Comparison of respiratory and skin disorders between residents living close to and far from Solous landfill site in Lagos State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Solid waste dump sites have proven to have potentially high risk to human health as it serves as a source of air, soil and underground water pollution. AIM: This study aimed to assess and compare the knowledge, respiratory disorders and skin disorders between residents living close to and far from landfill sites in Lagos State, Nigeria. SETTING: Igando (a community within 5 km close to) and Badagry (a community beyond 5 km from) Solous Landfill sites in Lagos state, Nigeria. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study amongst 103 respondents recruited from each of the two study sites by multistage sampling method was carried out. Data were collected using pretested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analysed using Microsoft Excel 2007, EPI Info 7 and WinPepi statistical software packages. Student t-test, Fisher's exact and Chi-square tests were carried out. The p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of Igando and Badagry respondents was 34.18 ± 10.21 years and 32.62 ± 9.84 years, respectively. The two communities differed significantly (p 0.0001) with respect to distance of workplace from landfill site and duration of stay in the residential location. The mean knowledge score of respondents on respiratory and skin disorders associated with solid waste dump site close to landfill sites (82.53 ± 20.60) was statistically significantly higher than those of respondents far from landfill sites (71.84 ± 20.57) (p = 0.0003). Respiratory and skin disorders experiences of respondents close to landfill sites were statistically significantly (p 0.0001) higher than those of residents far from landfill sites with respect to wheezing, frequent sneezing, unpleasant odour, fever and skin rashes. CONCLUSION: Respiratory and skin disorders experienced by respondents close to landfill sites are higher than those of residents far from landfill sites. Landfill sites should not be located close to human settlements.

An Assessment of the Correlation between Tests of Clinical Competence and Tests of Cognitive Knowledge amongst Nigerian Resident Doctors in Surgery.

Background: Assessment of clinical competence involves the assessment of cognition and assessment of clinical performance (behaviour in practice). The limitations of the traditional long case examination (LCE) in the assessment of clinical performance led to its replacement with the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) by many institutions. Aims: To determine and compare the abilities of the OSCE and LCE to predict candidates' performance in the tests of cognitive knowledge in the fellowship examination of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in the Faculty of Surgery. Materials and Methods: The results of the OSCE, LCE, written papers, picture tests (PTs), vivas, and the total clinical score (TCS) of surgical residents who took part in the fellowship examination over six consecutive examination periods were compared by using the Pearson's correlation coefficient. A P-value less than.01 was considered as significant. Results: The OSCE had a weak but statistically significant positive correlation (.175) with the LCE. Both the OSCE and LCE had similar correlations with the total written papers (TWP) and PTs. The viva had a higher correlation with the OSCE than the LCE. The TCS when compared with either the OSCE or LCE alone had a higher correlation with most of the tests of cognitive knowledge. Conclusion: Neither the OSCE nor the LCE showed any superiority over the other in terms of the ability to predict performance in the tests of cognition. The TCS appears superior to either the OSCE or the LCE as a predictor of the candidates' overall knowledge of surgery. Therefore, both the OSCE and the LCE should be retained as part of the examination.

Contexte: L'évaluation de la compétence clinique implique l'évaluation de la cognition et l'évaluation de la performance clinique (comportement dans la pratique). Les limites de l'examen de cas long traditionnel (LCE) dans l'évaluation de la performance clinique ont conduit à son remplacement par l'examen clinique objectif structuré (ECOS) par de nombreuses institutions. Objectifs: Déterminer et comparer les capacités de l'ECOS et du LCE à prédire les performances des candidats aux tests de connaissances cognitives lors de l'examen de bourse de la faculté de chirurgie du Nigerian National Postgraduate Medical College. Méthodes: Les résultats de l'ECOS, du LCE, des documents écrits, des tests d'image, des vivas et du score clinique total (TCS) des résidents en chirurgie qui ont participé à l'examen de bourse sur six périodes d'examen consécutives ont été comparés en utilisant le coefficient de corrélation de Pearson. Une valeur de p inférieure à 0,01 était considérée comme significative. Résultats: L'ECOS avait une corrélation positive faible mais statistiquement significative (0,175) avec le LCE. L'ECOS et le LCE avaient des corrélations similaires avec le nombre total d'épreuves écrites (TWP) et les tests d'images. La soutenance avait une corrélation plus élevée avec l'ECOS que le LCE. Le score clinique total (TCS), comparé à l'ECOS ou au LCE seul, présentait une corrélation plus élevée avec la plupart des tests de connaissances cognitives. Conclusion: Ni l'OSCE ni le LCE n'ont montré de supériorité sur l'autre en termes de capacité à prédire la performance dans les tests de cognition. Le TCS semble supérieur à l'ECOS ou au LCE en tant que prédicteur des connaissances globales des candidats en chirurgie. Par conséquent, l'ECOS et le LCE devraient être retenus dans le cadre de l'examen.

Knowledge, attitude and compliance towards travel vaccines among Nigerian travellers at an international airport.

BACKGROUND: The risk of contracting a travel-related disease does not only depend on the destination of travel and length of the trip, but also on the traveller's own health status. Travel vaccines avert the increase of communicable disease. Awareness of traveller's behaviours and their attitudes concerning infectious diseases can inform policy aimed at protecting the individual travellers, their contacts and the communities into which they travel. AIM: This study on travel vaccine was aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and compliance to travel vaccines. SETTING: This study was conducted among Nigerian travellers at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Nigeria. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study using systematic sampling technique, with the aid of interviewer-administered questionnaire to select 198 respondents for the study. The statistical software EPI-Info 7 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 35.34 + 9.91 years and majority (58.1%) of the respondents were men. Majority (54.0%) were married and (43.4%) had tertiary education. About 35.9% were travelling to other African countries, 9.6% to Middle Eastern countries, 16.2% to Europe, 13.6% to North America and 7.6% to Australia. Their main purpose of travel was for employment or working (22.2%), business activities (20.7%), touring (16.2%) and visiting families and relatives (15.7%). About a half (41.4%) had good knowledge of travel vaccines, majority (83.8%) had positive attitude and majority (66.2%) had been vaccinated for yellow fever before travel. CONCLUSION: Significant associations exist between tribe, religion, education and knowledge of travel vaccines.