Electronic cigarettes use in COVID-19 era among students of a tertiary institution in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is becoming popular among undergraduate students in Nigeria with a tendency for escalation because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess electronic cigarette use in COVID-19 era among undergraduate students of a tertiary institution in Lagos state, Southwestern Nigeria. SETTING: A tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a pretested, structured, close- and open-ended self-administered questionnaire used for collection of data on knowledge, attitude and use of e-cigarettes. RESULTS: Data from 183 respondents were analysed. The mean age of respondents was 24.8 ± 3.38 years, most (63%) of whom were males. The prevalence of ever-use of e-cigarettes was 15.3% of which 60.7% reported increased use of e-cigarettes since the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, education, tribe and religion (p 0.001) were significantly associated with higher odds of use of e-cigarettes. CONCLUSION: This study found an increase in the quantity of e-cigarettes used and online purchase of the same by respondents since the COVID-19 pandemic. Paying attention to the rate of use and having control measures in place for online purchase of e-cigarettes by youths in Nigeria may be necessary in the years to come.Contribution: This study addresses a gap in the availability of knowledge of use of e-cigarettes among a growing population of youths in Nigeria.

Mental health status of doctors and nurses in a Nigerian tertiary hospital: A COVID-19 experience.

Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) working to save lives during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are under tremendous physical and psychological pressure, therefore facing the risk of developing challenges with mental health. Aim: This study aimed primarily to determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress among HCPs in a tertiary hospital in Lagos State during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting: Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between June and July 2021 among 1452 doctors and nurses in LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, selected by the multistage sampling method. Depression, anxiety and stress were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Perceived Stress Scale, respectively. Results: The majority of respondents were female (72.5%), with two-thirds being nurses. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was 9.8%, 5.0% and 62.4%, respectively. Nurses showed a higher prevalence of these mental health conditions as compared with doctors. Younger HCPs, nurses, those that lost a colleague to COVID-19, and those whose family members were infected with COVID-19 were more likely to be depressed. Nurses and those afraid of being infected were more likely to experience anxiety. Younger HCPs, nurses, history of anxiety and/or depression and previous COVID-19 infection were identified as factors associated with stress. Conclusion: Stress was the most prevalent mental health condition with nurses being the most affected of the HCPs and at a greater risk of developing challenges with mental health. Psychosocial interventions and stress management techniques are recommended to minimise the risks. Contribution: This study adds to the few studies on the mental health of HCPs during COVID-19 and calls for in-depth surveys to understand psychosocial challenges among HCPs in Nigeria.

Sickle cell disease prevention: How prepared are the senior secondary school students in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos, Nigeria?

BACKGROUND:  Sickle cell disease (SCD), a common hereditary disease, can be prevented by preparing young people ahead of the conception of an affected foetus. AIM:  To assess the knowledge and attitude regarding SCD amongst senior secondary school students in Surulere Local Government Area (LGA), Lagos, Nigeria. SETTING:  Senior secondary schools in Surulere LGA. METHODS:  This was a descriptive cross-sectional study amongst 300 senior secondary school students. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using Stata16. The Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine the association between categorical variables. The level of significance was predetermined at p  0.05. RESULTS:  The mean age of the respondents was 15.2 (±1.3) years, with a male-to-female ratio of about 1:2. The majority (90.0%) of the respondents were aware of SCD, 63.0% had good knowledge, although less than half of them (46.3%) knew SCD to be a blood disorder, whilst about two-thirds (53.1%) knew that it was an inherited condition. About one fifth (24.4%) of them knew about prevention by genetic counselling. The majority (97.0%) of them had a positive attitude towards SCD. Over two-thirds (72.6%) were aware of their genotype. The prevalence of SCD was 2.0%, whilst 18.9% of them were carriers of the sickle cell trait. Knowing their SCD status but not necessarily their genotype was significantly associated with their attitude towards the disease (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION:  The prevention of SCD was not known to the majority, and better attitudes were more likely when the SCD status was known. Therefore, routine screening and counselling could potentially aid SCD control.

Determinants of antiretroviral treatment adherence among patients attending secondary health care facilities in north-east and south-west Nigeria: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Four decades after its discovery, HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, even with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Strict adherence to ART remains a challenge, with attendant implications for treatment success. This study aimed at comparing ART adherence between north-east and south-west Nigeria. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in two regions in Nigeria among 400 HIV/AIDS patients on ART. Data were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine predictors of ART adherence in the regions. The level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The majority of respondents from both the north-east (87.5%) and south-west (92.5%) of Nigeria had good knowledge about ART. The self-reported adherence level was 90.0% in the north-east and 87.5% in the south-west. Predictors of ART adherence in the north-east were knowledge about ART (AOR 9.949; 95% CI 2.009-49.284) and transport costs to the clinic (AOR 0.177; 95% CI 0.047-0.661). In the south-west, education (AOR 0.198; 95% CI 0.047-0.832) and knowledge of ART (AOR 8.945; 95% CI 1.749-45.751) were identified as predictors of ART adherence. CONCLUSION: In both regions, knowledge about ART was appreciable, but adherence was sub-optimal. Strategies to support adherence should be tailored to specific predictors in each region.

Gender disparities in the socio-economic burden of HIV/AIDS among patients receiving care in an HIV clinic in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, women are bearing a heavier burden than men in terms of rate of infection and socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS. This study was aimed at assessing gender disparities in the socio-economic burden of HIV/AIDS. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 HIV-positive adult patients attending an HIV clinic in Lagos, Nigeria, selected by multi-stage sampling and interviewed using a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was used to assess how the socioeconomic constructs differed by gender. Results: This study revealed that females suffered more of the socio-economic consequences of having HIV/AIDS than males; cruelty and isolation were significantly higher among the females (p<0.0001), more females (50.0%) were discriminated against at the workplace compared to males (32.1%) (p=0.005), physical abuse (p=0.002) and extortion (p=0.029) were experienced by more of the females than the males. Also, the cost of care outside of antiretroviral therapy was significantly higher among the females (p= 0.002). Conclusion: Quantifying the social and economic disparities between HIV-infected men and women has shown that the burden is by far higher among women than men. Focused interventions are therefore needed to control the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life of HIV-infected women.