Background: Self ear cleaning with cotton buds and other objects is a common practice. Objective: To determine the sociodemographic characteristics and the prevalence of self ear cleaning habit among patients attending a family medicine clinic in a teaching hospital in Sokoto metropolis. Materials and Methods: This was a 4 weeks prospective study carried out between May and June, 2013 at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital and Specialist Hospital Sokoto. A structured self response questionnaire containing items on sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of administering objects into the ear and complications of self ear cleaning was administered to the respondents after institutional research ethical clearance. The data were analysed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. P-value was considered significantly if less than 0.05. Results: A total of 200 subjects were included in this study, comprising of 93 (46.5%) males and 107 (53.5%) females. Their ages ranged from 18-57 years with the mean age being 30.29 years (±8.70). Eighty percent (160) of the respondents practise self ear cleaning. Types of objects included writing objects and cotton buds. For many of the subjects, the frequency of insertion was once daily and both ears were frequently cleaned. Complications that have arisen due to the practice included otitis externa. Conclusion: Self ear cleaning was prevalent in the subjects. Considering the complications that may arise, ear cleaning is better done by trained health personnel.

Background. Postpartum psychosis is the most severe and uncommon form of postnatal affective illness. It constitutes a medical emergency. Acute management emphasizes hospitalization to ensure safety, antipsychotic medication adherence, and treatment of the underlying disorder. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the obstetric characteristics and management of patients with postpartum psychosis in a tertiary centre in North-Western Nigeria. Methodology. This was a 10-year retrospective study. Records of the patients diagnosed with postpartum psychosis from January 1st, 2002, to December 31st, 2011, were retrieved and relevant data extracted and analyzed using the SPSS for Windows version 16.0. Results. There were 29 cases of postpartum psychosis giving an incidence of 1.1 per 1000 deliveries. The mean age of the patients was 20.6 ± 4 years. Twelve (55%) were primiparae, 16 (72.7%) were unbooked, and 13 (59%) delivered at home. All had vaginal deliveries at term. There were 12 (52.2%) live births, and 11 (47.8%) perinatal deaths and the fetal sex ratio was equal. The most common presentation was talking irrationally. Conclusion. There is need for risk factor evaluation for puerperal psychosis during the antenatal period especially in primigravidae and more advocacies to encourage women to book for antenatal care in our environment.

In addition to reconstructive surgery, psychiatric evaluation and intervention would be of benefit in the management of cleft lip patients.

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Background: Previous studies among people living with HIV infection suggested that prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was high. In addition, among non-HIV infected patients, ethnic density influence the prevalence. The present study was aimed to determine the prevalence and effects of ethnic density on psychiatric morbidity among these patients in Sokoto, Nigeria. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among patients who had been diagnosed with HIV infection in a teaching hospital in Sokoto. Questionnaire relating to sociodemographic variables and psychiatric morbidity were administered to the patients. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 while test for significance was set at P < 0.05. Result: The mean age of the patient was 32 ± 9 years (range = 12 -63), male being older than the female. Of the patients, 71% were married while and about two third were of Islamic religion. Twenty seven percent had no formal education and were mainly Hausa/Fulani ethnicity. Seven percent of the patients had definite depression while 8% had definite anxiety. When the subjects were dichotomized to Hausa/Fulani and others, they were similar with regard to age and gender (χ 2 = 4.43; P = 0.49 and χ 2 = 0.22; P = 0.64 respectively). Across the ethnicity (Hausa/Fulani and others), the subjects differ significantly with regard to religion (χ 2 = 0.68; P = 0.00), marital status (χ 2 = 15.05; P = 0.00), education (χ 2 = 30.56; P = 0.00) and employment status (χ 2 = 9.81; P = 0.01). The Hausa/Fulani ethnic group had less psychiatric morbidity. In addition, marital status had significant pathoplastic effect on depression across ethnicity (χ 2 = 0.42; P = 0.02). Conclusion: Ethnic density was associated with decrease prevalence of common mental disorder among patients with HIV infection. Environmental manipulation may play a role in the management of this patient.

Hydrops fetalis is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in two or more different fetal compartments and most times associated with polyhydramnios and placental edema, and has an estimated incidence of about 1 in 3000 pregnancies. A 27-year-old multigravida; G8P7, was referred for the first ultrasonography in the Index pregnancy on account of not feeling/observing fetal movement for about two-weeks. The obstetric ultrasonography demonstrated a single fetus with absent fetal heartbeat, in hyper-flexed position, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity; right sub-diaphragmatic region and in the right pleural cavity in keeping with fetal ascites and fetal effusion. There is overriding of fetal skull with Thickened/edematous placenta with a thickness of about 7cm, and fetal skin thickness of about 10mm. There is associated intrafetal gas. The estimated femoral length gave a gestational age approximating 41-weeks. A diagnosis of hydrops fetalis most likely non-immune form with fetal demise presenting at 41-weeks gestational age in a multiparous woman with features anemia presumably from sepsis and urinary tract infection (bilateral pyelonephritis and cystitis) in a setting of poor antenatal care was entertained. The fetus was expelled following induction of labor at the peripheral centre, the patient had transfusion done with commencement of antibiotics for correction of anemia and sepsis with plans of further clinical and laboratory evaluation. We present the ultrasonographic features of hydrops fetalis with intrauterine fetal demise due to its unique presentation

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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe premenstrual disorder characterized by distressing symptoms and significant impairments in personal, social and professional functioning. The study aimed to determine the magnitude of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and PMDD among nursing students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto State, Nigeria. A crosssectional survey of 135 consenting female nursing students (basic and post basic) at UDUTH, Sokoto State Nigeria was conducted. Participants were interviewed using Socio-demographic and reproductive questionnaire, and Premenstrual Syndrome Screening Questionnaire (PMSSQ). Diagnosis of PMS and PMDD were made using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4 th revised edition (DSM IV). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20th . Premenstrual syndrome affected 76.3% of the participants while 42.2% had PMDD. Among the participants, 9.6% suggested appropriate self-management strategy. The frequently reported symptoms of PMDD among the participants were reduced interest in school activities (54.9%), difficulty in concentration (57.0%), excessive sleep (47.8%), breast tenderness (54.5%) and interference with daily activities (41.5%). PMS and PMDD was prevalent among the nursing students. Majority lack appropriate self-treatment strategy. This strongly suggest the need to further educate the students on the implication of the disorder and the need to seek for expert management in severe cases. Self-management of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) should be discouraged.