The Effect of the Use of Social media on Youths in Benue State, Nigeria

This paper examines the effects of the use of various social-network platforms on the youths in Benue State of Nigeria. It sees social media as many relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that enable people to publish and access information either on computers or hand-held devices such as smartphones. The study collected data from 200 students from 20 secondary schools randomly selected in Makurdi. Twenty respondents were selected from each school. In addition, the researcher conducted oral, in-depth interviews with other people to supplement the data obtained from the questionnaire. The aim of the study was to ascertain the problems associated with the use of the social network platforms, and to determine whether the networks have positive or negative effect on Nigerian youths. It observes that educational enhancement and business promotion are some of the possible effects of the various social network platforms. It sees ownership of social media content, lack of trustworthiness of information online are some of the criticism of social network platforms. It concludes that social network platforms are very veritable tools to retrieve or access information as well as important tools to convey political campaigns to members of the general public. It recommends several media users to use it strictly for advancement and societal development

An economic analysis Of retail pharmaceutical market In Nigeria: towards access expansion and policy

Rural areas in much of sub-Saharan Africa access needed health care from untrained and often poorly regulated drug vendor shops with concerns over the quality of products and services provided and their public health implications. The thesis undertook to understand market relationships in a rural retail drug market in the light of the structure-conduct-performance paradigm and isolate opportunities for potential policy interventions for improved access to quality and safer medicines. Data was collected from a sample of patent medicine vendors and drug purchasers in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, north central Nigeria, over 9 months in 2012. Information from drug vendors and drug consumers was generated through semi-structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews and systematic business transaction observations. Key state and national drug regulatory officials were also interviewed in-depth and related documentary data collected and evaluated. Data analysis focussed mainly on the relationships between market structure, provider conduct, consumer behaviour and the nature of regulation, with the aim of understanding market performance in relation to access to medicines and their rational use. The study established that patent medicine vendors were an important source of medicines for inhabitants of the local government for ambulatory primary health care. Drug retailers were said to be a reliable source of a wide range of drugs provided at relatively more affordable prices and in a convenient way that satisfied consumer expectations. However, a number of market failures existed: low quality of treatment due to poor provider knowledge of diseases and drugs and therefore inappropriate prescription and dispensing practices. Ineffective regulation was also demonstrated by way of inappropriate and inadequate regulatory regime, occasioned by wide spread regulatory infractions. To attain the desirable public health objective of sustained improvement in the quality of products and services obtainable at patent medicine vendor outlets, regulatory strategies must be contextually relevant, providers must be trained and offered financial and business incentives and consumers must be empowered by accessible and timely health information for informed choices against the backdrop of strengthened and better incentivized inspectorate unit in a systematically intertwined approach.sub_iihdsubmitted2089_ethesessubmitte

Synthesis and Characterization of 2-Ethoxy Isobutryl Acid Hydrazide and 2-Ethoxy Isobutryl Aceto Hydrazone and Its Metal Complexes with Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II)

Complexes of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) derived from 2-ethoxy isobutryl acid hydrazide (EIAH1) and 2-ethoxy isobutryl aceto hydrazone (EIAH2) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, molar conductance, UV – visible spectra, ESR, thermal analysis and magnetic susceptibility. The complexes are coloured, stable in air and exhibit coordination number of 4 or 6. Analytical data showed that all the complexes exhibited 1:2 (metal:ligand) ratio. The changes observed between the FT-IR and UV – visible spectra of the ligands and of the complexes allowed us to establish the coordination mode of the metal in complexes. Presence of coordinated water molecules in Co (II) and Ni (II) complexes is confirmed by TGA studies. The conductivity data show that all these complexes are non electrolytes. The solubility test on the ligands and its metal(II) complexes revealed their solubility in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). The ligands and metal complexes show a good activity against the bacteria; B. Subtilis, E.coli and S.aureus and fungi A.niger, A.flavus and C.albicans. The antimicrobial results also indicate that the metal complexes are better antimicrobial agents as compared to the ligands. Keywords: Synthesis, hydrazine, hydrazone, metal complexes, characterizatio

Anthropometric Measurements in Adolescent Students: A Comparison among Three Ethnic Groups Living in North-Central Nigeria

Weight and height measurements together with Body Mass Index (BMI) are commonly used anthropometric measurements for the estimation of relative weight, which has a direct relationship with nutritional status, and for the classification of individuals as underweight, normal, overweight or obese. A randomized cross-sectional study of 1,057 adolescent students from three different ethnic groups living in Katsina-Ala town, North-Central Nigeria, was conducted. The students were aged 10-19 years, and were divided into two age groups: 10-14 years and 15-19 years. The two groups were later separated by gender into male and female subgroups. The One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess if the differences observed across the age, gender and ethnic groups were statistically significant. Further statistical testing was carried out using the Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparisons Test. The results showed extremely significant differences, with P-Values up to ≤ 0.0001 amongst the various groups, in weight, height and BMI. Keywords: anthropometric measurements, adolescents, body mass index, ethnic groups, Katsina-Ala

Prevalence of Hypertension and Assessment of its Risk Factors among Traders in Rukuba-Road Satellite Market in Jos, North Central Nigeria

Background: Hypertension has continued to remain a global public health challenge, contributing to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and economic cost. Modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors have been linked to hypertension. Aim: The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of hypertension and its risk factors among traders in the Rukuba-road Satellite market in Jos-North LGA, Jos, Plateau State. Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional descriptive survey was used. Three hundred and fifty participants (traders) were drawn from 3017 static shops using the Cochran analysis formula of sample size calculation between June and July 2019. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Demographic characteristics and the knowledge, attitude, and practice of risk factors for hypertension were gotten using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were also obtained. The analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained before the commencement of the study. Results: Three hundred and twenty-three traders comprising 190 (58.8%) females and 133 (41.2%) males participated in the study. The majority of the traders (40.9%) had average knowledge, 78.6% had a good attitude and 75.6% had average practice on proper lifestyle for prevention of hypertension and its risk factors. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP) were 127 ± 19 mmHg and 79 ± 11 mmHg, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension among the participants was 32.2% (104 participants) of which 58 (55.8%) were unaware of their hypertensive status. Nonmodifiable risk factors of age (P = 0.000) and tribe (P = 0.006) and modifiable risk factors of body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.000) were statistically significant for hypertension. Predictors of hypertension using logistic regression were age (18–45 years) and BMI (18.5–34.9 kg/m2). Conclusion: Present findings of the risk factors of hypertension remain a major public health problem in our society and more efforts are needed for its screening, prevention, early diagnosis, and proper management

The Effect of the Use of Social media on Youths in Benue State, Nigeria

This paper examines the effects of the use of various social-network platforms on the youths in Benue State of Nigeria. It sees social media as many relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that enable people to publish and access information either on computers or hand-held devices such as smartphones. The study collected data from 200 students from 20 secondary schools randomly selected in Makurdi. Twenty respondents were selected from each school. In addition, the researcher conducted oral, in-depth interviews with other people to supplement the data obtained from the questionnaire. The aim of the study was to ascertain the problems associated with the use of the social network platforms, and to determine whether the networks have positive or negative effect on Nigerian youths. It observes that educational enhancement and business promotion are some of the possible effects of the various social network platforms. It sees ownership of social media content, lack of trustworthiness of information online are some of the criticism of social network platforms. It concludes that social network platforms are very veritable tools to retrieve or access information as well as important tools to convey political campaigns to members of the general public. It recommends several media users to use it strictly for advancement and societal development

Knowledge and attitudes of informal workers in Jos-Jarawa Council ward of Plateau State, towards the National Health Insurance Scheme

Background: Health insurance has been accepted as an optimal strategy for addressing financial constraints to universal health care. At its introduction in 2005, the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme targeted universal coverage by 2015. However, five years  afterwards, less than 5% of the population is covered, mostly the formal sector, while largely excluding the informal sector. This study assessed knowledge and attitudes of informal workers towards the scheme in Jos- Jarawa Council Ward of Plateau State. The findings will foster a better understanding of artisans’ health insurance behaviours, and inform future designs of the scheme. Method: A descriptive, cross sectional design was adopted. One hundred sixty five participants were conveniently sampled and socio-demographic, knowledge and attitudes data of artisans about health insurance collected, using a pretested interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Epi Info version 3.5.4. Statistical 2 software and Chi-square (X ) was applied to test for statistical significance. Results: One hundred and eleven (67.3%) of the 165 participants were males and 54 (32.7%) were females, with age range of 15-55 years and median age of 31 years. Majority of the respondents (83.6%) had poor knowledge of the scheme, while155 (93.9%) had negative  attitude towards the scheme. Statistically significant relationships existed between education and knowledge, education and attitude and monthly income and attitude about the scheme by respondents. Conclusion: Knowledge of, and attitudes towards health insurance among artisans was low and poor respectively. Ministries of health and  related agencies need to improve health insurance literacy interventions targeting informal worker

Universal health coverage in Nigeria: strategies for engagement of patent medicine vendors in rural communities

Background: Universal health coverage has been touted as a key policy objective of most health systems the world over. However, to what extent it has been achieved across continents and countries varies widely, with sub-Saharan Africa faring the least while bearing the highest burden of disease. In these settings, much of the inhabitants are rural and access needed health care from untrained, often poorly regulated commercial drug shops, with concerns over products and service quality frequently expressed. The study undertook to critically explore and understand retail drug market interactions in a rural context with a focus on identifying scope for potential regulatory interventions that aim to improve retail drug market performance.Methods: The study was underpinned on the neoclassical framework of Structure-Conduct-Performance Paradigm, and data was collected from a sample of patent medicine vendor outlets in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, north central Nigeria, between March and October of 2014. Data was triangulated using semi-structured questionnaires, indepth semi-structured interviews, structured observations, Key regulatory interviews and review of secondary documentary evidence.Results: The study established patent medicine vendor outlets to be important sources of essential medicines for inhabitants of the local government area for ambulatory primary health care. Although drug shop retailers were acknowledged as offering reliable sources for a broad range of drugs at relatively more affordable prices, a number of market failures exist.Conclusions: The study recommends a review of current stand-alone policies guiding the practice of patent medicine retailing in Nigeria to better align it with contextual realities.Key words: Universal Health Coverage, patent medicine vendor, consumer, regulation, rural areas, Nigeri