University of Nigeria, Nsukka

About: University of Nigeria, Nsukka is a education organization based out in Nsukka, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 10211 authors who have published 13685 publications receiving 138922 citations.

Alienation and Psychological Wellbeing: Moderation by Resilience

Abstract: This study adopted the radical perspective of perceived alienation in interpersonal, political and socio-economic domains of life and examined their relationships to psychological wellbeing. The moderator role of resilience on the relationship of the three facets of alienation and psychological wellbeing was also investigated. Psychological wellbeing was conceptualized as self-report of psychological distress. Participants were 337 undergraduate students (164 males, 173 females; Mage = 23.42, SD = 3.70) who are indigenous young adults of the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Pearson’s correlations and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results showed that interpersonal alienation, political alienation and socio-economic alienation were positively associated with psychological distress while resilience was negatively related to psychological distress. Psychological distress was also predicted by alienation and resilience. Resilience neither moderated the relationship of interpersonal alienation and psychological distress nor political alienation and psychological distress but the relationship between socio-economic alienation and psychological distress was moderated by resilience. It was concluded that initiation of resilience building programmes as a form of cognitive-behavioural and existential interventions may buffer the negative relationship of alienation to psychological distress.

Antidiarrheal activity of Kigelia africana in experimental animals

Abstract: Aqueous leaf extract of Kigelia africana was screened for antidiarrheal activity using experimental animal models Evidence for antidiarrheal activity was provided by the reduced fecal output and protection from castor oil-induced diarrhea in the extract-treated animals The extract remarkably decreased the propulsive movement of the gastrointestinal contents On the isolated guineapig ileum, the extract did not appreciably affect acetylcholine and histamine induced contractions, but significantly reduced nicotine evoked contractions The ip LD50 of the extract in mice was estimated to be 78565 ± 24 mg/kg

Aflatoxin load of common food in savanna and forest regions of Nigeria.

Abstract: Aflatoxin, one of the most widespread of the known carcinogens, is present at a high level in most common foods stored poorly for long periods in Nigeria. It may work synergistically with other carcinogens to produce the high incidence of primary liver cancer seen in young men under the age of 40. In the northern savanna areas cereals, especially sorghum and millets, as well as groundnut products are the high risk foods. In the southern forest areas, dried fish, groundnuts and oil palm products often carry unwholesome quantities of aflatoxin. Public health measures aimed at reducing the aflatoxin load in high risk foods identified should now be actively considered.

Prevalence and determinants of hypertension in Abia State Nigeria: results from the Abia State Non-Communicable Diseases and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Survey.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE : Hypertension is the most common non-communicable disease and risk factor for heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Few population-based studies have been conducted recently in Nigeria and , in Abia State, no previous study has been conducted on the prevalence and correlates of hypertension among the populace. The purpose of our study was, therefore, to determine the prevalence and determinants of high blood pressure in Abia State, southeastern Nigeria. We hypothesise that high blood pressure burden is high in Abia State. DESIGN: The study was a community based cross-sectional house-to-house survey aimed at ascertaining the burden/prevalence of hypertension in the state as well as identifying related risk factors associated with them. SETTING: The study was conducted in rural and urban communities in Abia State, Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the study were men and women aged > or =15 years and were recruited from the three senatorial zones in the state. MAIN OUTCOMES: A total of 2,999 respondents were selected for the survey and , 2,983 consented to be interviewed giving a response rate of 99.5%. The data for 2,928 participants were suitable for analysis. Of these, 1,399 (47.8%) were men. The mean age of the population was 41.7 +/- 18.5 years (range 18-96 years). About 54% of the population were < or =40 years. Ninety percent had at least primary education with about 47% having completed secondary education. Expectedly, 96% of the respondents were Ibos, the predominant tribe in the southeastern part of the country. Women had significantly higher BMI than the men. Similarly, waist circumference was also larger in women but waist-to-hip ratio was only significantly higher in women in the urban areas compared to those in rural areas. Thirty-one percent of all participants had systolic hypertension (33.5% in men and 30.5% in women). This sex difference was statistically different in the urban area. On the other hand, diastolic hypertension was 22.5% in all the population (23.4% in men and 25.4% in women). Age and indices of obesity were the strongest predictors of blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension was high in our study both in rural and urban settings. The major determinants of blood pressure in our participants included age, sex, indices of obesity and pulse rate. ( Ethn Dis . 2013;23[2]:161–167)