Prevalence of Co-morbid Psychiatric Disorders in a Clinic Sample of Children with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: Co-morbid psychiatric disorders may mask or be masked by Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), thereby confounding the clinical assessment of children with ADHD.Aim: To determine the prevalence of co-morbid psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with ADHD attending an out-patient clinic.Methods: Sixty-seven children and adolescents with ADHD, attending the Child and Adolescent clinic of the Federal Neuro- Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, were consecutively recruited into the study. The prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity was determined with the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Scale.Results: The prevalence of the combined sub-type of ADHD was 6 2 . 7%. The predoinantly Hyperactive-Impulsive and the Inattentive subtypes were prevalent in 20.9% and 16.4% of the sample respectively. About three-quarter (74.6%) of the sample had comorbid psychiatric disorders. The most common co-morbid psychiatric disorder was oppositional defiant disorder (58.2%), followed by anxiety/depression (32.8%) and conduct disorder (26.9%).Conclusion: Co-morbid psychiatric disorders are common in children with ADHD. There is need for increased clinicians' awareness of these co-morbid disorders, which could become targets for interventions that may reduce the overall morbidity profile of children with ADHD

Bacteriological analysis of spent engine oil contaminated soil planted with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

The bacteriological analysis of soil contaminated with spent engine oil (SEO) planted with cowpea was investigated. The aim of this study was to detect the microbial degradation of SEO in soil and how it affects the microbial activity and the effects of SEO on the growth of cowpea. SEO collected from a mechanic workshop in Ilorin was introduced into soil in varying concentrations. The experimental set up was in triplicates with six treatments of SEO. Soil samples were taken every week for the duration of six weeks for laboratory analysis. Plant growth parameters were measured every week after planting. The pH of the soil and the bacterial population of the soil were also observed. Findings revealed that the plant growth parameters were significantly reduced as the concentration of SEO increased in the soil. Bacterial counts were also determined and a total of six bacterial species were isolated from the soil samples. Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida occurred in the control and contaminated soil samples. Bacterial counts ranged from 1.89×105 to 4.25×105 cfu/ml in the soil samples with the highest occurring in the control and the least occurring in 224ml of SEO. SEO contaminated soil has adverse effect on cowpea and on bacterial flora of the soil. The results of this study revealed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus subtilis can utilize SEO in the soil. They could be harnessed for use in bioremediation of soil polluted with petroleum and petroleum products.Key Words: Bacteria, Spent engine oil, Soil, Cowpe

Determinants of the disposition of patients attending a psychiatric emergency department in Nigeria

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Pattern of Defaulting from a Nigerian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic

Background: Despite the availability of effective treatment for childhood psychiatric disorders, the successful treatment of children who access mental health services could be undermined by defaulting from treatment.Aim: To determine the pattern of defaulting from the Child and Adolescent clinic of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.Methods: The case notes of all patients registered at the Child and Adolescent Clinic of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, within a period of one year, were ret rospect ively reviewed to determine their pattern of default from clinic appointments.Results: A fifth of the sample missed their first clinic appointment. By the 2nd and 4th appointment, the percentage of defaulters had increased to 51.0% and 61.7% respectively. The median number of out-patient clinic attendance before defaulting was 2 (IQR 1 to 6). Patients who missed their first appointment were more likely to drop-out from treatment (p<0.001). Conclusion: There is a high rate of defaulting from child psychiatric clinic in this environment. This highlights the need for interventions that could facilitate the retention of children in treatment

Prevalence Of Sleep Disturbances Among Primary Informal Caregivers To Persons With Mental Illness Attending The Neuropsychiatric Facility In Lagos, Nigeria: A Comparative Study

Background : Sleep is a physiological process that is important to the physical and psychological  wellbeing of humans. Sleep can become disturbed for medical , psychological and environmental reasons. Studies from different parts of the world has shown that informal caregivers of chronically ill persons have high prevalence for sleep disturbances. There is a dearth of such studies among Nigerians.Aim: To determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances among primary informal caregivers to persons with mental illness and to compare it with that obtained among non-caregivers within the same region.Methods: This study was a crosssectional, comparative study conducted among 250 caregivers to persons with mental illness and 216 non-caregivers. All the subjects were randomly selected and had to meet the inclusion criteria. The selfadmini s tered ques t ionnai re contained the General Health Questionnaire-28 and a proforma which was designed to elicit sociodemographic data and the presence of sleep disturbance in the subjects within the last 6-12 months period.Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was found to be significantly higher among caregivers  (27.7%) when compared with non-caregivers (12.3%). The general health questionnaire (GHQ) which is popularly used for screening for psychological distress was only able to pick out 53.3% of the caregivers with sleep disturbances. Amongst the caregivers, advancing age and belonging to a polygamous family setting were significantly associated with sleep disturbances.Conclusion: Caregivers are at almost thrice the risk of sleep disturbances than the noncaregivers (OR = 2.7, CI= 1.26-1.74). Periodic screening of caregivers should be done with specific sleep instruments especially for those of them who operate dangerous machinery and commercial vehicles.Keywords: Prevalence, Sleep disturbances, primary informal caregiver, persons with mental illnes

Post traumatic stress disorder among injured road traffic accident victims in Lagos, Nigeria

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