Why actions for early treatment of febrile illnesses in children are delayed by caregivers.

The study explored why actions for early treatment of febrile illnesses in children are delayed by caregivers of children less than five years in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of southwestern Nigeria using four indicators: caregivers' perception of illness, notion of causation and seriousness, belief in efficacy of selected pathway, and the decision making process. Seven types of febrile illnesses (yellow fever, typhoid fever, ordinary fever/malaria, hot body fever, rain fever, cold fever, and headache fever) were identified and yellow fever was perceived as the most severe type (60.8%). Only 24.2% correctly identified an infected mosquito bite as the cause of ordinary fever/malaria. Use of leftover drugs at home (55.6%) was the main action taken and fathers were the main decisionmakers in all cases. Empowerment of women for improved knowledge on causation, severity, and importance of prompt action for a healthy outcome is recommended.

Incidences of cross-generation sexual activities in Nigeria: implications for HIV/AIDS control.

A national baseline survey of mass media in Nigeria was carried out for 4 weeks in the month of July 2009. The objective was to design an intervention strategy to increase the knowledge of the country's population on the risk-factors associated with the practice of cross-generational sex (CGS) as well as changing perception toward the practice. The survey showed that the practice of CGS is now on the increase and that young girls are the victims. The major reason given by the older perpetrators of CGS was the advice by a native doctor to go and have sex with a young girl as a cure for HIV/AIDS and other STIs. There is an urgent need to carry out an intervention program in order to arrest the alarming rate of CGS in Nigeria.

Musculoskeletal disorders: epidemiology and treatment seeking behavior of secondary school students in a nigerian community.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological information paucity exists on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among secondary school students in Nigeria. We aimed to determine the prevalence, pattern, and treatment seeking behaviors (TSB) of MSD in Southwest, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in four randomly selected secondary schools in Ile-Ife in 2007. All the students were screened for MSD using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and physical examination, which involved the use of a scoliometer and a goniometer. Affected children were recommended for follow-up treatment and a plain radiography taken. RESULTS: A total of 133 students had 204 MSD representing a 3.0% prevalence among the 4,441students screened. Eighty-one (60.9%) students had congenital disorders and 52 (39.1%) were acquired. The lower limbs (93.1%) were most commonly affected and 87 (65.4%) students presented with a knee deformity. Other abnormalities were limb length discrepancy 6.8%, scoliosis 4.4%, Pes planus 3.9%, and poliomyelitis 2.9%. A total of 100 students (75.2%) had no form of treatment, 18.8% receive treatment in the hospital, 3.7% received treatment in a traditional healing home and 2.3% received treatment in a church. Age, family, and school type were significant factors (P<0.05) in health-seeking behavior. The factors affecting treatment outcome were the place of treatment, hospital specific treatment, and reasons for stopping treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatable cases constitute a large proportion of MSD among secondary school students, but TSB was generally poor. Parental socio-economic and health services factors were related to the health-seeking behavior. Strengthening of school health services and improved linkage with orthopedic services, community education on MSD, and education of all cadres of health professionals are recommended.

Effect of a school health programme on ensuring safe environments for primary school children.

AIM: The school health programme (SHP), which focuses on promoting safe environments for school children, has not been given proper attention in Nigeria. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of SHP on ensuring safe environments for primary school children. METHODS: The study was conducted in ten primary schools in Ife-Central Local Government Area (IFLGA) of Osun State, Nigeria. The ten schools were those that are used by medical students of Obafemi Awolowo University for their clinical rotation posting in Community Health. Hence, these students were used as research assistants. The study employed experimental design and an observational checklist was used to collect data. The project was carried out over a period of three years from 2002-2005. During this period, the students carried out some aspects of SHP by constantly giving health talks to pupils and school personnel on the promotion of optimum sanitary condition in schools. Data were collected on existing facilities in schools and behavioural practices that can promote safe environments both pre- and post-intervention by the SHP RESULTS: Comparing the two results showed that a well organized and properly executed SHP can be used to create safe environments for school children. CONCLUSION: The study recommends that the SHP should be implemented in all primary schools in Nigeria.

Disposal of children's faeces and implications for the control of childhood diarrhoea.

Unhygienic disposal of children's faeces is one of the key factors responsible for the high incidence of childhood diarrhoea in developing countries. The aim of this project was to study household behaviours relating to the disposal of faeces of children under the age of five. The study was conducted in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria, where 320 households, containing 540 mothers with children under the age of five were randomly selected. Data was collected by observation using a schedule specifically designed for the study. Our findings show that while over 80% of children under the age of seven months defecated on a napkin, the majority of older children (over seven months of age) defecated on either the floor of the household and their surroundings or outside in the household's vicinity. Mothers usually cleaned up the children's faeces which were then thrown into a pit latrine. In some cases dogs were used to clean up the faecal matter on the floor. In either case faecal residue remained on the floor. The authors recommend educational interventions to change the unhygienic practices relating to clean up and disposal of children's faeces. The interventions include encouraging children to defecate in plastic chamber pots, promoting the practice of hand washing with soap and water after cleaning up the children's faeces and the construction of affordable and ventilated latrines by members of the communities.