Purpose The burden of hypertension is rising both globally and in Africa specifically. We determined the prevalence of hypertension and the risk factors for clinical hypertension in a population of new university intakes over a 4-year period. Methods We analyzed retrospectively, the records of 6980 older adolescents (15–19 years). We used population-specific metrics to categorize blood pressure (BP) based on the 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Results The overall prevalence of high BP in our study was 25.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 24.1–26.2] for elevated BP, 19.8% (95% CI 18.9–20.8) for stage 1 hypertension, and 5.5% (95% CI 5.0–6.1) for stage 2 hypertension. The prevalence of stage 2 hypertension was 8.7% (7.5–9.5) among the male participants and 3.2% (95% CI 2.7–3.2) among the female participants (p < 0.001). The multivariate analyses demonstrated an increased risk of high levels of BP (p < 0.001) with age (1.21: 95% CI 1.16–1.26), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (1.05: 95% CI 1.04–1.05), z-score for body mass index (BMI) (1.47: 95% CI 1.41–1.54), and hemoglobin concentration (1.10: 95% CI 1.09–1.12). It demonstrated a reduced risk of high levels of BP (p < 0.001) being female (0.35: 95% CI 0.32–0.39). Conclusions Hypertension, its risk factors and the risk of cardiovascular diseases in later life are prevalent in our Nigerian adolescent population. There is, therefore, a need for the development, evaluation and implementation of context-appropriate strategies and interventions to mitigate the risk of hypertension among adolescents, and cardiovascular diseases later in life.

Background: This study assessed treatment interruption of tuberculosis (TB) patients managed by treatment supporters and health care workers and other predictors of treatment interruption. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Four hundred and seventy new smear positive TB patients above 14 years of age were consecutively recruited between October 1 and December 31 2012 from 34 (23 public and 11 private) directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) facilities that offered TB treatment and microscopy services. They were followed up till treatment was completed. Logistic regression was used to assess the predictors of treatment interruption. Results: A significantly higher proportion of smokers (58.6% vs 38.3%, p = 0.030), patients supervised by treatment supporters (44.4% vs 34.7%, p = 0.032), patients not counselled before initiation of treatment (55.6% vs 38.2%, p = 0.041), patients managed at private DOTS facilities (50% vs 36.3%, p = 0.010) and TB/HIV co-infected patients (54.2% vs 38.6%, p = 0.038) had treatment interruption. Predictors of treatment interruption were supervision by treatment supporters, smoking, lack of pre-treatment counselling and TB/HIV co-infection. Conclusion: A higher proportion of patients supervised by treatment supporters had treatment interruption than those supervised by health care workers. There may be a need to review the concept of treatment supervision by treatment supporters in Lagos state Nigeria.

Background Globally, efforts are being made to control tobacco use. However, adolescents who are susceptible to cigarette smoking constitute a major challenge to control efforts. Defining the magnitude of susceptible adolescents and associated factors in any setting is critical to the development of measures that will successfully address this issue. This study estimated the prevalence and factors associated with susceptibility to cigarette smoking among non smoking students in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria. Methods A cross sectional study involving 2000 secondary school students selected via multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using a self administered questionnaire, while analysis was done using SPSS 16.0. Results Prevalence of susceptibility to cigarette smoking among non smoking respondents was 13.6% (14.5% among males and 11.4% among females, respectively). Factors associated with susceptibility to cigarette smoking were parental smoking habit [odds ratio (OR) = 4.43], having close friends who smoke (OR = 6.54), engagement in vocational training (OR = 1.39), exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home (OR = 1.61), knowledge of harmful effects of tobacco (OR = 2.35) and perceptions of the effect of cigarette smoking such as enhancing attractive among boys (OR = 2.03), and causing weight gain among boys (OR = 2.39) and among girls (OR = 6.05). Conclusion The high prevalence of susceptibility to cigarette smoking among the non smoking students highlights the potential for future increase in prevalence of cigarette smoking in the setting. Efforts at controlling cigarette smoking will not be totally successful if susceptibility to cigarette smoking among adolescents is not addressed.

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