Topical Ear Drop Self-medication Practice among the Ear, Nose, and Throat Patients in Ido Ekiti, Nigeria: A Cross - sectional Study

Background: Self‑medication is a common habit in our country; Nigeria, especially among patients with otorhinolaryngological disorders. Medication when taken wrongly may bring dire consequences to the individual, such as masking developing diseases and may cause many other undesirable effects. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and to analyze topical ear drop self‑medication practices among respondents attending the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti, Nigeria. Design and Methodology: A 6‑month hospital based cross‑sectional study was conducted among patients who were seen in the Ear, Nose, and Throat facility of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti from July to December 2016 to determine topical ear drop self‑medication practices. A pretested semi‑structured questionnaire was used to obtained information from respondents. Results: A total of 162 respondents out of 493 patients seen during the study had otological problems. Of which 107 (66%) respondents had engaged in self‑medication with topical ear drops. Their ages ranged between 2 and 83 years with a mean age of 36.6 ± 19.1 years. There were 75 males and 87 females. The major reason for self‑medication was that their ailments were minor in about 40.2% and the most common indication for self‑medication was ear blockage with hearing impairment (33.6%). Pharmacy/chemist shops (42%) were major sources of information for those that self‑medicated. Chloramphenicol and gentamycin were the major drugs that were used by the respondents. Conclusion: Majority of the respondents in this study practiced self‑medication using different topical ear drops. Major source of information on the topical ear drops used was from pharmacy/chemist shops. There is a need for adequate public health education to create awareness among people on the danger of self‑medication and to enact or enforce the law to reduce access to over the counter drugs. Healthcare should be made available and avoidable at primary health‑care level

Topical Ear Drop Self-medication Practice among the Ear, Nose, and Throat Patients in Ido Ekiti, Nigeria: A Cross - sectional Study

Background: Self‑medication is a common habit in our country; Nigeria, especially among patients with otorhinolaryngological disorders. Medication when taken wrongly may bring dire consequences to the individual, such as masking developing diseases and may cause many other undesirable effects. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and to analyze topical ear drop self‑medication practices among respondents attending the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti, Nigeria. Design and Methodology: A 6‑month hospital based cross‑sectional study was conducted among patients who were seen in the Ear, Nose, and Throat facility of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti from July to December 2016 to determine topical ear drop self‑medication practices. A pretested semi‑structured questionnaire was used to obtained information from respondents. Results: A total of 162 respondents out of 493 patients seen during the study had otological problems. Of which 107 (66%) respondents had engaged in self‑medication with topical ear drops. Their ages ranged between 2 and 83 years with a mean age of 36.6 ± 19.1 years. There were 75 males and 87 females. The major reason for self‑medication was that their ailments were minor in about 40.2% and the most common indication for self‑medication was ear blockage with hearing impairment (33.6%). Pharmacy/chemist shops (42%) were major sources of information for those that self‑medicated. Chloramphenicol and gentamycin were the major drugs that were used by the respondents. Conclusion: Majority of the respondents in this study practiced self‑medication using different topical ear drops. Major source of information on the topical ear drops used was from pharmacy/chemist shops. There is a need for adequate public health education to create awareness among people on the danger of self‑medication and to enact or enforce the law to reduce access to over the counter drugs. Healthcare should be made available and avoidable at primary health‑care level

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Legislative Documents

Also, variously referred to as: House bills; House documents; House legislative documents; legislative documents; General Court documents

Time-line of surveillance and response activities to the outbreak of <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> serogroup C in Nigeria, 2016/2017.

<p>^<b>+</b>Vaccine request to ICG preceded the National EOC activation, *Expected to be done when epidemic threshold is reached, **Expected time interval.</p

Geographic progression of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreak in Yobe.

<p>Geographic progression of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreak in Yobe.</p

Reported cases of meningococcal meningitis in Zamfara between epidemiological weeks 49, 2016 and 25, 2017.

<p>Reported cases of meningococcal meningitis in Zamfara between epidemiological weeks 49, 2016 and 25, 2017.</p

Geographic progression of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreak in Sokoto.

<p>Geographic progression of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreak in Sokoto.</p

Reported cases of meningococcal meningitis in Sokoto between epidemiological weeks 1 and 25, 2017.

<p>Reported cases of meningococcal meningitis in Sokoto between epidemiological weeks 1 and 25, 2017.</p