Cancer is a major public health issue that has impoverishing effects on households. This study assessed the payment coping mechanism of households affected by cancer among patients attending Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, Nigeria. This is a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving 179 cancer patients attending Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, Nigeria during the year 2015. They were recruited using systematic sampling technique. Questionnaire was used to collect data assisted by two research assistants from the oncology clinic. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation and Chi-square was used to test for association between payment coping mechanism utilized by the patients across different socio-economic groups. The payment coping mechanism utilized by majority (78%) of the respondents was own money (salary, earnings, savings), followed by family members (46.6%), gifts from friends and neighbours (29.6%), borrowed money/loan (27.4%) and sale of lands (12.3%). Few respondents (14%) utilized payment coping mechanism from sales of household assets, community based support, cancer association, temporary stoppage of children education, social welfare/social worker, skip appointments and other unidentified mechanisms. This study also revealed that, majority (79.33%) of the respondents were among the lower socio-economic group, 15.64% were among the middle socio-economic group while only 5.03% belong to the upper socio-economic group. The Chi-square test of association revealed that, there is a significant difference p-value of 0.000 < 0.05 between the payment coping mechanisms utilized by cancer patients and their households across different socio-economic groups (lower, middle and upper). Out of pocket spending is the major payment coping mechanism for cancer treatment in the study population. The study recommends that, since cancer management is critical to the survival of the patient, Nigerian health insurance coverage should be expanded to include cancer treatment in order to protect patients and their households from ill-health mediated insolvency.
The economic burden of cancer is very high; health care providers need to provide quality cost-effective care that will shorten the stay of patients in the hospital and reduce the frequency of visit to health facilities. This study provides information about the economic burden of households affected by cancer among patients attending Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was conducted in 2015, with the sample size of 179 cancer patients drawn consecutively from an estimated population of 276 that used the hospital in one year. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data assisted by two trained research assistants from the oncology clinic. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation while Chi-square was used to test for association. Majority of respondents were ranked among the lower socio-economic group. The direct monthly medical cost of cancer incurred by patients and their household was high; N30,757.95 + 27,325.82. The mean monthly total income of the patients was N65,978.74 + 104,036.97, the mean monthly patients’ expenditure was N43,916.28 + 56,070.33, the mean total annual loss was N217,515.19 + 798,708.95, the mean patients’ annual loss as a percentage of their mean annual income was 11.38 + 19.13% while as a percentage of their mean annual expenditure was 50.06 + 421.98 . There was significance difference (p<0.05) in the cost distribution among different socio-economic groups; lower, middle and upper with regards to the monthly patient total income, earnings and annual loss of person accompanying the patient, patient loss, accompanying persons’ loss, total loss, patients’ annual loss, and total annual loss. Cancer management is critical to the survival of the patient, hence, there is need for government to intervene by subsidizing the cost of cancer treatment. There is also need for public enlightenment on regular screening for early detect and prevention of cancer.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one of the world most serious public health challenges. The use of antiretroviral therapy has increased the life expectancy for people living with HIV/AIDS and also decreased the clinical features of HIV. However, some metabolic changes have emerged with negative effects such as increase in blood lipids, central obesity, hypodystrophy and decreased aerobic capacity. These are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, cancer and mortality. A common practice among non HIV positive populations is to modify these risk factors by engaging in exercise. Hence, people living with HIV/AIDS can also benefit from it as it will make them live healthier while ageing with HIV. This study revealed information about the types of physical exercises undertaken by the people living with HIV/AIDS attending the antiretroviral clinic of General Hospital Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was carried out in 2014 with 422 sample size obtained through systematic sampling technique. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to collect data assisted by two trained research assistants. The data was analyzed descriptively using frequency and percentages and chi-square was used to test for association at 95% confidence interval using statistical package for social sciences version 20.0 computer software programme. Walking and running were the types of physical exercises undertaken by most of the respondents followed by farming. Physical exercise was found to be significantly associated (p<0.05) with the age, sex, highest educational qualification and occupation of the respondents. Since physical exercise is very important for the people living with HIV/AIDS there is need for the health workers to encourage them to engage in physical exercise in order to decrease their risk of cardiovascular diseases, improve their immune system, manage their weight and reduce other health risk and by extension, enhance their quality of life.
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