A survey of disposition of physicians towards physical activity promotion at two tertiary hospitals in north-eastern Nigeria

Background: A general presumption is that any advice from physicians would likely be taken seriously by patients, and patients are more likely to see their doctors in the event of any health complaints than any other health professionals. The perceptions and practice of Nigerian physicians on their role in physical activity promotion are not well known. This study aimed to determine the knowledge of physical activity message, confidence, role perceptions, barriers and feasibility of physical activity promotion among physicians in two tertiary health institutions in North-Eastern Nigeria.Methods: A total of 153 (84.5% response) physicians at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Center Yola completed a previously developed questionnaire that elicited information on their knowledge, barrier, feasibility, role and confidence in physical activity promotion.Results: Physicians in this study reported fairly good knowledge (mean score=14.7±2.2/20), minimal or little barrier to physical activity promotion (mean score=24.4±3.5/30), perceived physical activity promotion as their role (mean score=12.9±1.6/15), were confident in their ability to discuss and recommend exercises for physical activity promotion (mean score=7.9±1.3/ 10) and believed promoting physical activity was feasible for them (mean score=15.0±2.5/20). The physicians had good disposition to physical activity promotion (Mean score=78.5±6.7/100), but male physicians showed better disposition than their female counterparts.Conclusions: Overall these cohorts of physicians are somewhat knowledgeable on physical activity promotion and are positively disposed to promoting physical activity among their patients. These findings can be leveraged upon to optimize outcome of campaigns or interventions to change physical activity behaviour in Nigerian populace.Keywords: Physical activity, Exercise promotion, Medical doctors, Disposition, Active lifestyl

Cardiorespiratory fitness of inmates of a maximum security prison in Nigeria

Prisoners are a special population group who have limited freedom and are subjected to restrictions. They may not be able to enjoy health enhancing leisure and recreational activities or exercise of their choice or at a time they desire.The aim of this study is to determine the level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of inmates in Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison; and also to determine the effects of age, gender, and period of incarceration on CRF. A total of 247 apparently healthy inmates of Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison participated in the 2 study. The subjects performed a one-mile walk test from which their VO max was derived using a nomogram.The results show that the prison inmates appear to have a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness. The male inmates were found to have higher cardiorespiratory fitness than their female counterparts, but no significant relationship was found between CRF and period of incarceration, or between CRF and the age of the inmates.The cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of the prison inmates in Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison is good. Further investigation of the influence of other potential variables of physical activity such as vocational facilities and sporting opportunities on the CRF of prison inmates in Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison is necessary.Keywords: prison inmates, incarceration, cardiorespiratory fitness, vocational trainin

The Effect of Perception of Extension Service on Small Farm Holders Agricultural Production

Empirical studies have suggested that agricultural extension can increase agricultural productivity. However, the increase in productivity relies largely on various auxiliary issues. Thus, this particular study was conducted among a subset group of southern-African farmers in order to examine the relationship between the provision of extension services and increased productivity in a regional context. An analysis of views in perception of these small scale farmers was used as a guide in estimating the efficacy of extension services. Perception as an indicator was then examined to access its extrapolative value in agricultural policies. The views of these farmers were analyzed using regression analysis to determine how extension services affected their performance. The findings revealed that positive perception extension services correlates to negative agricultural performance. While poor perceptions of extension services have tendencies of higher yield. Other factors of importance in the correlation identified were education, experience and exposure. These factors influenced perceptions and essentially agricultural yield. Keywords: Poverty alleviation, perception, extension service, production performanc

Perspectives on Clinical Education: How physiotherapy students learn in the clinic

Clinical internship provides the real-life or contextual, social, and  interactive experience that helps students translate abstract theories learned in the classroom to clinical practice. In many quarters, it is generally presumed that clinical teaching can effectively be done by any competent and experienced practitioner. This paper elucidates how learning takes place in the clinic. It highlights periods of weigh in or acclimatization, legitimate peripheral participation, alignment with the practice setting or community, and active engagement, as stages in clinical learning. It identifies engagement, reflection, observation and dialogue as daily activities needed to make sense and derive meaning from learning in the clinic. It also utilizes the distinctive features of two clinical education organization models to provide insight into how clinical teaching skills and the mentorprotégé relationship between teachers and students can be enhanced in contemporary clinical education in Nigeria.KEYWORDS: clinical education, learning, clinics, clinical rotation

A survey of physiotherapists on physical activity promotion in northern Nigeria

Tackling the menace of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through the promotion of population participation in health enhancing physical activities requires the engagement of healthcare experts, such as physiotherapists, to make necessary assessments and individualized recommendation.The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge of physical activity message, role perception and counselling practice, and the feasibility of, and barriers to physical activity promotion among physiotherapists in Northern Nigeria.Physiotherapists in seven hospitals in Northern Nigeria (N=94) were surveyed using a questionnaire that elicited information on socio-demographic characteristics and the participants also completed a Physical Activity Promotion Questionnaire which elicited responses on knowledge of physical activity message, feasibility of physical activity promotion, and barriers to physical activity promotion.Overall, the physiotherapists in this study reported good knowledge of physical activity promotion, perceived physical activity promotion as their role, and also reported minimal or little barrier to physical activity promotion. The physiotherapists also believed promoting physical activity was feasible for them.These findings suggest that physiotherapists in Northern Nigerian have a good disposition towards promoting a physically active lifestyle among their patients and clients and they could play an important public health role in the prevention and control of NCDs in Nigeria.Keywords: Physical activity, physical activity promotion, physiotherapists, disposition, active lifestyl

Effects of Ascorbic Acid on Reproductive Functions of Male Wistar Rats Exposed to Nicotine

Nicotine is a pharmacologically active and addictive alkaloid component of the cigarette smoke, and its effects on male reproductive system and fertility are well documented. Influence of ascorbic acid on reproductive functions of male wistar rats exposed to nicotine was examined in this study. Thirty-two adult male rats of 180 ± 15 g weight were used and grouped into control, nicotine, ascorbic and nicotine with ascorbic acid. The drugs were orally administered for thirty-five days. Plasma levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were significantly reduced in nicotine exposed rats when compared with the control (p<0.05), both FSH and LH plasma levels were significantly increased in rats exposed to ascorbic acid (p<0.05) relative to the control, while ascorbic acid also increased the level of these hormone in nicotine treated group (p<0.05). The cytoarchitecture of the seminiferous tubule shows high level of degeneration in the nicotine only treated group and this was reversed in the ascorbic acid treated group. There was a significant decreased in sperm motility, counts, percentage viability and morphology (p<0.05) in nicotine treated group relative to the control, while there was a significant improvement in these sperm parameters in co-administered ascorbic acid with nicotine when compared with the rats treated with nicotine only. In conclusion, ascorbic acid supplement may suppress nicotine toxic effects on reproductive functions in male rats.Keywords: Nicotine, ascorbic acid, FSH, LH, Testosterone, Sperm parameter

Policy Implementation in Pre-Primary Education in Nigeria

Pre-primary education is considered by many societies and individuals to be beneficial to young children for their educational development from school-entry age This type of education was given official recognition by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the National Policy on Education In the policy document provision is made for a policy on preprimary education stating its objectives and the measures to be taken by government to facilitate the achievement of the policy objectives It also allowed for private participation in the provision of pre-primary education This paper examines the implementation of the policy pointing out its shortcomings and some attendant problems and the way forwar

Physiotherapy Education: Global Trends, Perspectives and Future Direction

The advances in technology and the recent transformation in global communication, which are increasingly reducing the spatial limitation in education, have influenced perspectives on how education is delivered. This paper presents a global trend in higher education with particular reference to education and training in physiotherapy and other health professions. It outlines the variables and models of education, the competencies in allied health and medical education and also discusses the relevance and resource needs to internationalize physiotherapy education in Nigeria. Instituting transnational education in Nigeria will require improvements in electronic pedagogical infrastructure and learning resources and curriculum enhancements, and may also require contributions from Nigerians in the Diaspora. Keywords: Physiotherapy education, future direction, international education, transnational educatio

Seismic interpretation and petrophysical evaluation of SH field, Niger Delta

Three out of the 14 hydrocarbon-bearing sands (A, B and I) in the ‘SH’ field onshore Niger Delta which contain bulk of the hydrocarbon reserves in the field were considered as development candidates. Seismic interpretation and petrophysical evaluation of logs of 13 wells were integrated with the aim of verifying and ascertaining the hydrocarbon reserves prior to field development which involves enormous financial commitment. Results show that the field is structurally controlled by sets of northwest–southeast-trending synthetic faults which dip southwest. Hydrocarbon traps at the three sand levels are rollover anticlinal closures that are generally sealed by a major listric fault that demarcated the field into northwest and southeast blocks. The southern fault block is hydrocarbon bearing; wells drilled in the field targeted these closures and encountered a number of stacked hydrocarbon-bearing sand levels. Reservoir-A developed a hanging-wall rollover anticlinal structure sealed by a major listric fault forming a trap with oil–water contact (OWC) of 1222 m TVDSS. Reservoir-B also shows similar structure as reservoir-A, but it is partitioned into two hydrocarbon compartments by a sealing fault; these two compartments have different OWCs. Reservoir-I exhibits similar structure to reservoir-A. The evaluation of the petrophysical characteristics revealed that the reservoirs are of good quality with average net to gross, porosities, water saturation and hydrocarbon saturation ranging from 0.774 to 0.980, 0.220–0.339, 0.133–0.367 and 0.633–0.867, respectively. Variation in the petrophysical parameters and the uncertainty in the reservoir structure of the three reservoirs were considered in calculating range of values of gross rock volume and in-place volume. The study shows oil-in-place volume in the range of 243.83–357.90 MMstb in reservoir-I, whereas reservoir-A contains 148.98–241.14 MMstb, reservoir-B1 31.31–50.36 MMstb and reservoir-B2 67.79–108.98 MMstb of oil. Conclusively, this study has further confirmed the high productivity and commercial viability of the wells within the field of study to be able to adequately compensate for the cost of development