Predictors of vaccine management practices among primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria

Objective: Worldwide, vaccines are becoming more expensive as new ones are being introduced to the immunization schedule. Inspite of this, researches have revealed poor vaccine management practices among health workers. This study aimed to determine the predictors of vaccine management practices among PHCWs providing routine immunization services in static health facilities in Ilorin, north central Nigeria.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted among 216 intervention and 241 control groups of PHCWs using multi stage sampling technique; pretested questionnaire and an observational checklist. Data were analyzed using EPI-INFO software package. Level of significance was predetermined at a p-value of less than 0.05.Results: The mean age of study respondents was 38.5 ± 9.5 years. Factors having positive influence on vaccine management practices include prior training exposure (p = 0.001), years of experience in immunization (p = 0.012) and baseline knowledge of vaccine management (p = 0.015). In addition, regularity of supervisory visit (0.008), adequacy/regularity of vaccine supply (p = 0.001), vaccine 'bundling' (p = 0.013) and type of health facility (p = 0.005) positively influenced respondents' vaccine management practices. However, basic qualification of health workers (p = 0.096) and availability of data tools (p = 0.628) had no significant influence on respondents' vaccine management practices.Conclusion: Training exposure and years of experience in routine immunization have positive influence on vaccine management practices of PHCWs. On-the-job supervision of health workers should be conducted at least bi-annually.Keywords: Predictors, Vaccine management practices, PHCW

Risk Exposure to Hepatitis B infection among Senior Secondary School Students in a Metropolitan City of North-central Nigeria

Background: Hepatitis B is the most prevalent chronic infectious liver disease worldwide with serious sequelae. Reduction of hepatitis B infection is a national public health priority. Despite international efforts to prevent the infection through global vaccination programs, new cases are still being reported throughout the world.Objectives: This study aims to determine the risk exposure factors for hepatitis B infection among senior secondary school students in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria.Methods: Multistage sampling technique was used to recruit 424 adolescents into the study. Pretested interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaires were used for the study. Data were analyzed using STATA version 10.1 software. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: The major risk exposure factors in the study population were contact with blood or body fluids (33.7%), family history of previous infection of HBV (30.4%) of the respondents; one sexual partner (16.5%), multiple sexual partners (15.3%) and ear or body piercing (14.9%). Majority (78.1%) of the respondents had low risk exposure, while 8.0% had medium risk exposure, only 59 (13.9%) of the respondents had high risk exposure for Hepatitis B virus infection. Significant relationships were found between risk exposure score and school type, gender, family history of the disease mothers’ and fathers’ educational background of the respondents (p<0.05).Conclusion: Risk exposure was low among the respondents. There is a need for a community wide campaign on health risk awareness and perception of HBV. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2016;30(2):96-102]Keywords: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Risk Exposur

PATTERN AND EXPLANATORY FACTORS FOR MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, DIABETES MELLITUS AND THEIR COMORBIDITY IN A NORTH CENTRAL STATE OF NIGERIA

Introduction: Hypertension and diabetes are the two most common non-communicable diseases seen in outpatient clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa. Promoting medication adherence is a major clinical hurdle to be crossed in reducing the premature morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. This study explored factors that predict medication adherence among hypertensive and diabetic patients in Ilorin, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among hypertensive and diabetic patients in outpatient clinics of a teaching hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria. Data was collected from 1,203 patients using a validated Morisky 8-item medication adherence questionnaire. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to model the medication adherence explanatory factors with SPSS version 22. Result: Less than half (43.3%) of the patients were highly adherent to their medication. The relative proportion for high adherence was 42.7%, 35.6% and 49.2% for hypertension, diabetes and both diseases respectively. The odds of medication adherence improving from either low to medium level or from medium to high level was explained by; age, symptoms count, absence of disease complication and absence of drug side effect among the patients. Blood pressure, gender and disease duration did not explain medication adherence among hypertensive and diabetic patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that the discomfort experienced due to the disease condition and the medication regimen are important explanatory factors for patient’s medication adherence in the study setting. This study recommends strategies to reduce multiple drug combinations and promote medication adherence counselling and education among patients

PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG HYPERTENSIVE AND DIABETICS PATIENTS IN A NORTH CENTRAL STATE OF NIGERIA

Introduction: Hypertension and diabetes are the two most common non-communicable diseases seen in outpatient clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa. Promoting medication adherence is a major clinical hurdle to be crossed in reducing the premature morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. This study explored factors that predict medication adherence among hypertensive and diabetic patients in Ilorin, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among hypertensive and diabetic patients in outpatient clinics of a teaching hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria. Data was collected from 1,203 patients using a validated Morisky 8-item medication adherence questionnaire. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to model the medication adherence explanatory factors with SPSS version 22. Result: Less than half (43.3%) of the patients were highly adherent to their medication. The relative proportion for high adherence was 42.7%, 35.6% and 49.2% for hypertension, diabetes and both diseases respectively. The odds of medication adherence improving from either low to medium level or from medium to high level was explained by; age, symptoms count, absence of disease complication and absence of drug side effect among the patients. Blood pressure, gender and disease duration did not explain medication adherence among hypertensive and diabetic patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that the discomfort experienced due to the disease condition and the medication regimen are important explanatory factors for patient’s medication adherence in the study setting. This study recommends strategies to reduce multiple drug combinations and promote medication adherence counselling and education among patients

The effect of training on knowledge and practices of vaccine management among Primary Health Care (PHC) workers in static immunization facilities in Ilorin, Nigeria

No Abstrac

Prevalence of work-related health problems among providers of car battery repair in a resource-limited setting

With urbanization, there is increasing use of automobiles, automobile batteries and consequently, there are an increasing number of lead acid battery repairers in the major cities of developing countries. This study assessed the prevalence of work-related health problems among lead-acid battery repairers in Ilorin, Nigeria.This cross-sectional study recruited full time Lead acid battery repairers using a multistage sampling technique. Pre-tested interviewers administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Haematocrit was done for the consenting respondents.A total of 200 car battery repairers agreed to be interviewed while 185 of them consented to sample collection, giving 100% and 93% response rate respectively. The leading reported health related health problem reported in the past six months was cut injury (65.5%) followed by electric shock (39.0%). Only a few reported weakness of grip (14.5%) anaemia (3.5%). The respondents with long years of work experience, (17-32 years), were about 8.7 times more likely to have low PCV compared with the others 17-32 years (P-value <0.0001).There is a high prevalence of work-related health problem among car battery repairers. There should be enlightenment of these workers on the hazards of the work. Also, used car battery collection and recycling program should be initiated and the use of personal protective devices and safety measures should be promoted.Keywords:  Prevalence, work-related, battery chargers, occupational health, Nigeri

Effect of reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis as biotic inducer of resistance against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in potato

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the preinoculation of reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis for inducing resistance against Meloidogyne incognita in potato plants. Potato plants were inoculated with reniform nematode three days before the same plants received a root knot nematode inoculation. There was a reduction in the population parameters of the root knot nematode compared to plants given only a single inoculation. The studied potato plants which had two inoculations, also had enhanced growth parameters. The activity of the enzymes; peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and chitinase increased in the inoculated plants compared to the non-inoculated control

Determinants Of Missed Opportunities For Immunization Among Under-five Children In Ilorin Metropolis

Missed opportunities in immunization had been a global public health obstacle to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015. Studies have also shown that missed opportunities in both routine and supplementary immunization contribute significantly to the low immunization coverage rates in many parts of Nigeria. This study set out to determine the reasons of missed opportunities in routine immunization among under-five year old children in Ilorin metropolis. This descriptive cross sectional survey was carried out in the second quarter of 2014 among under-five year old children in Ilorin metropolis. A pretested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to recruit 500 respondents into the study using multistage sampling method. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Frequency tables and simple percentages were used to present the descriptive statistics generated. Cross tabulation of important variables was also done. Chi-square test was used to determine the statistical significance of differences in variables observed. The level of statistical significance was predetermined at p-value of less than 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Majority of the (95.2%) of respondents were aware of immunization even though, 59.0% of them had actual knowledge of it. The prevalence of missed opportunities was 24.4%. Yellow fever and measles vaccines often missed compared to others. Factors responsible for the missed opportunities included the attitude of the health worker, prolonged time of waiting to receive vaccine, immunization clashing with other schedules and transportation problem. Respondents’ level ofknowledge on immunization and educational background were significantly associated with the prevalence of missed opportunities. Missed opportunities in immunization are still widespread in the study area. Female education and women empowerment should be given more attention and priority.Key words: immunization, Ilorin, missed opportunity

The role of multiple weak lithologies in the deformation of cover units in the northwestern segment of the zagros fold-and-thrust belt

The geometry, kinematics and dynamics of fold-and-thrust belts are strongly influenced by the mechanical behaviour of the basal decollement. However, many fold-and-thrust belts also include mechanically weak lithologies such as evaporites and marls or mudstones at different levels within the shortened stratigraphy. The kinematics and dynamic evolution of these thrust belts are controlled by the mechanical behaviour both of the basal decollement and of the weak units embedded within the overlying stratigraphic succession. In the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt (ZFTB), the shortened sedimentary cover is between 7 and 12 km thick and mechanically weak lithologies compartmentalize the stratigraphic column at shallow and intermediate levels. In this paper, satellite, field and seismic data from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are used to identify structures of different sizes and surface traces. The observations are used to underline the role of mechanically weak horizons within the Zagros stratigraphy and the decoupling of deformation both laterally and with depth in the belt. The decoupling between shallow and deeper structures observed in seismic profiles from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is also reported from field observations from the Iranian part of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, where folds with different surface traces occur. Decoupling between shallow and deep layers by incompetent lithologies at intermediate depths (e.g. marls, mudstones and evaporites) results in the formation of disharmonic folds. The geometry, size and location of such folds may differ between outcropping and subsurface structures. Decoupling may have a significant impact on hydrocarbon exploration in different parts of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt due to potential offsets between outcropping and subsurface structures and their associated traps