Assessment of the living conditions of rural based people living with HIV/AIDS with clinical presentations in Nigeria

Objective: To describe the living conditions of rural based people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA) and their clinical presentationsDesign: Descriptive cross-sectional studySetting: University College Hospital, IbadanSubjects: PLWHA on anti-retroviral therapyResults: One hundred and fifty PLWHA participated. The mean age of the respondents was 28.7±8.9 years. Majority of the respondents visited had advanced disease (97%), were poor (75%) and presented with opportunistic infections such as oral candidiasis (92%), chronic diarrhoea (70%) and pulmonary tuberculosis (46%). Majority were treated for malaria (72%) and anaemia (61%). All respondents lived in homes predisposed to these opportunistic infections. They drink unsafe water and had poor disposal of their domestic wastes.Conclusion: PLWHA visited lived in homes that predispose them to various opportunistic infections. Improved living conditions and economic empowerment will improve the health conditions of PLWHA

Patterns of presentations at a free eye clinic in an urban state hospital

Background: Provision of affordable eye care is one of the cardinal programs of the Osun State Government of Nigeria.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the pattern of eye diseases presenting in a secondary health care facility based at Osogbo the State Capital.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the hospital records of all patients that were cared for at the eye clinic of the State Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria from January 2009 to December 2010.Results: A total of 1018 patients were attended to at the eye clinic during the period of review. Mean age of these patients was 49.4 ± 23.2 years. There were 408 (40.1%) males and 610 (59.9%) females with a female-male ratio of 1.5 : 1. Most of them were traders (28.1%) and married (32.1%). Vernal conjunctivitis (21.1%), cataract (14%), glaucoma(11.1%), and refractive errors (20.7%) were the main eye diagnoses.Conclusion: Preventable causes of blindness were quite common among the patients. There is a need for community education to reduce the prevalence of these diseases in the general population.Key words: Eye clinic, free, pattern, urba

Roles of family dynamics on adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV/AIDS at a tertiary hospital in Osogbo, south-west Nigeria

Background: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been proven to be the only effective treatment for HIV/AIDS worldwide. Good adherence to HAART might require good family support.Objective: To determine the family dynamics and social support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and its roles on HAART adherence at an ARV treatment clinic in Osogbo, NigeriaMethod: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Consenting PLWHA on HAART were interviewed using pre-tested semistructured questionnaire incorporating Perceived Social Support- Family Scale and Family APGAR. HAART adherence was measured using patient self report.Results: A total of 379 PLWHA were interviewed. Their mean age was 40.8 (SD=9.9) years. Most (60.7%) were females. More than half (55.7%) were currently married and the majority (72.1%) had secondary education and were Yoruba (86.3%). Most respondents (95.5%) were adherent to HAART. Over 90% were satisfied with support received from their family while 82.3% were treated like other family members. Most attributed their HAART adherence to the care and support received from their family.Conclusion: Most PLWHA had good social support and were adherent to HAART.Keywords: Family dynamics; HAART adherence; NigeriaAfrican Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 920 - 92

Pattern of Maternal Mortality in A General Hospital, South Western Nigeria.

High maternal mortality has become intractable problem of developing countries despite global efforts at its reduction in the last three decades. Reports form various parts of Nigeria mostly from Teaching Hospitals also confirmed hig maternal mortality. This work on patterns of maternal death from 2002 to 2009 was undertaken to: i. Document the experience in a general hospital. ii. Provide facility baseline data against which trends can be measured in the future. Maternal Mortality ratio over the period was 214 per 100,000 live births. The leading causes of maternal death are Haemorrhage, Induced abortion. Eclampsia and Infectin. Type III delay, low literacy level and low utilization of antenatal services were associated with maternal death. There is need to put in place a sustainable, timely and sfae blood transfusion, obstetric surgical interventions and improved utilization of quality antenatal services in order to meet MDG 5 that is reduction of maternal mortality in a general hospital set up.Keywords: Maternal Mortality, Audit, Haemorrhage, Induce abortion, illiteracy

Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1): knowledge among senior health workers at a secondary health care institution in Southwest, Nigeria

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge of influenza A (H1N1) infection among health care workers in a secondary health care facility in Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria. Methods: A structured questionnaire assessing participants'knowledge of swine influenza viruses, mode of transmission, clinical criteria, primary prevention, indications for emergency care, care of affected persons and ongoing pandemic of Influenza A H1N1 was hand-delivered to all senior health care workers working in the hospital. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 40.4±9.6 years. The majority (59.3%) were females. Television (73.6%) radio (61.5%), newspapers (44%), other health workers (31.9%), and internet (15.4%) were the main sources of information about influenza A H1N1. Nearly all (92.3%) felt that their source of information about the disease was inadequate. About half (51.6%) knew the virus can be transmitted from one person to another. Majority identified correctly the symptoms of infected victims such as fever (83.5%), and runny nose (79.1%). Most (87.9%) identified hand washing with soap and water as a mode of preventing transmission. Most (83.5%) felt an infected person should be isolated while very few knew oseltamivir (13.2%) and zanamivir (17.6%) are drugs to treat. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified, male sex (p=0.029), internet as a source of information (p=0.029) and knowledge of prevention of H1N1 (p= 0.005) as factors that were significantly associated with a high knowledge score on the current pandemic. Conclusion: There is a need to provide comprehensive information to health workers on the current pandemic

Patterns of tympanic membrane perforation in Ibadan: a retrospective study

Background: Tympanic membrane perforations vary in size, shape and position. The degree of conductive deafness varies with the size and position of the tympanic membrane perforation.Objective: This study is to determine the pattern and causes of tympanic membrane perforation.Method: Hospital based study at the ENT Clinic, UCH, Ibadan. Consecutive patients seen during the period of study with ear symptoms were interviewed and examined by ENT surgeons. This information was entered into computer and analyzed using SPSS v 11.Result: Thirty-three (13.5%) of the 244 patients were found to have tympanic membrane perforation. Fifteen (45.5%) patients were new while 18 (54.5%) were follow up patients. There were 13 (39.4%) males and 20 (60.6%) females. The type of perforation seen were central 57.6%, subtotal 33.3%, total 6.1%, marginal 3.0%. The sides affected were left ear 45.5%, right ear 15.2%, and both ears 39.4%. The causes found were chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) 90.9%, acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM) 6.1%, and trauma to the affected ear 3.0%. CSOM wasthe cause of tympanic membrane perforation seen in children. Conclusion: There is need for early diagnosis and treatment of all cases of tympanic membrane perforation and proper education of parents and guardians on proper method of ear care and early referral. There is also need to train all healthcare workers especially primary health care providers on how to manage these cases.Keywords: Pattern, tympanic membrane perforation, diseases of the ea