Gender Differences in Students-Staff Violence in Urban and Rural Secondary Schools of Osun State, South Western Nigeria

Background: School violence is of public health importance. One important but often overlooked dimension is student-staff violence. The aim of the study was to assess the gender differences in the pattern of students-staff violence in urban and rural areas of Osun state with the hypothesis that male students and staff perpetrate violence more than female students and staff respectively. Methodology: A cross sectional study conducted among 800 secondary school students from JSS 2 to SSS 3 (400 in urban and 400 in rural areas) selected by multi-stage sampling technique. Results: The mean age for all the respondents was 14.3 years ±2.0, with the mean age for males as 14.2±2.0 and females as 14.3±2.0. Male respondents were 51.5% in urban schools and 51% in rural schools. Males were the main perpetrators in both urban and rural areas but more females in the rural areas perpetrated violence than their urban counterparts. Out of those who verbally abused school staff in urban areas, males constituted 61.5% compared to 38.5% of females. Respondents also experienced violence in the hands of academic staff (male and female). Conclusion: All forms of violence were perpetrated against school staff with prevalence higher in rural than urban areas. Males perpetrated most forms of violence than females in both urban and rural schools, though this was marked in urban schools. Female respondents in rural areas experienced significantly higher perpetration of most forms of school-related violence than urban females.Journal of Community Medicine & Primary Health vol 23 (1-2) 2011

Awareness and knowledge of the sustainable development goals in a University Community in Southwestern Nigeria

Background: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a globally  accepted developmental agenda, and it is expected that everyone everywhere in the world would be aware, knowledgeable and be willing to contribute to its  attainment. This study aims to assess the level of awareness, knowledge of, and attitudes towards the SDGs among members of a university community. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 450 students and staff of Osun State University, Southwestern Nigeria, selected from three of its six  multi-campuses via multi-stage sampling. Data were collected by means of  semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The mean age for the respondents was 26(10.2) years. Only 43% of the respondents were aware of the SDGs and only 4.2% had good knowledge of the SDGs. However, 56.3% had positive attitude towards it. More respondents with good knowledge of the SDGs were either acadenic staff or those have been  enlightened via personal study of the SDGs or through other means. Similarly having a positive attitude was associated with being an academic staff/ high level of education as well as belonging to the middle age group. (p<0.05). Conclusion: The awareness of and attitudes towards the SDGs was just fair. However, the level of knowledge was abysmally low, and this has serious  negative implications for SDGs attainment. Pertinent individual and  population-level methods of enlightening people about the SDGs must be put in place in educational settings; curricular changes are imperative. Keywords: Attitudes, Awareness, Knowledge, MDGs, SDGs, University

Obesity indices as predictors of pattern of self-reported arthritis among elderly women in Southwestern Nigeria

Objectives: This study assessed obesity indices and pattern of arthritis among elderly women in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria. Methods: The cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 350 elderly women selected by multistage sampling technique. Research instruments used in data collection were semi-structured, interviewer-administered pre-tested questionnaires that were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 17.0. Results: The mean age of the participants was 69.1 (±1.4) years. A total of 232 (66.3%) of them had complaints of joint pains ( Awoka as expressed in the local language). Pattern of arthritis showed that 172 (74.0%) had recurrent joint pains, while 35 (15.1%) had joint swelling; the knee joint was mostly affected. A total of 97 (28.0%) were overweight while 84 (24.0%) were obese. Obese women were twice more likely to have arthritis when compared to the nonobese (odds ratio: 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.8–9.4, p  = 0.001). Conclusion: There is a need to give high priority to weight reduction strategies targeted at the elderly and the entire population

Health-Seeking Behavior and Barriers to Care in Patients With Rectal Bleeding in Nigeria

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates are steadily increasing in Nigeria. Organized screening is still largely unused because of financial and logistical barriers; most CRCs are detected by symptoms. One symptom of CRC is rectal bleeding. This study sought to determine health-seeking behavior and barriers to care in patients with rectal bleeding in Nigeria. This study also surveyed physicians to determine major breakdowns in access to care. Methods: The recruitment process for this study involved patients referred for colonoscopy because of rectal bleeding as well as response to a media advertisement for a free colonoscopy. Physicians were recruited at the African Research Group for Oncology meeting. Patient responses were scored on the basis of knowledge of rectal bleeding. The physician questionnaire was supporting information and mainly descriptive in nature. Results: A total of 82 patients and 45 physicians participated in this study. Less than 40% of patients knew that rectal bleeding could be caused by cancer. Major barriers to care were resolution of the symptom (42%), no consideration of the bleeding as problematic (40%), and financial constraint (22%). Education was strongly correlated with knowledge of rectal bleeding and health-seeking behavior. Although physicians regularly saw patients with rectal bleeding, most of them provided a differential diagnosis of hemorrhoids and few referred patients for colonoscopy. Conclusion: General awareness about the signs of colorectal cancer is lacking. This demonstrates the strong need for patient education programs about this issue. Physicians should also receive additional training on differentiation of a potential cancer diagnosis from something more benign, such as hemorrhoids

Occupational exposure to HIV and use of post-exposure prophylaxis in a general hospital in North Central, Nigeria.

Occupational exposures to blood borne pathogens including HIV have been well studied. However, limited studies exist about the utilization of post exposure prophylaxis and follow-up in Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to describe the characteristics of occupational exposure to HIV, the utilization of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among health workers, and the proportion of exposed health workers reporting for follow-up three months after exposure. A cross sectional descriptive study involving ninety three health workers was carried out at a general hospital located in an urban area in North Central zone of Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used. The prevalence of occupational exposure, utilization of post exposure prophylaxis and follow-up rate were assessed using self administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16 and descriptive analysis was carried out. It was reported that, 73.1% of respondents at least one or more occupational exposures to HIV and other blood borne pathogens through accidental needle injury/prick, blood splash on a fresh wound or conjunctiva exposure in the last one year. Needle stick injury occurred in 83.8% of all respondents who had occupational exposures. 8.8% of exposed respondents commenced post exposure prophylaxis with two-thirds completing the post exposure prophylaxis regimen. Only one (25%) of those who completed the regimen reported for follow-up. Occupational exposures to HIV are common among health workers. The rates of utilization of post exposure prophylaxis and follow-up were low.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v3i1.6635   International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 3 No 1 (2013) 11-1

Perceptions and Use of Antimicrobials Among Staff of a University Community in Southwestern Nigeria

Public attitude and knowledge of antibiotics are determinants of rational use of antibiotics and prevention of antimicrobial drug resistance. This study assessed perception and use of antimicrobials among staff members of a University in Southwestern Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional study among 450 staff members of Osun State University in Southwestern Nigeria using multistage sampling method was carried out. Semi-structured self-administered and pre-tested questionnaires were used in data collection. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software Version 17.0. Binary logistic regression models for the outcome variable of composite knowledge and attitude scores toward antimicrobials and their possible predictors were done and level of significance was set at p values ≤ .05 and confidence interval of 95% for all inferential analyses. Mean age of respondents was 26.8 (±11.1) years, and 331 (73.6%) had up to tertiary-level education. One hundred eighty-three (40.7%) and 267 (59.3%) had good and poor knowledge scores, respectively; 175 (38.9%) had positive attitude whereas 275 (61.1%) had negative attitude toward the use of antibiotics. About 279 (62.0%) were informed about judicious use of antibiotics, 398 (88.4%) had ever used antibiotics in the past 1 year with the Ampicillin and Cloxacillin combinations being the most commonly used. Eighty-eight (22.1%) used antibiotics for more than 10 days as at the last use. Predictors for having good knowledge and attitude include age, educational status, and ever having used antibiotics. Inadequate knowledge and attitude toward antibiotics were observed, and this necessitates sustained health education campaign to stakeholders on rational use of antibiotics, especially toward prevention of antimicrobial resistance