A Cross-Sectional Study of Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness amongst Pregnant Women attending Ante-natal Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) is a key component of safe motherhood programs to reduce maternal mortality. It promotes active preparation and decision-making for delivery by pregnant women and their families. OBJECTIVE: The study determined knowledge of danger signs and practice of BPCR among pregnant women. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted among 400 pregnant women attending Antenatal clinic at a tertiary health facility in Nigeria. Semi-structured, selfadministered questionnaire was used in collecting data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, sample mean, frequency tables were done. Inferential statistics were used to test for associations between categorical variables. P-value < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 29.7±4.2, with most respondents between the age bracket of 21-30 years. About 384 (96.0%) of respondents had post-secondary or tertiary education. About 297 (74.3%) of respondents had good knowledge of warning and danger signs during pregnancy. On the overall less than half 187 (46.8%) of respondents had good practices of BPCR. Knowledge of danger signs and practice of BRCR was significantly associated with the level of education p-value <0.05. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that most respondents in the study area had good knowledge about the danger signs in pregnancy but their practices of birth preparedness was below average. More emphasis should be put on the practice of BPCR while educating pregnant women in health facilities and government should create enabling environment to achieve this.

CONTEXTE: La préparation à la naissance et la préparation aux complications (BPCR) est un élément clé des programmes de maternité sans risques visant à réduire la mortalité maternelle. Il encourage la préparation active et la prise de décisions en vue de l'accouchement par les femmes enceintes et leurs familles. OBJECTIF: L'étude a déterminé la connaissance des signes de danger et de la pratique de BPCR parmi les femmes enceintes. MÉTHODES: L'étude était une enquête transversale menée auprès de 400 femmes enceintes fréquentant une clinique prénatale dans un établissement de santé tertiaire au Nigéria. Un questionnaire semistructuré et auto-administré a été utilisé pour recueillir des données. La version 25 du paquet staistical pour les sciences sociales a été utilisée pour l'analyse des données. Des statistiques descriptives telles que les pourcentages, la moyenne de l'échantillon, les tableaux de fréquences ont été effectuées. Des statistiques inférentielles ont été utilisées pour tester les associations entre les variables catégorielles. Valeur de < 0,05. RÉSULTATS: L'âge moyen des intimés était 29.7±4.2, avec la plupart des répondants entre la tranche d'âge de 21-30 ans. Environ 384 (96.0%) d'entre eux avaient fait des études postsecondaires ou tertiaires. Environ 297 (74,3 %) des répondants avaient une bonne connaissance des signes avant-coureurs et des signes de danger pendant la grossesse. Dans l'ensemble, moins de la moitié des 187 (46,8 %) des répondants avaient une bonne pratique en matière de BPCR. La connaissance des signes de danger et la pratique du BRCR étaient significativement associées au niveau de scolarité de la valeur de p <0,05. CONCLUSION: L'étude a conclu que la plupart des répondants dans le secteur d'étude ont eu la bonne connaissance au sujet des signes de danger dans la grossesse mais leurs pratiques de préparation de naissance étaient au-dessous de la moyenne. Il faudrait mettre davantage l'accent sur la pratique du BPCR tout en éduquant les femmes enceintes dans les établissements de santé et le gouvernement devrait créer un environnement propice à la réalisation de cet objectif. Mots-clés: Naissance, préparation, complications, femmes enceintes.

Knowledge and Practice of Micronutrient Dietary Intake among Patients Attending an Urban Comprehensive Health Centre.

BACKGROUND: Micronutrients are needed in small quantities but are vital in the proper functioning of the human body. Deficiencies in the intake of food rich in micronutrient lead to major health problems among children and adults especially in developing countries. OBJECTIVES: The study assessed the knowledge and practice of micronutrient dietary intake among patients attending an urban comprehensive health centre in Oke-Ila , Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 150 patients were recruited into the study by purposive sampling method on different clinic days. Semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to elicit data collection on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and practice of micronutrient dietary intake among respondents. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistical methods such as means, standard deviation as inferential statistics. Summary statistics were presented using frequencies, tables and charts. Inferential statistics were used to test for associations between categorical variables. P-value was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 34.1±11.1 years and 62 (42%) respondents were aged between 30-39 years. One hundred and twelve (74.7%) were females; 109 (72.6%) were married; 109 (72.6%) had tertiary education. About 58% had poor knowledge of micronutrients, while 96% had good practice of micronutrient-rich food intake. CONCLUSION: The research concluded that most respondents had good practices compared to the knowledge of micronutrient dietary intake. More attention should be paid to increase awareness and knowledge of micronutrient dietary intake so as to bridge the knowledge gap.

ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF A GROUP OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN NIGERIA.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a growing concern in developing and developed countries. Most of the diagnosed cases are caused by dietary lifestyle. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult hypertensive in a selected tertiary health care in Nigeria. DESIGN: A cross sectional study. SETTING: Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja, Lagos and University College Hospital, Ibadan Nigeria. SUBJECTS: A total of 120 patients (40.8% males and 59.2% females), volunteered to participate in the study after informed consent. Patients were recruited by convenience sampling method. OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight, height, waist and hip circumference, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR). RESULTS: The results showed that high percentage (62.5%) of the respondents had no family history of hypertension while 57.5% had hypertension less than one year ago. Patients' lifestyle revealed that 15.0% were taking alcohol, 85% had history of smoking tobacco while 53.8% of the respondents engaged in regular physical exercise. The BMI showed that grade 2 obesity was higher (41.0%) among females compared with males (21%). The WHR assessment also confirmed incidence of obesity among females compared to males as the WHR was 1.82 ± 0.45 and 2.00 ± 0.00 for male and female respectively. CONCLUSION: Nutrition screening of hypertension is necessary for early intervention against hypertension and obesity.

Development of a portable system for checking radioactive sources using long wave radio frequency identification.

A portable system for automatically checking radioactive sources stored in lead containers at low temperatures was developed in order to prevent the discharging of orphan sources and contaminated materials from a controlled area to the general public. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system using a long wave in a frequency range of 125 kHz was composed of identification tags, a reader, a notebook computer, and software. ID tags without batteries were devised by using integrated circuits with an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory of 250 bytes and antennas. This software consisted of operating and maintenance functions. The read range of the ID tags was adjusted to around 5 cm in order to avoid accidental contamination and for discriminating the multiple sources. A water layer of 6.9 cm had no influence on communication between the ID tags and the reader. The data of the ID tags stored at +4, -20, and -80 degrees C were precisely read 4 mo later. The influence of lead was completely removed by separating the ID tags more than 1.6 cm from the lead. A reader can exactly identify the data of the ID tags within 6.0 cm at a velocity less than 9.0 cm s(-1). Performance of the software was verified using mock data. Nine lists concerning registered, disposed, and missing sources, etc., were displayed on the computer monitor and printed out. An RFID system using long waves proved to be applicable for routinely checking radioactive sources.