Normal values of key pinch strength in a healthy Nigerian population

Background: With the severity of machine hand injuries in our environment, the need to determine the normal values for key pinch strength with which to compare restorative surgeries was justified.Methods: A cross sectional survey of participants who had no previous hand injuries limiting hand function. Data obtained included age, gender, body mass index, hand dominance and hand span. The Baseline Hydraulic Pinch Gauge was used to obtain key pinch strength. The influence of the above variables on measured pinch strength was analyzed using independent sample t-tests and Pearson’s correlation.Results: Of the 242 recruited participants, age range between 20 and 80 years, 163(67.4%) were male and 79 (32.6%) were female. Males had higher pinch strength (right-8.3±2.7kg, left-7.6±2.5kg) than females (right-6.3±1.5kg, left-5.8±1.5kg). Pinch strength varied with age peaking in the fifth decade in males and females. Interestingly, the left handed dominant female had higher right pinch strength than her right handed counterpart (p<0.009). Height, and hand span correlated with pinch strength in females.Conclusion: Normal values for key pinch strength in this Nigerian population are lower than that of Caucasians.Keywords: Key pinch, Nigerians, Normal value

How Mistimed and Unwanted Pregnancies Affect Timing of Antenatal Care Initiation in three Districts in Tanzania

Early antenatal care (ANC) initiation is a doorway to early detection and management of potential complications associated with pregnancy. Although the literature reports various factors associated with ANC initiation such as parity and age, pregnancy intentions is yet to be recognized as a possible predictor of timing of ANC initiation. Data originate from a cross-sectional household survey on health behaviour and service utilization patterns. The survey was conducted in 2011 in Rufiji, Kilombero and Ulanga districts in Tanzania on 910 women of reproductive age who had given birth in the past two years. ANC initiation was considered to be early only if it occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy gestation. A recently completed pregnancy was defined as mistimed if a woman wanted it later, and if she did not want it at all the pregnancy was termed as unwanted. Chisquare was used to test for associations and multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine how mistimed and unwanted pregnancies affect timing of ANC initiation. Although 49.3% of the women intended to become pregnant, 50.7% (34.9% mistimed and 15.8% unwanted) became pregnant unintentionally. While ANC initiation in the 1st trimester was 18.5%, so was 71.7% and 9.9% in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that ANC initiation in the 2nd trimester was 1.68 (95% CI 1.10‒2.58) and 2.00 (95% CI 1.05‒3.82) times more likely for mistimed and unwanted pregnancies respectively compared to intended pregnancies. These estimates rose to 2.81 (95% CI 1.41‒5.59) and 4.10 (95% CI 1.68‒10.00) respectively in the 3rd trimester. We controlled for gravidity, age, education, household wealth, marital status, religion, district of residence and travel time to a health facility. Late ANC initiation is a significant maternal and child health consequence of mistimed and unwanted pregnancies in Tanzania. Women should be empowered to delay or avoid pregnancies whenever they need to do so. Appropriate counseling to women, especially those who happen to conceive unintentionally is needed to minimize the possibility of delaying ANC initiation.\u

Family Planning Behaviour of Male Civil Servants in Ibadan, South Western Nigeria

Men play critical roles in women's ability to seek health care and Reproductive Health programmes are likely to be more effective when men are involved in some way. The study was designed to assess the family planning (FP) behaviour of male civil servants in Ibadan, and determine their roles in their spouses' FP practices. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey carried out among 403 currently married male civil servants working in 8 selected ministries in Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan, Nigeria. The mean age of the respondents' in this study was 44 ±9.74. Two hundred and twenty two (55.1%) desired to have 1 – 4 children in their lives while 117 (29.0%) desired 5-8 children. Though most of all the respondents, 292 (72.5%) opined that decisions on family planning practice should be jointly reached by the couple and many, 202 (50.1%) remind their wives to use contraceptive, only 91 (22.6%) attended family planning clinics with their wives. The results showed that though many of the male civil servants in Ibadan desired small sized family and actually encouraged their wives to use their contraceptives, most were not willing to attend FP clinic with their spouses. FP clinics and services should be made more men-friendly and strategies to reach out to men should be devised.  Key words: Family planning behaviour, clinic attendance, Male civil servant

Awareness Of Breast Cancer Screening Among Female Undergraduate Students Of University Of Ibadan, Nigeria

The mortality and morbidity rate of carcinoma of the breast among Nigerian women is alarming and is a serious health issue to health professionals especially nurses. The high rate of mortality and morbidity associated with breast cancer can be reduced through early detection measures which include mammography, clinical breast examination (CBE) and breast self examination (BSE). The aim of this study therefore is to determine the level of awareness of breast cancer screening methods among the female undergraduate students of University of Ibadan who are future mothers. This is a non-experimental descriptive study that utilised a self-structured questionnaire for collection of data. Three hundred willing female undergraduate students drawn proportionately from the three halls of residence participated in the study. Only 286 out of the 300 questionnaires distributed, were correctly filled, and fit for analysis. The Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilised for analysis of data. The age of the respondents ranged from 16 to 40 years. Majority (92.6%) were single. Those who have heard about BSE, CBE and mammography were 82.7%, 59.8% and 46% respectively. The mass media top the list of sources of information. However, only 33.8% demonstrated good knowledge of appropriate time BSE should be carried out. Larger proportion; 81.2% had never accessed CBE at any particular time in life. There is a significant association between the respondents\' level of awareness of mammography and the respondent mothers\' level of education, (P ? 0.05). The findings of the study revealed high level of awareness of BSE but low level of knowledge. Similarly, the number of respondents who had benefited from CBE was very low. Therefore, nurses, midwives and doctors are encouraged to teach their clients BSE and incorporate CBE into the routine physical examination of their clients. Keywords: Awareness, Breast cancer, Screening, Undergraduate students.African Journal for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Vol. 11 (1&2) 2008: pp. 161-17

Pattern and management of hand injuries in Ibadan, Nigeria: a five year review

No Abstract. The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 12(2) 2005: 19-2

Normal values for hand grip strength in healthy Nigerian adults

Background: Assessment of hand grip strength is used in a wide range of clinical settings particularly during management of hand injuries and diseases affecting hand function. This study aimed to determine age and gender specific normal values of hand grip strength in healthy adults in Nigeria and compare values obtained with those in the Western population.Materials and methods: Hand grip strength was measured using the Baseline Hydraulic Dynamometer. Results were analyzed with SPSS version 15.Results: Two hundred and forty two participants comprising 163 males and 79 females were recruited. Mean values for hand grip strength on the right and left hands were 32.1±7.6kg and 30.7±7.7kg in males and 20.3±5.3kg and 18.7±5.3kg in females. Males showed significantly higher grip strength on the right and left hands (p=0.000, p=0.000) than in females. Grip strength peaked in the 30-39 year age group in males and females. In females a positive correlation was found between the grip strengths in both hands with weight, height and body mass index. Normal grip strength in the Western population is at least 1.6 times higher than in this study.Conclusion: The study has been able to establish normal values for  handgrip strength among healthy adults in Nigeria, which differ from that in the Western population. There is the need for further studies in other regions of Nigeria in order to establish national values.Keywords: Handedness, hand injury, hand assessment

Unmasking inequalities : sub-national maternal and child mortality data from two urban slums in Lagos, Nigeria tells the story

Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world as well as high perinatal mortality. Unfortunately, the country does not have the resources to assess this critical indicator with the conventional health information system and measuring its progress toward the goal of ending preventable maternal deaths is almost impossible. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) conducted a cross-sectional study to assess maternal and perinatal mortality in Makoko Riverine and Badia East, two of the most vulnerable slums of Lagos.; The study was a cross-sectional, community-based household survey. Nearly 4,000 households were surveyed. The sisterhood method was utilized to estimate maternal mortality and the preceding births technique was used to estimate newborn and child mortality. Questions regarding health seeking behavior were posed to female interviewees and self-reported data were collected.; Data was collected from 3963 respondents for a total of 7018 sisters ever married. The maternal mortality ratio was calculated at 1,050/100,000 live births (95% CI: 894-1215), and the lifetime risk of maternal death at 1:18. The neonatal mortality rate was extracted from 1967 pregnancies reported and was estimated at 28.4/1,000; infant mortality at 43.8/1,000 and under-five mortality at 103/1,000. Living in Badia, giving birth at home and belonging to the Egun ethnic group were associated with higher perinatal mortality. Half of the last pregnancies were reportedly delivered in private health facilities. Proximity to home was the main influencing factor (32.4%) associated with delivery at the health facility.; The maternal mortality ratio found in these urban slum populations within Lagos is extremely high, compared to the figure estimated for Lagos State of 545 per 100,000 live births. Urgent attention is required to address these neglected and vulnerable neighborhoods. Efforts should be invested in obtaining data from poor, marginalized, and hard-to-reach populations in order to identify pockets of marginalization needing additional resources and tailored approaches to guarantee equitable treatment and timely access to quality health services for vulnerable groups. This study demonstrates the importance of sub-regional, disaggregated data to identify and redress inequities that exist among poor, remote, vulnerable populations-as in the urban slums of Lagos