Assessment of Health-promoting lifestyle behaviour (HPLB) of University workers in Nigeria

Objective: Lifestyle, high cost of medical care and limited resources in many national health systems should be an inducement for everyone to practice health-promoting lifestyle, knowing its benefits. This study examined the health-promoting lifestyle behaviour (HPLB) of university staff.Methodology: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among 280 university staff in Nigeria. Self-administered health-promoting lifestyle profile II questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics via IBM-SPSS version 25.Results: Self-actualization subscale had the highest mean score of 3.35±0.65; interpersonal relations (2.94±0.65); nutrition (2.81±0.48); stress management (2.72±0.62); physical activity (2.21±0.64); health responsibility (2.19±0.62) and Health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) (2.74±0.46). Age; study location; religion and type of marriage had significant association with self-actualization lifestyle while gender and type of marriage had significant association with HPLP. Lastly, socio-economic factors had a statistically significant influence on HPLP of workers.Conclusion: The respondents practiced HPLB moderately. Strategies need to be put in place to motivate university staff to practice all the subscales of HPLP effectively.Keywords: Health-promoting lifestyle profile, Health-promoting lifestyle behaviour, health promotion model, university staff, Nigeri

Balancing Demand, Quality and Efficiency in Nigerian Health Care Delivery System

The health sector is crucial to growth and development of a nation. Despite sound policies and interventions to develop the Nigerian health sector, it has witnessed several challenges that continue to reduce the progress and achievement of universal access to health care. Some of the factors that affect the overall performance of the health system include; inadequate health facilities/structure, poor human resources and management, poor remuneration and motivation, lack of fair and sustainable health care financing, unequal economic and political relations, the neo-liberal economic policies of the Nigerian state, corruption, illiteracy, very low government spending on health, high out-of-pocket expenditure in health and absence of integrated system for disease prevention, surveillance and treatment, inadequate mechanisms for families to access health care, shortage of essential drugs and supplies and inadequate supervision of health care providers are among some of the persistent problems of the health system in Nigeria. This paper looks at the enormity of the problems and recommends policy options vital to addressing the problems in order to attain the equilibrium in demand, quality and efficiency in the health care delivery system in Nigeria. Keywords: Demand, Quality, efficiency, health care system, Nigeri

Context and Indigenous Structures for Managing Family Violence in a Yoruba Community

Most investigations on domestic violence in family relationships have centered around men as the perpetrators of violence without exploring the context of violence occurrence from a gender lens and other social factors. This study explored the meanings associated with family violence, the contexts for its occurrence, and the indigenous approaches to managing such conflicts among the Yoruba ethnic subgroup in southwest Nigeria. This was an exploratory cross-sectional study guided by an interpretative constructivist approach in which 20 community stakeholders were recruited through purposive sampling. The data were collected via in-depth interview (IDI) and focus group discussion (FGD). Findings from the study showed that both men and women in family relationship contribute to the occurrence of family violence, although the forms perpetrated differ by gender. Religious leaders were identified as key indigenous structure for effective management of family violence among other indigenous structures (extended family mediation and community/royal father interventions). The study showed that these groups of people are also affected by societal male dominance belief which has contributed to occurrence of family violence. The study concluded that an indigenous intervention that will help control family violence among this group must focus on strengthening community structures; most importantly, the religious institutions on how to instill mutual respect among couples and train them on conflict resolution skills as family violence in the group is seen as issue that should not be taken out of the community structures

In-hospital informal caregivers' needs as perceived by themselves and by the nursing staff in Northern Greece: A descriptive study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Informal care is common in many countries, especially in Greece, where families provide care in hospitals. Health education and informational needs are important factors for family members which are often underestimated by nursing staff. The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions of the nurses and the in-hospital informal caregivers about the in-hospital informal caregivers' knowledge and informational needs, as well as the factors that influence these perceptions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a non-experimental descriptive study conducted in three general hospitals in Greece. The sample consisted of 320 nurses and 370 in-hospital informal caregivers who completed questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using t-tests; group comparisons were conducted using ANOVA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The score of the questionnaire for health education and informational needs was significantly greater for informal caregivers (57.1 ± 6.9 and 26.6 ± 2.8) than for nurses (53.4 ± 5.7 and 22.4 ± 3.1) (p < 0.001). For the nursing staff, the factors that influence the informational needs of patients' caregivers were <it>level of education </it>and <it>working experience</it>, while for the caregivers the <it>level of education </it>was independently associated with the score for the health education needs. Finally, <it>age, marital status</it>, and <it>level of education </it>of informal caregivers' were independently associated with informational needs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The in-hospital informal caregivers perceived that they have more educational and informational needs than the nurses did. The findings of this study also show that the nursing staff has to identify the needs of in-hospital informal caregivers in order to be able to meet these needs.</p

Ideal Male-Oriented Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Delivery: A Qualitative Study of Men and Healthcare Providers’ Perspective from Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: The global burden of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) problems has remained a significant challenge to the wellbeing of men and limits the effectiveness of SRH interventions for females. This study explored men and healthcare providers’ perception of ideal male-oriented Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services. METHODS: This was an exploratory qualitative study involving three focus group discussions among men in selected communities and eight interviews among healthcare service providers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) guides were used to collect qualitative data from twenty-six men and eight healthcare service providers, respectively. Participants for the study were selected from three different units of the selected hospital and twelve communities. Data were sorted, transcribed, and analyzed using Atlas ti software. Inductive-deductive thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged from the study: (a) ideal men-oriented SRH service provision within a unit specially made and named after men, (b) 24-hour daily SRH clinic and (c) locating SRH Clinic in the healthcare institutions with outlets in the communities and schools. The participants identified primary needs as SRH organs assessments; screening services; family planning services; and education and counselling on prevention and treatment of male SRH problems. CONCLUSION: Men have SRH service preferences that focused on preventive and therapeutic sexual and reproductive health needs that are desired to be male-oriented, dedicated and provided in health facilities with public outlets

Detection of indices of violence against women by health professionals in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Context: Violence against women (VAW) is the commonest form of violence existing in human race and is a major reproductive health issue of our time because of its many negative reproductive health consequences. Health care providers have important roles to play to build capacity of their employees to meet the challenges of diagnosing, managing and preventing this societal problem. This can be started by assessing their training needs. Objective: To determine the extent to which Health Professionals can recognize some indices that may suggest VAW. Design, Setting and Subjects: This is a descriptive study. Using a structural questionnaire a survey was done among a randomly selected Doctors, Nurses and Social Workers in OAUTHC, Ile-Ife in Osun State of Nigeria. Information on their socio demographic characters were obtained and they were also asked to identify the degree of association between a set of signs and symptoms in relation to violence against women. Results: Divorce/separation during pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse in women, attempted suicide were the indices (with scores of 85.8% and 79.9% respectively) that would mostly prompt suspicion of VAW. About 31.1% of the respondents may not appropriately detect VAW. There is no significant difference in the ability with regard to sex, years of experience and the professional group. Conclusion: Health Professionals in OAUTHC will benefit from training and retraining programme on how to detect VAW. Similar baseline surveys are recommended for other Health Institutions as the first step in meeting this great challenge of the twenty-first century. Keywords: violence against women, suspicion indices, health professionals Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol. 22(1) 2005: 27-3