Effects of core strengthening exercises on dynamic balance and gait speed in stroke survivors

Independent ambulation is the ultimate goal of post-stroke rehabilitation, of which dynamic balance is a primary requirement. Core stability is said to be essential to balance and independent ambulation, however, core strengthening exercises have often been omitted in stroke rehabilitation. The study sought to determine the effects of core strengthening exercises on dynamic balance and gait speed in stroke survivors. A total of 48 stroke survivors participated in this study. A simple random sampling in which participants were consecutively allocated into experimental and control groups was employed. The experimental group received core strengthening exercise in addition to conventional exercise while the control group had conventional exercise only. Dynamic balance was measured by maximum reach distances and gait speed was evaluated using 10-mteres walk test. Assessment of dynamic balance and gait speed was performed before treatment and six weeks after. There was no significant difference in dynamic balance and gait speed between both groups (P>0.05 in each).Significant differences in dynamic balance measures and gait speed were found between pre-test and post-test values of each of experimental and control groups (p<0.05). A holistic approach targeting all the core muscle groups and their corresponding motions should be adopted when executing core strengthening exercise.Keywords: Stroke, Core strengthening, Exercise, Dynamic balance, Gai

Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Practices of Mothers of Children (0 – 24 Months) Attending Infant Welfare Clinice (IWC) at the Institute of Child Health (ICH) University of Nigerian Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla Enugu

Background: The study investigated the breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices of mothers of children (0-24months) attending the Infant Welfare Clinic (IWC) at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu. The study aimed; to access the infant feeding knowledge of mothers, to ascertain the time of introduction of complementary feeds by mothers, to assess the quality of the complementary feeds used by mothers and to ascertain the period of breastfeeding cessation by the mothers. Methodology: The research involved a cohort study of the breastfeeding and complementary feeding pattern of mothers of children (0-24months) attending the Infant Welfare Clinic (IWC) situated at the Institute of Child Health (ICH), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu The study was carried out through the evaluation of the knowledge, and practices of the mothers. Structured interview schedule was used to collect information on the mothers' knowledge, and practices of breast feeding and complementary feeding recommendations. Result: Analysis of data revealed that the breastfeeding practices of the mothers varied. Ninety mothers (45%) gave breastmilk alone, only 25 (12.5%) of these children were up to six months. Sixty five (32.5%) of these children who are receiving breastmilk alone were still under six months of age. Majority (26.7%) of the mothers who were no longer breastfeeding stopped between 6 and 8 months of age, while 139(74.4) among the breastfeeding mothers planned to stop breastfeeding between the ages of 12 and 23months. Thirty one mothers (16.7%) planned to breastfeed their children up to 24 months and beyond. Eighty (40%) mothers had introduced their children to complementary feeds and time of introduction of complementary feeds varied among the mothers. Corn gruel (pap) was a common complementary feed used by majority of the mothers 50(62.5%). Very few mothers 18(22.5%) enrich the complementary feeds with sugar and oil and only 14 (17.5%) mothers used feeding bottles to feed their children. Fifty eight mothers (72.5%) had introduced their children to the family foods. A consistent positive relationship existed between mother's education and frequency of breastfeeding; type of birth and exclusive breastfeeding and birth order; mother's educational background and exclusive breastfeeding; frequency of breastfeeding with age of introducing complementary feeding and when to stop breastfeeding with mother's occupation and educational background respectively. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the researchers concluded that although breastfeeding remains a universal practice by women, the Infant and young child feeding practices observed in this study are far from optimal. The finding showed that although breastfeeding is common amongst the mothers, it is rarely optimal. The mothers use mainly pap made from cereals as complementary feeds instead of using different varieties of our locally available foods, as was the practice prior to the rampant use of the maize gruels. The mothers had insufficient knowledge of use of sugar and oil to enrich the complementary feeds. Keywords: Breastfeeding, Complementary feeding, Practices, Mothers, Childre

Variation in adiposity indices, fitness index and Q-angle with types of contact sports

Common to every sport is the quest for high performance and desire to avoid injury. Low body adiposity has been connected to performance in sports, while increasing Q-angle is associated with increased lateral patella-femoral contact pressure and risk of knee injury. This non-experimental comparative study compared adiposity indices and Q-angle among football, volleyball and basketball players. A total of 68 male students comprising of 30 amateur footballers players, 19 amateur basketball players and 19 amateur volleyball players participated in the study. Selected and measured adiposity indices were body mass index, waist-hip ratio, percentage body fat, lean body mass and conicity index were measured among the participants. Results showed significant differences in body mass index (P=0.001), body fat (P<0.001), fat mass (P=0.002), fat free mass (P=0.04) and body adiposity index (P=0.001) among the participants groups, with volleyball players possessing significantly higher mean values for all adiposity indices. There was no significant difference in Q-angle among the three groups of players. It appears high body adiposity is common with volleyball players compared to basketball players. Volleyball players possess higher risk of obesity and poor physical fitness while risk of knee injury is not associated with any of sports at amateur level.Keywords: Adiposity, Fitness, Q-angle, Football, Volleyball, Basketbal

Awareness, perception and practice of kangaroo mother care among mothers attending antenatal/postnatal clinic in selected PHC’s in Badagry, Lagos State

Background: In Nigeria, kangaroo mother care (KMC) as a method for caring for small babies was systematically reintroduced through the US agency for international development's ACCESS program in 2007. The FMOH launched the Nigeria every newborn action plan, which included KMC as part of essential care for preterm/low-birth weight babies in 2016.Objective : Awareness, perception and practice of kangaroo mother care among mothers attending antenatal/postnatal clinic in selected PHCs in Badagry, Lagos state.Methods: This is a quantitative, cross sectional descriptive study that utilized a multi-stage sampling technique to select 420 respondents from three comprehensive PHCs in Badagry LGA of Lagos state. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire with four sections. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0, descriptive statistics were presented in tables and charts, inferential statistic were tested with Chi-square at a significant level of p = 0.05.Result: The mean age of the respondents was 29.89±3.56, majority 278(73.2%) had moderate level of awareness of KMC, 326(85.8%) had a positive perception while 224(58.9%) had a poor practice of KMC. There was a statistically significant association between awareness of KMC and the practice of KMC with p = 0.01 also there was no statistically significant relationship between practice of KMC and the perception of KMC with p = 0.97.Conclusion: Though majority of the respondents had moderate awareness of KMC, their practice was poor. More teachings and demonstration of KMC should be given to mothers during health education at the ANC and postnatal clinics

Knowledge and compliance with standard precautions among nurses in a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

Background: Nurses play important roles in curbing the spread of health care-associated infections, therefore, adequate knowledge and compliance with standard precautions are pertinent factors to achieve this. This study examined the knowledge and compliance with standard precautions among nurses in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that was made up of 242 participants. Convenience sampling technique was used for the selection of participants. A structured pretested questionnaire was used to collect data. The reliability values of the instrument using Cronbach alpha were 0.79 and 0.76 for knowledge and compliance with standard precautions respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics of Chi-square was used to test the two hypotheses formulated at 0.05 level of significance.Results: Findings showed that the mean age of participants was 36.5 years. 79 participants (32.6%) had 1 to 5 years of clinical experience. 220 participants (90.9%) had good knowledge of standard precautions and 204 participants (84.3%) had good compliance with standard precautions. Significant difference was found between the years of experience of participants and the level of knowledge (p = 0.000). There was no significant difference between years of experience of the participants and compliance with standard precautions (p = 0.113).Conclusion: Majority of the participants had good knowledge of standard precautions and good compliance. It is therefore recommended to the management that training and retraining be in place for continuous compliance with standard precautions

Influence of nurse-instituted programme on skills of breast self- examination among female students in two selected Local Government in Lagos state

Background: The role played by nurses in ensuring evidence-based practice that portrays the proper technique to perform a breast self - examination which does not only involve patient's compliance of performing it, but also when and how she performs the procedure, cannot be over emphasized.Objective: The main objective assessed the influence of nurse-instituted programme on breast self-examination among female senior secondary students in two selected local government in Lagos State. The specific objective assesses the pre and post-intervention mean score on skills of breast selfexamination among female students in two selected local government in Lagos State.Methods: One- group pretest –posttest quasi experimental design was used, and multistage sampling technique was adopted to select the sample. The sample size was determined using Scheaffer, Mendenall and Ott formula and 127 students were selected from the two schools. The hypothesis of the study was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and presented as tables using descriptive and inferential statistics (t- test).Results: Eighty-eight (69.3%) participants were in the age range of 15 -17years, while twenty-two (17.3%) participants were within the age range of 18-20 years. Findings revealed that the participants' pre and post-intervention mean score on skills of breast self-examination were 2.99 ± 1.69 and 10.47 ± 1.32 with the mean difference of 7.48 for participants in school A and 3.09 ± 1.52 and 9.55 ± 2.12 with the mean difference of 6.46 for participants from school B. The hypothesis tested revealed a statistical difference between pre and post-intervention mean score (p= 0.00) thus the hypothesis was not rejectedConclusion and recommendation: The nurseinstituted programme was highly effective. Therefore, breast self examination should beadvocated and included in school activities in Lagos State and in Nigeria as a whole. School health nurses should design health programme for all students on breast self examination Keywords: Skills of Breast self-examination, Nurseinstituted programme, Senior Secondary Schools

Utilization of old people's home: Residence elderly's perspectives in selected centres in Lagos

Background of the study: Populations around the world are rapidly ageing with emphasis placed on long term care necessary for the dependent fastgrowing members of the population with geriatric conditions.Objectives: To assess the perception of elderly about old people's homes and determine the factors influencing its utilization in selected centres in Lagos. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, quantitative cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to all the 52 elderly in the two selected homes for the elderly in Lagos. Data was analysed with SPSS version 20 and presented as tables using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: They were mainly females (65.4%) with widowed (65.1%). The mean age was 73 years ± 11.86. Majority of respondents (92.3%) have a positive perception about old people's home. Above half (55.8%) got information about the homes from their children and a good number (34.6%) have spent more than 5 years in the home. Culture, children perspectives and children occupation were the major factors agreed by the elderly influencing their utilization of the old people's homes. There were no statistically significant association between Sociodemographic variables (age, gender, ethnicity) of the respondents and the utilization of the home with 'p' = 0.501.Conclusion and recommendation: Even though the elderly had positive perception about the utilization of the old people's home but their children perspectives had altered their participation in the homes which outrightly affected their health status. The nurses should therefore ensure optimal health of the elderly to improve their participation in the home. Keywords: Utilization, Perception, Old People's Homes, Elderly