Effect of Low Dose (Diagnostic X-Rays) on Peripheral White Blood Cells Count in Guinea Pigs (<em>Cavia porcellus</em>)

Exposure to ionizing radiation is known to affect some hematological parameters of biological sample. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of ionizing radiation within the diagnostic range on some hematological parameters in guinea pigs. Thirty six (36) apparently healthy adult guinea pigs of both sexes weighing between 700 and 1200 g were used. The guinea pigs were categorized in to three groups, 12 per group; group A (control), group B, and C were exposed to X-rays within the diagnostic range, using 70 kV and 12.5mAs; using X-ray machine MS-185, serial no. 0904 GE at a source to skin distance (SSD) of 90 cm. Blood samples were collected from all the guinea pigs at intervals of 1, 24, 72, 168 and 336 hours post-irradiation, and subjected to standard hematological analysis. A continuous decline in the mean total white blood cell count and mean lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil and eosinophil count after 1 hour in both groups was observed, and more pronounced after 24 hours post-irradiation. However, stability was observed 72 hours post-irradiation in both groups. In conclusion, a depleting effect of low dose ionizing radiation on white blood cell count was found, with appreciable recovery occurring after 72 hours onward

Radiography Profession: Regulation, Practice and Challenges in Northern Nigeria

Objective: To determine the impact of regulatory body of the Radiography profession, ascertain the major challenges, its causes and suggesting ways to mitigate them in northern Nigeria.Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Radiographers in Northern Nigeria with practice experience of 10 years+, for a period of 3 months (January-March 2015). A semi structured 18-item questionnaire was used to elicit data concerning demography, regulation, major challenges, and suggestionsto mitigate these challenges. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 and descriptive statistics were used in the analyses.Results: A total of seventy (70) questionnaires were distributed and 66 (93%) were returned. There were 42(63.6%) male respondents and 24 (36.4%) female respondents with ages ranging from 30 to above 60 years. A good number of the respondents (42) had B.Sc. degree as highest qualification; representing 63.6%while those with Masters degree and above made the remaining 13.6%, numbering 9. About 27 (40.9%) rated the efforts of the regulatory body as good. The major challenges noted were: few Universities offering Radiography at undergraduate and post graduate level, low level of manpower, limited scope of practice, frequent equipment breakdown and inactive professional body. Possible causes suggested included poor recognition of the profession, systemic failure, lack of unity in the Radiology unit. The recommendations made to overcome these include; an active and strong regulatory body visible in all the geopolitical zones and states, provision of scholarship schemes, unionism, and improvement towards education and training.Conclusion: Persistent challenges confront the radiography profession. Radiographers are aware of these challenges and possible causes. There is need for the professional body (RRBN) to improve on its regulatory duties to mitigate the persistent challenges in radiography profession in Nigeri

Istraživanje zadovoljstva pacijenata radiološkim uslugama u javnim i privatnim zdravstvenim ustanovama u saveznoj državi Kano

Background: Patient satisfaction is the extent to which the patients feel that their needs and expectations are being met by the service provider. The survey of patient satisfaction with health care services is a growing concept in Nigeria, where study on this subject is just beginning to develop. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the patients’ satisfaction level with radiological services and to identify the factors that may account for the differences in their satisfaction between a public and a private health facility in Kano state Nigeria. Method: The study was a cross-sectional prospective survey that targeted patients who visited radiology departments. Data was collected using a 43 item self-completion questionnaire designed in line with the objectives of the study. The data were categorized into groups and analysed using a statistical package for social sciences version 20.0, where descriptive statistics such as the percentages and frequencies were generated and tabulated. A chi-square test was used to test for the differences in the patients’ satisfactory level at (p<0.05). Results: The results showed that 60.7% (n=85) were female while 39.3% (n=55) were male, 52.2% (n=47) of the respondents from the public hospital were dissatisfied, while 47.8% (n=43) were satisfied. At the private hospital, only 20% (n=10) were dissatisfied, while 80% (n=40) were satisfied with the radiological services received. The type of health facility and patients’ satisfaction was found to be statistically significant at (p<0.05). Conclusion: The patients in the private health facility of the study were more satisfied than those at the public health facility because of prompt attention given to them immediately after arrival, immediate collection of their radiological reports, and high ergonometric environment provided by the hospital staff.Uvod: Zadovoljstvo pacijenta jest predodžba pacijenta o stupnju u kojem određeni pružatelj zdravstvene usluge zadovoljava njegove zahtjeve i očekivanja. Ispitivanje zadovoljstva pacijenata zdravstvenim uslugama sve više dobiva na važnosti u Nigeriji, gdje se ta tema tek počinje proučavati. Cilj: Cilj je ovog istraživanja bio usporediti zadovoljstvo pacijenata radiološkim uslugama te izdvojiti čimbenike koji mogu objasniti razlike između zadovoljstva pacijenata javnim i privatnim zdravstvenim ustanovama u saveznoj državi Kano u Nigeriji. Postupak: Ovo je prospektivno presječno istraživanje proučilo odgovore pacijenata koji su posjetili odjele za radiologiju. Podaci su prikupljeni s pomoću upitnika s 43 pitanja oblikovanog u skladu s ciljevima istraživanja. Podaci su grupirani i analizirani primjenom statističkog programa za društvene znanosti verzije 20.0 kojim se opisne statistike poput postotaka i frekvencija generiraju i tabuliraju. Hi-kvadrat test primijenjen je kako bi se ispitale razlike u razini zadovoljstva pacijenata (p < 0,05). Rezultati: Rezultati su pokazali da je 60,7 % (n = 85) ispitanika bilo ženskog spola, a 39,3 % muškog. Nezadovoljno je bilo 52,2 % (n = 47) pacijenata javne bolnice, dok je 47,8 % (n = 43) bilo zadovoljno. U privatnoj je bolnici samo 20 % (n = 10) ispitanika bilo nezadovoljno, dok je 80 % (n = 40) bilo zadovoljno radiološkim uslugama. Ustanovljeno je kako su vrsta zdravstvene ustanove i zadovoljstvo pacijenata statistički značajni (p < 0,05). Zaključak: Pacijenti privatne zdravstvene ustanove bili su zadovoljniji od onih u javnoj zdravstvenoj ustanovi zbog brzine kojom im je pružena pažnja nakon dolaska, brzine kojom su im izdani radiološki nalazi te visokog stupnja ergonometrijskog okruženja koje im je osiguralo bolničko osoblje

Istraživanje zadovoljstva pacijenata radiološkim uslugama u javnim i privatnim zdravstvenim ustanovama u saveznoj državi Kano

Background: Patient satisfaction is the extent to which the patients feel that their needs and expectations are being met by the service provider. The survey of patient satisfaction with health care services is a growing concept in Nigeria, where study on this subject is just beginning to develop. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the patients’ satisfaction level with radiological services and to identify the factors that may account for the differences in their satisfaction between a public and a private health facility in Kano state Nigeria. Method: The study was a cross-sectional prospective survey that targeted patients who visited radiology departments. Data was collected using a 43 item self-completion questionnaire designed in line with the objectives of the study. The data were categorized into groups and analysed using a statistical package for social sciences version 20.0, where descriptive statistics such as the percentages and frequencies were generated and tabulated. A chi-square test was used to test for the differences in the patients’ satisfactory level at (p<0.05). Results: The results showed that 60.7% (n=85) were female while 39.3% (n=55) were male, 52.2% (n=47) of the respondents from the public hospital were dissatisfied, while 47.8% (n=43) were satisfied. At the private hospital, only 20% (n=10) were dissatisfied, while 80% (n=40) were satisfied with the radiological services received. The type of health facility and patients’ satisfaction was found to be statistically significant at (p<0.05). Conclusion: The patients in the private health facility of the study were more satisfied than those at the public health facility because of prompt attention given to them immediately after arrival, immediate collection of their radiological reports, and high ergonometric environment provided by the hospital staff.Uvod: Zadovoljstvo pacijenta jest predodžba pacijenta o stupnju u kojem određeni pružatelj zdravstvene usluge zadovoljava njegove zahtjeve i očekivanja. Ispitivanje zadovoljstva pacijenata zdravstvenim uslugama sve više dobiva na važnosti u Nigeriji, gdje se ta tema tek počinje proučavati. Cilj: Cilj je ovog istraživanja bio usporediti zadovoljstvo pacijenata radiološkim uslugama te izdvojiti čimbenike koji mogu objasniti razlike između zadovoljstva pacijenata javnim i privatnim zdravstvenim ustanovama u saveznoj državi Kano u Nigeriji. Postupak: Ovo je prospektivno presječno istraživanje proučilo odgovore pacijenata koji su posjetili odjele za radiologiju. Podaci su prikupljeni s pomoću upitnika s 43 pitanja oblikovanog u skladu s ciljevima istraživanja. Podaci su grupirani i analizirani primjenom statističkog programa za društvene znanosti verzije 20.0 kojim se opisne statistike poput postotaka i frekvencija generiraju i tabuliraju. Hi-kvadrat test primijenjen je kako bi se ispitale razlike u razini zadovoljstva pacijenata (p < 0,05). Rezultati: Rezultati su pokazali da je 60,7 % (n = 85) ispitanika bilo ženskog spola, a 39,3 % muškog. Nezadovoljno je bilo 52,2 % (n = 47) pacijenata javne bolnice, dok je 47,8 % (n = 43) bilo zadovoljno. U privatnoj je bolnici samo 20 % (n = 10) ispitanika bilo nezadovoljno, dok je 80 % (n = 40) bilo zadovoljno radiološkim uslugama. Ustanovljeno je kako su vrsta zdravstvene ustanove i zadovoljstvo pacijenata statistički značajni (p < 0,05). Zaključak: Pacijenti privatne zdravstvene ustanove bili su zadovoljniji od onih u javnoj zdravstvenoj ustanovi zbog brzine kojom im je pružena pažnja nakon dolaska, brzine kojom su im izdani radiološki nalazi te visokog stupnja ergonometrijskog okruženja koje im je osiguralo bolničko osoblje

Audit of Referral Pattern of Cancer Cases to the Radiotherapy and Oncology Unit of a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Objectives: This study assessed the types of cancer cases referred to Radiotherapy and oncology unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria, and determine the age, sex, and geopolitical zones distributions of cancer cases in ABUTH, Zaria.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted reviewing all cancer cases referred to the centre, for a period of 10 years (2004 – 2013). Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee of the hospital. Data capture sheet was used to collect information from the patient’s folder and this was analysed using statistical package for social sciences version 20.0Results: Three thousand nine hundred and thirty four (3934) patient’s records were reviewed. Patient’s age ranged from 0 -110 years, with a mean age of 42.4 years. Patients within the age range of 31 to 60 years had the highest cancer incidence. A total of 37 types of cancer were diagnosed with cervical cancer having the highest incidence of 1083 (27.5%). This was followed by head and neck 821 (20.9%). Intestinal cancer had the least incidence of 1 (0.02%). Female cancer cases predominated with a female to male ratio of 1.8:1. North-western Nigeria had the highest cancer incidence of 1656 (42.1%). Conclusion: This study found high incidence of cancer cases among adults age ranged 31 to 60 years with female to male ratio of 1.8:1. Cervical cancer had the highest incidence among the 37 cancer spectrum treated at the centre. The North-western Nigeria had the highest incidence of cancer cases

The race towards the universal health coverage and factors influencing radiographers' career choice in rural settlements in North-Eastern Nigeria

Background: There is a human resource crisis in the healthcare sector in Nigeria. This is because of the existing inequitable distribution of the available meagre workforce which is itself not helped by the increasing and currently trending brain drain.Purpose: This study aimed at assessing the factors that influence radiographers' choice of career in rural settlements in Northeastern Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Radiographers in Northeastern Nigeria. A 21-item, self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was distributed over a six (6) month period, where 130 questionnaires were distributed. The questionnaire consisted of two sections; a: on demography; b: on factors (attractors and detractors) for career choice in rural areas. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data; descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used.Results: A total of 91 questionnaires were retrieved, giving a response rate of 70%. There were 56 (61.5%) males and 35 (38.5%) females. About 82 (90.1 %) had B.Sc and 9 (9.9 %) had M.Sc as their highest qualification. The major attractors for accepting rural jobs were improved remuneration 97 (86.8%) and opportunity for continuous professional development 72 (79.1%). While major detractors were, the cultural and traditional beliefs of the people in rural areas 23 (25.3%) and the lack of social amenities/poor infrastructure 22 (24.2%).Conclusion: The attractors for radiographers to rural areas in this study were; improved remuneration, availability of equipment, professional development, availability of social amenities and security among others. To recruit and retain radiographers in the rural areas, government, recruitment agencies and employers should in addition to good remuneration motivate the radiographers by providing adequate power, security, rural posting allowances, good functional equipment and working and learning environment