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Knowledge, Attitude and Perception towards Snoring among Respondents in Ekiti State, South West Nigeria
Full text linkBackground: Snoring is a clinical condition that causes some serious social and health problems among populace.
Objective: This study was to determine the prevalence, knowledge, attitude and perception of respondents in Ekiti,
South western Nigeria toward snoring. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among
adult population in three local government areas of Ekiti State, South-West Nigeria. A multistage random sampling
technique was adopted to select 241 respondents for this study. A simple random sampling by balloting was used to
select one Local Government Area (LGA) each from the three senatorial districts. This study was carried out inform of an
outreach programme over a period of 4 months from January to April, 2019. A pre-tested interviewer semi-structured
open ended questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data on socio-demographic variables, knowledge, attitude
and perception of the respondents on snoring. Data generated were descriptively analyzed using Statistical Package
for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0 and the results were presented in tables, charts and adjusted odd ratio.
Results: A total of 241 respondents were analyzed, made up of 88 (36.5%) males with a male to female ratio of 1:1.7.
The mean age was 38.6 years (SD ± 10.3). The age group 30-39 years has the highest response which constitutes
38.6%. Majority (91.3%) were Christian and 172 (71.4%) were married. The estimated prevalence of snoring among
couples was 30.7%. Only about 109 (45.2%) of the respondents were adjudged to have positive attitude. Factors such
as occupation, education, knowledge and attitude were found to be significantly related to the perception of respondents
about snoring at 0.05 levels. Conclusion: The prevalence of snoring in this study was 30.7%. Despite good knowledge
and perception of snoring among the respondents, less than half of them has positive attitude towards snoring. It is
important to identify the causes of snoring and treat them immediately to avoid complications
Lifestyle Counselling and Blood Pressure Control among Hypertensive in a Primary Care Clinic; A Quasi-Experimental Study
Full text linkHypertension is a global health issue among the adult population with associated high morbidity and mortality rates. As the prevalence of hypertension increases in adult Nigerians, achieving target blood pressure (BP) control has become an importantmanagement challenge, especially with the adoption of western diet and lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study wasto determine the role of lifestyle counseling on BP control among hypertensives attending a general outpatient clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti. A Quasi-experimental study was performed on 322 adult patients (161 intheintervention group and 161 in the control group) with hypertension who had been on treatment for at least 3 months. Relevant data were collected using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. The 5As brief intervention for addressing health risk behaviour tool was used as a counseling guide only for the intervention group. The differences in the BP control between the intervention and control groups were statistically significant (p < 0.001) as more than two third of the intervention group 135(83.9%) had good BP control, compared to 68(42.2%) of the control group. Lifestyle counseling led to good BP control. Physicians will do well to counsel hypertensive patients on nutrition and lifestyle behaviour with a view to improving BP control in them
LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT IN NIGERIA
Full text linkCarbon dioxide emissions contribute to potential long term impacts on the environment with health challenges on humans. The objective of this paper is to seek ways to mitigate the impact of carbon dioxide on the environment 1 by resorting to non-fossil sources of energy, which include renewable energy and other forms of clean energy. There is need to sensitize industries and homes to burn less fossil to improve their clean energy ratings.2 Nigeria as a country has to encourage the influx of new technology in the area of clean and renewable energy infrastructure. It is recommended that a trans-boundary solution is required3 through the use of international law to harmonise global reduction in rate of emission
Capital Structure and Corporate Performance of Selected Firms on the Nigerian Stock Exchange
Full text linkThe capital structure of a firm is very important to the firm's successful operation. The objective of the study was
to analyze the effects of Capital Structure on Corporate Performance of selected firms on the Nigerian Stock
Exchange in Nigeria from 2011 to 2017. The study employed data from five multinational companies, using
Micro Panel data as the estimated technique. Both the Random Effect Model and the Fixed Effect Model were
estimated, and the Hausman effect was carried out to determine the appropriate model. The result shows that the
effect of liquidity of the firms is negatively related to return on Asset (ROA). Hence, keeping funds in noninterest
yielding form does not increase the ROA of the firms. Similarly, the short term debt financing (CLA) is
negatively related to ROA. However, there is a positive relationship between long term debt financing and ROA.
It noted that short term debt financing requires the payment of the debt in a short term, and this may not be
convenient for the firms, and impair their performance. However, repaying long term debt may be convenient,
and this may have a positive effect on the performance of the firms. Management of the quoted firms in Nigeria
is strongly advised to increase the use of equity capital in financing to improve the earnings of their firms
Antiviral Effect of Phyllanthus amarus Leaf Extract against Newcastle Disease Virus in Broilers
Full text linkBackground and Objective: Newcastle disease (ND) is a viral disease of economic importance in
poultry industry worldwide. This study was conducted to investigate the antiviral potential of nhexane
leaf extract from Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus).
Methodology: A hundred and twenty day old broiler chickens were purchased and raised for the
experiment. At four weeks, the birds were randomly assigned into 12 groups of 10 birds each.
Chickens in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were vaccinated while those in 5, 6, 7, and 8 were left
unvaccinated. Groups 9 and 10 served as the positive controls while 11 and 12 as the negative
controls. All groups except the negative control were infected. To study the prophylactic effect of the extract, chickens in groups 1 and 5 received 250 mg/l while those in groups 2 and 6 received 500
mg/l of leaf extract for fourteen days before experimental infection. The chickens in groups 3 and 7
received 250 mg/l while those in groups 4 and 8 received 500 mg/l of leaf extract for fourteen days
after infection with ND virus to assess the therapeutic effect of the extract. Clinical signs, bodyweight
changes and mortality rates were documented. Antibody titers against the virus were determined
and postmortem examination was conducted.
Results: Results revealed reduction in mortality rates following administration of the n-hexane
extract after the challenge. Prophylactic administration of the extract was more effective in reducing
the mortality rates of birds due to the virus infection compared to the therapeutic administration.
Similarly, antibody titers decreased in a dosage dependent pattern in the prophylactic group.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that the n-hexane leaf extract from P. amarus has significant
antiviral potentials against ND virus in broiler chickens and that prophylactic administration at 500
mg/l might be a safer approach in utilization of the leaf extract against Newcastle disease
Democratization of the United Nations
Full text linkThe United Nations is the only truly universal and global
intergovernmental organization created to date.
Established 74 years ago, it continues to be the only
global international organization and actor that has an
agenda encompassing the broadest range of governance
issues. As the world’s only truly global organization, it
has become the foremost forum to address issues that
transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved
by any one country acting alone. It is a complex system
that serves as the central site for multilateral diplomacy,
with the UN’s General Assembly as center stage. Since
the end of Cold War, the UN is not only addressing
global problems like a democratic supranational body
(not exactly emerging as a global government) adopting
policies to reduce illiteracy, poverty, gender inequality,
protecting environment. The MDGs and SDGs are aimed
at the welfare of “We the Peoples of the United
Nations”. While the UN is promoting democracy at
global level, there are serious demands aired for
democratizing the world body itself. This paper aims to
discuss (i) the objectives/ purposes, principles and the
principal organs of the UN, (ii) the role of the UN in
democratizing international relations, and (iii) the
democratization of UN System through reforms to better
its future prospects
The Nigerian Girl-Child and Sexual Abuse: The Plight of Victims in Bayelsa State Nigeria
Full text linkThis study examined the effect of child sexual abuse on children in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa
State. Relevant literatures that deal on child sexual abuse were reviewed. Three research questions guided the
study. Survey and semi-structured interview were the research design employed. Sample size for the study
was 200 sexually abused children drawn from the ages between 0 - 17 years from Yenagoa Local Government
Area of Bayelsa State. Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa was selected as the site of the research as
a result of the recent high prevalence of girl-child sexual abuse in the selected location. Research findings
showed that 92 (46.0%) of the respondents agreed that bad parenting played a major factor responsible for
child sexual abuse in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, that 94 (47.0%) believed vaginal
bleeding to be one of the consequences. The study also revealed that 104 (52.0%) of the respondents agreed
that sexual abuse can be prevented through developing and sustaining prevention programs. The study
concludes that child sexual abuse is the inhibition of a child‟s physical, psychological, moral or social
development due to negligence on the part of the parents, caregivers or other adults to provide the essentials.
The study recommends that all stakeholders including the church, communities, government and caregivers
must be involved in the process of arresting this menac
Influence of the Internet on Health Seeking Behaviors of Youths in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Full text linkThe use of online resources to locate health-related information is known to be increasing among Nigeria youths;
sadly, not enough studies that investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of Nigeria youths have been
done. This study therefore investigates the influence of the internet on health seeking behaviors of youths in Ekiti-state,
Nigeria, examines the extent to which the internet provides answers to health related questions among the youths, determines
the perception of Nigeria youths on internet’s influence on health seeking among them, and ultimately, this study finds out
whether the use of internet increases or decreases self-medication among Nigerian youths. A standardized nine-question survey
on Internet use and health seeking behavior was given to 300 youths. A review of the literature is also included. It was
discovered that out of 300 responses received, 203 youths (67.7%) reported ever consulting the internet to find health
information. 194 (64.6%) youths consult the internet for answers to health problems before thinking of consulting a doctor or a
caregiver. A large number of the youths (93.1%) follow the online physician advice more closely by practicing self-medication.
A total of 191 (94%) youths submitted that the internet influences their behavior of health seeking. Conclusively, the tests of
hypothesis show a significant relationship between the use of internet and health seeking behaviors of youths also between the
use of internet and self-medication among youths in Ekiti- State, Nigeria
Clinicopathological Profile of Aural Polypoidal Masses: A Retrospective Study of 41 Cases
Full text linkBackground/Aim: Several diseases can affect the external auditory canal (EAC) which may cause conductive hearing loss among other things. However, some of them are locally invasive and if they are not diagnosed early may lead to morbidity with low quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the clinicopathological profile of aural polypoidal masses as well as their treatment and outcome
Methodology: An 8 – year retrospective clinicopathologic analysis of patients with aural mass seen and treated at the ENT clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti and Group Consultant Clinic (Private Clinic), Ado Ekiti, Nigeria between July 2007 and June 2015 was carried out. Information on patient’s biodata, clinical and histological diagnosis, treatment and outcome were retrieved from their case notes.
Results: Forty one (41) patients had complete data for analysis. Their age ranged from 6 to 63 years. Majority (34.1%) of the patients falls within the age group of 20 – 30 years. Thirty (73.2%) were males with male: female ratio of 2.7:1. Right ear were more affected than the left in 65.9 % of the patients. The major complaints they presented with was otalgia 30 (73.2%). The commonest histological diagnosis was aural polyp in 17(41.5 %) of the patients after surgical excision (simple aural polypectomy).
Conclusion: Aural masses of different forms are commonly present to Otolaryngologist. Otalgia was the commonest symptom leading to early presentation in our study. All the patients had simple aural polypectomy. Commonest histological diagnosis was aural polyps. Histopathology remains the key tool in differentiating aural masses. Early diagnosis will prevent morbidity and mortality
Prevalence of Anemia among Pregnant Women Registered at Antennal Clinic of Ondo Specialist Hospital, Ondo State, Nigeria
Full text linkAnemia remains a major risk factor for unfavorable outcome of pregnancy both for the mother and
the fetus. It is the world’s second leading cause of disability and one of the most serious global
public health problems among children and pregnant women. Its diagnosis remains a challenge in
poor and underfunded hospitals and primary health centers. This study is a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted in Ondo Specialist Hospital, Ondo town to assess anemia among
pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic from August to October 2015. One hundred and
fifty pregnant women were enrolled in this study. Data were collected using pretested
questionnaire, which contains socio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women. Blood
samples were collected to measure hemoglobin and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) levels. Data were
entered and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Association
between variables was done using chi square, and statistical significance was considered at
p<0.05. The mean age of pregnant women was 28.92±4.89 years and the prevalence of anemia
obtained in this study using the Tallquist, Hemoglobin cyanide methods and PCV was 36%, 36.7%
and 47.3% respectively, based on the World Health Organization criterion for the diagnosis of
anemia in pregnancy (hemoglobin <11.0 g/dl; PCV <33%). Our study revealed a high prevalence
of anemia in pregnant women and calls for more health intervention including health education
about causes of anemia and its risk factors. Antenatal care follow up should also be improved on