The Etiological and Predictive Association Between ADHD and Cognitive Performance From Childhood to Young Adulthood

Objective: Evidence about the etiology of the predictive associations between a diagnosis of ADHD and cognitive performance over time is scarce. Here, we examine these predictive and etiological patterns using a cross-lagged model design in a sample of 404 participants (74% males) from ADHD and control sibling pairs aged 6 to 17 years at baseline and 12 to 24 years at follow-up. Methods: Data included IQ, short-term and working memory measures, and response speed and variability from a four-choice reaction-time task. Results: ADHD and IQ predicted each other over time. ADHD at baseline predicted lower working memory performance at follow-up. Stable etiological influences emerged in the association between ADHD and cognitive variables across time. Conclusion: Whether early interventions can reduce negative interference with learning at school requires further study

Prevalence of self-harm among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents: a comparison of personal and social adversity with a heterosexual sample in Ghana

Objectives We sought to estimate the prevalence of self-reported self-harm among adolescents identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) in Ghana, and compare self-reported personal and social adversities related to self-harm in this group to those in a random sample of heterosexual adolescents from the same locality. Results A total of 444 adolescents aged 13-21 years, comprising 74 LGBT adolescents and 370 heterosexual adolescents, provided data. The lifetime prevalence estimate of self-harm was higher in the LGBT group (47%) than the heterosexual group (23%). The LGBT group reported a higher rate of self-harm during the previous 12 months (45%), compared to the heterosexual group (18%). LGBT adolescents reported more alcohol and substance use and more personal social adversities, including various forms of victimisation, than heterosexual adolescents. They were no more likely to report difficulty in making and keeping friends or schoolwork problems than were heterosexual adolescents

Root surface caries occurrence, oral hygiene status and habits in a selected suburban population, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Objectives: The study evaluated root surface caries (RS C) occurrence in relation to oral hygiene status and habits in a suburban Nigerian Population.Methods: Seven hundred and twenty consecutive subjects, aged 20 years and above of both genders, attending the General Outpatient Department (GOPD) of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were recruited. RSC was scored with Banting's diagnostic convention and Oral Hygiene Status (OHS) with Oral Hygiene Index – Simplified (OHI-S). Results: RSC prevalence figure was 11.6%. While the association between RSC and OHS was significant (P 0.05). RSC occurrence increased with advancing age. Frequency of tooth cleaning was not significantly associated with RSC occurrence, and being male or female had no significant effect on RSC occurrence. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, though RSC does not seem to be a serious public health problem in the studied population, Oral Health Education campaign should be adopted for preventive and early care. Keywords: caries, oral hygiene, habits, suburban population Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 68-7

The Financial Implication of Treating Motorcycle Limb Trauma in a Developing Country - The Patient's Perspective

Background: The total cost of care of injuries is usually much more than the cost of hospitalization. This study was designed to determine the total cost to the patient, of limb injuries sustained from motorcycle crashes.Method: The study design was based on the cost-of illness method. Only patients who were employed and could estimate their daily income; and who completed their course of treatment, and were followed up for two years were included in the study. Results: 60 patients satisfied the criteria for inclusion. The total cost of treatment ranged from N4,715.00 to N141,655.00 with a mean of N37,615.15 ± N30,908.00 SD. It represented between 4.09% and 310.48% of patients' annual income. The medical costwas 48.4% of the total while the balance was made of lost productivity (39.0%) and cost of vehicle repair/replacement (12.6%). Lower limb injuries were significantly more expensive to treat than upper limb injuries.Conclusion: The cost of treating injuries from trauma remains a large burden to patients especially in a country where health insurance coverage is poor.Key words: Cost analysis, motorcycle, trauma, injury, limb

Depression and its association with psychological factors among adolescents living with HIV in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract Objective The aim was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorder and associated psychological factors among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. Methods One hundred and five adolescents with HIV were assessed for self-esteem, internalized HIV stigma and diagnosed of depressive disorder. Chi square and t tests were used to test associations and hierarchical logistic regression used to identify independent risk factors for depression. Results The mean age of participants was 16.5 (± 1.97) years and 55.2% were males. Mean stigma scores were significantly higher in those with depressive disorder (16.53 ± 3.85) when compared with those without (13.42 ± 3.464) and this difference was statistically significant (t = 3.17, p = 0.01). The mean self-esteem scores were significantly lower in participants with depressive disorder (17.53 ± 4.69) compared to those without depressive disorder (19.71 ± 3.86), though not significant (t = 1.96, p = 0.053). Depressive disorder was further significantly associated with female sex, being in romantic relationship, decline in work output due to HIV and HIV stigma. Independent risk factors were sex and HIV stigma. Conclusion Depressive disorder is common among adolescents living with HIV infection in Nigeria. The association between HIV stigma and depression, thus suggests the need for prevention strategies targeting the impacts of HIV infection among adolescents

Management and 1-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease: Results from the prospective garfield-af registry

Background-—Using data from the GARFIELD-AF (Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD–Atrial Fibrillation), we evaluated the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage on clinical outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results-—GARFIELD-AF is a prospective registry of patients from 35 countries, including patients from Asia (China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand). Consecutive patients enrolled (2013–2016) were classified with no, mild, or moderate-to-severe CKD, based on the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. Data on CKD status and outcomes were available for 33 024 of 34 854 patients (including 9491 patients from Asia); 10.9% (n=3613) had moderate-to-severe CKD, 16.9% (n=5595) mild CKD, and 72.1% (n=23 816) no CKD. The use of oral anticoagulants was influenced by stroke risk (ie, post hoc assessment of CHA2DS2-VASc score), but not by CKD stage. The quality of anticoagulant control with vitamin K antagonists did not differ with CKD stage. After adjusting for baseline characteristics and antithrombotic use, both mild and moderate-to-severe CKD were independent risk factors for all-cause mortality. Moderate-to-severe CKD was independently associated with a higher risk of stroke/systemic embolism, major bleeding, new-onset acute coronary syndrome, and new or worsening heart failure. The impact of moderate-to-severe CKD on mortality was significantly greater in patients from Asia than the rest of the world (P=0.001). Conclusions-—In GARFIELD-AF, moderate-to-severe CKD was independently associated with stroke/systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality. The effect of moderate-to-severe CKD on mortality was even greater in patients from Asia than the rest of the world