Atta Amos Aku, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2007

Self medication is a problem that is practiced world wide especially in the developing countries which Nigeria is one , due to some factors like easy accessibility to drugs and inadequate medical personnel. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among health staff of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria with the aim of determining the knowledge, attitude and practice of self medication and their perception of its consequences. A structured self administered questionnaires containing the socio-demographic data, knowledge, drugs used and conditions frequently used for, presence of unwanted effects and perception of the consequences of self medication was administered. The sample size was 130 and stratified random sampling technique was used. Information obtained was analyzed and it showed that majority of the health staff had knowledge about self medication. The prevalence of self medication was found to be 93.8%, nurses have the highest number of respondents self medicating and the conditions that were frequently self medicated for were fever, headache, cough and catarrh and the drugs frequently used were analgesics, anti-malarial drugs. About 27.9% of them that have had unwanted effects following self medication with more than half of them still desirous to self medicate when next they are ill with majority of them having the knowledge of the its consequences. There is high level of self medication among health staff with less than half of them have at least had one form of unwanted effects from self medication and more than half still desirous to self medicate because they feel by virtue of the knowledge they have acquired, they should be able to treat themselves of minor ailments. It is recommended therefore that a comprehensive approach that will involve enlightenment campaign programme, adequate demarcation between prescription and non-prescription drugs, ensure efficient drug control policies and regulation.

Mohammed Halimat Mono and Shuaibu Usman Yahaya, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2006

The greatest health problem threatening the human race in our time is the HIV/AIDS pandemic where the burden is greatest in sub-Saharan Africa. According to estimates from the UNAIDS/WHO AIDS epidemic update (December 2004), 37.2 million adults, 17.6 million women and 2.2million children were living with HIV at the end of 2004. This is more than 50% higher than the figures projected by W.H.O in 1991. (2) During 2004, some 4.9 million people became infected with the human immunodeficiency virus with 3.1million deaths from aids. Around half of the people who acquire HIV become infected before they turn 25 and typically die of aids before their 35th birthday. The data collection was carried out using an interviewer administered close-ended questionnaire with questions arranged in sections that reflected the objectives of the study these were administered over a period of one week. data analysis ‘Tables were used to present relevant data. analysis of data using calculations and representations on tables illustrating the study done.’ Most of the respondents 94.7% have heard about HIV/AIDs. The commonest source of knowledge is breadth workers (27.8% followed by radio (20.6%). The least is posters bills and magazine (5.7%). The commonest route of transmission to the respondents is sexual intercourse is (18.2%), followed by transfusion (16.2%) than infections needed and sharp objects (15.7%) the lest is circumcision (11.19%. Most of the women (24.1%) say that weight loss is a manifestation of HIV about 20.6% said they don’t know any manifestation of HIV. Rashes had 18.1% and diarrhea 17.1%. Majority 28.8% say that abstinence is a means of prevention of HIV/AID 25% that being faithful and avoidances of sharing sharp instrument 16.9%. 8190 say they don’t know any means of prevention 86.0% said that HIV/AID is preventable while 4.70 said they did at know and 7.3 said it is not preventable. 83.3% of the respondents have heard of voluntary counseling and testing of HIV (VCT) the commonest source of information is from health workers 52.6% next is radio with (23.0%) and then Television (15.8%). The last among source is Relatives with 20%. 46.9% of the respondents have undergone voluntary counseling and testing of HIV and 53.3% have not. The commonest reason for VCT amongst respondents is the fact that they have been assured of its confidentiality 47% of the respondents have had VCT during the index pregnancy while 53% have not. Of those who have not been tested, 47% are willing to be tested while 47% are not willing and 6% are undecided.

Yusuf A.A. and Oguche O.E, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2006

Breast cancer is a leading malignancy among women worldwide, with more than half a million new cases being diagnosed every year.5,6 Over 40 percent of these cases occur in developing countries. In Nigeria, the incidence doubled from 15 per 100,000 women in 1976 to 34 per 100,000 in 1992, and it is still rising.9 This study was carried out to assess the level of awareness, attitude and practice of Breast self-examination among female students of Federal College of Education, Zaria. One hundred and fifty eight (158) respondents were administered close-ended, self administered questionnaires. 51.6 % of the respondents were in the age group of 21-25 years. Hausa Fulani was the predominant single ethnic group accounting for 25.9% of the respondents and the predominant religion was Christianity accounting for 60.1 percent of respondents. Seventy five point three (75.3) percent of the respondents were single. 89.9% of the respondents had heard of breast cancer and for 41.7 percent of this, the media was their source of information. Health care personnel accounted for only 23.8 percent of the source of information. A lump in the breast was the most recognizable features sign of breast cancer, though by only a dismal 20.7 percent of the respondents. 70.1% of the respondent had heard of breast self examination, but only 54.4% of this practice it; and of this, only 24.4% practice it monthly. Given this low level of awareness and practice of breast self-examination, the implication is that early detection of breast cancer would be unlikely and this would account for the large cases of late presentation of cancer of the breast in this environment, hence the need for more concerted efforts towards improving awareness on breast cancer and breast self examination, given its role in reducing the breast cancer burden.

Pembi Emmanuel, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2011

While exchange of sex for money is a common practice around the world, commercial sex workers are often treated as less than human, both in cultural attitudes and public policy. There are four main categories of health risks faced by workers in the commercial sex industry. These relate to the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STI), harm through violence from clients or pimps, factors associated with the use of drugs and mental health. The practice of contraception can go a long way in preventing health hazards. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health needs and contraceptive practices among commercial sex workers in Sabon Gari Zaria. A descriptive study was carried out using a structured, interviewer administered close ended questionnaires which were administered to 78 commercial sex workers. A total survey was carried out using 12 brothels in Sabon Gari Zaria. The study revealed that knowledge of contraception and practice was exceptionally high.98.7% is aware of the male condom, and 80.8% use condoms every time they have sex. Knowledge of HIV and its prevention is also high in this population.100% heard about HIV/AIDS, knew that it is preventable, that a healthy looking person may be infected and that is important to know one’s HIV status.98.7% knew their HIV status.65% drink alcohol while 34.6% smoke cigarette. Use of intravenous drug was 1.3%. 29.1% had abortion with complication while 19% had no complication after abortion. They were also exposed to variety of violence. The good knowledge of contraceptives and knowledge of HIV indicates relatively low transmission of HIV and other STIs. Other issues however need to be addressed such as violence to commercial sex workers.

Iyua Kuleve Othniel, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2011

Globally vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) cause 2 million or more deaths annually; approximately 1.5 million deaths are in children under five. These 1.5 million deaths represent perhaps 15% of annual global deaths in children under five. The National Immunization Cluster Survey, 2003, stated that in Nigeria, VPDs currently account for 22% of deaths nationally for children aged under five5. This study assesses the state of routine immunization services in primary health facilities in Sabon Gari Local Government Area. Using a cross-sectional descriptive study design, data was collected with self administered questionnaire. 90 questionnaires were distributed among the study population of which 87 were returned and analyzed using SPSS 17.0, and results presented in form of tables and charts. Majority of the health workers in the primary health centre (81.6 percent) have good knowledge of routine immunization. The study reveals that all the primary health care facilities (100%) visited were offering routine immunization services. Immunization coverage per antigen was lower than the set targets in most of the facilities. Only 25 percent of primary centres for which data are presented were drop-out rates less than 10%. Fifty percent (50%) of the primary health centres visited had either refrigerator or deep freezer; however these facilities were not used for vaccine storage. All the primary health centres visited have a map of their catchment areas, and their source of vaccine was only from the local government. In conclusion routine immunization is available at all the primary health care centres in Sabon Gari LGA, but the utilization of this service is poor. The study recommends regular training of primary health workers, public awareness on immunization, and ensuring availability of vaccines and its storage facilities as ways to improve routine immunization services at primary health centres in Sabon-Gari local government area.

Jacob Dusu Sambo, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2011

Scabies is a highly contagious, intensely pruritic disorder, caused by the human itch mite, sarcoptes scabeii var huminis acquired by direct contact with an infected person or indirectly through contaminated clothing, bed liners, and handholding materials. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence and distribution of scabies and to propose an effective health education and advocacy programme to address the problems of scabies among school age children in a Koranic school at Samaru, Zaria. Using a cross sectional study design, data was collected from a sample of 134 children age 5-14years drawn from a population of pupils attending Mallam Barau Koranic school at Samaru, Zaria. Data was collected on factors which may be associated with scabies using structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17 and Microsoft Excel and presented in charts and tables, and measures of central tendency and of dispersion were used to summarize it. The prevalence of scabies was found to be 19% with more males (20.5%) affected than females (11.7%). Age group 5-9years have a relatively high prevalence of 22.2% compared to the age group 10-14years with 17.9%. The commonest body part affected by scabies rash was the inter-digital webs of hands and feet (40.4%) and the least affected was the head and neck region (6.4%). The high prevalence of scabies recorded in this study may be due to low socio-economical status, poor living conditions, and poor personal hygiene among others. This shows that scabies is still a common health problem among children in Koranic schools that needs due attention from policy makers and other stakeholders.

Kadala Mivanyi, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2011

Sickle cell anaemia is a chronic genetic disorder which remains the most important hereditary disease in tropical Africa and it is particularly important in Nigeria because Nigeria is known to have the largest number of sickle cell disease patients of any country in the world. This study intends to assess the quality of care provided to sickle cell anaemia patients by the Ahmadu Bello University teaching hospital Haematology clinic. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out using simple random sampling technique to select the 60 respondents that participated in the study. Questionnaires were administered on their clinic days and the data collected was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences software, version17. A total of 60 patients responded to the questionnaires giving a response rate of 100%. The areas assessed majorly in the questionnaires include counseling in the various aspects of the disease and therapy especially in the management of complications. Most respondents strongly agree that they have been counseled adequately about the nature of the disease and its mode of inheritance (68.3 and 58.3% respectively) while 61.7% of patients believe strongly that they have been adequately counseled on the avoidance of crises and self care. Only 10% of patients strongly believe that they do not receive adequate emotional/psychological support at the clinic. The majority of respondents 55% believe strongly that the emotional support is adequate. Pregnancy and related care was rated poorly by respondents with only 13% of those who responded strongly agreeing with the fact that care is adequate. Most of them (25.5%) were undecided. It was also observed that 33.3% and 31.8% respectively which form the majority of respondents strongly disagree that eye and orthopaedic care is adequate in the clinic. 43.3% of patients which form the majority strongly agree that social services are adequate to meet their needs outside the hospital setting especially as it relates to disability and socio-economic consequences. The advanced modalities of cure such as stem cell transplant and gene therapy are not available in this centre as is evident from 58.1% of patients strongly disagreeing that such modalities have been adequately presented to them in the clinic. ABUTH haematology clinic offers a reasonably high quality of care especially in the basic areas of counseling (about the disease, its mode of inheritance, self care and avoidance of crises), drug management of the condition and giving emotional and psychological support to patients. Areas which were poor include the management of pregnancy as well as ophthalmic and orthopaedic complications and the availability of services that offer cure for the disease such as gene therapy and stem cell transplant.

Lawrence Ijimdiya Sylvanus, Community Medicine - Ahmadu Bello University, 2011

The patient-doctor relationship is central to the practice of medicine and the delivery of high quality medical. Without it doctors be effective and patients cannot be helped. This study was designed to assess patient-doctor relationship in medical care at Ahmadu Bello university teaching hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria. This was descriptive cross sectional study involving 150 patients sampled from the clinical departments of medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, obstaetrics and gynaecology. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire which sought information on their sociodemograhic characteristics, nature of patient-doctor relationship, compliance and satisfaction and litigation in medical care as well as possible ways of improving the patient-doctor relationship. There were 200 respondents. Most of the respondents were males (61.3%). The modal age group was (35.3%) with a mean age of 37 years. Most of the respondents were Hausa (28.7%) by tribe and Christians by religion (64%). Most were married (52.7%), majority were students (38.7%) and 63.3% had tertiary education. Most (96.7%) of the patients had a good patient-doctor relationship. Compliance and satisfaction rates in medical care were both 91.3%. Only 6% of patients have ever sued for medical malpractice. A positive relationship was found between patient-doctor relationship and satisfaction in medical care. No relationship was observed between patient-doctor relationship and compliance or litigation in medical care.