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.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in a nigerian population

Abstract: Hypertension is a major public health problem. Due to paucity of data, the burden of hypertension in Nigeria might be underestimated. Estimating the prevalence of hypertension in populations of Nigeria would be useful in efforts to control hypertension and prevent its consequences. This survey aimed to assess the prevalence, detection, treatment and control of hypertension in Nsukka, a city located in South-Eastern Nigeria. Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control (outcomes) were examined in 756 adult participants (364 men and 392 women) aged 18 years and above. Blood pressure (BP) of the participants was measured and they also answered a detailed questionnaire. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥ 140 for systolic BP and or ≥ 90 mm Hg for diastolic BP or being on antihypertensive therapy. Prevalence of hypertension was 21.1%. Men had higher prevalence of high BP compared to women. Systolic and diastolic BP increased with age in both men and women. Detection of high BP in participants with raised blood pressure was 40.3% and 24.7% for males and females respectively. Only 23.7% and 17.5% of males and females respectively with high BP were on antihypertensive treatment while 5.0% of males and 17.5% of females with hypertension were controlled. Prevalence of hypertension was comparable with other studies in Nigeria and Africa. The results showed a poor detection, treatment and control of hypertension. This underscores the need for comprehensive evaluation of the prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

Knowledge of danger signs in newborns and health seeking practices of mothers and care givers in Enugu state, South-East Nigeria

Abstract: According to UNICEF, 40% of all under-5 deaths occur within the first month of life and half of these within the first few days of life. Many of these deaths are related to late recognition of neonatal illness, delays in decision to seek care at household level and subsequent late intervention at healthcare facilities. Knowledge of mothers about the danger signs in newborn is imperative to reduce these delays and preventable deaths. This study aimed to assess the perception of mothers and/or care givers of danger signs in newborns and their knowledge of the WHO recognized danger. A secondary aim was to explore the socio-demographic factors of mothers that influence knowledge of the WHO recognized danger signs and the health seeking behaviors of these mothers and/or care-givers. This was a community based descriptive and analytical study which used a multistage sampling technique to select 376 mothers and/or care-givers from four communities in 4 of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Enugu State. Logistic regression and chi-square was used in testing associations between variables. Knowledge of more than three of the nine WHO recognized danger sign was poor (0.0-30.3%). Majority of the mothers had knowledge of one (i.e. fever) WHO recognized danger sign (95.2%). Knowledge of the WHO signs was not significantly associated with maternal socio-demographic variables considered in this study. Healthcare seeking behaviour was significantly determined by knowledge of at least one WHO recognized danger sign (OR 4.6 CI 1.1-18.7, P = 0.032). Cough, diarrhea and the excessive crying were the most perceived and experienced non-WHO recognized dangers signs among respondents. There is urgent need to strengthen the teaching and training of expectant mothers across all maternal socio-demographic variables on these danger signs and the most appropriate measures to take when they occur.

Clinical Manifestations of HIV Infection in Children at Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract: Three-hundred-and-fifty-eight (358) pediatric patients below 16 years of age were screened for suspected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection between October 1989 and September 1996. Eighty-three (23 per cent) were confirmed positive. However, adequate clinical data were obtained retrospectively in only 63 patients. Twenty-three (37 per cent) of the patients presented with features corresponding to WHO case definition of Paediatric Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Africa. Vertical mode of infection was documented in 13 (30 per cent) of them while 30 (68 per cent) were infected through blood transfusion. The main clinical features at presentation were generalised lymphadenopathy (59 per cent), persistent or recurrent fever (51 per cent), progressive weight loss or poor weight gain (51 per cent), chronic diarrhoea (38 per cent), various skin manifestations (37 per cent), persistent cough (32 per cent), and oral candidiasis (19 per cent). Six patients died during the initial admission, while majority were lost to follow-up.