Quality of life (QoL) data have been used to assess treatment outcomes and to guide programme and rehabilitation efforts. QoL data in stroke survivors (SSV) from Nigeria are rare. This study compared the QoL of 84 SSV and 87 matched apparently healthy individuals (AH) in southwestern Nigeria. The effect of poststroke duration (PSD) on QoL and the relationship between QoL and motor performance (MP) were also investigated. SSV were recruited from all (7) tertiary health institutions in southwestern Nigeria. The fifth edition of Comprehensive Quality of Life Adult questionnaire and the Modified Motor Assessment Scale were used to assessed QoL and MP, respectively. Data were analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's correlation test, independent t-test, and Kruskaal-Wallis test (alpha=0.05). The SSV and AH were aged 59.7+/-11.9 and 60.0+/-12.1, respectively. SSVs' mean PSD and MP score were 17.8+/-15.4 months and 55.3%+/-18.9%, respectively. Objective QoL of SSV (42+/-12.8) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the AH (56.3+/-6.7). Subjective QoL of SSV (67.8+/-10.6) was also significantly lower than that of the AH (74.2+/-6.4). AH had significantly higher QoL than SSV in all but material, intimacy, and safety (subjective and objective) domains. There was no significant relationship between MP and QoL, and PSD had no significant influence on QoL. Our findings suggest that stroke survivors in southwestern Nigeria have lower QoL than their apparently healthy counterparts and may benefit from comprehensive management programmes.

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Background: Body image (BI) is a multidimensional construct that includes perceptual, attitudinal, behavioural components, and feedback from other people's perception of oneself. The feedback from others and the degree to which one accepts or rejects it can determine self evaluation and perception. Body weight perception is a strong determinant of nutritional habits and weight management among adolescents. One of the barriers to reducing rise in obesity prevalence could be its cultural acceptability in some developing countries. Objective: To explore the gender influences on perception of self-and opposite-sex body images (BI), perceived body weight and the actual body weight categories at which discrepancies occur among the perceived BIs in undergraduates. Methods: This was a survey of perceptual dimension of BI, perceived body weight and actual body weight carried out in 121 undergraduates aged 21-29years. Results: Discrepancies occurred between self-perceived BI and each of actual body weight (p= 0.00 at 0.00-0.02 confidence interval (CI)), perceived body weight (p= 0.01 at 0.000-0.02 CI) and self-ideal BI (p= 0.03 at 0.000-0.05 CI) of normalweight males. Self-perceived BI and perceived body weight also differed in normal-weight females (p= 0.02 at 0.000-0.04 CI). Discrepancies (p= 0.02 at 0.00-0.04 CI) occurred between self-perceived BI and self-ideal BI, and between self-perceived BI and desired BI (p= 0.02 at 0.00-0.04 CI) in overweight females. Gender differences occurred for self-ideal BI (p= 0.00 at 0.00-0.02 CI), ideal image for the opposite sex (IBIOS) (p= 0.02 at 0.00-0.04 CI) and desired BI (p= 0.00 at 0.00-0.02 CI). Conclusion: Normal-weight males perceived their BI differently from their actual body weight, perceived body weight and self-ideal BI whereas normal-weight females perceived their BI differently from only their perceived body weight. Discrepancies occur between self-ideal BI and self-perceived BI, and between self-perceived BI and desired BI in overweight females. There are differential perceptions of self-ideal BI, IBIOS and desired BI between males and females.

KEYWORDSNigeria; quality of life; stroke survivors Abstract There have been few studies on quality of life (QoL) of Nigerian stroke survivors and none have reported QoL over a long period. This study describes QoL in Nigerian stroke survivors over the first 12 months post-stroke. Sixty-five (33 male and 32 female) stroke survivors were recruited within 72 hours of stroke onset. QoL and depression were assessed monthly for 12 months using the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Data were analysed using the KruskaleWallis test, Friedman test and logistic regression. Fifty-five participants (aged 57.4 AE 14.8 years) completed this study. QoL improved significantly from onset to 6 months but nonsignificantly from 6 months to 12 months. Most (85.2%) stroke survivors had severe depression at 1 month. At 3 months, marital status and spousal support had a significant positive influence on QoL. At 6, 9 and 12 months, marital status, spousal support, educational qualification, and occupational status had a significant positive influence on QoL. Depression was a major determinant of QoL at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Our findings suggest that QoL of Nigerian stroke survivors is low at stroke onset, increases steadily during the first 6 months and little between 6 months and 12 months post-stroke; is influenced positively by marital status, spousal support, educational qualification and occupational status; and negatively influenced by age and depression.

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Background: Over three-quarters of stroke survivors experience disruption of sexual functioning. Studies reporting poststroke sexual function of Nigerian patients are few. Objectives: This survey reports sexual dysfunction in Nigerian stroke survivors, and determines the influence of sociodemographic, clinical and psychological factors on the dysfunction. Methods: Participants were 77 stroke survivors (60 males; 17 females) recruited consecutively from a teaching hospital. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale and post-stroke sexual function questionnaire. Participants' motor ability was rated on the Modified Motor Assessment Scale. Data were analysed using Chi square test and Mann-Whitney U test (alpha level set at 0.05). Results: Participants were aged 55.2±10.8 (28-79) years. Most (94.8%) participants reported a dysfunction in sexual function. Decline in libido and coital frequency were reported by >70% and in erection, ejaculation and orgasm by >60% of participants. Participants' with erectile dysfunction were significantly older than those without (U=267.0; p=0.02). Depression, quality of life, willingness to have sex, general attitude to sex and ability to express sexual feelings had significant influence on sexual dysfunction reported by participants (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that sexual dysfunction is common among Nigerian stroke survivors and it is mostly associated with psychological factors.

This study investigated Nigerian physiotherapists' perceived prestige of their profession relative to 11 selected occupations and how their perception was influenced by selected sociodemographics. A total of 368 copies of a questionnaire adapted from a previous study were sent to registered physiotherapists working in Nigeria as of May 2007. Data were analysed using Chi-square, Kendall's W, and multidimensional scaling analysis. Two hundred sixty copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned (70.7% response rate). Respondents included 161 men (62%) and 99 women (38%). Most of them (78.5%) were aged between 20 years and 39 years and were bachelor degree holders (67.2%). Physiotherapy was ranked second on level of education, third on usefulness to the society, fifth on level of responsibility, sixth on social standing, and seventh on income. Physiotherapy was rated fifth overall. The only sociodemographic variable that significantly influenced overall perceived occupational prestige of physiotherapy was type of workplace. Physiotherapists in Nigeria perceived their profession as having moderate occupational prestige, placing it in the fifth position below accountant, lawyer, doctor, and engineer. Physiotherapists in Nigeria need to work hard on improving the prestige standing of their profession.

BackgroundThe Stroke Specific Quality of Life 2.0 (SS-QoL 2.0) is a widely used scale that has been cross-culturally adapted to many languages including Yoruba, one of the three major Nigerian languages. Non-availability of SS-QoL 2.0 in Hausa, the indigenous language of Northern Nigeria has restricted its use in Hausa stroke-survivors (SSV). This study was aimed at cross-culturally adapting SS-QoL 2.0 to Hausa and assessing validity and reliability of the Hausa version. The English version of SS-QoL 2.0 was cross-culturally adapted to Hausa following the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ guideline. A final Hausa version (FHV) was produced through forward and back-translations, expert committee review, pretesting and cognitive debriefing interview. The FHV was investigated for test-retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent, construct and known-group validity on 86 consenting Hausa SSV. Hausa version of WHOQoL-BREF was used to assess convergent validity (n = 57) while English versions of SS-QoL was used to assess construct validity (n = 51) of FHV. The FHV was re-administered on 53 of the participants at 7-day interval to assess test-retest reliability. Each scale was administered in random order to eliminate bias. Data were analysed using Spearman correlation, Cronbach’s alpha, Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Independent t-test and One-way ANOVA at p < 0.05.ResultsThe SS-QoL 2.0 was successfully cross-culturally adapted to Hausa. Participants’ mean overall score on SS-QoL 2.0 (145.30 ± 39.78) did not differ significantly from that of FHV (150.41 ± 40.45) p = 0.28. The mean domains score did not differ significantly except in self-care and work domains. There were weak to good correlations for 6 out of 8 similar domains on Hausa versions of SS-QoL and WHOQoL-BREF (r = 0.21–0.61; p = 0.001–0.006); and good to excellent correlations between Hausa and English versions of SS-QoL (r = 0.70–0.92; p = 0.001). The FHV showed high to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.86–0.99) and acceptable to excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.71–0.90). No significant gender differences were demonstrated for any domains of FHV and for most domains across age groups.ConclusionThe FHV is valid and reliable. The scale is recommended for assessing health-related quality of life among Hausa stroke survivors.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s41687-018-0082-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.