Direct to consumer advertising via the Internet, a study of hip resurfacing

With increased use of the internet for health information and direct to consumer advertising from medical companies, there is a concern about the quality of the information available for patients. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of health information on the internet for hip resurfacing. An assessment tool was designed to measure quality of information. Websites were measured on credibility of source; usability; currentness of the information; content relevance; content accuracy/completeness and disclosure/bias. Each website assessed was given a total score, based on number of scores achieved from the above categories websites were further analysed on author, geographical origin and possession of an independent credibility check. There was positive correlation between the overall score for the website and the score of each website in each assessment category. Websites by implant companies, doctors and hospitals scored poorly. Websites with an independent credibility check such as Health on the Net (HoN) scored twice the total scores of websites without. Like other internet health websites, the quality of information on hip resurfacing websites is variable. This study highlights methods by which to assess the quality of health information on the internet and advocates that patients should look for a statement of an "independent credibility check" when searching for information on hip resurfacing

Effects of organic matter removal and adsorbate solution composition on phosphate sorption by selected soils of Kwara state, Nigeria.

The effects of organic matter removal and adsorbate solution composition on phosphate sorption by selected soils of Kwara State were studied. Organic matter was removed by treating the soils with hydrogen peroxide. These were the 'treated' samples. The 'untreated' samples were those to which hydrogen peroxide was not applied. The adsorbate solutions used were: KH2 PO4 + KCl, KH2 PO4 (NH4)2 HPO4 + KCl and (NH4 )2 HPO4 The phosphate sorption data were fitted into the Langmuir II sorption model. The r2 values from the Langmuir II sorption models were 0.95 for Ilorin, Omuaran and Erin-ile soils while Odoowa, Malete and Lanwa had 0.94, 0.93 and 0.89 respectively for the untreated soil samples. The r2 values for the treated samples were 0.96 each for Omuaran, Erin-ile and Malete while Ilorin, Odoowa and Lanwa had r values of 0.95, 0.94 and 0.91 respectively. There was no significant difference in the r2 values of the treated and untreated samples except for Ilorin soil. The r2 values obtained for the treated samples were generally higher than their untreated counterparts. The r2 values for KH2PO4 + KCl adsorbate solution were higher than those for other adsorbate solution compositions for both Omuaran and Lanwa soils. The highest adsorption maximum for the untreated soils was recorded for Omuaran, followed by Erin-ile, Malete, Odoowa and Lanwa in that order. In the treated soils, the values of the adsorption maxima were slightly greater than for untreated samples. Adsorption maxima and buffer capacity values were higher in KH2 PO4 + KCl and (NH4 )2 HPO4 + KCl adsorbate solutions than in KH2 PO and (NH4 )2 HPO4 adsorbate solutions. The k values were also higher in both KH2PO4 + KCl and (NH4)2 HPO4 + KCl adsorbate solutions than in KH2 PO4 and (NH4 )2 HPO4 adsorbate solutions for Omuaran and Lanwa soils. The k constant values were higher in Omuaran, Erin-ile and Ilorin than in Lanwa, Odoowa and Malete for both treated and untreated samples. Additions of KCl to the adsorbate solutions enhanced phosphate adsorption by the soils studied. Soils with higher phosphate adsorption will require increased phosphate fertilizer application to satisfy the phosphate needs of the crops. Keywords: Phosphate sorption, Langmuir II sorption model, adsorption maxima, k constant. Agrosearch Vol. 8 (1&2) 2006: pp. 1-1

Awareness of Selected Information and Communication Technologies for Extension Training on Improved Agricultural Practices Among Extension Agents of Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria

Over several decades agricultural production in Nigeria has improved through the extension services, coupled with the invention of ICTs in recent time. The application of any ICT gadget would be determined by its awareness and its appropriateness for the intended purpose desired to serve by the user. This study, therefore, assesses awareness of selected ICTs for disseminating agricultural information to farmers by the Extension Agents (EAs) of Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria. Multistage sampling method was employed to obtain data from 287 EAs with interview schedule and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools, the paper analyses personal characteristics of the EAs in both States; agricultural crop information disseminated through the selected ICTs and level of awareness of the selected ICTs among the EAs. It was deduced in the study that the EAs and extension agency used different ICTs in disseminating agricultural information to farmers in the areas, though the EAs have different level of awareness on the usage of selected ICTs for such purpose, with GSM-phones ranked 1st (wms=4.76), radio (wms=4.63=2nd), extension bulletins/posters/newsmagazine ranked 3rd (wms=3.74) respectively. The PPMC analysis revealed that age (0.117*), educational level (0.145*) and years of working experience (0.176**) of EAs recorded a significant relationship with awareness level of selected ICTs at both 1% and 5%. The T-test analysis further revealed that a significant difference existed in the awareness level of the selected ICTs among the EAs of Ogun and Oyo States. The study, therefore, recommends the need to encourage the use of other ICT gadgets apart from GSM-phonesthrough adequate awareness on the use and appropriateness of ICTs for disseminating agricultural information to users and also socioeconomic characteristics of the applicants for extension service should be given consideration during recruitment exercise. Keywords: Awareness, ICT, Agriculture, Extension Agent DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-10-02 Publication date:May 31st 202

Indigenous mental healthcare and human rights abuses in Nigeria: The role of cultural syntonicity and stigmatization

BackgroundIndigenous mental healthcare using traditional non-western methods termed “unorthodox approaches” has been observed in Nigeria historically. This has been largely due to a cultural preference for spiritual or mystical rather than biomedical formulations of mental disorder. Yet, there have been recent concerns about human rights abuses within such treatment settings as well as their tendency to perpetuate stigmatization.AimThe aim of this review was to examine the cultural framework for indigenous mental healthcare in Nigeria, the role of stigmatization in its utilization and interrogate the issues of human rights abuses within a public mental health context.MethodsThis is a non-systematic narrative review of published literature on mental disorders, mental health service utilization, cultural issues, stigma, and indigenous mental healthcare. Media and advocacy reports related to human rights abuses in indigenous mental health treatment settings were also examined. International conventions on human rights and torture, national criminal legislation, constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and medical ethics guidelines relevant to patient care within the country were examined in order to highlight provisions regarding human rights abuses within the context of care.ResultsIndigenous mental healthcare in Nigeria is culturally syntonic, has a complex interaction with stigmatization and is associated with incidents of human rights abuses especially torture of different variants. Three systemic responses to indigenous mental healthcare in Nigeria include: orthodox dichotomization, interactive dimensionalization, and collaborative shared care. Conclusions: Indigenous mental healthcare is endemic in Nigeria. Orthodox dichotomization is unlikely to produce a meaningful care response. Interactive dimensionalization provides a realistic psychosocial explanation for the utilization of indigenous mental healthcare. Collaborative shared care involving measured collaboration between orthodox mental health practitioners and indigenous mental health systems offers an effective as well as cost-effective intervention strategy. It reduces harmful effects of indigenous mental healthcare including human rights abuses and offers patients a culturally appropriate response to their problems</jats:sec

Perceived Benefits of Improved Practices in Pre Harvest Tomato Production among Farmers in Afijio Local Government Area, Oyo State

This study was designed to investigate the perceived benefits of improved practices in pre-harvest tomato production among farmers in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. Multistage sampling techniques were used to select respondents in the study area, with the aid of structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential (PPMC) statistics were used to analyze the data. Majority of the respondents (88.5%) perceived that it has lots of benefits. Also, 82.7% perceived that improved practices minimize post-harvest losses on a medium scale.&nbsp; Furthermore, 85.6% perceived that improved practices minimize disease infestation on a medium scale, while 84.6% perceive it protects tomato from decaying. Also, 76.9% of the respondents perceive that improve practices helps to retain nutritional content of tomato on a medium scale. &nbsp;Also, the category of the respondents that had high awareness considered the improved practices to be highly beneficial to them.&nbsp; The study further concluded that the benefits derived by minority of the respondents influenced most of the respondents to have favorable perception to derivable benefits embedded in improved practices of tomato in the study area.&nbsp; In addition, the result also revealed significant relationship between awareness and perceived benefits of improved practices in pre-harvest tomato production (r=0.280, p=0.004). &nbsp;The study therefore recommended that the extension agents should properly train the farmers on the benefits and use of these improved practices. Adequate information should be made available to the tomato farmers on the most recent developments in tomato farming and production (pre harvest and post-harvest). The government should be able to provide adequate and glitch free loan to the farmers to enable them utilize the information and training

A descriptive survey of types, spread and characteristics of substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and the 8th most populous in the world with a population of over 154 million, does not have current data on substance abuse treatment demand and treatment facilities; however, the country has the highest one-year prevalence rate of Cannabis use (14.3%) in Africa and ranks third in Africa with respect to the one-year prevalence rate of cocaine (0.7%) and Opioids (0.7%) use. This study aimed to determine the types, spread and characteristics of the substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a cross sectional survey of substance abuse treatment centers in Nigeria. Thirty-one units were invited and participated in filling an online questionnaire, adapted from the European <it>Treatment Unit/Program Form (June 1997 version)</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All the units completed the online questionnaire. A large proportion (48%) was located in the South-West geopolitical zone of the country. Most (58%) were run by Non-Governmental Organizations. Half of them performed internal or external evaluation of treatment process or outcome. There were a total of 1043 for all categories of paid and volunteer staff, with an average of 33 staff per unit. Most of the funding came from charitable donations (30%). No unit provided drug substitution/maintenance therapy. The units had a total residential capacity of 566 beds. New client admissions in the past one year totalled 765 (mean = 48, median = 26.5, min = 0, max = 147) and 2478 clients received services in the non-residential units in the past year. No unit provided syringe exchange services.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study revealed a dearth of substance abuse treatment units (and of funds for the available ones) in a country with a large population size and one of the highest prevalence rates of substance abuse in Africa. The available units were not networked and lacked a directory or an evaluation framework. To provide an environment for effective monitoring, funding and continuous quality improvement, the units need to be organized into a sustainable network.</p

Analyses of Willingness to Practice Agriculture as Enterprise among Students of Tertiary Institutions in Ibadan, Oyo State

This study investigated willingness to practice agriculture as enterprise among students of tertiary institutions in Oyo State. A Multi-stage sampling technique was used to elicit data from 112 selected respondents in the study area. Data were collected using a well structured questionnaire and analyzed with the use of descriptive (frequency counts, percentages, and mean) and inferential statistic (Chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation). The results showed that majority of the respondents were within the age range of 21-25 years, with majority males, whom were single in the study area. Furthermore, results revealed that majority of the respondents had low interest in agricultural enterprise preference and high constraint associated with respondents willingness to engage in agricultural enterprise in the study area. Majority of the respondents had positive willingness to practice agricultural enterprise in the study area. There was significant relationship between selected socio-economic characteristics of the respondents except Gender and Marital status. It is therefore recommended that government should motivate agricultural students by providing Youth Empowerment programmes and services directed to improve their willingness to engage in agricultural enterprises

Total hip arthroplasty: what information do we offer patients on websites of hospitals?

Contains fulltext : 97468.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Physicians face a new challenge; the self-educated patient. The internet is an important source that patients use to become self-educated. However, the individual choice for best treatment is difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate what kind of information is offered to total hip arthroplasty patients by internet and what information is appreciated by them. METHODS: Websites of orthopedic departments of all hospitals in the Netherlands were evaluated. In addition, a cohort of 102 patients, diagnosed with arthritic joint disorders, filled in an online survey and gave their opinion concerning the importance of this information. RESULTS: Eighty different orthopedic websites of hospitals were identified. Websites presented information regarding the orthopedic staff surgeon (76%) and the postoperative rehabilitation process (66%). They also offered referral to other orthopedic websites (61%), the opportunity to make an outpatient appointment (21%), and the opportunity to submit an online question (15%). Patients rated the presence of information regarding prosthesis survival as very important (>70%). However, the information on the type of prosthesis used by the hospital, and survival data of the prosthesis, were only present in ~9% and 5% respectively, of the websites. CONCLUSIONS: The content of health information on websites of hospitals is highly variable for total hip arthroplasty. Information regarding the hip implant and prosthesis survival is highly appreciated by patients, however, mostly absent on orthopedic websites in the Netherlands. The internet provides an enormous potential for orthopedic surgeons to inform the self-educated patient

Effects of metal-on-metal wear on the host immune system and infection in hip arthroplasty

Methods We reviewed the available literature on the influence of degradation products of MOM bearings in total hip arthroplasties on infection risk. Results Wear products were found to influence the risk of infection by hampering the immune system, by inhibiting or accelerating bacterial growth, and by a possible antibiotic resistance and heavy metal co-selection mechanism. Interpretation Whether or not the combined effects of MOM wear products make MOM bearings less or more prone to infection requires investigation in the near future

Fanners' Level of Satisfaction with Farm Inputs Services in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study investigated farmers' level of satisfaction with inputs support service. Data were collected on sources of farm inputs, preferred sources of inputs and levels of satisfaction with input services from randomly selected 136 farmers in the five local government areas within Ogbomoso Zone of Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme. Frequencies and percentages, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used in data analysis. Farmers are most satisfied with improved planting materials. However, farmers are not satisfied with fertilizer procurements, agro- chemicals and tractor hiring services in the stale. It has been statistically established that there is no significant difference in the levels of fanners' satisfaction with input support services. It is recommended that government should establish drop points at grass -roots level and reduce cost of farm Inputs and services