The Nigerian postgraduate medical journal 

About: The Nigerian postgraduate medical journal is an academic journal published by National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 1117-1936. Over the lifetime, 1037 publications have been published receiving 8783 citations.

Principles and methods of validity and reliability testing of questionnaires used in social and health science researches.

Abstract: The importance of measuring the accuracy and consistency of research instruments (especially questionnaires) known as validity and reliability, respectively, have been documented in several studies, but their measure is not commonly carried out among health and social science researchers in developing countries. This has been linked to the dearth of knowledge of these tests. This is a review article which comprehensively explores and describes the validity and reliability of a research instrument (with special reference to questionnaire). It further discusses various forms of validity and reliability tests with concise examples and finally explains various methods of analysing these tests with scientific principles guiding such analysis.

Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Abstract: BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is a global public health problem and is endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Vertical transmission of HBV infection is thought to be a major mode of transmission in endemic areas. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) on pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in an effort to obtain baseline information on disease burden in this locality, in order to institute public health measures to reduce transmission. PATIENTS AND METHODS Serial recruitment of 600 women attending the ante-natal clinic at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. HBsAg screening was done using a rapid ELISA Kit. RESULTS 26(4.3%) of the 600 subjects tested positive to HBsAg. Blood transmission, dental manipulations, tattooing and circumcision were found not to be significant modes of transmission of HBV infection in Port Harcourt. CONCLUSION There is an intermediate prevalence (4.3%) of HBV infection in pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The need to institute public health measures to reduce disease burden and transmission, including routine screening of all pregnant mothers for HBV infection and early passive/active immunisation of babies born to HBsAg--positive mothers is advocated.

Carriage rate of hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) in an urban community in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract: The carriage rate of Hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) in an urban community in Jos, the Plateau State capital, was studied to obtain the pattern of Hepatitis-beta virus (HBV) spread within the community. HBsAg screening was performed on a consecutive sample of 524 apparently healthy individuals (293 males and 231 females) aged 15-65 years who voluntarily turned up for the survey. Fifty-four (10.3%) were HBsAg positive by ELISA. The carriage rate in females 30/231 (13.0%) was significantly higher than in the males 24/293 (8.2%) (p 61 years. In relation to marital status, carriage rate was highest among the divorced/widowed group (12.5%) followed by the married group (10.6%). Carriage rates in relation to occupation showed that infection was highest among traders (13.7%) and students (13.2%). The survey therefore confirms the endemicity of HBV infection in Jos and describes the groups that are at risk. This calls for health education of the general population on preventive measures to check the spread of the virus in the community.

A review of the health problems of the internally displaced persons in Africa.

Abstract: Globally, over 40 million people were displaced as a result of wars and violence due to religious and ethnic conflicts in 2015 while 19.2 million were displaced by natural disasters such as famine and floods. In Africa, 12 million people were displaced by armed conflict and violence and there were hundreds of thousands of people displaced by natural disasters. Despite these large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sub-Saharan African countries and the potentially negative impact of displacement on the health of these populations, there is limited information on the health problems of IDPs in the region. The previous studies have mainly focused on the health problems of refugees and single disease entities among IDPs. However, a more comprehensive picture is required to inform the provision of adequate healthcare services for this vulnerable population. The objective of this review was to fill this knowledge gap. Bibliographic databases were searched and screened, and nine studies were selected and reviewed. The major physical health problems and symptoms were fever/malaria (85% in children and 48% in adults), malnutrition in children (stunting 52% and wasting 6%), malnutrition in adult males (24%), diarrhoea (62% in children and 22% in adults) and acute respiratory infections (45%). The prevalent mental health problems were post-traumatic stress disorder (range: 42%-54%) and depression (31%-67%). Most of the studies reviewed focused on mental health problems. Limited evidence suggests that IDPs experience various health problems but more research is required to inform the provision of adequate and comprehensive healthcare services for this group of individuals.

Radiographic and anatomic locations of mental foramen in northern Nigerian adults.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to provide information on the most probable positions of the mental foramen among northern Nigerian adults. 157 panoramic radiographs randomly selected from patient's records at the Department of Dental Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and 32 unsexed mandibles from the collection of bones in the Department of Human Anatomy, University of Maiduguri, were examined for the location of the mental foramen. The most common location was the interdental space between the first and second mandibular premolars (radiographs=34% , dry mandibles=32.8% ), closely followed by the position apical to the second premolars (radiographs=25.5% , dry mandibles=35.9% ). No significant difference in the distribution between males and females and the quantitative position was found to be bilaterally symmetrical in most cases. There is almost an equal chance of locating the mental foramen between the mandibular premolars and apical to the mandibular second premolar. This is of clinical importance with regards to the achievement of effective mental nerve block anaesthesia and the prevention of injury to the mental nerve during surgical procedures.