Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and malaria related anaemia among pregnant women in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria

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Perception and attitude towards work related ill-health and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry (crushed stone) industry in Ebonyi State: effect of health education

Background: Quarry industry has become a major means of livelihood in Ebonyi state, but insufficient data exists on their operations and use of control measures like dust mask, with no serious attempt at comprehensive health education. The study sought to assess the effect of health education on the perception and attitude towards work related ill-health, and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry industry.Methodology: The study was conducted in the crush stone sites in Abakaliki and environs as the study group, while sites in Ishiagu, Ikenyi and Iyioge Ukwagba were the control group. Study population was 104 crushers, dust mask was provided at all sites, but health education (didactic lectures, demonstrations and interactive sections) for 8weeks was for the study group. Post-intervention evaluations were done at 3 and 6 months. Data was obtained using interviewer administered semi structured questionnaires, tally sheets and bimonthly forms, and analysed using SPSS (16.0) and Mathcad 7.Result: Health education was followed with: significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of work-related ill-health (P<0.00003) in the study group, but not in the control (P<0.639); more significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of dust mask in the study (P<0.00003) than control (P<0.004) group; lesser improvements in attitudes and significant improvement in the proportion that always wore dust mask, 6% to 24% (P<0.003) in the study group.Conclusion: Sustained periodic health education by government and private sectors is necessary, with training on dust mask usage, greater availability and provision of water-cooled caps.Keywords: Quarry Crushers, Ill-health, Dust Mask, Health Education, Ebony

Awareness and attitude to road safety code and self report of accidents among commercial motorcyclists in Abakaliki

…………………. Ebonyi Medical Journal Vol. 5 (1) 2006: pp. 23-2

The impact of father\'s educational levels on the practice of female genital mutilation and equal opportunity for girl child

…………………. Ebonyi Medical Journal Vol. 3 (1&2) 2004: pp. 10-1

The Impact Of Intensive Patient Education On Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Treatment Adherence In Adult Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

Background: Tuberculosis remains a disease of serious socio-economic and public health importance. The morbidity and mortality burden of tuberculosis in Nigeria and globally is great. Method: This is a non-randomized hospital based intervention study. Aim: To evaluate the impact of intensive patient education on antituberculosis drug treatment adherence in adult pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients accessing treatment in Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Result: A total of 225 adult PTB patients who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria were recruited. Their ages ranged from 19 to 74 years with a mean of 37.4  12.7 years. The male: female ratio was 1.1:1. The control group comprised 117 adult PTB patients who accessed antituberculosis treatment from June 2004 to March 2006 while the intervention group comprised of 108 adult PTB patients who accessed antituberculosis treatment from April 2006 to October 2007. Data on their adherence to treatment were obtained from their TB treatment cards at the end of the intensive phase of antituberculosis drug treatment. Default rates of 10.2% and 34.2% were recorded for the intervention and control groups respectively. Majority of the defaulters resided outside Abakaliki (81.8%) in the intervention group and 80.0% in the control group while 18.2% and 20.0% of the defaulters resided in Abakaliki in the intervention and control groups respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the default rates between the two populations of adult PTB patients. Conclusion: Intensive patient education has a potential to reduce non-adherence to antituberculosis drug treatment. Keywords: Adherence, default, education, intensive, resistance. Ebonyi Medical Journal Vol. 6 (2) 2007: pp. 76-8

Short Communication - Maternal and fetal outcomes of obstructed labour cases in a tertiary health facility in Abakaliki, Nigeria

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