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.

Exclusive breast-feeding practice and associated factors in Enugu, Nigeria.

Abstract: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 235 infant-mother pairs in five Baby Friendly pairs in five Baby Friendly Hospitals in Enugu-Nigeria in 1998. The aims were to study their breast-feeding practices and associated factors. The exclusive breast-feeding rate was 33.3% while the predominant breast-feeding rate was 50.2%. Factors associated with exclusive breast-feeding included infants' birth order (P = 0.015), fathers' education (P =0.0244), mothers' education (P = 0.000001), occupation (P = 0.0069) and parity (P = 0.004). However, the infants' age (P = 0.054) and sex (P = 0.403), mothers' age (P = 0.2005), number of breast-feeding counseling attendances (P = 0.0883) and the breast-feeding initiator (P = 0.473) were comparable irrespective of breast-feeding practice. In the mothers' perspectives, the commonest reasons for not breastfeeding exclusively included; insufficient breast milk (58,37.0%) and the sociocultural practice of giving water to babies because of the hot climate (52,33.1%). For an improvement in the exclusive breast-feeding rate of this population, health workers should highlight to mothers the dangers of water supplementation and the dynamics of breastmilk supply through health education, home visits and the formation of community based lactation support groups.

Consumers stated and revealed preferences for community health workers and other strategies for the provision of timely and appropriate treatment of malaria in southeast Nigeria

Abstract: Background: The African Heads of State meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on Roll Back Malaria adopted effective treatment of malaria nearer the home as one of the strategies for malaria control in Africa. A potentially effective strategy for bringing early, appropriate and low cost treatment of malaria closer to the home is through the use of community health workers (CHWs). There is paucity of information about people's actual preferences for CHWs and how stated preferences relates to revealed preferences for both the CHW strategy and other strategies for improving the timeliness of malaria treatment in not only Nigeria but in many malaria endemic countries. Objectives: To determine peoples' stated and actual preferences for different strategies for improving the timeliness and appropriateness of treatment of malaria before and after the implementation of a community health workers (CHW) strategy in their community. Methods: A prospective study was undertaken in a rural malaria holo-endemic Nigerian community. A questionnaire was used to collect information on health-seeking from householders before (first survey) and after (second survey) implementation of a CHW malaria treatement strategy. Results: The consumers mostly preferred the CHW strategy over self-treatment in the homes and other strategies of treatment. The use of community health workers (CHWs) increased from 0% to 26.1% (p < 0.05), while self-treatment in the homes decreased from 9.4% to 0% (p < 0.05) after the implementation of the CHW strategy. Use of patent medicine dealers also decreased from 44.8% to 17.9% (p < 0.05) after CHW strategy was implemented. Conclusion: Community health workers can be used to improve and ensure timely and appropriate treatment of malaria. The CHW strategy could also be sustained since it was preferred and used by consumers over selftreatment in the homes as well as other strategies for improving treatment. Hence, the CHW strategy is a feasible and promising method of improving home-management of uncomplicated malaria.

Diagnostic delay in pediatric cancer in Enugu, Nigeria: a prospective study.

Abstract: Childhood cancer is a leading cause of childhood mortality in developed countries though ranks lower than infections in developing countries. Most patients with malignancies present late to hospital with consequent adverse outcome. Early diagnosis, therefore, is an important requirement in pediatric oncology as delayed diagnosis is associated with poor prognosis and huge economic cost. The study aims to identify factors associated with delay in the diagnosis of childhood cancer at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.Children aged 0-17 years with admitting diagnosis of cancer which was histologically confirmed were reviewed prospectively over a 3-year period. An interviewer structured questionnaire was administered to patients or parents/caregivers to obtain information on patients' biodata, their symptoms as well as visit to health professionals or alternative health care providers before presentation at this hospital.Ninety patients were confirmed to have cancer. Overall median lag time (LT) was 15.7 weeks. Major contributors to delay were parents and the type of cancer patients presented with. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) had the shortest median LT of 4.2 weeks while Hodgkin's disease had the longest median LT of 53.6 weeks (p = 0.01, Mann-Whitney test, 2-tailed). The median parent's delay was 12.3 weeks and health system delay was 3.6 weeks showing a significant difference in the two categories of delay (p < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney test, 2-tailed). The median treatment delay was 5 days.Public awareness and health system reform is imperative in reducing the delay in diagnosis of childhood cancer in our environment.

Indigenous innovations for climate change adaptation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the level of awareness of Niger Delta communities about impacts of climate change and to identify and document indigenous innovations and practices for adaptation to climate change by farmers in the region. Three states were randomly selected from the nine states that make up the Niger Delta. Multistage sampling technique was used to interview 400 heads of farming households in Cross Rivers, Delta and Rivers States. Analysis of the data utilized simple descriptive statistics, while the results were presented as tables, figures and charts. Two single sex Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in each of the survey states giving a total of six FGDs. Data from the FGDs complemented the survey results. Findings of this study showed that about 90 % of respondents were aware of climate change and its impacts. The results further indicate that the farmers have practiced some innovative indigenous measures for climate change adaptation for many years. It was also noted that the identified indigenous adaptive strategies which have Science, Technology and Innovation policy relevance could inform the design and implementation of future Agricultural, Development and Climate Change Policy in the region. Lastly, policy recommendations are made to improve climate change awareness and adaptation to climate change impacts in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.