Knowledge on premarital genotyping and sickle cell disease among youths could constitute an important variable that influences their choice of spouse. The study assessed the knowledge on premarital genotyping and Sickle Cell Disease among youths in Mairi Ward, Jere Local Government area of Borno State, North-eastern Nigeria.
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 infection can lead to malnutrition, while poor diet can in turn speed the infection progression. As human immunodeficiency virus treatment becomes increasingly available in the poorest parts of the world, the question now is, how well the drugs work in people if they are short of food. This study unveiled information about the dietary pattern of people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) attending antiretroviral clinic of General Hospital Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was carried out at the Antiretroviral Clinic of General Hospital Kafanchan, Kaduna with a sample size of 422 people living with HIV/AIDS selected by systematic sampling technique. Questionnaire was used to collect data with the help of two trained research assistants from the antiretroviral clinic to ensure objectivity and confidentiality. Data was analysed descriptively using frequency and percentages while chi-square was used to test for association between the socio-demographic variables; age, sex, marital status, highest educational attainment and occupation of the respondents with their dietary pattern, at 95% confidence interval using statistical package for social sciences version 20.0 computer software programme. Even though consumption of food rich in minerals and vitamins such as fruits and vegetables was 72.8% (300), eating twice per day was 54.6% (225) and taking adequate diet once per day was 51% (210), the dietary pattern of the respondents was considered to be average. The occupation of the respondents was found to have significant association (p = 0.000) with their dietary pattern. Adequate diet is very important for the people living with HIV/AIDS. Hence, people infected with HIV should make every effort to adopt healthy and balanced nutrition patterns in order to meet their increased protein and energy requirements and maintain their nutritional status.
The study examined the influence of environment and gender on career choice among secondary school students in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State. A descriptive research design was used and 18 secondary schools were clustered into three chiefdoms to draw a sample of 6 secondary schools using purposive sampling technique. Also, a sample of 422 students from a population of 3558 students from the three Chiefdoms was drawn using cluster sampling technique. The study developed and used a questionnaire tagged 'Environment, Gender and Career Choice Questionnaire (EGCCQ)' with correlation coefficient of 0.78. The students' career choice was based on the adoption of Career Interest Survey (CIS) and Vocational Interest Inventory (VII) developed by Bakare (1977). Descriptive statistics of simple percentage was used for the research question generated, while inferential statistics of multiple regression analysis was employed to analyse the null hypotheses developed for the study and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that students had preferences for career choice based on gender and environment. There was a significant composite influence of environment and gender on career choice among secondary school students in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State, with the influence of environment being relatively than that of gender. It is therefore recommended among others that students should be well counselled in the choice of career process by professional counsellors and they should take into consideration the immediate environment of the students, their gender, interest, ability, skills and personality.
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.
Data on coping mechanism of patients with diabetes mellitus (type I and II) are important yet lacking in developing countries like Nigeria, and particularly in southwest Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus (DM), one of the leading Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) has a major impact on both the diagnosed individual and the public health system, hence the present study. The study was aimed at investigating coping mechanism among patients with DM in University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. A cross sectional survey was used for the study. The study population were patients with DM (type1 & type 2) that have been diagnosed for not less than 3 months and are on admission in UCH or on follow up in outpatient clinic. A quantitative study of sample size of 76 patients was used. Male and female medical wards and outpatient clinic that have patients with DM were purposely selected for the study. Respondents who met the inclusion criteria for the study were drawn proportionately from the units using simple random sampling technique. Coping mechanism questionnaire was used for data collection. Data entry was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22 while hypotheses testing was done using chi-square and Fisher’s exact test at statistically significant level of 0.05. Findings revealed a mean score for age of 58.3 years (±9.62). Coping mechanism of respondents received an average overall mean score of 3.18, above the average mean score of 2.5 indicating coping mechanism to DM among respondents to be highly adequate with respondents reported no perceived barriers to effective coping. This study pointed out the various coping strategies of patients with DM (Type 1 & 2). Specifically, gender, religion and marital status influences coping strategies in patients with DM with no reported barriers to their effective coping with the disease.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.