Gender Differences in Students-Staff Violence in Urban and Rural Secondary Schools of Osun State, South Western Nigeria

Background: School violence is of public health importance. One important but often overlooked dimension is student-staff violence. The aim of the study was to assess the gender differences in the pattern of students-staff violence in urban and rural areas of Osun state with the hypothesis that male students and staff perpetrate violence more than female students and staff respectively. Methodology: A cross sectional study conducted among 800 secondary school students from JSS 2 to SSS 3 (400 in urban and 400 in rural areas) selected by multi-stage sampling technique. Results: The mean age for all the respondents was 14.3 years ±2.0, with the mean age for males as 14.2±2.0 and females as 14.3±2.0. Male respondents were 51.5% in urban schools and 51% in rural schools. Males were the main perpetrators in both urban and rural areas but more females in the rural areas perpetrated violence than their urban counterparts. Out of those who verbally abused school staff in urban areas, males constituted 61.5% compared to 38.5% of females. Respondents also experienced violence in the hands of academic staff (male and female). Conclusion: All forms of violence were perpetrated against school staff with prevalence higher in rural than urban areas. Males perpetrated most forms of violence than females in both urban and rural schools, though this was marked in urban schools. Female respondents in rural areas experienced significantly higher perpetration of most forms of school-related violence than urban females.Journal of Community Medicine & Primary Health vol 23 (1-2) 2011

What is the real impact of acute kidney injury?

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical problem. Studies have documented the incidence of AKI in a variety of populations but to date we do not believe the real incidence of AKI has been accurately documented in a district general hospital setting. The aim here was to describe the detected incidence of AKI in a typical general hospital setting in an unselected population, and describe associated short and long-term outcomes. Methods: A retrospective observational database study from secondary care in East Kent (adult catchment population of 582,300). All adult patients (18 years or over) admitted between 1st February 2009 and 31st July 2009, were included. Patients receiving chronic renal replacement therapy (RRT), maternity and day case admissions were excluded. AKI was defined by the acute kidney injury network (AKIN) criteria. A time dependent risk analysis with logistic regression and Cox regression was used for the analysis of in-hospital mortality and survival. Results: The incidence of AKI in the 6 month period was 15,325 pmp/yr (adults) (69% AKIN1, 18% AKIN2 and 13% AKIN3). In-hospital mortality, length of stay and ITU utilisation all increased with severity of AKI. Patients with AKI had an increase in care on discharge and an increase in hospital readmission within 30 days. Conclusions: This data comes closer to the real incidence and outcomes of AKI managed in-hospital than any study published in the literature to date. Fifteen percent of all admissions sustained an episode of AKI with increased subsequent short and long term morbidity and mortality, even in those with AKIN1. This confers an increased burden and cost to the healthcare economy, which can now be quantified. These results will furnish a baseline for quality improvement projects aimed at early identification, improved management, and where possible prevention, of AKI

Health Detriment Associated with Exposure to Natural Radioactivity from the Soil of Ondo and Ekiti States South Western, Nigeria

The health detriment associated with human exposure to primordial radionuclides from the earth crust has been a major source of concern to public health observers across the globe. The level of such detriment can be mitigated by continuous monitoring in order to ascertain that the safe threshold is maintained from time to time. In the light of the above, the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radioactivity (i.e 232Th, 226Ra and 40K) were determined in seventeen soil samples collected from selected cities across Ondo and Ekiti States using gamma ray spectrometry. The measured activity concentrations ranged from 31.93±1.77 to 227.50±4.43 Bq Kg-1 for 232Th, 45.60±2.99 to 210.36±8.76 Bq Kg-1 for 226Ra, 364.89±6.40 to 1274.57±12.48 Bq Kg-1 for 40K, and 48.64±2.04 to 207.22±5.50 Bq Kg-1 for 232Th, 73.52±3.81 to 209.15±7.45 Bq Kg-1 for 226Ra, 542.26±10.41 to 2348.86±21.83 Bq Kg-1 for 40K for Ondo and Ekiti States, respectively. Absorbed dose was calculated using the measured activity concentrations. The mean absorbed dose rate and standard deviation in nGy h-1 were 140.89±65.27 and 173.27±85.40 for Ondo and Ekiti States, respectively. These results are beyond the limits (30 nGy h-1-70 nGy h-1) recommended by UNSCEAR, 1988 for area of normal background radiation. Health detriment to various organs of the body resulting from the exposure scenario was evaluated

Feasibility and performance of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for average-risk colorectal cancer screening in Nigeria.

IntroductionThere is a paucity of prospective data on the performance of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this exploratory analysis was to evaluate the feasibility and performance of FIT in Nigeria.MethodsThis was a prospective, single-arm study. A convenience sample of asymptomatic, average-risk individuals between 40-75 years of age were enrolled at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital. Study participants returned in 48 hours with a specimen for ova and parasite (O&P) and qualitative FIT (50ug/g) testing. Participants with a positive FIT had follow-up colonoscopy and those with intestinal parasites were provided treatment.ResultsBetween May-June 2019, 379 individuals enrolled with a median age of 51 years (IQR 46-58). In total, 87.6% (n = 332) returned for FIT testing. FIT positivity was 20.5% (95% CI = 16.3%-25.2%). Sixty-one (89.7%) of participants with a positive FIT had a follow-up colonoscopy (n = 61), of whom 9.8% (95%CI:3.7-20.2%) had an adenoma and 4.9% (95%CI:1.0-13.7%) had advanced adenomas. Presence of intestinal parasites was inversely related to FIT positivity (6.5% with vs. 21.1% without parasites, p = 0.05). Eighty-two percent of participants found the FIT easy to use and 100% would recommend the test to eligible family or friends if available.ConclusionsAsymptomatic, FIT-based CRC screening was feasible and well tolerated in this exploratory analysis. However, the high FIT positivity and low positive predictive value for advanced neoplasia raises concerns about its practicality and cost effectiveness in a low-resource setting such as Nigeria

May Measurement Month 2017: an analysis of blood pressure screening results worldwide

Background: Increased blood pressure is the biggest contributor to the global burden of disease and mortality. Data suggest that less than half of the population with hypertension is aware of it. May Measurement Month was initiated to raise awareness of the importance of blood pressure and as a pragmatic interim solution to the shortfall in screening programmes. Methods: This cross-sectional survey included volunteer adults (≥18 years) who ideally had not had their blood pressures measured in the past year. Each participant had their blood pressure measured three times and received a a questionnaire about demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The primary objective was to raise awareness of blood pressure, measured by number of countries involved, number of people screened, and number of people who have untreated or inadequately treated hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or both, or on the basis of receiving antihypertensive medication). Multiple imputation was used to estimate the mean of the second and third blood pressure readings if these were not recorded. Measures of association were analysed using linear mixed models. Findings: Data were collected from 1 201 570 individuals in 80 countries. After imputation, of the 1 128 635 individuals for whom a mean of the second and third readings was available, 393 924 (34·9%) individuals had hypertension. 153 905 (17·3%) of 888 616 individuals who were not receiving antihypertensive treatment were hypertensive, and 105 456 (46·3%) of the 227 721 individuals receiving treatment did not have controlled blood pressure. Significant differences in adjusted blood pressures and hypertension prevalence were apparent between regions. Adjusted blood pressure was higher in association with antihypertensive medication, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Blood pressure was higher when measured on the right arm than on the left arm, and blood pressure was highest on Saturdays. Interpretation: Inexpensive global screening of blood pressure is achievable using volunteers and convenience sampling. Pending the set-up of systematic surveillance systems worldwide, MMM will be repeated annually to raise awareness of blood pressure. Funding: International Society of Hypertension, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Servier Pharmaceutical Co