Patterns of Energy Drink Consumption and Perceived Benefits Among Medical Students in a Tertiary Institution in South-Eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Energy drinks (EDs) have become a serious public health issue worldwide, because of the effects of the contents. There has been a remarkable surge in global consumption, particularly among college students. This trend has raised concerns regarding safety alongside the marketing claims of physiological and behavioural benefits. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to assess the prevalence, consumption patterns, and perceived benefits of Energy drinks among medical students in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHDS: After obtaining approval from the ethics and research committees of NAUTH Nnewi, 200 students who met the eligibility criteria were selected by a two-stage sampling procedure to participate in the study over one month. Data was collected through a pretested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. This study's significance level was set at P < 0.05 for all analyses. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that 81.5% of participants had consumed energy drinks at some point in their lives, with the majority starting between the ages of 10 and 20 years. The most frequently consumed energy drink was Fearless, accounting for 55.2% of the reported consumption. The primary motivations for energy drink consumption included promotion (25%), peer influence (25%), and curiosity (23.5%). Participants cited various reasons for using energy drinks, including the desire for alertness enhancement (47.2%), seeking refreshment (42.3%), stress relief (23.3%), stimulation (22.1%), and improved concentration (19.6%). CONCLUSION: The research underscores elevated rates of energy drink consumption among these students, underscoring the imperative for robust education and awareness programs aimed at empowering medical students to make well-informed choices.

CONTEXTE: Les boissons énergisantes (BE) sont devenues un sérieux problème de santé publique dans le monde entier en raison des effets de leur contenu. Leur consommation a connu une augmentation remarquable à l'échelle mondiale, en particulier chez les étudiants universitaires. Cette tendance a soulevé des inquiétudes concernant la sécurité et les allégations marketing de bénéfices physiologiques et comportementaux. OBJECTIF: Cette étude visait à évaluer la prévalence, les habitudes de consommation et les bénéfices perçus des boissons énergisantes chez les étudiants en médecine de l'hôpital universitaire Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nnewi, État d'Anambra, au Nigeria. MÉTHODES: Après avoir obtenu l'approbation des comités d'éthique et de recherche du NAUTH Nnewi, 200 étudiants répondant aux critères d'éligibilité ont été sélectionnés selon une procédure d'échantillonnage en deux étapes pour participer à l'étude sur une période d'un mois. Les données ont été collectées à l'aide d'un questionnaire semi-structuré autoadministré pré-testé et analysées à l'aide du logiciel SPSS version 25.0. Le niveau de signification de cette étude a été fixé à P < 0,05 pour toutes les analyses. RÉSULTATS: Les résultats de cette étude ont révélé que 81,5 % des participants avaient consommé des boissons énergisantes à un moment donné de leur vie, la majorité ayant commencé entre 10 et 20 ans. La boisson énergétique la plus fréquemment consommée était Fearless, représentant 55,2 % de la consommation déclarée. Les principales motivations de la consommation de boissons énergisantes étaient la promotion (25 %), l'influence des pairs (25 %) et la curiosité (23,5 %). Les participants ont cité diverses raisons pour consommer des boissons énergisantes, notamment le désir d'améliorer l'alerte (47,2 %), de se rafraîchir (42,3 %), de soulager le stress (23,3 %), de stimuler (22,1 %) et d'améliorer la concentration (19,6 %). CONCLUSION: La recherche souligne les taux élevés de consommation de boissons énergisantes chez ces étudiants, soulignant la nécessité de programmes d'éducation et de sensibilisation solides visant à permettre aux étudiants en médecine de faire des choix éclairés. MOTS-CLÉS: Boissons énergisantes, habitudes de consommation, bénéfices perçus, étudiants en médecine, établissement tertiaire, sud-est du Nigeria.

Two-Dimensional Ultrasound Assessment of Long-Term Intra-Abdominal Organ Changes in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia during Steady State: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a hereditary blood disorder with global prevalence, including in Nigeria. Despite advancements in SCA care management, understanding the long-term impact on organs during steady state has remained inconclusive. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the long-term changes in intra-abdominal organs of SCA children compared with non-SCA children during steady state using two-dimensional ultrasound assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 116 children (58 SCA and 58 controls) were enrolled between June 2021 and July 2022. Clinico-demographic data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Two-dimensional ultrasound was used to measure the liver, spleen, kidneys, and inferior vena cava in all subjects. Age-matched controls had AA or AS genotypes. RESULTS: Of the 58 patients with SCA, 65.5% were males with an overall mean age of 8.1 ± 3.4 years, while among the non-SCA cohort (n = 58), 48.3% were males with an overall mean age of 8.7 ± 3.9 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the age and gender distribution between the SCA and non-SCA cohorts (P = 0.390 and P = 0.091, respectively). SCA subjects had a larger mean hepatic size than non-SCA subjects (12.09 cm ± 2.23 vs. 11.67 cm ± 1.96; P = 0.276) but smaller mean splenic size (8.01 cm ± 1.89 vs. 8.19 cm ± 1.61; P = 0.577) and inferior vena cava diameter (1.16 cm ± 0.29 vs. 1.25 cm ± 0.33; P = 0.100). Left kidney length and breadth were significantly greater in SCA patients (8.91 ± 1.16 vs. 8.27 ± 1.30; P = 0.006 and 4.15 ± 0.92 vs. 3.79 ± 0.48; P = 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the utility of two-dimensional ultrasound assessment in monitoring intra-abdominal organ changes in SCA children, suggesting its cost-effective benefits in monitoring health outcomes in SCA patients.

Prevalence of Pica amongst Pregnant Women attending Antenatal Clinic of a Tertiary Clinic in South-East, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The eating of non-food substances during pregnancy is called pica. It is commonly practised by pregnant women worldwide, including in Nigeria, and has been reported to have a mixed impact on their health. AIM: This study sought to determine the prevalence of pica amongst pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Anambra State, South East, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After obtaining approval from the Ethics And Research Committees in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, a cross-sectional survey of 326 consenting pregnant women who met the eligibility criteria was conducted. They were selected by systematic random sampling from 5th September to 5th of November 2022. Data was obtained by interview-based questionnaires and analyzed using the statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The level of significance for this study was set at P < 0.05 for all analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of pica among this population was 25.8%, and their mean age was 29.3 ± 4.8. The majority identified smell 45 (53.6%) and taste 40 (47.6%) as the reasons for pica practice. Geophagy dominated other forms of pica as white clay was the most consumed item 60 (72.6%). CONCLUSION: This study showed that pica practice was common among pregnant women in this study and geophagy was the dominant form of pica. There is a need to step up health education on the effects of pica in pregnancy.

CONTEXTE: La consommation de substances non alimentaires pendant la grossesse est appelée pica. Il est couramment pratiqué par les femmes enceintes dans le monde entier, y compris au Nigéria, et il a été signalé qu'il avait un impact mitigé sur leur santé. OBJECTIF: Cette étude visait à déterminer la prévalence du pica chez les femmes enceintes fréquentant la clinique prénatale du Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), dans l'État d'Anambra, dans le sud-est du Nigeria. MATÉRIEL ET MÉTHODES: Après avoir obtenu l'approbation des comités d'éthique et de recherche du Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, une enquête transversale a été menée auprès de 326 femmes enceintes consentantes qui répondaient aux critères d'éligibilité. Elles ont été sélectionnées par échantillonnage aléatoire systématique du 5 septembre au 5 novembre 2022. Les données ont été obtenues à l'aide de questionnaires basés sur des entretiens et analysées à l'aide du progiciel de statistiques pour les sciences sociales (SPSS) version 25.0. Le niveau de signification de cette étude a été fixé à P < 0,05 pour toutes les analyses. RÉSULTATS: La prévalence du pica dans cette population était de 25,8 % et l'âge moyen était de 29,3 ± 4,8 ans. La majorité a identifié l'odeur 45 (53,6%) et le goût 40 (47,6%) comme les raisons de la pratique du pica. La géophagie domine les autres formes de pica, l'argile blanche étant l'élément le plus consommé (60, soit 72,6 %). CONCLUSION: Cette étude a montré que la pratique du pica était courante chez les femmes enceintes et que la géophagie était la forme dominante de pica. Il est nécessaire de renforcer l'éducation sanitaire sur les effets du pica pendant la grossesse. Mots-clés: Pica, Pratiques de pica, Phagie, Femmes enceintes, Clinique prénatale, Nigeria.

Proximate determinants of antenatal care utilization among women in southeastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: In order to scale up Antenatal services, there is need to determine the factors that deter women from accessing antenatal care. AIM: To determine the proximate factors that affect utilization of antenatal care among market women in Nnewi, southeastern Nigeria. MATERIALS/METHOD: A cross sectional survey of 400 market women using semi structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. RESULT: Out of the 398 studied women, 97.2% attended antenatal care in their last pregnancy. Most (64.5%) of them booked after the third trimester and majority of the women received antenatal care from the private specialist hospitals (37.4%), followed by the private general practice hospitals (34.7%) and government hospitals (17.8%). The main reasons for choosing antenatal care facilities were the perceived friendliness of the staff (33.9%), availability of staff always (27.4%) and proximity of the facility (17.4%). Financial considerations accounted for 4.5% of the reasons for the choice of facility. There was no significant influence of age, parity and religion on the utilization of antenatal care. However, the likelihood of ANC attendance was significantly lower among the house wives (x2 = 14.2; p = 0.0). There was no association between choice of facility for ANC and age, parity, occupation or religion. The main reasons identified by the FGD discussants for preferring the private hospitals were more friendly and available staff. Also late booking was mainly attributed to wrong advice from friends and husbands refusal to provide money. Antenatal care attendance rate was high among the studied women and most of the women utilize private hospitals for care. Staff friendliness and availability at all times were the main reasons for choice of ANC facilities. There is the need to address the negative attitudes of the staff in government hospitals.