Psychometric adaptation of the hospital anxiety and depression scale as a self-rated suicide risk assessment instrument among Nigerian surgical patients

Background: A key step in the detection of suicide risk in a primarily nonpsychiatric population will be the use of a simple brief self-reported psychometrically valid and reliable instrument that does not require prior training to administer. Objective: This study aimed to explore the possibility of adapting the 14‑item hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) as a self-rated suicide risk screening tool in a sample of Nigerian surgical patients. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 462 Nigerian patients attending a surgical outpatient clinic. They completed the Sociodemographic questionnaire, the 14-item HADS, the suicidality module of the Mini‑International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. The reliabilities of the HADS-anxiety and depression subscales were evaluated by calculating the omega (ω) coefficients. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was performed to determine the suicide risk screening characteristics of the HADS-anxiety and depression subscales. Results: The omega (ω) reliability coefficients of the HADS subscales were satisfactory. At a cutoff score of 10 HADS-anxiety subscale exhibited satisfactory sensitivity (0.750) and specificity (0.938) while the HADS-Depression subscale at a cutoff score of 7 had the best combination of sensitivity (0.750) and specificity (0.905). The prevalence rate of lifetime suicide attempts in our sample was 1.5%, whereas 1.8% of our respondents had high suicide risk. Conclusion: The 14-item HADS has shown to be a suitable self-rated suicide risk assessment tool among Nigerian surgical patients

Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life of Cardiovascular Patient Caregivers in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Nigeria

Patients with Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) frequently suffer from physical and psychological complications, while providing informal care for patients is a difficult and time-consuming task that necessitates time, dedication, and perseverance. Contemporary studies addressing health quality of life in relation to CVDs have traditionally focused on the individual who has the illness or condition rather than that of the caregivers. The study addresses this limitation, with a view of providing empirical evidences of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) of CVDs patient caregivers in the study area. The outcome variable was HQRL and the independent variable was psychological distress. The HQRL was captured as psychological physical functioning, mental functioning, dimension support and physical outlook. The study employed both descriptive survey and the experimental designs. The study was a hospital-based cross sectional approach. The study adopted a multi-stage sampling technique, and it sampled quantitative data from eighty-four (n=84) CVDs patient caregivers in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the IBM SPSS version 25, with the level of significance put at .05. Results of the descriptive analysis showed that 40.5% (n=34) of the caregivers had severe /poor level of HRQL. Results of the regression analysis showed that psychological physical functioning (β = 0.31, t=2.10 p<.05), mental functioning (β = 0.30, t=211 p<.05) and dimension support (β = 0.35, t=2.15 p<.05) were significantly associated with psychological distress. The study concluded that psychological distress had a significant predictive role on HRQL among CVDs patient caregivers. 

Health Locus Of Control And Health Behaviour Among Female Students And Employees In A Nigerian Tertiary Institution

The study examined the role of health locus of control and health behaviours on women's health.   400 female respondents were recruited employing convenient sampling between ages 18 - 60 years at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic variables, the adapted version of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and the Health Behaviour Scale. The study assessed the associations between the dimensions of HLOC and health behaviour among women in the institution. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant relationship among the students, academic staff, and non-academic staff population on the internal locus of control scale (X2 (2) 7.4565, p < 0.02). There was also a significant relationship among the two subscales of external locus of control; powerful others      (X2 (2) 6.3818, p < 0.04) and chance (X2 (2) 17.6865, p < 0.00) respectively. Health Enhancing Behaviour was also found to be significant among the population (X2 (2) 9.4420, p < 0.01).  The study concluded that health locus of control and health behaviour had a significant role in women's predisposition towards their health issues