Despite the empirical evidence that cervical cancer screening has been a successful public health initiative to secondarily prevent the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer in developed nations, majority of women of sub-Saharan root, Nigeria inclusive, do not utilize this essential health service. This study/article contributes to the empirical literature on the drivers of cervical cancer screening utilization within Nigeria context. The paper investigates the determinants of cervical cancer screening utilization among both working class women and women involved in trading activities in Oyo state, Nigeria. The statistical estimations find strong support for attitudinal correlates, perceived seriousness and family history as drivers of utilization of cervical cancer screening. While only 13.5% of respondents reported to have ever utilized the screening test, majority had positive attitude towards the screening. The screening uptake among the women could improve, if necessary barriers are addressed. The paper highlights policy recommendations for enhancing organized screening guidelines in a developing country.

No abstract

No abstract

This paper explores the influence of personal socio demographic characteristics on the people's beliefs about the cause, treatment and prevention of disease and illness. A cross-section of 338 participants were drawn from a population of literate adults in Ile-Ife using purposive sampling technique. Respondents indicated the extent of their belief on 5-point likert format scale that consisted of 16 items. The results of the analyses revealed significant influence of age, education and marital status on people's health beliefs. It was further revealed that health locus of control (especially significant others) significantly influenced health beliefs. The study concluded that an understanding of people's cultural beliefs about health issues and practices are essential if meaningful therapeutic intervention would be achieved and sustained. Background All human societies have patterned sets of beliefs and practices concerning their lifestyle. These patterns of thought are, to some extent, culturally determined and are to a large extent culture-bond. Various scholars have documented for African societies, a peculiar thought so characterised by what may be called a magico-religious system of thought.

This paper examines the issues surrounding pubertal development in Africa by discussing the context of adolescent maturation, pubertal development and the global implications of traditional support systems for adolescents in Africa. Adolescent development in Africa with all its attendant risks and opportunities cannot be adequately understood without reference to cultural context, both past and present. Too frequently, issues sur-rounding human growth and development have been examined outside their cultural context. However, there is a growing awareness that the situational context must be taken into consideration in order to achieve adequate dynamic models of human development. The paper concludes by stating that the essential requirement for en-suring healthy adolescent development can be met through the joint effort of a number of pivotal institutions, namely, the family, traditional institutions and the school.

No abstract

A retrospective study of septicaemia was conducted in Ile-Ife metropolis with a view to determine its incidence and changes in the predominant aetiological agents. Six hundred and fifty (650) subjects, aged from one day to seventy years and above were examined. They all had clinical features suggestive of septicaemia and were on admission at the Obafemi Awolowo University hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Their blood specimens were seeded into thioglycolate and glucose broths and incubated at 37 °C for 7 days. Subcultures were performed after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 days respectively. Growth (positivity) in the broths was assessed using conventional diagnostic methods namely macroscopy (visualization), Gram filming (microscopy) and culture. The bacterial isolates harvested were subjected to in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility tests using the disc diffusion method. Etiology was established in 204 out of 650 subjects indicating an incidence of 31.4%. This difference in prevalence among different age groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The males (112/650, 17.2%) appeared to be more susceptible to septicaemia than the females (94/650, 14.5%) in all the age groups. This variation had no statistical significance (P > 0.01). Monomicrobial septicaemia had a higher prevalence (92.2%) than polymicrobial septicaemia (7.8%). Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli constituted 43.8%. Most of the offensive microbes were facultative anaerobes (91.7%) while very few were strict aerobes (6.8%) and strict anaerobes (1.5%). The isolated anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus sp. (0.5%) and Bacteroides fragilis (1%). The in vitro susceptibility of the bacterial isolates to antibiotics indicated 76.4-95.6% sensitivity to vancomycin, zinnat, peflacin and fortum. However, they were 60 -90% resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline and septrin. This study confirmed the diverse nature of bacterial etiologies of septicaemia in the area; the need for the use of thioglycolate broths, first subcultures on or before 24 h instead of starting off for after 48 h of incubation, complementary application of macroscopy, Gram filming and culture including antibiotic susceptibility test as an integral part of diagnosis and management of septicaemia is hereby advocated, most especially in the developing countries of the world.

Bullying problem has remained pervasive and a going concern for all stakeholders of education who desire to make school climate a safe haven. This paper is moved by this desire, by bringing into context the meaning of bullying and prevalence of bullying around the globe. The paper further brings into perspective bullying situation in Nigeria and prescribes intervention for bullying prevention in schools. These include; provision of helping services for schools; sensitization and capacity building of stakeholders in bullying detection and prevention; implementation of bully buster programme; and improvement of students' level of compassion and empathy through empathy training.