Ergonomic Evaluation and Establishment of Suitable Classroom Furniture Design Specifications for Secondary School Children in South-Western Nigeria

This research work compared the anthropometric dimensions of some secondary school students to the design dimensions of their chairs and desks to assess the furniture’s appropriateness. A total of 840 students, with their chairs and desks, from fourteen secondary schools in seven states in south-western Nigeria, were measured.  Popliteal height(PH), Buttock-Popliteal length (BPL), Hip breadth (HB), Shoulder Height (ShH), Elbow height (EH) and Knee height (KH)) of the children were measured using vernier callipers and an anthropometric chair. While Seat Height (SH), Seat Depth (SD), Seat Width (SW), Backrest Height (BH), Desk Height (DH) and Underneath Desk Height (UDH) were measured using a measuring tape. The SD and BH were suitable for the students, while major mismatches were noted in SH, DH and UDH. Using existing models, three types of chairs and tables were then proposed for the students. Keywords: School furniture, Anthropometric Chair, Popliteal height, Desk Heigh

Residents’ Satisfaction with Public Facilities and Neighbourhood Environment in Slum Residential Areas of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

The high density residential areas of Jos were scaled on the basis of level of environmental decay and general planning in order to select the worst residential slum areas for study. Three areas, Gangare, Angwanrogo and Dadinkowa emerged as study sample. The areas were subjected to assessment using questionnaires with a view to determining the residents’ degree of satisfaction with seven loaded factors: public institutions, public facilities, environmental conditions, transportation facilities, recreational facilities, neighbourhood safety and commercial facilities. Results obtained showed a general trend of dissatisfaction of the residents of the areas with all the seven measured factors. The tested hypothesis indicated calculated x2 value of 13.57 which is greater than the theoretical value, 2.73 at α 0.05 and 1.65 at α 0.01 which implied that there is a significant level of correlation in the degree of satisfaction among the three residential areas. Therefore, the researchers concluded that similar policies and programmes aimed at improving the environmental setting and public facilities will be suitable for all slum residential areas of Jos. Following this, it is recommended among others that, the areas should be declared   as Action Plan Areas (APA) for emergency action with priority accorded to provision of access roads, drainages, planned refuse disposal systems, and public enlightenment programmes on the benefits of environmental sanitation. Public Private Partnership (PPP), State and local government authorities are recommended for the implementation process. For sustainability of the programmes and projects, the involvement of members of the communities is also recommended. Keywords: Residents’ satisfaction, public facilities, high density, residential areas, loaded factor

Religion as a Social Determinant of Maternal Health Care Service Utilisation in Nigeria

This study examines the relationship between religious affiliation and utilisation of maternal health care services using 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. The outcome variable is utilisation of maternal health care service measured by antenatal care and place of delivery. The explanatory variables were religion and three purposively selected social determinants of health, namely the social gradient, work condition and social exclusion. The chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were applied. Result show that 50.7% had the recommended 4 or more antenatal care visits; 23.4% and 13.5% respectively utilise public and private sector facilities for their most recent child delivery. The relative risk of having 4 or more antenatal visits reduce by a factor of 0.7863 for Muslim women (p<0.05), and increase by a factor of 5.3806 for women in higher social ladder (p<0.01). Religion should be integrated into the social determinants of health framework.

INTER-SPOUSAL COMMUNICATION AS A DETERMINANT OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE IN NIGERIA: A MIXED METHOD

The need for understanding the level of communication among couples is important in reproductive health. Agreement by couples on contraceptive adoption is a major consideration if population growth will be reduced. Therefore this paper tests the hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between interspousal communication and contraceptive use in Nigeria. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative method of data collection. The quantitative data employed the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey Couple recode dataset, while the qualitative data was collected using Focus Group Discussion. Data was analyzed using Stata13 and the qualitative data was analyzed using NVivo 11 software. The result of the logistic regression model showed that there is a significant relationship between inter-spousal communication and contraceptive use (P<0.001). The result of the unadjusted model showed a Log-likelihood ratio [LLR] = 2335.0875, R2 = 27.05% and Chi-square= 1731.32 on 29 degree of freedom while, the adjusted model showed a [LLR] = 435.0011, R2 = 38.20%, Chi-square= 268.36 on 32 degrees of freedom, p<0.05. The reduction of 1296.3189 in the Log-likelihood ratio and an increase of 11.15 % in the R2 indicate a very good fit. In the qualitative study the findings showed that majority of the couples using contraceptives discussed with their spouses and more than half of them received their husband’s maximum support. We conclude that couples communication will improve the uptake of contraceptives and reduce the increasing population growth in Nigeria

Pattern of mental ill health morbidities following hysterectomy for benign gynaecological disorders among Nigerian women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>to compare the pre and post hysterectomy mental ill health (MIH) status and also, to determine whether there is any association with the surgical indication.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>An observational study, conducted among women scheduled for hysterectomy at the University College Hospital, Ibadan from January till June 2005. The MIH morbidities were assessed using a validated general health questionnaire (GHQ) before and after the surgery by trained research assistant. The score of 4 and above was used as the cut off. Cross tabulations were performed to detect any association and also to compare pre and post hysterectomy mental health status. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 50 women recruited, 45 participated in the study. The age range of the participants was 35 to 63 years with a mean of 48.6 (SD = 0.6) years. Anxiety related disorder was present in 20 (44.4%), and depression in 3 (6.7%) before hysterectomy. Post surgery, there was significant increase in those with anxiety by 6.8% and a reduction in the proportion of depressive illness by 2.3%. Uterine fibroid as a preoperative diagnosis, had significant association among those with anxiety related disorder (68.4%) and depression (10.5%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study suggests that mental ill health may complicates hysterectomy for benign uterine pathology among Nigerian women, and that anxiety related disorders increases after operation with the highest proportion in those with clinical diagnosis of Uterine Fibroid. We recommend adequate preoperative counseling using properly trained psychologists when affordable to minimize these morbidities.</p

Hierarchical multiple regression modelling on predictors of neighbourhood satisfaction in violence-induced segregated urban environments

Violence-induced segregated urban environments (VISUE) are quite unique urban centres for their characteristic of neighbourhood sharing among residents before the resultant parting triggered by violence. Yet, not much is known about the neighbourhood satisfaction of inhabitants in this type of urban setting. Such knowledge can provide hints on the factors to be prioritized in planning for improvement of neighbourhood satisfaction of residents in these cities. This paper thus examines the key predictors of neighbourhood satisfaction in a VI-SUE. Household heads (n = 289), cutting across the three identifiable types of neighbourhoods in Jos, Nigeria, expressed their level of satisfaction on a 71-item self-administered structured survey instrument. The principal component analysis with varimax rotation option explored 10 factors to represent the examined attributes of the neighbourhood environment. The third (final) in the sequence of hierarchical regression models estimated, indicates that none of the socio-economic and demographic attributes and dwelling attributes is significant in pre-dicting neighbourhood satisfaction in VISUE. Three factors: neighbourhood safety and stability, social relationships, and neighbourhood facilities and services, emerge as the key predictors of neighbourhood satisfaction. On the basis of these findings, these three attributes are required to be given precedence in any policy action aiming to improve residents’ satisfaction with their neighbourhoods in VI-SUE

Methyl orange, an organic dye: its health impact and sorptive removal from waste water

AbstractMethyl Orange (MO) a member of Azo dyes are commonly used as synthetic dyes in textile, food, paper and cosmetics. Their use is easy and cost-effective, compared with natural dyes. However, azo bonds are hardly removed because of their high water solubility as well as low exhaustion with the potential for persistence and accumulation in the environment, therefore aqueous solution of MO is toxic and irritating. Thus, the removal of them from industrial wastewaters is capital with regard to protect public health, environment, and aquatic life

ANALYSIS OF VIBRATION EFFECT ON FACTORY FOUNDATION IN A FLOUR MILL

Thirteen roller machines, in operation at a flour mill, all on one floor, were analyzed for spectra transmission and propagation, using a vibration analyzer. The vibration analyzer was placed at 8 different positions around each roller machine, generating unique spectra curves symbolic of signals transmitted. It was observered that with exponential characteristics above 2 in the polynomial equations&nbsp; resulted in significant signal propagation requiring isolation of the machines necessary. Results indicates that out of the 7 machines requiring isolation, cork&nbsp; would be needed for 3 with maximum displacement of 0.19 to 0.20mm, while composite pad would be needed for 4 with a maximum displacement of 0.10 to 0.16mm. The study had shown that vibration effects could be successfully monitored on factory floors through the vibration analyzer application, thus, minimizing harzardous effects on factory workers and facilties