Background: An epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), perhaps the most ravaging epidemic in contemporary history is ongoing in certain West Africa Countries with significant mortality. Although the WHO's representative in Nigeria officially declared Nigeria Ebola free on 20th October 2014, comprehensive knowledge of EVD is generally low in Nigeria with associated paucity of data on the subject matter, hence the objective of this research was to assess the awareness, knowledge and misconceptions about EVD in Nigeria. Methods: This was a hospital based, cross sectional, descriptive study of four hundred respondents who attended the Kwara State specialist hospital, Sobi, Ilorin, Nigeria, West Africa from 1st October, 2014-1st December, 2014. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographics, awareness, knowledge and misconceptions among the respondents. Results: The minimum age of the respondents was 20 years while the maximum was 80 years. The mean age was 43.3150 ± 17.11133. There were more female 344 (86.0%) than male 56 (14.0%). Majority were married 264 (66.0%). One hundred and nineteen (29.8%) had primary education, 171 (42.8%) secondary while 82 (20.5%) were without formal education. They were predominantly Muslim 288 (72%) and of Yoruba extraction 358 (89.5%). Majority were traders 131 (32.8%) only (14.0%) were students. Although 370 (92.5%) had heard of EVD, only 16 (4.0%) knew the number to call when EVD was suspected. In addition, One hundred and fifty six (39.0%) had poor knowledge of EVD, 102 (25.5%) had a fair knowledge, while 142 (35.5%) had good knowledge. Eighty eight (22.0%) thought EVD was curable. Three hundred and twelve (78.0%) knew that neither drug nor vaccine is currently available. Twenty six (6.5%) of the 88 (22.0%) who thought that EVD was curable believed that traditional medication could cure EVD. The major source of information was through the radio 313 (78.2%) followed by 37 (9.3%) from neighbours. Health workers constituted only 32 (8.0%). One hundred and fifty eight (39.5%) believed that EVD was air borne, 32 (8.0%) through mosquito bites, 26 (6.5%) by bacteria. Eighty nine (22.2%) had the right knowledge of EVD being of viral origin. Seventy nine (19.8%), 76 (19.0%), 53 (13.2%) believed that traditional healers, spiritual healers and bathing with salt and hot water respectively could treat EVD successfully. Conclusion: In Nigeria, EVD awareness is high, but comprehensive knowledge of EVD is generally low with serious misconceptions. Radio is by far the preferred means for receiving information about EVD.

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Objectives: Although depression is one of the more common illnesses in outpatients' clinic, it is often overlooked. Besides accurate identification and treatment is challenging. As pertinent as demographic factors are in explaining the variability of depressive symptoms, there is paucity of data in Nigeria in particular, and West Africa in general, hence the need to bring into lime light the association between depression symptoms and socio-demographic factors in a General Outpatients Clinic in Nigeria, West Africa. Methods: Following institutional ethics committee approval, four hundred newly registered patients who attended the General Out Patients Department (GOPD) of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria, were selected by systematic random sampling and studied. The Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) specifically developed for use in primary care with acceptable reliability, validity, sensitively was used. Association between each socio-demographic factor and depression was sought. Results: One hundred and seventy eight (44.5%) out of the four hundred respondents were found to have one form of depression or the other. There was minimal depression in 119 (29.8%), mild in 54 (13.4%), moderate in 2 (0.5%), and severe in 3 (0.8%). There was strong statistical association between depression and age group, sex, marital status, level of education, occupation and monthly income, p-values 0.008, 0.000, 0.000, 0.003, 0.000, 0.001 respectively. However, religion (p = 0.541) and ethnicity (p = 0.567) were of no statistical importance. Conclusion: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among patients attending family practice clinics was high. There was also strong association between depression and socio-demographic factor. Family physician should have high index of suspicion to patients with vague somatic complaints and the aforementioned socio-demographic factors. Early detection of depression can be enhanced by screening patients for this disorder, when they attend the hospital for other reasons.

Background:People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) continue to face persistent and deep rooted social barriers. Incidentally, studies in social determinants of depression are very limited, necessitating this study, which examined social determinants of depression and the impact of these determinants on depression.Methods:This was a hospital based, cross sectional descriptive study of three hundred adult HIV/AIDS patients, attending the HIV clinic of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Sobi, Ilorin, Nigeria. Depressive symptoms were measured by the PHQ-9 rating scale. Three variables of social determinants of depression: socio-economic status (years of school and self-reported economic status of family), social cohesion, and negative life events were examined.Results:The self-reported economic status of the family varied from good 35(11.7%), average 162(54%), and poor among 103(34.3%) of the respondents. Social cohesion was low in 199(66.3%), fair in 65(21.7%) and high among 36(12%) of the respondents. There was significant association between social cohesion, negative life events, and depression.Conclusion and Global Health Implications:Income was the most significant socio-economic determinant. Majority had very low social cohesion and more negative life events, while those with below average years of schooling were more depressed. These are statistically significant. Social determinants of depression should be given a lot of emphasis, when addressing the issue of depression, if we are to meaningfully tackle this increasing scourge in our society.

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