Prevention of cervical cancer among female undergraduates in two universities in south-western Nigeria

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is the leading cause of death from cancer among women in developing countries.Objectives: The study assessed the effects of an educational package on the knowledge of female undergraduates (FUs) on CC and its prevention using the Pap smear.Study Design: A quasi experimental design was adopted. Two universities in South west Nigeria was used. Forty subjects who were sexually active were recruited from each university. Instruments used were an educational package and a semi structured questionnaire. The experimental subjects were given access to free Pap smear as a preventive measure. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and test. Ethical clearance was taken from the institutions while informed consent was taken from each subject.Results: The results showed that 10% of experimental and 17.5% of the control subjects had good knowledge of CC and its prevention at pre-intervention. At post intervention, 92.5% of the experimental and 35% of the control group had good knowledge. During the intervention, 42.5% of experimental had Pap's Smear. Of these subjects that had Pap smear, 47% had abnormal results that required cytology and further investigation. At p= 0.001, there was a significant difference in the mean scores of both groups.Conclusion: The introduction of a health education package and provision of Pap smear significantly improved the knowledge of FUs on CC and their uptake of Pap smear. It is recommended that health education on CC and prevention using HPV vaccines and Pap smear be given to University students.Keywords: Cervical Cancer, Educational Package, Pap Smear, Female UndergraduatesTrop J Obstet Gynaecol, 30 (1), April 201

Influence of Family Size, Household Food Security Status, and Child Care Practices on the Nutritional Status of Under-five Children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Fertility pattern and reproductive behaviours affect infant death in Nigeria. Household food insecurity and poor care practices also place children at risk of morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to assess the influence of family size, household food security status, and child care practices on the nutritional status of under-five children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 423 mothers of under-five children and their children in the households selected through multistagesampling methods. Food-insecure households were five times more likely than secure households to have wasted children (crude OR=5.707, 95 percent CI=1.31-24.85). Children with less educated mothers were significantly more likely to be stunted. The prevalence of food insecurity among households in Ile-Ife was high. Households with food insecurity and less educated mothers were more likely to have malnourished children (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[4]: 123-132)

Assessment Of Periodontal Status Of Nigerian Factory Workers In Relation To Cigarette Smoking In Lagos

Two hundred and sixty two factory workers (158 males and 104 females) were seen at two different urban settings in Lagos. Forty six (46) were identified as smokers and majority (44) of these were males. Using the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) Ainamo et al, 1982). The periodontal status was found to be poor with the majority of smokers and non-smokers presenting with calculus deposits (Code 2). However, more smokers had poorer periodontal status by scoring CPITN maximum codes 3 and 4. The mean calculus scores of Oral Hygiene Index (Green and Vermillon) in the smokers was significantly higher than that of non-smokers (

Performance of Celosia argentea (Lagos Spinach) as Influenced by Cow and Poultry Manures in Humid Rainforest Nigeria

The yield of Celosia argentea grown by local farmers is considerably low due to lack of knowledge of fertilizer requirement of the plant and also the absence of deserved attention in research for increased yield. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) field experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farms of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Nigeria to evaluate the effects of cow dung and poultry manure on the growth and yield performance of C. argentea. The treatments replicated three times were cow dung and poultry manure, each applied at the rate of 10 tons/ha and control with no manure application. The analysis of variance showed that plot amended with cow dung significantly influenced plant height, stem girth at 2, 4 and 6 weeks after transplanting (WAP), number of leaves at 4 WAP which translated into relatively higher yield which was significantly higher compared to other treatments (p<0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that soil be amended with cow dung is good for C. argentea production due to its high nitrogen content for the production of the vegetable.Keywords: fertilizer requirement, manure application, number of leaves, plant height, stems girt

Are laws the appropriate solution: The need to adopt non-policy measures in aid of the implementation of sex discrimination laws in Nigeria

Gender inequality is a social problem facing women all over the world and is a barrier to human development. The United Nations commits to achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls and have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve gender equality by 2030. Nigeria, a Member State of the United Nations has ratified international and regional instruments which advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls. Though some progress has been made to reduce inequality, discrimination remains a problem to women and is exacerbated by factors such as culture, religion, social practices and discriminatory laws. This study seeks to add to the discourse on gender inequality in Nigeria and examine the effectiveness of available domestic and international provisions against sex discrimination when considered against ingrained cultural attitudes, beliefs and discriminatory laws. The study found that amongst other determinants, culture and religion were constant features in the different forms of discrimination Nigerian women face and they were the primary reasons the proposals to pass gender equality laws were opposed and failed. The study proposes the need to adopt non-policy measures such as education and awareness-raising as additional measures to eliminating discrimination and promoting equalit