Background: Religion is a powerful coping strategy. Diabetes and depression are common conditions in our environment that induce psychological distress, thus requiring coping for better outcome. Studies indicate that increased religiosity is associated with better outcome in clinical and general populations. Therefore, studies of the distribution of religiosity and religious coping among these populations are essential to improve outcome. Objectives: To assess the association between religiosity, religious coping in depression and diabetes mellitus, and selected sociodemographic variables (age, gender and occupational status). Methods: Using simple random sampling we recruited 112 participants with diabetes and an equal number with depression consecutively, matching for gender. Religiosity was determined using religious orientation scale (revised), religious coping with brief religious coping scale and socio-demographic variables with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results: Intrinsic religiosity was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=5.02,p<0.001); no significant difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=1.47,p=0.15).Positive religious coping was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=2.31,p=0.02); no difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=0.80,p=0.43). Females with depression had higher intrinsic religiosity scores than males with depression(t=3.85,p<0.001); no difference in intrinsic religiosity between females and males with diabetes(t=0.99,p=0.32).Positive religious coping was greater among participants with diabetes in the low occupational status(t=2.96,p<0.001) than those in the high occupational status. Conclusion: Religion is indeed a reliable coping method, most commonly used by the elderly and females with depression. Positive religious coping is more common among diabetic patients who are in the low occupational status.
Background: Postpartum depression and anxiety could cause poor mother-infant relationship that could impair infant growth and cognitive development. Psychiatric assessment has not been part of periodic evaluations in postnatal clinics. Some apparently well, but high-risk mothers continue to live with psychological distress, without treatment to relieve their burden.Objectives: The study assessed the prevalence of postpartum anxiety and depression, their co-morbidity, and socio-demographic predictors, within 6 - 14 weeks postpartum among nursing mothers in two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional study that was carried out at the postnatal and children’s welfare clinics of two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South-East Nigeria. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Social Support Scale and Socio-demographic Questionnaire were used for the study. Correlations and multiple regressions were used to test for associations and risk factors. Results: Occurrence rate for anxiety and depression were 30.1% and 33.3% respectively with a co-morbidity rate of 22%. Low social support and multigravida predicted risk factors for postpartum psychological distress, while a higher number of children alive predicted a decrease in the risk for postpartum psychological distress.Conclusion: The study supports service planning and the development of strategies to reliably identify women at high-risk, for effective treatment.Keywords: Postpartum Psychological Distress, Socio-demographic, Correlates, Apparently Healthy, Mothers, South-East Nigeria.
Background: Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused psychoactive substances in the country. Studies have shown sharp increases in alcohol consumption among Nigerians. This increase is likely to continue because of increased local production and availability of alcohol in the country. Knowledge of the prevalence and pattern of current alcohol use is important considering the public health and socioeconomic effects of alcohol use. Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, we estimated the prevalence of current alcohol use among adults 18 years and older living in urban slums in Enugu South East Nigeria. Current use of alcohol was defined as use of any or all alcohol beverages in the past 4 weeks. The safe limit of alcohol was defined using WHO guidelines. Study duration was 5 months. Results: A total of 1411 individuals were recruited into the study. Males were 658 (46.6%) and females were 753 (53.4%). The overall prevalence of current use of alcohol was 66.7%; males 75.7% and females 58.8% (p < 0.01). The commonest alcoholic beverage consumed was beer 37.1%. The peak age of consumption was 40-49 years followed by 50-59 years. About 8.1% drank alcohol above the generally recommended units per week while 5.2% drank above the safe limit for chronic liver disease. Significant correlates of alcohol intake were increasing age, male gender, having a job, cigarette smoking and the use of snuff. Significant correlates for excessive consumption of alcohol were increasing age and cigarette smoking while those for exceeding the safe limit chronic liver were increasing age, male gender and cigarette smoking. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of current alcohol use among urban slums in Enugu. Public health educational measures for reducing alcohol consumption should be encouraged. Efforts should be made to educate the populace on the need for abstinence.
A significant proportion of patients treated for schizophrenia respond poorly to medication. Few studies have systematically examined the impact of clinical characteristics of patients to antipsychotic response in our environment. The study aimed to identify clinical variables associated with response in patients with schizophrenia. A total of 172 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia, placed on antipsychotics, who presented for the first time to the hospital or have stopped medication in the preceding six months, whose responses were assessed after four to six weeks were studied. Improvement was defined as 20% or greater reduction in PANSS scores. Good response was associated with good medication adherence, good pre-morbid functioning, fewer negative symptoms, less cognitive impairment, absence of co-morbid personality disorder, and short duration of untreated psychosis. Due consideration of the impact of clinical variables could help detect poor responders early, hence avoiding unnecessary exposure to ineffective treatments and their side effects while effective interventions are delayed.
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