Adherence to 10 000 steps per day prescription is low but may still be associated with improved glycaemic control in T2DM. Motivational strategies for better adherence would improve glycaemic control.

No abstract

Bipolar disorder is a major mental health problem in Africa. Scientific findings on bipolar disorder from Africa are consistent with the existing literature from other parts of the world. There still exists a dearth of high quality studies addressing the epidemiological, clinical, social, and economic burden of the disorder.

Sexual functioning has received little attention as an important aspect of patient care for those suffering from schizophrenia. In Nigeria, cultural and religious factors often prevent patients from talking with their clinician about their sexual life. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency and nature of sexual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and assess the determinants of sexual dysfunction in such patients. Sexual dysfunction was assessed with the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale in 90 patients with schizophrenia. Demographic and clinical characteristics including quality of life, the severity of schizophrenia, and perceived stigma were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 36.7%. Higher scores on the negative subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the general subscale of the PANSS, the total scores on the PANSS, and a family history of mental illness were significantly associated with sexual dysfunction. The only significant predictor of sexual dysfunction was the severity of the negative subscale of the PANSS. This study highlights the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among patients with schizophrenia. Efforts should be made to identify and address this problem.

Bipolar disorder impacts negatively on the patient, the family as well as the society. It taxes the health care services due to a combination of the illness and associated medical as well as psychiatric comorbidities. Unfortunately, in Africa knowledge of the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorders is based mainly on data from the United States and Europe. Objectives: To highlight the epidemiological, clinical, and economic burden of bipolar disorder in Africa. Methods: A systematic review of publications from Africa relating to the burden of bipolar disorder was conducted, including studies on epidemiology, patient-related issues and costs. Result: Data from community surveys conducted in Nigeria and Ethiopia indicated a lifetime prevalence of 0.1% to 0.6% for bipolar disorder. A study from Egypt showed a misdiagnosis rate of up to 36.2%. In one study, 8.1% of the males and 5.4% of the females reported a previous suicide attempt, while another study showed that up to 60% of patients with bipolar disorder had at least one comorbidity. There were no reports on mortality and cost of illness. Conclusion: Despite the heterogeneous methodologies, samples and dearth of adequate representative evidence from Africa, we have identified bipolar disorder as a major mental health issue. There still exists a dearth of evidence regarding the epidemiological, clinical, social, and economic burden of the disorder in Africa. .