Occupational hazard perception and safety practices among workers of small-scale industries in Kano, Nigeria

Work-related injuries present a major public health problem resulting in serious social and economic consequences that could be prevented by adopting appropriate occupational health and safety measures Objective: This study assessed occupational hazard perception, safety practices and associated factors among workers of small scale industries in Kano. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to study 187 randomly selected workers of Small Scale Industries. Data was collected using interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 22. Results: The mean age of the workers was 24.41 ± 6.20 years with a range of 15 to 52 years. A thirdof the workers (35.3%) had at least secondary school education and most (88.3%) had worked for 10 years or less. Overall, 95.7% of the workers have good perception about occupational hazards and safety and 92.0% believed that exposure to hazards of work may affect their health. Up to 67.9% of the respondents reported being caught-up in at least one form of occupational accident, most common were dislocation (39.4%) and burns (19.7%). Most of the workers (97.3%) reported that their industries do not have any policy on health and safety and 73.8% had never been trained or advised on safety procedures. Only 49(26.2%) reported having safety measure(s) against specific accidents in their workplaces. Conclusion: Most SSIs in Kano do not have policy on health and safety. Factory inspectors should ensure effective compliance monitoring and enforcementof safety guidelines in these industries

Perceptions of sexual behavior and knowledge on sexually transmitted infections among the undergraduate students of a university in north western Nigeria.

One of the greatest challenges that face Nigerians is the spread of Human Immunodefiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Sexually active youths in Nigeria are at high-risk of HIV infection. Many youths engaged in behaviors that place them at risk for HIV infections and other STIs. Objective: To determine the perceptions of sexual behavior and knowledge of STIs among undergraduate students of A.B.U Zaria. Method: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out on undergraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. A structured self administered questionnaire was used to collect data by systematic random sampling technique. Focus group discussions were also held. Data from questionnaires were analyzed by use of computer software, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 16.0 and ones from focus group discussions by content analysis. Result: The mean age of respondents was 25.5yrs ( 5.4). Ratio of males to female respondents was 2:1. Three hundred and thirteen questionnaires were returned filled out of the 320 distributed giving response rate of 97.8 per cent. Most of the respondents 98.4 per cent knew about some of the causes of STIs by name. About 10.2 per cent actually had an experience of at least an STI while 8.0 per cent took treatment for it. However, discussants revealed that sexual intercourse among the students in ABU, Zaria was very rampant. Students had perception that some of their colleagues might have been infected with HIV or other STDs (89.5%) and some of them saw that as curse (15.0%). Protective measures taken against STIs included abstinence from sex (67.7%), cut down number of sex partners (19.2%), use condoms all the time and sometimes (26.2% and 5.4%, respectively), screened for HIV infection (22.0%), stopped patronizing barbing saloons that do not sterilize their instruments (36.7%), had been careful where to take injections (43.8%) etc. About 8.6 per cent practice casual sex for certain reasons as pleasure (6.4%), financial (2.2%). Conclusion: There is an urgent need to increase the proportion of the students in particular and public in general who have correct knowledge about STIs, promote, positive perceptions and behavior as well as skills to protect themselves adequately

Awareness and attitude of primary school teachers in Kano metropolis, Nigeria towards pupils with learning disabilities, how effective is the school health programme?

Teachers have central role in identification and management of children with learning disabilities. Objectives: Ten years after drafting the national guidelines for implementation of school health programme in Nigeria, this study assessed awareness and attitude of primary school teachers in Kano metropolis towards children with learning disabilities as proxy for the effectiveness of school health programme. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to study a random sample of 186 primary school teachers in Kano. Data was collected with the aid of a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire, and analyzed using IBM SPSSStatistics for Windows, version 22. Result: The mean age of the teachers was 32.8 ± 7.8 years. Majority had post-secondary school education 170(91.9%) and had worked for an average of 7.5 ± 6.8 years. About half 98(53.0%) were aware of a link between lack of academic progression in children and some probable medical condition(s), but none of them knew the characteristics of learning disabilities. About one-quarter of the teachers 52(28.1%) had negative attitude towards pupils with learning disability. Teaching in a large class was the only factor that emerged as the independent predictor of the teachers' positive attitude towardsstudents with learning disabilities. Conclusion: Majority of the teachers had positive attitude towards pupils with learning disabilities but none of them could identify the features of such children. Ministries of health and education should work closely with development partners and interested researchers to resuscitate the school health programme

Patients' satisfaction with services obtained from aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Northern Nigeria

No Abstract

Factors impacting on menstrual hygiene and their implications for health promotion

BACKGROUND: In the lives of women, puberty is marked by the onset of menarche. From this stage onwards until menopause, reproductive health and menstrual hygiene are important aspects of women’s lives. In Zambia’s Western Province, the natural process of menstruation is a taboo and dealt with secretly. Information and knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls is inadequate. This paper explores the factors influencing the understanding, experiences and practices of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in Mongu District, Western Province of Zambia. METHODS: An explorative study design was used by means of six focus group discussions conducted with 51 respondents, aged 13–20 years, from three secondary schools. Their age at menarche was 11–15. For data analysis thematic content analysis was used. RESULTS: The paper shows that the girls suffer from poor menstrual hygiene, originating from lack of knowledge, culture and tradition, and socio-economic and environmental constraints, leading to inconveniences, humiliation and stress. This leads to reduced school attendance and poor academic performance, or even drop outs, and ultimately infringes upon the girls’ human rights. CONCLUSION: To address these shortcomings, a ‘super setting approach’ is recommended, in which a Health Promoting School could improve the girls’ individual and group needs, and a community setting which would address the broader socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. This would enable creating a supportive environment for the girls to manage their periods. To successfully utilize the approach, all stakeholders (parents, teachers, children, governments and communities) should cooperate to generate context-specific solutions for creating safe menstrual care, and better and dignified conditions for adolescent girls. Therefore, this calls for comprehensive, strident advocacy for policy changes at national level, and mediation and involvement at community level. (Global Health Promotion, 2018; 25(1): 54–62

Utilization Of Antenatal Care Services In Comprehensive Health Centre (Chc) Gindiri

OBJECTIVES; To determine if ANC utilization influences respondents' choice of place of delivery Also to investigate how some personal factors influence pattern of use of ANC services and choice of preferred place of delivery. Methods: ANC records of 676 pregnant women who attended the ANC Clinic of JUTH CHC. Gindiri between January 2000 and December 2002 were reviewed. The mothers were traced subsequently to determine their place of delivery. Data generated were collated and analyzed using the Epi info 2000 computer software. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 25.3+- 5.92 years. Almost half of them were literate and majority had parity o

COMPLIANCE TOO DIABETIC MANAGEMENT AMONGST PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS ATTENDING A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL IN KANO, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

The physical, social, and economic burden of diabetes mellitus result mostly from the complications of the disease, which occur because of poor compliance to treatment. However, Physicians commonly ignore this important aspect of diabetic management. This study assessed patients' compliance to diabetic control measures using a combination of direct and indirect approaches. Objectives: The study aimed to assess diabetic patients’ compliance to management, as well as the Sociodemographic factors influencing their compliance. Methods: A cross sectional design was used to study 240 systematically selected diabetic patients from the diabetic clinic of a General Hospital. Subjects were interviewed using a semi-structured interviewer administered questioners, and data generated were analyzed using “Mini tab” 12.21 computer statistical software. Patients’ compliance was assessed using regularity of appointment visits, dietary control, regularity as drugs, modification of life style, and scored using a Likert scale. Results: More than one-third (37.1%) of the diabetic patients had good compliance to diabetic management, whereas 41.3% and 21.6% of them had moderate and poor compliance respectively. Compliance however varied for the different methods used to control the disease, with compliance to drug use being highest. The sex of the patients, their educational status, occupation, and their average monthly incomes were found to significantly influence the patients’ compliance to diabetic management. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that diabetic patients are being selective on the use of the disease control measures prescribed to them by their physicians.&nbsp

Risk Perceptions, Prevention and Treatment Seeking for Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS among Female Sex Workers in Kano, Nigeria

We examined the risk perceptions, prevention and treatment seeking for HIV/AIDS/STIs of 124 female commercial sex workers from 52 randomly selected brothels in Kano, Nigeria using a descriptive cross sectional design. We analysed the data using Epi Info® 3.5.1. The mean age of the sex workers was 26.4 ± 1.9 years, and most were indigenous Hausas (33.9%), single (50.8%) and had at least secondary school level of education (51.7%). Majority perceived that unprotected sexual intercourse (96.0%) is the commonest risk factor associated with STIs and HIV/AIDs acquisition. Surprisingly, 25.8% did not believe that any method protect against STIs and HIV/AIDS. The most common symptom reported was perineal itching (53.6%); and 60.7% with the symptoms continued to have unprotected sex. Alarmingly, 29.6% of the sex workers were HIV positive, and all continued with unprotected sexual intercourse with clients. Despite the sex workers’ good perception and knowledge of HIV/AIDS/STIs prevention, they demonstrated unhealthy sex behaviour and treatment seeking. We recommend a peer education package that targets the workers and their clients, with focus on reducing risk behaviours associated with STIs and HIV transmission, safer sex; and treatment seeking.Keywords: HIV/AIDS, STIs, Female Commercial Sex Workers, Perceptions, Northern NigeriaAfr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[1]:61-6

A Survey of Weight Perception and Social Desirability of Obesity

BACKGROUND: Obesity and its complications are emergent health challenges in developing countries including Nigeria.  We determined the concordance of perceived with measured weight and assessed the social desirability of obesity among adults in Kano metropolis in northern Nigeria.METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 400 adults using structured interview questionnaires.  RESULTS: Among 386 respondents, 58 (84.1%) of underweight adults, 106 (46.2%) of healthy weight adults, 46 (66.7%) of overweight adults and 16 (84.2%) of obese adults incorrectly perceived their weight category. Sixty (15.5%) participants considered obesity as socially desirable and a sign of good living and affluence. Older respondents (≥40 years) (P=0.0001), Igbo or Yoruba ethnicity (P=0.0035) and non-formal or primary education (P<0.0001) were significantly associated with positive view of obesity. However, only ethnicity; Yoruba-Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) =1.60, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI)  (1.20-2.86), P=0.018, Igbo (aOR=3.22, 95% CI (1.64-6.3), P=0.005 and educational status; non-formal (aOR=4.61, 95% CI (1.62-16.9), P=0.01; primary (aOR=4.95, 95% CI(1.4-17.8), P=0.015 remained significant predictors after adjusting for confounding.  CONCLUSION: The discordance between perceived and measured weight is worrisome but the low social desirability of obesity should be encouraged. Weight control using periodic weight measurements, nutritional education and physical exercise are paramount.KEY WORDS: Weight, perception, obesity, social desire, Nigeri