scholarly journals Assessment of Knowledge and Sources of Information on Lassa Fever Infection Among the Undergraduate Students of Ebonyi State University, Nigeria

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402110063
Author(s):  
MaryJoy Umoke ◽  
Prince Christian Ifeanachor Umoke ◽  
Chioma Adaora Nwalieji ◽  
Rosemary N. Onwe ◽  
Ifeanyi Emmanuel Nwafor ◽  
...  

Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease characterized by acute viral hemorrhagic fever, endemic in West Africa including Nigeria. The study assessed the knowledge and sources of information on Lassa fever infection among the undergraduate students of Ebonyi State University, Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted among a sample of 389 students (18 years above). A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed with SPSS (Version 20), and hypotheses were tested at p < .05 level of significance. Results showed that the majority of the students had good knowledge of Lassa fever description, 232 (60.75%); the signs and symptoms, 221 (57.9%); mode of transmission, 261 (68.41%); and preventive measures, 291 (76.13%). Radio, 23 (84.6%), and television, 307 (80.4%), were their major sources of information. Age ( p = .424), sex ( p = .082), and academic level ( p = .553) were not significant in the study, while faculty (social sciences; p = .000*) was strongly associated with the knowledge of Lassa fever. In conclusion, the overall knowledge of Lassa fever was good among students, though knowledge gaps were observed in the signs and symptoms. We recommend that health education on endemic diseases in the state be made a compulsory course as a general study (GST) in the university. Also, the internet, social media, and campus campaign be further used to educate and sensitize students on the effect of Lassa fever.

Author(s):  
N. Arisa ◽  
D. Anaemene ◽  
W. Mekwunye

Aims: To determine the prevalence of overweight, obesity and dietary habits of under graduate students of Lagos State University. Study Design: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria, between June 2016 and July 2016. Methodology: 150 undergraduate students were selected through multistage random sampling. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habit and physical activity was obtained using structured questionnaire. Weight, height, Percentage Body Fat (PBF), waist and hip circumferences were measured according to standard procedures to compute Body Mass Indices (BMI), Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) and finally determine nutritional status. The data were presented as frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations. Chi square was used to test for significant differences and level of significance set at 0.05. Results: The mean BMI, PBF and WHR of the participants were 23.4 ± 2.3 kg/m2, 23.1 ± 5.0% and 0.83 ± 0.09, respectively. Majority of the participants (86.7%) were of normal weight while 8% (10.4% males and 5.5% females) and 5.3% (5.2% males and 5.5% females) were overweight and obese, respectively. Using WHR, more number of students were overweight/obese (34%) compared to BMI (13.3%) and PBF (8.7%), all indicated higher abnormal status among males than females. Few students exhibited poor eating (15%) and physical inactivity (16%) habits. Majority of the students (75.3%) skipped breakfast and the least daily consumed food group was legume/nut group (0.5%). Snacks (42%) and processed (20%) foods were consumed more than roots/tubers (14%) which are staple foods. Conclusion: Central obesity was high among undergraduate students of Lagos State University. Breakfast skipping and low legume meal consumption were major dietary problems. Healthy lifestyle should be promoted among the university students to prevent overweight/obesity and its associated diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-145
Author(s):  
A.I. Omogbiya ◽  
K.K. Anachuna ◽  
E.K. Umukoro ◽  
E.G. Moke ◽  
A. Nzei

Objective: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of migraine and tension-type headaches amongst undergraduates of Delta State  University (DELSU), Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria and its relationship with academic related-stress. Methods: A cross-sectional survey among 432 undergraduate students across the eleven Faculties of DELSU, Abraka, Nigeria, using questionnaires to determine the prevalence of migraine headache (MH) and tension-type headache (TTH). The data extrapolated were analyzed with SPSS  statistical software (version 20). Results: MH was shown to have a high prevalence (198, 45.8%) among student of DELSU. Photophobia accompanied most MH episodes more than phonophobia, nausea, vomiting. Similarly, TTH was also very prevalent 237 (54.9%) amongst students of DELSU with females being more vulnerable than male. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the prevalence of MH and TTH is strongly associated to student's academic-related activities. Conclusion: Academic-related stress activities were major predisposing triggers for the prevalence of both headaches. Keywords: Abraka, academic-related stress activities, DELSU, migraine, stress, tension-type headache,


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000942
Author(s):  
Oliver G P Lawton ◽  
Sarah A Lawton ◽  
Lisa Dikomitis ◽  
Joanne Protheroe ◽  
Joanne Smith ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.


Author(s):  
Valentina Scalise ◽  
Fabrizio Brindisino ◽  
Leonardo Pellicciari ◽  
Silvia Minnucci ◽  
Francesca Bonetti

The aim of this article was to investigate the knowledge, management, and clinical practice of Italian physiotherapists concerning patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A national cross-sectional survey consisted of 24 questions was administered from December 2019 until February 2020. A Chi-squared independence test was run to study any difference between subgroups of the sample and responses to the questionnaire. Five hundred and eight respondents completed the survey. Most respondents (n = 225/508; 44.3%) are under 29 years old, female (n = 256/508; 50.4%) and have been working as physiotherapists for less than 5 years (n = 213/508; 41.9%). Most of respondents correctly knows about the cause (n = 455/508, 89.6%), main signs and symptoms of CTS (n = 415/508, 81.70%) and administer education, manual therapy, myofascial techniques and therapeutic exercises (n = 457/508, 89.88%). Three hundred and sixty-four (71.68%) respondents were aware of the influence of psychosocial factors on the patient’s outcomes. The survey showed greater adherence to evidences by physiotherapists holding a master’s degree. The results are mostly comparable with other surveys structured all over the world on the same topic. Italian physiotherapists management of the CTS was not always in line with current evidence. Interventions such as education, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, nerve and tendon glide techniques are widely used, while the orthotic is only offered by half of the sample.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44
Author(s):  
Koawo Edjah ◽  
Francis Ankomah ◽  
Ebenezer Domey ◽  
John Ekow Laryea

AbstractStress is concomitant with students’ life and can have a significant impact on their lives, and even how they go about their academic work. Globally, in every five visits by patients to the doctor, three are stress-related problems. This study examined stress and its impact on the academic and social life among students of a university in Ghana. The descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Using the stratified and simple random (random numbers) sampling methods, 500 regular undergraduate students were engaged in the study. A questionnaire made up of Perceived Stress Scale and Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale was used to gather data for the study. Frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with AMOS were used for the analyses. It was found that majority of the students were moderately stressed. Paramount among the stressors were academic stressors, followed by institutional stressors, and external stressors. Stress had a significant positive impact on the academic and social life of students. It was concluded that undergraduate students, in one way or the other, go through some kind of stress during the course of their study. It was recommended that the university, through its Students’ Affairs, and Counselling Sections, continue to empower students on how to manage and deal with stress in order to enhance their academic life.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e043421
Author(s):  
Rae Thomas ◽  
Hannah Greenwood ◽  
Zoe A Michaleff ◽  
Eman Abukmail ◽  
Tammy C Hoffmann ◽  
...  

ObjectivePublic cooperation to practise preventive health behaviours is essential to manage the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. We aimed to investigate beliefs about COVID-19 diagnosis, transmission and prevention that have the potential to impact the uptake of recommended public health strategies.DesignAn online cross-sectional survey.ParticipantsA national sample of 1500 Australian adults with representative quotas for age and gender provided by an online panel provider.Main outcome measureProportion of participants with correct/incorrect knowledge of COVID-19 preventive behaviours and reasons for misconceptions.ResultsOf the 1802 potential participants contacted, 289 did not qualify, 13 declined and 1500 participated in the survey (response rate 83%). Most participants correctly identified ‘washing your hands regularly with soap and water’ (92%) and ‘staying at least 1.5 m away from others’ (90%) could help prevent COVID-19. Over 40% (incorrectly) considered wearing gloves outside of the home would prevent them from contracting COVID-19. Views about face masks were divided. Only 66% of participants correctly identified that ‘regular use of antibiotics’ would not prevent COVID-19.Most participants (90%) identified ‘fever, fatigue and cough’ as indicators of COVID-19. However, 42% of participants thought that being unable to ‘hold your breath for 10 s without coughing’ was an indicator of having the virus. The most frequently reported sources of COVID-19 information were commercial television channels (56%), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (43%) and the Australian Government COVID-19 information app (31%).ConclusionsPublic messaging about hand hygiene and physical distancing to prevent transmission appears to have been effective. However, there are clear, identified barriers for many individuals that have the potential to impede uptake or maintenance of these behaviours in the long term. We need to develop public health messages that harness these barriers to improve future cooperation. Ensuring adherence to these interventions is critical.


2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Y. Tran ◽  
Jennifer A. Lyon

This cross-sectional survey focused on faculty use and knowledge of author identifiers and researcher networking systems, and professional use of social media, at a large state university. Results from 296 completed faculty surveys representing all disciplines (9.3% response rate) show low levels of awareness and variable resource preferences. The most utilized author identifier was ORCID while ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Google Scholar were the top profiling systems. Faculty also reported some professional use of social media platforms. The survey data will be utilized to improve library services and develop intra-institutional collaborations in scholarly communication, research networking, and research impact.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Bartholomew Yir-Erong ◽  
Marcel Tunkumgnen Bayor ◽  
Isaac Ayensu ◽  
Stephen Yao Gbedema ◽  
Joshua Boateng

Background. The study was undertaken to elicit the knowledge, views, and perceptions of key stakeholders on malaria, its bioburden, and treatment options, in order to ascertain the knowledge gabs and challenges, especially in the use of oral quinine in childhood malaria. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a well-structured Likert Scale and self-administered questionnaire. The principal site of the study was a government-run children’s hospital located in the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro of Accra. The study population included health workers, parents, and guardians or care givers. The participants were 300, purposively selected, and consisted of both men (41%) and women (59%) who were twenty years and above, whether employed (42%), self-employed (37%), or unemployed (21%). Results. Majority of the participants (78%) demonstrated above average knowledge of malaria. However, their awareness of the causes, modes of transmission, signs, and symptoms as well as preventive mechanisms of malaria did not result in low incidence of malaria. About 77% of the respondents agreed they would seek treatment within 24 hours once signs and symptoms are detected. Though close to 50% undertook home treatment of malaria, majority eventually sought treatment at hospital or clinic. Above 92% of respondents knew that quinine is used to treat malaria and agreed its bitter taste greatly affects compliance, especially in children. Consequently, 95% of the respondents would be glad if its bitter taste is masked. Conclusion. The study demonstrated the availability of substantial knowledge of the devastating effects of malaria, especially in children. Therefore, there is the need to ensure the availability and utilization of effective paediatric formulations in the fight against malaria. From this study, fast dissolving oral thin film with a good mouth feel, would be the formulation of choice for quinine.


Author(s):  
S Shreya ◽  
Ramesh P Nayakar

Introduction: Maxillofacial defects are facial disfigurements resulting from congenital abnormalities, surgical resection of tumours, trauma, or a combination of these. The resulting deformity often leads to a difficult path of recovery with lifelong consequences, causing both physical disability and mental distress. Prosthetic rehabilitation is not only a solution to cover the physical deficit, but also a way to improve function as well as the quality of life for such patients. However, the knowledge amongst undergraduate dental health professionals about the same has been at sparse. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding maxillofacial defects and their prosthetic rehabilitation amongst dental undergraduate students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January 2020 and June 2020, amidst the third year, fourth year undergraduate students, and interns of Belagavi city, Karnataka, India. The data was collected using a 16-item custom designed proforma, comprising of questions evaluating student’s basic knowledge about the diagnosis, treatment procedures, and treatment planning of maxillofacial defects and their prosthetic rehabilitation. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test in each group, using SPSS version 22 p-value <0.05 to be considered significant. Results: A total of 286 participants answered the questionnaire, of which 117 (40.9%) were interns, 116 (40.6%) were third year students, and 53 (18.5%) were fourth year students. 279 (97.6%) participants had an understanding regarding maxillofacial defects. Of those who had witnessed cases, only 18.2% had observed more than three cases (p-value <0.001). Out of respondents with treatment understanding, 184 (64.3%) answered that it required a multidisciplinary approach (p-value <0.001). 197 (68.9%) of the respondents felt that silicone was the most commonly used material (p<0.003). 165 (57.7%) answered that waxes were the most commonly used impression material (p-value <0.001). Out of the respondents awared about treatment modalities, 120 (42%) respondents majority answered that CAD-CAM would contribute the most to maxillofacial rehabilitation. Conclusion: Comprehensive understanding and clinical application of prosthodontic rehabilitation of maxillofacial defects among undergraduate students was found to be lacking. This awareness should be initiated at an early stage of the clinical training for undergraduate training programme, as it will help to understand the basic aspects involved in the prosthodontic rehabilitation of maxillofacial defects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
KR Pandey ◽  
DR Panday ◽  
P Pyakurel ◽  
S Marahatta ◽  
SP Rimal ◽  
...  

Background: COVID-19, a global health crisis of the 21st century, has threatened possibly every aspect of human life. Since the pandemic is not yet over, this study was carried out among undergraduate students of a medical institute in Nepal to assess and boost their KAP status on the disease. Material and methods: It was an online cross-sectional census survey performed among consenting undergraduate healthcare students of BPKIHS. A self-made and validated questionnaire assessing KAP on COVID-19 was prepared in Google form and distributed online among target students. The study population was 745. Both descriptive and inferential analysis of the data was performed. Student’s T-Test and one-way ANOVA were applied for which level of statistical significance was kept at p<0.05. Results: Ninety-six students participated in a pilot-study (Cronbach α= 0.792). The response rate was 76.27%. Most participants (76.76%) were from Nepal.  The male/female ratio was 0.76. Most (59.2%) had not participated in such studies before. For 93.54%, the source of information was the internet. Assessed by questionnaire, right Knowledge (n=16) was 85.06% ± 8.81%; right Attitude (n=6) was 65.00% ± 16.16 and right Practice (n=6) was 82.88%± 8.50%. Male were more knowledgeable about the disease (p=0.011). However, females secured higher in practical aspects (p=0.000). Indian students possessed better knowledge (p=0.005) and a better attitude (p=0.033). MBBS students had better knowledge (p=0.000), but Nursing students secured higher in Practice (p=0.012). Attitude is better in the earlier years (p=0.045). Conclusion: We assessed KAP related to COVID-19 via score among healthcare undergraduate students. Different co-factors do impact students’ overall KAP status.


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