BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a life-long illness that affects the quality of life, requiring close monitoring and control. Type 2 DM is preventable and controllable but increasing cost of care could hinder access to quality care because of inability to pay leading to high morbidity, mortality and productivity losses. The people living with diabetes mellitus (PLWD) in Nigeria have high risk for high economic burden and catastrophic expenditure not only because they make frequent visits to the health facilities, report late with complications but also pay out of pocket at the point of accessing care. The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of economic burden borne and catastrophic costs incurred by PLWD in Nigeria.MethodsCross-sectional descriptive survey design was used to study a sample of 308 type2 PLWD managed at a tertiary health institution, South east Nigeria using semi-structured, prevalidated questionnaire. Data collection period was 2 months.ResultsThe major findings were economic burden of type 2 DM of N56,245 ($356). Catastrophic direct cost was 45 % at 30 % threshold (the determinant level for catastrophic spending set). All socio-economic status (SES) groups suffered catastrophic expenditure but the poorest quartile had the highest incidence.ConclusionsEconomic burden of DM was high for PLWD who also suffered high catastrophic costs due to the impact of out of pocket payment. PLWD need financial protection especially for the poorest since they buy from the same market and incur same costs. Policy decision making to assist the PLWD cope with cost of care is needful in Nigeria and nations with related problems.

Background: HIV/AIDS pandemic has brought huge demands on the healthcare workforce worldwide. Nurses play a critical role in caring for persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Inadequate care and discrimination due to negative attitudes of nurses caring for persons living with HIV/AIDS will not only affect the patients, but will adversely affect the fight to halt the pandemic. The objective of this study was to determine nurses’ knowledge and attitude to the care of HIV/AIDS patients in South East, Nigeria.Methods:Descriptive survey design, with the aid of five-point Likert questionnaire administered on 240 nurses caring for PLWHA in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria was used.Results: Majority of the respondents had good knowledge of HIV/AIDS. There were significant relationships between the age (P<0.05), marital status (P<0.05), professional cadre of the respondents (P<0.05) and their level of knowledge. 227 (94.6%) of the respondents had positive attitude towards the care of PLWHA. Factors that negatively influenced nurses’ attitude in caring for PLWHA include fear of contagion 56 (82.4%), social stigma 10 (14.7%), culture/religion 6 (8.8%). There were significant relationships between the professional cadre of nurses (P<0.05), knowledge about HIV/AIDS (P<0.05) and their attitude towards the care of HIV/AIDS patients.However, there were no significant relationships between the nurses' marital status (P>0.05), religion, (P>0.05) and their attitude towards the care of HIV/AIDS patients.Conclusions:The study suggested the need for more in-service trainings on HIV/AIDS for nurses to improve nurses’ knowledge and positive attitude towards the              care of PLWHA.

Mothers' knowledge and management of pain in infants were assessed in this study. A total of 130 mothers from two health centres in Ile Ife, Southwest, Nigeria were selected by systematic sampling method. Only 3.8% indicated that neonates experience pain. Malaria (46.2%) was the major cause of pain identified. Analgesic/antimalarials (56.9%) and breastfeeding (16.9%) are used in pain relief. To improve the quality of life of infants, mothers must be educated on the assessment, early detection and management of pain.

INTRODUCTIONCaesarean section is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more babies, or to remove a dead fetus.1 It is one of the most important operations performed in obstetrics and gynaecology. Its life saving value to both mother and fetus has increased over the decades although specific indications for its use have changed. Its purpose of preserving the life of a mother with obstructed labour and delivering a viable infant from a dying mother have gradually expanded to include the rescue of the fetus from subtle dangers.2 If there are no complications, a vaginal birth is safer than a CS. Advantages of having a CS especially when it has been planned over the vaginal births includes: no contraction, minimized risk of prolapse, no vaginal injury and reduced bleeding while its disadvantages includes: increased cost, uterine rupture and increased probability of complications.Various factors such as: prolonged labour, foetal distress, cord prolapse, uterine rupture, placental problems like placenta praevia, placenta accreta, abnormal presentation ABSTRACT Background: The perception of pregnant women towards caesarean section (CS) even in the face of danger has been a major concern. The major objective of the study was to investigate the perception of pregnant women attending a missionary hospital in Edo state, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred pregnant women from the antenatal clinic the hospital. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of frequency, percentages and tables, t-test and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at the significance level of 5%. Results: Findings revealed that perception of pregnant women towards caesarean sections is negative/low, 79% objected delivery via CS for fear of death while 82% objected due to family preference of vaginal delivery. 60% also objected because of the cost of undergoing CS. Findings further revealed that the group of respondents who have experienced caesarean section have a more positive perception towards caesarean section than the group who haven't. Conclusions: This study clearly indicate that there is a negative perception of pregnant women in this setting and majority of them were clearly adverse to CS. Educational level also significantly influences the perception of pregnant women towards caesarean section. It is therefore recommended that proper education of the masses be done so as to correct the wrong notions about caesarean section.

Breast cancer is now the most commonfemale malignancy and commonly associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality. 1 Breast cancer is a public health problem that is increasing throughout the world especially in developing countries. 2 It affects both sexes resulting in high number of people being affected with the disease. Although, breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men, men tend to have poorer outcomes due to delay in diagnosis. 3 Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in NorthEast Nigeria while it predominates in the SouthWestern part of the country. 4 A review of breast biopsies in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital showed 34 percent of all breast biopsies done over a 10 years period to be malignant. 5 It was also noted that a ABSTRACT Background: Regular practice of breast self-examination is the corner stone of the fight against breast cancer. Increasing breast health awareness would potentially allow for early detection of any anomalies and consequently result in early prognosis. This will in turn lead to increase in survival rate of breast cancer. This study was designed to assess practice of breast self-examination (BSE) among rural women. Methods: Descriptive survey design with the aid of a questionnaire which served as an interview schedule was conducted among 349 women in Umuowa Orlu L.G.A. The main outcome measures were the level of awareness and practice of BSE. Results: From a total of 349 women, a little above half (50%) of the respondents understood the meaning of BSE. Few of the respondents knew that BSE increases survival rate of breast cancer by early detection of abnormalities. Majority of the respondents did not know the abnormalities to check during BSE. Only a few of the respondents knew that BSE should be performed by every woman. Generally, the practice of BSE was inadequate for majority of the participants. There was a positive relationship between the respondents' awareness of breast cancer and their practice of BSE (P-value = 0.000<0.05). Conclusions: The importance of BSE as a key factor in the early detection of breast cancer should be stressed with special emphasis on regular practice of BSE. The proper procedure of BSE should be taught to women in order to ensure accuracy of performance.