EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE IN NIGERIA: A REVIEW

Chronic liver disease is one of the major health issues which occur throughout the world irrespective of age, sex, region or race. Liver diseases have being ranked the fifth most common cause of death and the second leading cause of mortality amongst all digestive diseases with approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide. Aimed at determining the relative prevalence of chronic liver diseases in Nigeria, this shows that up to 46% of global diseases and 59% of the mortality is due to chronic liver diseases and almost 35 million people in the world die of chronic diseases with liver disease rate steadily increasing over the years. In Nigeria, (35 million) 2-20% of the population, are infected with hepatitis B and C virus with a prevalence rate of 4.3%-23.3% and 0.5-15% been reported respectively from different part of the country depending on the geographical location. A prevalence rate of 4.3% was reported from Port Harcourt, 5.7% from Ilorin, 11.6% from Maiduguri, and 8.3% from Zaria, 6.78% from Ado-Ekiti among pregnant women, 13.50% from Lagos, 11.50% from Abuja Urban among HIV Patients with a seroprevalence of 23.3% been reported among patients attending all clinics in Kano

Touch localisation after nerve repair in the hand: Insights from a new measurement tool.

Errors of touch localisation after injury to the nerves of the hand are common, and their measurement is of considered importance for evaluating functional recovery. Available empirical accounts have significant methodological limitations, however, and a quantitatively rigorous and detailed description of touch localisation in nerve injury is lacking. Here we develop a new method of measuring touch localisation and evaluate its value for use in nerve injury. Eighteen patients with transection injuries to the median/ulnar nerves and thirty-three healthy controls were examined. The hand was blocked from the participant's view and points were marked on the volar surface using a UV pen. These points served as targets for touch stimulation. Two photographs were taken, one with and one without UV lighting, rendering targets seen and unseen, respectively. The experimenter used the photograph with visible targets to register their locations, and participants reported the felt position of each stimulation on the photograph with unseen targets. The error of localisation and its directional components were measured, separate from misreferrals-errors made across digits, or from a digit to the palm. Nerve injury was found to significantly increase the error of localisation. These effects were specific to the territory of the repaired nerve, and showed considerable variability at the individual level, with some patients showing no evidence of impairment. A few patients also made abnormally high numbers of misreferrals, and the pattern of misreferrals in patients differed from that observed in healthy controls

Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) II and associated factors among civil servants in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Health Promotion has taken the center stage as a cost-effective means to reduce the rising burden of Non – communicable diseases.Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the health promoting lifestyle profile and associated factors among civil servants in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria.Design: This was a descriptive cross – sectional study.Setting: The study was conducted at the secretariat complex of Enugu State government.Subjects: The study participants included 390 civil servants in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria selected using multistage sampling technique.Results: The mean age of respondents was 37.85 ± 10.06 years. The total HPLP II mean score was 127.65 ± 15.36 and 97.4% had good profile. Among the subscales, spiritual growth had the highest mean score, 24.68 ± 3.61 and 97.9% had good profile. Associated factors statistically significantly predicted overall HPLP II, F(12,377) = 4.367, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.122, health responsibility, F(12,377) = 2.176, P = 0.012, R2 = 0.065, spiritual growth, F(12,377) = 3.578, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.102, physical activity, F(12,377) = 3.850, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.109, interpersonal relationship, F(12,377) = 4.675, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.130, nutrition, F(12,377) = 4.016, P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.113, except stress, F(12,377) = 1.759, P = 0.053, R2 = 0.053.Conclusion: Most civil servants had good HPLP II with high mean scores. There was significant association with socio – economic and behavioural factors. Health Promotion Interventions should be sustained by promoting good socio – economic and behavioral lifestyle