spread, and bank specific factor like asset quality, management efficiency, bank size and board size so as to ensure their survival

Assessment of Emergency Obstetric Care Services in Ibadan- Ibarapa Health Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria

Nigeria’s high maternal mortality has been attributed to poor utilization of obstetric care services to handle complications of pregnancy and childbirth. But how available are standard emergency obstetric care services? This facility based cross sectional study assessed the availability and accessibility of emergency obstetric care services in Oyo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 61 primary and 10 secondary health care facilities were selected. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from the heads of the maternity units. Spatial mapping of the facilities was also produced. Results showed availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) facilities (0-3.9/500,000 population) was adequate, however a gross lack of basic emergency obstetric care (BEmOC) facilities (0-5.4/500,000 population) was observed, where available, they were clustered in the urban settlements. Prompt action needs to be taken to upgrade basic emergency obstetric care facilities accessible to the larger rural population dwellers to improve maternal health indices. Keywords: Maternal Mortality, Comprehensive, Basic, Emergency obstetric car

Corporate social responsibility and workers’ well-being in Nigerian banks

The usual focus of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria has always been on the society or the community where business is located while the place of workers as stakeholder in business is usually downplayed. This study examined the impact of corporate social responsibility on the wellbeing of workers in the Nigerian banking system. The objective was to know if adequate health facilities are provided for workers in the banks to meet their health needs when required. The study was conducted among ten commercial banks in Ilorin North-Central Nigeria while primary data was retrieved through self administered questionnaire from 160 participants. Participants were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique while the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 19.0) was employed to analyse data retrieved from the field. Hypotheses formulated in the study were tested using the Chi-square statistical tool. Findings revealed that, 85.0% of the participants’ employers provided for them health facilities even though only 55.1% of the health facilities provided are adequate. A significant relationship was also found between participants’ wellbeing and health facilities provided p<0.05, while there was no significant relationship was between wellbeing of participants and adequacy of the health facilities provided by participants employers p>0.05. The study concluded that, even though some banks in the country provide health facilities for their workers, the health facilities provided are not adequate enough to meet the health needs of the workers. The study however, recommended a more comprehensive health plan for bankers that cover life saving health care services such as intensive care, surgeries and other life threatening diseases.Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Bankers, Health Facilitie