Maternal perception of barriers to utilization of prenatal ultrasound in prenatal care in the northern part of Nigeria.

Prenatal ultrasound has in the past one decade gained acceptance as a standard tool for obstetric management in North-Central Nigeria but it is however faced with barriers hindering its utilization in prenatal care. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of pregnant women about the barriers to utilization of prenatal ultrasound in prenatal care in North-Central Nigeria. A hospital-based cross-sectional prospective survey was conducted at the antenatal clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State in North-Central Nigeria between December 2008 and June 2009. The survey targeted pregnant women who were attending antenatal clinic in the hospital. A convenience sample of 596 patients who have had at least one previous prenatal ultrasound were included in the study. Results showed all the barriers were rated high with necessity of scan (attitude) and satisfaction with prenatal ultrasound service rating higher than the rest; being 2.91 ± 1.12 and 3.00 ± 0.63 respectively on a 4-point scale. Socio-demographic variables correlated significantly to the identified barriers (p < 0.05) while one-way ANOVA showed that all the socio demographic variables were significant contributors to their ratings of various barriers (p < 0.05). In conclusion, negative attitude, long distances to service providers, considerably heavy financial cost, long waiting periods and unsatisfactory previous scan experience are major barriers to prenatal ultrasound. Socio-demographic variables have significant influence on these barriers and improvement on these variables can help overcome the barriers.KEY WORDS: Prenatal ultrasound - Prenatal care - Barriers - Utilization

Sonografski prikaz dimenzija bubrega u bolesnika s esencijalnom hipertenzijom u sveučilišnoj bolnici Abubakar Tafawa Balewa u gradu Bauchi u Nigeriji

Introduction: Hypertension is one of the commonest non-communicable diseases worldwide; it is the second most common cause of end-stage renal disease. Objective: To evaluate the renal dimensions and volume of essential hypertension patients in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi and to compare the dimensions with that of apparently healthy volunteers. Materials and Methods: A total of two hundred and eleven individuals (comprising 121 females and 90 males) with essential hypertension attending an outpatient clinic in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, and an equal number of healthy volunteers (comprising of 172 females and 49 males) were studied as controls. Both the healthy volunteers and the Hypertensive patients’ renal length, renal width, antero-posterior diameter, and parenchymal thickness were assessed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0) was used for data analysis. Results: Study show the mean renal length for hypertensive patients to be 9.1 ± 0.79 cm and 9.1 ± 0.73 cm, the mean renal width of 3.5 ± 0.48 cm and 3.8 ± 0.68 cm, and mean renal volume of 87.22 ± 19.58 cm3 and 95.08 ± 22.93 cm3 for the right and left kidneys respectively. Results equally show statistically significant difference in anteroposterior diameter (p<0.05), parenchymal thickness (p<0.05) and renal volume (p<0.05) between the hypertensive group and the volunteer group for both right and left kidneys. Conclusion: This study has established baseline renal dimensions for hypertensive in our population (Bauchi Metropolis). The hypertensive subjects showed a decrease in renal anteroposterior diameter, parenchymal thickness and volume compared to control group.Uvod: Hipertenzija je jedna od najčešćih nezaraznih bolesti u svijetu; drugi je najčešći uzrok završnog stadija bubrežne bolesti. Cilj: Procijeniti dimenzije bubrega i bubrežni volumen kod hipertenzivnih bolesnika u Sveučilišnoj bolnici Abubakar Tafawa Balewa u gradu Bauchi i usporediti ih s dimenzijama kod naizgled zdravih ispitanika koji su se dobrovoljno javili za sudjelovanje u istraživanju. Materijali i metode: Uzorak se sastojao od dvjesto jedanaest ispitanika (121 žena i 90 muškaraca) koji boluju od esencijalne hipertenzije i na ambulantnom su liječenju u Sveučilišnoj bolnici Abubakar Tafawa Balewa u gradu Bauchi i jednakog broja zdravih ispitanika (172 žene i 49 muškaraca), koji su bili kontrolna skupina. Proučavana je duljina i širina bubrega, anteroposteriorni promjer i debljina parenhima kod ispitanika s hipertenzijom i kod zdravih ispitanika. Za analizu podataka primijenjen je statistički paket za društvene znanosti (SPSS verzija 20.0). Rezultati: Studija pokazuje da je prosječna dužina bubrega kod hipertenzivnih bolesnika 9,1 ± 0,79 cm i 9,1 ± 0,73 cm, prosječna bubrežna širina 3,5 ± 0,48 cm i 3,8 ± 0,68 cm, a prosječni bubrežni volumen 87,22 ± 19,58 cm3 i 95,08 ± 22,93 cm3 za desni i lijevi bubreg pojedinačno. Rezultati također pokazuju statistički značajnu razliku u anteroposteriornom promjeru (p < 0,05), debljini parenhima (p < 0,05) i bubrežnom volumenu (p < 0,05) između hipertenzivne skupine i kontrolne skupine za desni i lijevi bubreg. Zaključak: Ovom su studijom utvrđene osnovne bubrežne dimenzije kod hipertenzivnih bolesnika u populaciji grada Bauchi, glavnog grada Savezne države Bauchi u Nigeriji. Kod ispitanika koji boluju od hipertenzije ustanovljeno je smanjenje anteroposteriornog promjera bubrega, debljine parenhima i bubrežnog volumena u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom

Natural Radionuclides in Commonly Consumed Food Items in Enugu State, Nigeria

No Abstract

Transición de médico clínico a educador académico: las experiencias de profesores de radiografía en Nigeria

Background: Clinical educators are essential in radiography education programmes. Transitioning from clinical practicing radiographers to academic educators is a rewarding journey. This study was designed to examine the experience of Radiography Lecturers in the Nigerian universities that converted from radiography practitioners to academic educators. Materials and methods: A Google form questionnaire-based study design was conducted among 35 radiography lecturers in Nigeria. Only lecturers in Nigerian Universities who had worked as radiography clinical practitioners before transited to academics and consented to participate in this study were included. The questionnaire captured responses on socio-demographic variables, challenges, barriers, successes of transition from practitioners to academic educators. Results: The majority 17(48.6%) of the respondents earned income of above #251,000.00 as a practicing radiographers. Of the 35 respondents, the majority 12(34.3%) each respectively earned #101,000.00 -#150,000.00 and #151,000.00 - #200,000.00 as an academic radiographers. Majority 17(48.6%) of the respondents agreed that the main challenge they are encountering as an academic educator is rigorous research activities. Family issues affected smooth transition process as 23(65.7%) of the respondents agreed to that. Majority 18(51.4%) perceived mentorship as the key factor responsible for smooth transition from practice to academic. There was statistically significant relationship between gender and challenges encountered by the responders (χ2 = 28.194, p = 0.00). Conclusion: The respondents experienced different challenges as they transited from clinical practice to academic. Mentorship is the key factor that militated against the smooth transition process. There was statistically significant relationship between gender and challenges encountered by the responders.Antecedentes: Los educadores clínicos son esenciales en los programas de educación en radiografía. La transición de radiógrafos clínicos en ejercicio a educadores académicos es un viaje gratificante. Este estudio fue diseñado para examinar la experiencia de los profesores de radiografía en las universidades nigerianas que se convirtieron de practicantes de radiografía a educadores académicos. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio basado en un cuestionario Google entre 35 profesores de radiografía de Nigeria. Sólo se incluyeron profesores de las universidades nigerianas que habían trabajado como profesionales clínicos de la radiografía antes de pasar al mundo académico y que consintieron en participar en este estudio. El cuestionario recogía respuestas sobre variables sociodemográficas, retos, barreras y éxitos de la transición de profesionales a educadores académicos. Resultados: La mayoría, 17 (48,6%) de los encuestados, percibían ingresos superiores a 251.000,00 # como radiógrafos en ejercicio. De los 35 encuestados, la mayoría, 12 (34,3%), ganaban respectivamente entre 101.000,00 y 150.000,00 y entre 151.000,00 y 200.000,00 como radiógrafos académicos. La mayoría, 17 (48,6%) de los encuestados, coincidieron en que el principal reto al que se enfrentan como educadores académicos son las rigurosas actividades de investigación. Los problemas familiares afectaron al proceso de transición, ya que 23 (65,7%) de los encuestados estuvieron de acuerdo. La mayoría, 18 (51,4%), consideraron que la tutoría era el factor clave que facilitaba la transición de la práctica a la docencia. Hubo una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el género y las dificultades encontradas por los encuestados (χ2 = 28,194, p = 0,00). Conclusiones: Los encuestados experimentaron diferentes retos al pasar de la práctica clínica a la académica. La tutoría es el factor clave que dificultó el proceso de transición. Hubo una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el género y los retos encontrados por los encuestados