Adejoh Charles Achile, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a constellation of affective, behavioural, cognitive and physical symptoms that occur cyclically during the luteal phase of menstrual cycle and resolve shortly at or within few days of the onset of menstruation. The exact cause of PMS is unknown. PMS is associated with various psychological, socio-demographic factors (age, marital status). Dietary and lifestyle. The common premenstrual symptoms are irritability, abdominal cramps, breast tenderness, fatigue, decreased concentration, mood swings, headache, and anxiety. The study aimed to access the knowledge, prevalence and effects of premenstrual syndrome on female undergraduate students of Federal University of Education Zaria, Kaduna State. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 255 eligible students. Analyses were done using IBM-SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistic measures were done and presented as tables and graphs. Chi Square test was applied for the comparison of proportions and associations between categorical variables and p value was set at <0.05 for statistical significance. The mean age of Respondents was 22.0 ± 2.89. Majority (48.3%) were Hausa, predominantly Muslims (61.2%), almost all were single (88.2%), and more than half (51.0%) were in faculty of sciences and department of biology (24.3%). The knowledge of PMS was very poor among respondents with only 17.3% having good knowledge and 82.7% had poor knowledge. The prevalence of PMS was high (83.6%) and the common symptoms were abdominal cramps, mood swings, breast tenderness. and fatigue. Common effects of PMS on respondents were difficulty concentrating, absenteeism from class, and avoidance of social gathering, with menstrual pain, regular consumption of caffeine containing drinks, sugary food and high level of work before periods were found to be associated with PM. The study showed a wide gap in the knowledge and a high prevalence of PMS among female students of Federal University of Education, Zaria.

Yunusa Isah Chiroma, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, N/A

Job stress is a mental and physical condition, which affects an individual’s productivity, effectiveness, personal health and quality of work while Job satisfaction is a feeling that supports or does not support employees who are related to their work and their conditions. The global average prevalence of job stress among workers is 55%. In Africa, Senegal recorded 50.1% of workers experience stress in the workplace, fairing a little better than Chad, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, which recorded higher stress rates of up to 58%. In Nigeria, 50% of workers experience stress in the workplace, a figure that has risen by 3% annually. The employees admit that 46% of their negative emotions are felt during a lot of days as a result of stress, with most workers actively seeking a new job. This study was aimed at the assessment of job stress and job satisfaction among Interns and House Officers at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria. A cross sectional-descriptive study using self-administered closed-ended questionnaire was carried out. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the total sample size of 105 respondents. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Descriptive statistics was done for the socio-demographic characteristics and categorical variables using simple frequencies and percentages. Bivariate analysis was done using Chi square test to test the significance of association between the independent and dependent variables at p < 0.05 level of significance. The study reveals that the majority of interns and house officers at ABUTH, Shika, Zaria, are young professionals, with 54.3% aged between 23-27 years and were males 53.3%. The predominant internship category is house officers (57.1%). Additionally, a higher percentage of interns work 40-79 hours per week (65.7%). The prevalence of job stress among interns and house officers was notable, with 81.9% reporting high stress levels. Job satisfaction levels were mixed, with only 31.43% expressing satisfaction with their internship experience. The bivariate analysis indicates that younger interns (aged 28-32 years) reported the highest stress (χ² = 9.751, p = .008). Work hours also had a significant effect, with those working 60 hours or more per week experiencing higher stress levels (χ² = 13.188, p = .004). Result also revealed significant statistical relationship between stress and job satisfaction (χ² = 5.221, p = .022). The findings suggest that interns and house officers at ABUTH experience high levels of job stress, primarily due to long working hours, excessive workload, and inadequate support systems. Job satisfaction is relatively low, with key concerns including unmanageable workloads, lack of mentorship, and insufficient compensation. It was recommended among others that the hospital should review duty hours and implement fair workload distribution to reduce excessive stress and burnout. Ensuring compliance with regulated working hours could improve job satisfaction.

Shehu Maryam Ingawa, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Induced abortion is termination of pregnancy before the age of viability. Unsafe induced abortion contributes significantly to maternal mortality and morbidity especially in developing countries. Induced abortion occurs in Nigeria despite law restricting abortion. Despite several efforts to improve on abortion services, legal constraints, religious and sociocultural factors prevent the access to induced abortion. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and perception of induced abortion among women attending antenatal and reproductive health clinics in ABUTH, Zaria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. Systematic random sampling was used to select 140 women of reproductive age. Data were collected using structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS v27 with statistical significance set at p< 0.05. The mean age ± SD was 28.88 ± 5.31 years. About 53.6% of respondents had good knowledge of induced abortion, 96.4% showed positive attitude, and 97.1% had a positive perception. The major sources of information were friends (47.9%) and family (45%). Statistically significant associations were found between knowledge and source of income (p=0.002). Age had a significant association with attitude (p=0.013). Despite the majority having positive attitudes and perceptions towards induced abortion, knowledge levels remain moderate, indicating the need for improved educational interventions and awareness campaigns.

Maikano Abigail Stanley, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Cervical cancer remains a major public health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where screening uptake is low. Early detection through regular screening is key to reducing cervical cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Female undergraduates, being in the sexually active age group, are at risk and their awareness is vital in the prevention of the disease. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and uptake of cervical cancer screening among female undergraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed involving 312 female undergraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, selected through multistage sampling. Data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23. The results were presented using tables and charts. The mean age of respondents was 23.23±2.43. Only 64.4% have heard of cervical cancer screening and 12.8% had good knowledge. Most of the respondents (98.4%) had a positive perception of cervical cancer screening. Only 7.4% had ever been screened for cervical cancer screening. There was a statistically significant relationship between marital status and the uptake of cervical cancer screening. There is a significant gap between positive perception and actual uptake of cervical cancer screening among female undergraduates at Ahmadu Bello University. While most respondents acknowledge the importance of screening, poor knowledge and several barriers, such as lack of awareness of screening centres and absence of symptoms, hinder utilization. There is a need for targeted health education and awareness programs to bridge knowledge gaps, correct misconceptions, and promote positive attitudes toward screening.

Yisa Abdulhammed Yinka, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

First aid is an essential skill for secondary school teachers, who are often the first to respond to emergencies involving students. However, studies in Nigeria and other parts of the world have shown gaps in teachers’ knowledge, perception, and practice of first aid. In Nigeria, limited school health services have made it even more important for teachers to be well-prepared. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and practice of first aid among secondary school teachers in Sabon Gari Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 379 secondary school teachers from both public and private schools in Sabon Gari LGA. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected in March 2025 using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25, and results were presented in tables. Associations between selected variables and level of practice were tested using a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH). The mean age of the respondents was 34.31 ± 7.929 years, with most (49.6%) aged between 26 and 35 years. Good knowledge of first aid was recorded in 68.3% of respondents, and 95.3% had a positive perception toward its importance. However, only 59.3% had good practice, and 22.2% had never administered first aid. Practice was significantly associated with age (p = 0.009), educational qualification (p = 0.001), and type of school (p = 0.002), but not with perception (p = 0.340). Although most teachers had good knowledge and a positive perception of first aid, the level of practice was sub-optimal. Some teachers had never administered first aid, showing that more needs to be done to prepare them for emergencies. It is recommended that the Kaduna State Ministry of Education provide regular training and supply first aid materials to schools to improve emergency response.

Jega Abdulmajeed Ibrahim, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) is a common health issue among university students, influenced by risk factors like Helicobacter pylori infection, NSAID use, and lifestyle habits. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and prevalence of PUD risk factors among students at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, to address gaps in awareness and inform health interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2025 with 240 ABU undergraduate students, selected via multistage sampling across 16 faculties. Data was collected using a semi-structured electronic questionnaire on sociodemographics, knowledge, perception, and prevalence of PUD risk factors. Knowledge was scored as good (≥50%) or poor (<50%), perception was assessed via a Likert scale, and prevalence was based on self-reported behaviours. Data was analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Of the 240 respondents (mean age 22.86 years, 57.5% male), 57.1% had good knowledge of PUD risk factors, though misconceptions (e.g., spicy foods as a cause) persisted. Perception was accurate in 60%, with 40% showing misconceptions. Prevalence of risk factors was low (95%), with occasional NSAID use (54.6%) and meal skipping (62.5%) most common; only 10% tested positive for H. pylori. No significant link was found between knowledge and prevalence (p = 0.163). While many ABU students have reasonable knowledge and perception of PUD risk factors, gaps and misconceptions remain, and prevalence of modifiable risk factors is low. Health education and screening programs are recommended to improve awareness and reduce PUD risk.

Ibrahim Adam, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

An estimated 3.6% of the world population is affected by chronic hepatitis B infection and is responsible for about 820,000 deaths in 2019. The prevalence of HBV varies throughout the world but the burden is highest in tropical regions. About 60 million people have chronic HBV infection in Africa with an estimated prevalence of 6.2% in the region. There are relatively fewer studies regarding knowledge, perception and preventive practice of HBV infection in Nigeria. The aim of this research is to assess the knowledge, perception and preventive practices toward HBV infection in Shika community, Giwa LG, Kaduna State. A community-based cross-sectional descriptive study using a multi-staged sampling technique was carried out amongst 149 people. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection and the data was analyzed with a statistical package for social sciences software (SPSS), version 25. Descriptive analyses were performed by calculating simple frequencies and carrying out cross-tabulations. Associations between categorical variables were tested for significance using the Chi-square test. Statistical significance was said to be achieved where the P-value is less than 0.05. The ages of the respondents ranged from 15 years upward. The majority (18.1%) of them were aged 25-29 years. Most (75.8%) of the respondents were male and majority (97.3%) are Muslims and Hausas (79.9%). Most (67.8%) of the respondents are married. Majority (53.0%) of the respondents have secondary level of education and most of them (37.6%) are business men and women. Majority (81.2%) of the respondents had poor knowledge of HBV infection and majority (74.5%) of the respondents had poor preventive practices toward HBV infection. However, majority (96.0%) of the respondents had a good perception towards HBV infection. A statistically significant relationship was observed between knowledge and preventive practice toward HBV infection (p = 0.00). The study showed that a significant proportion of people in Shika community had poor knowledge and preventive practices toward HBV infection. In order to reduce the burden of HBV infection and its complications there is still need for increased community awareness of the importance of HBV screening and vaccination.

Abdullahi Umar Faruk, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

HIV/AIDS remains a significant global public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where stigma and discrimination exacerbate its impact. Misconceptions and fear fuel prejudice against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), hindering prevention, testing, and treatment efforts. Stigma manifests as social exclusion, workplace discrimination, and poor healthcare experiences, often leading to mental health issues and reduced healthcare access. Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), societal attitudes persist, driven by associations with immorality, fear of transmission, and lack of education. This study assessed the knowledge, perception, and experiences of stigma and discrimination among PLWHA attending the Nasara Clinic at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre (NTBLTC) in Zaria, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 424 PLWHA selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using SPSS version 25.0. The study revealed that 94.8% of respondents were aware of HIV-related stigma, primarily learning about it from friends/family (32.8%) and healthcare professionals (27.4%). Similarly, 96.9% knew about HIV-related discrimination. Societal perceptions of PLWHA were neutral (25.5%) or somewhat negative (22.6%), with lack of awareness (31.1%) cited as a key driver. Notably, 72.6% reported experiencing stigma or discrimination, predominantly in social gatherings (25%) and family settings (19.8%). Common forms included rejection by family/friends (32.3%) and job loss (28.5%). Stigma significantly affected mental health (77.1%) and healthcare-seeking behaviour (67.9%), with 67% reporting denial of medical treatment. Stigma and discrimination remain pervasive among PLWHA in Zaria, negatively impacting social, economic, and health outcomes. Recommendations include implementing anti-discrimination policies, enhancing public awareness campaigns, and providing counselling services to support PLWHA.

Fauziyah Maimako Muhammad, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Privacy and confidentiality are fundamental ethical principles in patient care, ensuring trust and compliance with medical ethics. It is imperative that all health care providers, including professionals and interns at all levels should be well-informed about the importance of confidentiality and privacy However, adherence among healthcare workers may vary due to gaps in knowledge or attitude. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of privacy and confidentiality among interns (nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, radiologists and doctors) at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires to evaluate interns' KAP levels. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Age(years): Mean ± SD = 26.7 ± 2.274, majority of respondents were house officers (65.8%). The study showed that majority of the respondents (54.2%) had good knowledge of privacy and confidentiality, 51.0% had a neutral attitude towards maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality, and 64.5% of respondents had good level of practice of privacy and confidentiality. Several factors were perceived to influence the practice of privacy and confidentiality in ABUTH, Shika which included the large number of patients, staff shortage, open recordkeeping system, technological impairment, inadequate health facilities, improper infrastructure. There was also a significant relationship between level of knowledge, attitude and the practice of privacy and confidentiality in patient care in ABUTH, Shika.

Ahmad Muhammad, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2025

Adverse drug reactions represent a significant global public health concern, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Spontaneous reporting by healthcare professionals, particularly medical doctors, is crucial for pharmacovigilance. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and ADR reporting practices and identify factors influencing the knowledge, attitude, and reporting practices of ADRs among medical doctors in ABUTH Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire among 110 medical doctors at ABUTH Zaria. The respondents were selected using stratified sampling technique and data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and reporting practices of adverse drug reactions were collected and analysed using descriptive analysis and associations between variables were tested using Chi-square and Fisher’s Exact tests where appropriate. Results showed that 91.8% of medical doctors demonstrated good knowledge of ADRs, while 60% had positive attitudes toward pharmacovigilance. However, only 29.2% of those who had encountered ADRs had ever reported them. Among those who reported ADRs, 52.4% demonstrated good reporting practices. Knowledge was found to be significantly associated with attitudes towards ADR reporting (p=0.028). Major barriers to ADRs reporting included unavailability of forms (52.7%), poor knowledge of ADR reporting process (40.9%), complex reporting processes (29.1%), and time constraints (29.1%). Despite adequate knowledge and favourable attitudes by the respondents, ADR reporting remains suboptimal among medical doctors at ABUTH Zaria. Interventions addressing xvi identified barriers, including regular training programs, simplified reporting procedures, and establishment of an institutional ADR reporting system, are recommended to enhance pharmacovigilance activities and patient safety.

Samson, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

Alcoholic beverages have been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world seeing use as a component of a standard diet , for hygienic or medical reasons, relaxant and euphoric effects, for recreational purposes, for inspiration, as aphrodisiacs, and for other reasons . Some have been invested with symbolic or religious significance suggesting the mystical use of alcohol example by Greco- Roman religion in the ecstatic rituals of Dionysus ( also called Bacchus ), god of drink and revelry, in the Christian Eucharist , and on the Jewish Shabbat and festivals ( particularly Passover ). About two billion people across the world consume alcoholic drinks. Alcohol consumption can harm health as well as social relations; possible injuries, alcohol dependence and chronic diseases can lead to losses in quality of life and to premature deaths. Around 76 million people worldwide currently have alcohol use disorders, such as excessive drinking and alcohol dependence. The highest level of knowledge about each drug among the males shows alcohol 98.80%,Kolanut 97.01%,and Tobacco 98.79% (Table5).However, among the females, all the respondents have knowledge of alcohol and kolanut100%,with the least known being LSD13.33%. The most commonly abused substance among the males shows alcohol to be high (47.37%), Kolanut (19%), Caffeine (17.54%), there was no reported case of cocaine and LSD use(Table 10).Among the females, Caffeine(35.71%), Analgesics(25%), are the most abused, 46 there is a reported case of cocaine use but no case of LSD use(Table 10).Most respondents admitted to taking alcohol and other drugs in a bar/night club(47.37%), with only 10.53% taking it in the school premises.

Ekwu, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

175 female students population in Samaru College of agriculture, A.B.U. Zaria, were used for the study from 7th to 13 February 2007. Equal number of structured close ended self-administered questionnaires designed to elicit sociodemographic information and knowledge, attitude and practices of breast self examination were distributed to each level of education range from Pre ND, 1st ND 2nd ND, 1st HND and 2nd HND for assessment and evaluation. Study participants had good knowledge of breast cancer. 56% of the respondents had heard of breast self-examination. 40.82% of them obtained their information from the media, 21.43% from health care personnel, and 17.34% from friends and relatives. Practice of breast self examination (BSE) was low with only 2.33% of respondents actually knew the correct method. Chi square test showed no significant relationship between class of education and awareness and practice of BSE (2 = 0.848, P> 0.01). The results of this study suggest that female students of Samaru College have good knowledge of breast cancer and only few of them practice BSE. In addition, level of education appears to be the minor determinant of level of awareness and practice of breast self examination among the study participants. Therefore, for the effective utilization of BSE there is need for the Government, Religious, Community leaders, Non-governmental organizations to create awareness that will enhance adequate and urgent dissemination of information on breast cancer and breast self examination to all women in Nigeria

Akafa Tensaba, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

Infertility is a big problem in our society. The infertile woman is often looked down upon. Her social and marital security may depend on her fertility. It is a tragedy when a woman cannot conceive or bear children which she greatly desires and even if this is secondary to a male factor, she usually carries the brunt of it all. This study shows that the 32.05% of the respondents considered infertility to be supernatural in origin, while others attributed it to socially-related factors like sexually transmitted diseases (19.23%), abortions (11.54%) and promiscuity/waywardness (4.49%). Their knowledge options for infertility was as follows: 52.56% of them opted for the use of orthodox medicine, 8.97% for surgical procedure and about one quarter (27.56%) were for traditional medicine. Lastly, despite their desires to have children, 61.45% of the respondents objected to the concept of child adoption. This study also show cases of secondary infertility (accounting for 61.54%) were more than those of primary infertility.

Palmer Henry Obakpororo, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

Children are regarded as a source of joy to families and are invaluable assets to the parents. Hence, they should grow up and be nurtured in family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love, care and understanding. Also because of their peculiar needs in physical and mental development, social development and require legal protection in conditions of freedom, dignity and security. The actual number of children involved in exploitative or hazardous work in Nigeria is not known, owing to the wide dispersion of child workers in the informal sector and Agriculture however recent assessment puts the figure at eight million. The aetiology of street hawking from the study shows poverty to be 40%, parental approval 34.3%, 17.1% to support education and 5.1% due to family traditions while other reasons such as self desire constitute 2.9%. Most of the children 68.6% were found to be hawking for their parents and this shows the role ignorance plays where such parents believe they own their children and can use them any way they want ignoring the right and privileges of the child as stated in the Nigeria Labour act. Most of the respondents 144 (54.3%) have been hawking for between 1-4years. It was also observed that more female had hawked for longer duration. From the study, it is evident that street hawking and its attendant problems are still a societal menace and exposes the children to a host of hazard which could on a short or long term basis be deleterious to the child complete physical, social, mental and psychological well being and to the society at large. To have a great future, we most take adequate care of our children.

Oseni Rasaki Olaiya, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

Reports have it that malaria places significant burden on households with rural households relatively bearing the overwhelming burden in terms of prevention and treatment. This development has forced households into diverting family resources into financing malaria expenditure. Since Nigeria lies in a region of the world known to be endemic for malaria, it is proposed that rural families’ expenditure on malaria would be a significant proportion of their income. This study therefore sought to determine household expenditure on suspected cases of malaria in Shika village in Giwa local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out using interviewer administered questionnaire. The village was divided into four regions and a cluster sampling with equal allocation was employed, thus 20 households were randomly selected from each region, making a total of 80 households. Fever was taken as proxy for malaria and household heads of 80 households were questioned about household income and household expenditures on the treatment and prevention of malaria using a recall period of 3 months preceding this study. The data was analyzed manually and with Microsoft excel software package and presented in tabular form and also using appropriate statistical charts. Households sampled consisted mainly of 6-10 people (43.75%) while majority of household heads were farmers (31.35%). The average monthly family income was mainly between 1000-5000 Naira (62.5%). In the sampled households, over 70% of them had had at least a family member who had fever during the preceding 3 months. The households that made expenditure on treatment of fever was 84% and cost was mainly responsible for choice of place of care, accounting for 61% of reasons. The expenditure on treatment was mainly on drugs (76.2%). The households that prevented malaria were 76% of the sample and mosquito coil was the most favoured method of prevention (62%). The cost of prevention was the major factor (57%) for the selection of this method of prevention. Most households that spent on treatment (77.55%) have spent 1-5% of family income on treatment and most households that spent on prevention (55.4%) have spent 1-3% of family income on prevention. The direct household expenditure on malaria was about 5%. The main source of financing the treatment and prevention of malaria was family income (71.43%) and 16.33% of the households had to borrow money to offset the treatment bill, while 12.24% had to collect credit from chemist shops. The findings indicate that malaria still places significant economic burden on households and coping strategies adopted can have negative implications, influencing households’ ability to withstand malaria and other contingencies in future. It is therefore imperative to protect the poor and vulnerable by intensifying and integrating malaria control policies into development and poverty reduction programmes.