A profile of the theatre procedures in paediatrict ophthalmic practice

No Abstract. Nigerian Journal of Surgical Sciences Vol. 16 (2) 2006: pp. 54-5

Teachers\' Attitude is not an impediment to Adolescent Sexuality Education in Enugu, Nigeria

Studies have shown that adolescents in Nigeria have poor knowledge health issues and that there was a need to provide them with correct broad-based information on reproductive as part of a nationally-approved school curriculum 1,2,3 . However, the non-application of the curriculum on sexuality education in many schools in Nigeria has been blamed on a negative attitude of teachers 4. This study was undertaken to determine the attitude of secondary school teachers in Enugu, South-Eastern Nigeria, to adolescent sexuality education and to determine whether this depends on their socio-demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study of the attitude of teachers to adolescent sexuality education was done. A total of 249 teachers were studied. Their mean age was 38.7years ±8.08SD. Two hundred and ten teachers (84%) were females. Two hundred and twenty-four teachers (90%) were married and 168(67.5%) were of Roman Catholic Faith. The awareness of reproductive health activities was high. There was a high proportion of respondents who approved of sexuality education for adolescents (77.5%) and an equally high proportion who believed that it was important (89%). One hundred and ninety- eight (79%) of the respondents were willing to teach sexuality education. The attitude to sexuality education was independent of religion, sex or marital status (p>0.05). It was concluded that secondary school teachers in Enugu urban were willing to offer sexuality education to adolescents under their care irrespective of their religion, sex or marital status. It is therefore, recommended that teachers in Enugu be given the necessary special training in the teaching of sexuality education now and that sexuality education be officially incorporated into the school curriculum in Enugu, preferably as part of moral studies. African Journal of Reproductive Health Vol. 10 (1) 2006: pp. 81-9

Effects of index client and geo-targeting on HIV case identification: an observational study

Background: Despite huge investments in HIV prevention, treatment, and care in sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than one in 10 individuals knows their HIV status, and 40% of individuals living with HIV are not cognisant of their positive status. Efforts to improve and strengthen HIV service delivery, particularly in HIV testing, are necessary to increase efficiency in HIV case finding and optimise service delivery. Standard approaches to HIV testing have not been effective in addressing this gap. Our objective was to evaluate a targeted approach for HIV case identification in a PEPFAR-supported HIV programme in Nigeria. Methods: Between October, 2016, and June, 2017, we implemented a strategy that included index client testing, geo-targeted HIV testing, and provider-initiated counselling and testing in 14 local government areas in Akwa Ibom, southern Nigeria. The tests were administered in conjunction with the conventional method of testing and were in line with the PEPFAR impact agenda. We estimated the number of individuals who needed to be tested by each method in order to meet a benchmark of 8000 new diagnoses per quarter. We described dispersion using median and IQR. Findings: Conventional methods in the 14 local government areas required testing of 600 000 individuals (median 50 000 [IQR 741 000]) whereas using our targeted approach, we met 60% of the benchmark in each quarter by testing 214 000 individuals on average (median 14 000 [IQR 12 000]). Interpretation: We demonstrated that use of a targeted approach to HIV testing can increase the efficiency of case identification. This process can therefore help increase early initiation of treatment and retention of subjects diagnosed with HIV. Funding: PEPFAR

Effects of Index Client and Geo-targeting on HIV Case Identification: An Observational Study

Background Despite huge investments in HIV prevention, treatment, and care in sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than one in 10 individuals knows their HIV status, and 40% of individuals living with HIV are not cognisant of their positive status. Efforts to improve and strengthen HIV service delivery, particularly in HIV testing, are necessary to increase efficiency in HIV case finding and optimise service delivery. Standard approaches to HIV testing have not been effective in addressing this gap. Our objective was to evaluate a targeted approach for HIV case identification in a PEPFAR-supported HIV programme in Nigeria. Methods Between October, 2016, and June, 2017, we implemented a strategy that included index client testing, geo-targeted HIV testing, and provider-initiated counselling and testing in 14 local government areas in Akwa Ibom, southern Nigeria. The tests were administered in conjunction with the conventional method of testing and were in line with the PEPFAR impact agenda. We estimated the number of individuals who needed to be tested by each method in order to meet a benchmark of 8000 new diagnoses per quarter. We described dispersion using median and IQR. Findings Conventional methods in the 14 local government areas required testing of 600 000 individuals (median 50 000 [IQR 741 000]) whereas using our targeted approach, we met 60% of the benchmark in each quarter by testing 214 000 individuals on average (median 14 000 [IQR 12 000]). Interpretation We demonstrated that use of a targeted approach to HIV testing can increase the efficiency of case identification. This process can therefore help increase early initiation of treatment and retention of subjects diagnosed with HIV. Funding PEPFAR

The Effects of Health Education on Knowledge and Attitudes to Emergency Contraception by Female Students of a Tertiary Educational Institution in Enugu, South East Nigeria.

This was an intervention study to assess the effects of health education on the knowledge and attitudes to emergency contraception (EC) by female students of University of Nigeria in southeast Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 337 female students of a tertiary educational institution (150 in the study group and 187 from the control group) who were selected by multistage sampling. Subsequently, health education was conducted only among students in the study institution. Three months after this intervention, its effects were assessed through a survey using the same structured questionnaire employed in the baseline survey. Unlike the pre-intervention results, knowledge of EC was significantly higher (P < 0.05) among the study group than the controls. Attitudes to EC were also more favourable at the post- intervention survey among the study group. Health education can effectively improve knowledge and attitudes to EC among female students of tertiary institutions and this should be encouraged

Disparities in tobacco use by adolescents in southeast, Nigeria using Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) approach

Abstract Background Tobacco use during adolescence is a substantial problem and adolescents are at higher risk of addiction and prolonged use. To reduce the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, monitoring of adolescent tobacco use is imperative. We aimed to determine the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in urban and rural secondary schools in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study of 4332 adolescents in 8th to 10th grades in 25 urban and 24 rural secondary schools in Enugu, Nigeria was done using Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) methodology. Students were asked about previous and current tobacco use, smoking cessation, and susceptibility to smoking initiation among non-smokers. Geographical, age and sex prevalence differences were examined. Analyses were performed for all adolescents (10–19 years) and for a subset of students, 13–15 years of age for comparison with previous GYTS surveys. All analyses were weighted to account for the complex survey design and for differential non-response at school, class and student levels. Results About 28.9% of students reported ever smoking cigarettes; 19.4% reported current tobacco use among all adolescents (13.3, 5.8 and 7.8% for cigarettes, other smoked tobacco, and smokeless tobacco, respectively) while 18.6% reported current tobacco use among 13–15 year olds (12.6, 5.2 and 7.5% for cigarettes, other smoked tobacco and smokeless tobacco respectively). Prevalence of all types of tobacco use was higher in rural schools (vs. urban schools), and among boys (vs. girls). Susceptibility to smoking initiation among non-smokers was 9.3% (95% CI: 8.1–10.7) among all adolescents, and 9% (95% CI: 7.6–10.7) among 13–15 year olds. About 88.1% of all adolescent smokers desired to quit and 57.9% of them had never received help to quit smoking. Conclusions Nearly one in every five school-going adolescents currently uses at least one type of tobacco in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. Prevalence of tobacco use is higher in rural schools and among boys in this setting. Most adolescent current smokers desire to quit and need smoking cessation support