Characteristics of clients accessing HIV counseling and testing services in a tertiary hospital in Sagamu, Southwestern Nigeria

Introduction: Client-initiated HIV testing and counseling has helped millions of people learn their HIV status. Nevertheless, global coverage of HIV testing and counseling programs remains low. This study describes the characteristics of clients who accessed HIV counseling and testing (HCT) services in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, (OOUTH)Sagamu.Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of the clients accessing HCT services in OOUTH. Data was collected from clients using a client intake form. Pre-test counseling, HIV screening and post-test counseling were carried out. Informed consent and confidentiality were ensured. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 10.0.Results: A total of 2607 clients accessed our HCT services between May 1st 2008 and April 30th 2010. The clients were between the ages of 1 year and 90 years. The mean age was 33.3 ± 15.26. The median age was found to be 32.0 years, with the modal age being 30.0 years. 73.7% (1828) were non-reactive (negative result), 25.9% (643) were reactive (positive result), while 0.3% (8) were indeterminate. Among the reactive results, 9.3% (242) were males while 15.1% (394) were females.Conclusion: A fair uptake of HCT services was noted. More females accessed services than males. More positive results were seen among females than males (P<0.05).Recommendations: Upscale of HCT services to involve Sexually transmitted infections clinics and free-standing, client-initiated testing centers is necessary. Continuous AIDS education and risk reduction should be promoted

An ecological study of the factors associated with childhood Tuberculosis in Nigeria

Background: Childhood tuberculosis (TB) account for about 6% of the global TB burden, but there is a paucity of data on childhood TB at the national and state level in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: To assess the childhood TB case notification rates and explore associated factors at the state level in Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective ecological study was carried out to determine the childhood TB case notification rates in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria. TB data was retrieved from the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) 2014 Annual Report using a proforma. The association between TB case notification rate at the state level and the six selected explanatory variables (Human Development Index, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin [BCG] coverage, percentage underweight, HIV positivity rate, mean household size and population density) were carried out using negative binomial regression in R statistical software. Results: A total of 91, 353 TB patients were notified to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 by the NTBLCP. Of these, 5463 (6%) were children aged 0-14 years. The childhood TB notification rate was 6.99/100,000 population. The highest childhood TB case notification rate was recorded in Nasarawa State followed by Lagos and Oyo States. There were significant associations between childhood TB case notification rate and HIV positivity rate, percentage underweight, household size, population density and BCG coverage. Conclusion: The study showed that childhood TB case notification rate in Nigeria was low. TB case notification rate was associated with high HIV rate, percentage underweight, household size, population density and BCG coverage. There is the urgent need to address the associated risk factors to effectively control childhood TB in Nigeria

A Cross-sectional Survey of the Willingness of Tertiary Hospital Staff to Donate Blood in Sagamu, Nigeria

Background: Available donor blood rarely meets the demand in sub-Saharan Africa due to obstacles to blood donation. Willingness to donate blood is adjudged an important step to the actual practice of donating blood. Objective: To assess the willingness of the members of staff of the hospital to donate blood and determine factors affecting their willingness or otherwise. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A proportional allocation of participants was carried out at the various departments in the hospital using self-administered questionnaire. Results: Overall, 183 (73%) of the 246 respondents expressed willingness to donate blood, 111(45%) of whom have been asked to donate blood in the past. Only 91(37%) had donated blood in the past. Significantly higher proportion of health staff showed the willingness to donate blood generally and voluntarily compared to non-health staff. Significantly higher proportion of respondents with tertiary education showed the willingness to donate blood. Two hundred and eighteen (88.8%) were willing to donate blood to help the patient in need while fear of exposure to HIV infection, needle prick and dizziness constituted the major factors discouraging blood donation (19.9%, 18.7% and 18.3% respectively). Conclusion: Willingness to donate blood was mostly based on the primordial motivation of helping the patient in need which does not translate to blood donation. There is a need to improve awareness and advocacy on blood donation among hospital staff and the general population

Sexual behaviour: Contraception and fertility among in-school adolescent in Ikenne local government , South-western Nigeria

No Abstract. Nigrian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol.9 (1) 2006: pp.26-3

Sexual behaviour, contraception and fertility among in-school adolescents in Ikenne local government, South-Western Nigeria

A cross- sectional study was conducted among in-school adolescents in six secondary schools in the health districts of Ikenne Local Government to assess the sexual behaviour, contraception and fertility experiences of the adolescents between the months of May and November 2002.Relevant information was collected from 1140 in-school adolescents with the aid of pre-tested, structured, self-administered questionnaires, selected by using multistage and stratified random sampling techniques Information sought from the questionnaires included socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, parental background, their sexual behaviour, knowledge and use of contraception, human development, pregnancy and fertility experiences, information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS. During the same period, twelve (12) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) sessions were conducted using an FGD Guide in the selected schools to highlight differences in opinions of students and also to highlight identification of the group consensus. The mean ages at first intercourse were 13.9 ± 2.8 years and 14.8 ± 2.4years for males and females respectively. Boys initiated sex earlier than girls. This difference was found to be statistically significant (

Nutritional Issues of HIV/AIDS Orphans in Sagamu South Western, Nigeria

More than 12 million children under the age of 18 years have been orphaned worldwide, as a result of HIV/AIDS, with Nigeria having the largest number of HIV/AIDS orphans in Africa, as more people die from AIDS, the proportion and problems of orphans and vulnerable children will increase. Little is known about the health and nutrition of those HIV/AIDS orphans and inconsistent findings make it difficult to assess if orphans and other vulnerable children have specific nutritional needs. This study investigated nutritional status HIV/AIDS orphans in Sagamu. The study population consisted of fifty seronegative orphans of parents who died as a result of HIV infection and AIDS and fifty seronegative non-orphaned children whose parents were HIV negative who served as control. Nutritional status was assessed anthropometrically and biochemically. Height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference and head circumference were measured in orphans and control. Significant difference (p< 0.05) was obtained in the percentage of children having stunted growth as determined by height-for-age in the orphans 30%, compared to 8% in the control. Also haemoglobin and plasma levels of total protein, albumin, calcium and phosphate were significantly reduced (p< 0.05) in the orphans compared with the control Nutritional status seemed to be compromised in the HIV/AIDS orphaned. Micronutrient profile assessment in a large sample size is suggested