Tertiary Institution In Southwestern Nigeria Research Articles

Radiological Risk Assessment of Radon Inhalation in Offices of Selected Institutions in Southwestern Nigeria

The deleterious health implication of human exposure to radon gas has attracted considerable research attention worldwide. Thus, with the increase in number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria whose population predominantly comprises the youth and adults in their productive years. This study hereby estimates the radiological risk associated with radon inhalation induced by the geological of selected tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. The radon concentration was assessed with Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitor (E-PERM). The lithology and age of the buildings were also considered for probable effect on the radon concentration. The value of the radon concentration ranged between 2.60 to 219.57 Bqm-3. The lithology feature on which each building was constructed as well as the age of the building was also found to influence the indoor radon concentration. The radiological indices of the rooms ranged from 0.018 to 1.518 mSvy-1 for annual effective dose (AED), 0.004 to 0.335 WLMy-1 for annual exposure (AE), and 1.98 x 10-6 to 1.67 x 10-4 MPY-1 for excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). Hence, there is need for continuous education of the people to take adequate preventive measures in mitigating indoor radon level.

High prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in fomites in a tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria

<b>Background</b><b>: </b>The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a major threat to public and environmental health because they limit treatment options against infections. Fomites have been implicated in the spread of pathogenic and resistant bacteria, making them an important source of disease. This study was carried out to determine the frequency and characteristics of resistant bacteria linked with environmental fomites in a tertiary institution in Nigeria as part of global efforts to provide information to contain the spread of antimicrobial resistance.<br /> <b>Methods: </b>300 swab samples, determined by factorial design, were aseptically collected from 10 fomites in 10 locations in three different facilities at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and transported to the laboratory for processing. The isolates were identified by standard procedure and the Microbact<sup>TM</sup> identification kit. The susceptibility profile of the isolates was determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. MDR bacteria were examined for the presence of plasmids using the alkali lysis method, and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, and methicillin resistance genes by polymerase chain reaction.<br /> <b>Results:</b> 89 diverse bacteria were isolated from fomites in the study environment. <i>Staphylococcus aureus </i>(49.4%) predominated among the bacteria, followed by <i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i> (10.1%), <i>Providencia stuartti</i> (5.6%), <i>Proteus vulgaris</i> (4.5%), and<i> Acinetobacter baumannii</i> (3.4%). The isolates were commonly (84%-100%) resistant to ceftazidime, cefuroxime, and augmentin, while the least (8%-12.5%) resistance was to ciprofloxacin, amikacin, meropenem, and streptomycin. 58 (65.2%) isolates were MDR, and the majority (27.6%) were isolated from floors. 47 (81%) MDR isolates harbored plasmids, with their molecular weights between 2.697 kbp and 4.011 kbp. <i>mecA</i>, <i>TEM,</i> and <i>OqXAB</i> resistance genes were detected in <i>S. aureus</i>, <i>P. stuarttii</i>, <i>Pseudomonas </i>sp, and <i>K. oxytoca</i>.<br /> <b>Conclusions:</b> This study has shown that fomites in the sampled locations are potential reservoirs for MDR bacteria, and may serve as sources of their transmission, thereby posing a threat to public health. Therefore, appropriate sanitary measures are required to prevent any potential cross-contamination. In addition, it is imperative to regularly survey environments for bacterial contamination to increase community awareness and education regarding hygiene standards.

Prevalence, Pattern, and Perception of Female Undergraduates about Sexual Harassment in a Tertiary Institution in Southwestern Nigeria: An Evaluation of the National Bill on Sexual Harassment

Background: A current national bill on sexual harassment proposes jail terms for failure to investigate and prosecute the offenders of sexual harassment at Nigerian colleges and universities. Aim: The study aimed to effectively evaluate the impacts of the new bill, we assessed the current prevalence rates and pattern of sexual harassment among female undergraduates in Southwestern, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from 420 respondents in a cross-sectional study design. We included female aged 18 years and above and excluded students in their first year. Data were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using IBM SPSS version 28. Multivariate analysis was done to identify the predictors of sexual harassment. Results: The prevalence of sexual harassment was 48.2% among participants, and the highest perpetrators of harassment were victims’ boyfriends. The common patterns of harassment experienced by respondents include sexual jokes or stories that were insulting or offensive (44.7%), brushing of body parts in an unwelcomed manner (27.8%), and persistent demand for sex by lecturers or students (20.6%) among others. After controlling for possible confounders, the odds of sexual harassment was 0.604 times (95% confidence interval: 0.388–0.942) less likely among students in higher academic years (i.e., 400 and 500 levels) compared to those in lower academic years (200 and 300 levels). Conclusion: The high prevalence of sexual harassment in our study indicates that southwestern universities are yet to meet the goals of the national bill. Institutions of higher learning are urged to discourage societal tolerance for sexual harassment by enforcing sexual harassment prevention regulations in the national bill.

Electronic cigarettes use in COVID-19 era among students of a tertiary institution in Nigeria

Background: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is becoming popular among undergraduate students in Nigeria with a tendency for escalation because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess electronic cigarette use in COVID-19 era among undergraduate students of a tertiary institution in Lagos state, Southwestern Nigeria. Setting: A tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria. Methods: The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a pretested, structured, close- and open-ended self-administered questionnaire used for collection of data on knowledge, attitude and use of e-cigarettes. Results: Data from 183 respondents were analysed. The mean age of respondents was 24.8 ± 3.38 years, most (63%) of whom were males. The prevalence of ever-use of e-cigarettes was 15.3% of which 60.7% reported increased use of e-cigarettes since the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, education, tribe and religion ( p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher odds of use of e-cigarettes. Conclusion: This study found an increase in the quantity of e-cigarettes used and online purchase of the same by respondents since the COVID-19 pandemic. Paying attention to the rate of use and having control measures in place for online purchase of e-cigarettes by youths in Nigeria may be necessary in the years to come. Contribution: This study addresses a gap in the availability of knowledge of use of e-cigarettes among a growing population of youths in Nigeria.

Knowledge, practice of and factors influencing birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a tertiary institution in South-Western Nigeria

Pregnancy and child birth are normal physiological processes expected to be uneventful with a fruitful outcome of a healthy mother and baby(ies). However, every pregnant woman faces the risk of sudden unpredictable complications that could lead to injury to herself, her infant or even death. Furthermore, no one can reliably predict pregnancy related complications and its outcome, hence the need to be birth prepared and complication ready. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, practice of and factors influencing birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a tertiary in a South-Western, Nigeria.
 The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive research design utilizing quantitative approach. One hundred and forty-six (146) consenting pregnant women participated in this study. Data were manually collected and analyzed electronically with the use of SPSS computer software version 23.
 The results showed that more than half of the respondents 74 (50.7%) had overall poor knowledge of BPCR while majority of the respondents 88 (60.3%) had good overall practice of BPCR. The findings revealed that factors influencing practice of BPCR were inadequate prenatal education (82.2%), knowledge of key danger signs (80.8%), poverty and place of residents (80.1%), educational level (70.5%) and family size (60.3%). There was a significant relationship between the knowledge and practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness, with a p-value <0.05. 
 Base on the results we conclude that although the overall practice of BPCR is good while the overall knowledge is poor. There is a need to create an awareness and give adequate education on knowledge and practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women.

Artificial neural network modeling of meteorological and geological influences on indoor radon concentration in selected tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria

Exposure to indoor radon, with no safe level, has been reported to bear the possible radiological risk to humans. The indoor radon level of a total of one hundred and thirty-two offices and sixty classrooms of tertiary institutions within different lithology and at varied meteorological values in southwestern Nigeria was measured using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitor (E-PERM). The meteorological parameters were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) database. MATLAB scripts of code were used to develop the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. The measured parameters were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. The highest mean radon concentration was observed in offices built on granitic bedrock with a value of 64.3 ± 1.7 Bq.m−3 while the lowest was observed in alluvium bedrock with a value of 52.5 ± 1.4 Bq.m−3. To enhance prediction involving erratic parametric patterns, the measured data were subjected to an optimized Artificial Neural Network architecture training, validation, and testing, leading to a model determined to have a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient value of 0.997, Average Absolute Relative Error of 0.0115, and Mean Squared Error of 0.07. The predicted result was compared favorably with the measured data with 0.054 Average Validation Error, 0.027 Mean Absolute Error 3.64 Mean Absolute Percentage Error, and 83.7% Goodness-of-Prediction values. About 21.4% of the values were found to be higher than the 100 Bq.m−3 limits specified by the World Health Organization. Measured radon concentration and predicted ANN data as obtained in this work, being novel in this study area is useful for immediate assessment of the level of risk associated with radon exposure as well as for future predictions. The ANN developed is effective and efficient in predicting indoor radon concentration.

Trends and causes of maternal death at the Lagos University teaching hospital, Lagos, Nigeria (2007\u20132019)

BackgroundNigeria has one of the worst global maternal mortality ratios (MMR). Institutional audit is invaluable in providing useful information for formulating preventive interventions.ObjectiveTo evaluate the trends, causes and socio-demographic characteristics of maternal mortality at a tertiary institution in South-western Nigeria over a period of 13 years (2007–2019).MethodologyCross sectional and temporal trend analysis of maternal deaths were conducted using chart reviews from 2007 to 2019. Socio-biological characteristics, booking status and ranking of clinical causes of maternal deaths were derived from patients’ chart review (2007–2019). Bivariate analysis and Annual percent change (APC) of the observed trends was respectively conducted using Stata version 17 and Joinpoint version 4.5.0.1 software respectively.ResultsIn the period 2007–2019, the mean age at maternal death was 30.8 ± 5.9 years and 88.8% of mortalities occurred among the “unbooked” women. The leading causes of direct maternal mortality were Hypertension (27.0%), Sepsis (20.6%) and haemorrhage (18.7%), while anaemia in pregnancy (3.2%), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (3.2%) and Sickle Cell Disease (2.4%) were the leading indirect causes of maternal mortality Joinpoint estimates showed a statistically significant increase in MMR of about 3.4% per annum from 2211 per 100,000 live births in 2007 to 3555.6 per 100,000 live births in 2019 (APC: +3.4%, P-value < 0.001).ConclusionContrary to some other reports, there was an increase in the institutional MMR between 2007 and 2019 even though the leading causes of death remained similar. Targeted interventions based on accurate data are urgently required in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1.

PERCEPTION OF HAND HYGIENE HABIT AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS AMONGST THE STUDENTS OF A TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Hand hygiene habits and the knowledge of their health implications were investigated among students of a tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive survey guided by twenty research questions and four research hypotheses was carried out. A total of 400 undergraduates were randomly selected across the five colleges in the University. The highest respondents were of less than 20 years of age (74%), followed by 21-25 years (25%). Two hundred and four (51%) of the respondents claimed that water which is vital to hand hygiene habit is scarce, 124 (31%) wash hands before meal only, 96(24%) wash hands after toileting, however, 368 (92%) had knowledge that good handwashing habit prevents diseases and infestations. Massive campaigns and awareness are subjacent to improve the culture and habit of hand-washing. Hygiene education should be introduced in all academic curricula to guide in the prevention of the rapid spread of epidemics of which hand seems the first contact of disease infestation.

Job Satisfaction of Academic Staff Members on Full-Time Appointment in South-Western Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

Man works to earn a living in an organization, and such work can be viewed as an instrument employed to achieve a lot of set personal goals and expectations. This study, therefore, examines job satisfaction of staff members on full-time appointment in South-western Nigerian tertiary institutions. It is a quantitative research in which a well-structured questionnaire was used to collect responses across eighteen tertiary institutions in South-western Nigeria. A purposive random sampling method was adopted to select a representative sample, and 880 questionnaires were properly selected and analyzed. The validity and reliability tests indicated that the measurement scales met the acceptable standards. Charts were used to present the biographic information of the respondents. The data obtained from the investigation were analyzed using Charts, Correlation Analysis, Regression Analysis and some relevant statistical tools. The findings have revealed a high factor of the academic staff’s dissatisfaction with opportunity available for self-development because of poor research environments. Moderate proportion has also revealed staffers’ satisfaction with their job. Factors leading to job satisfaction were also revealed. The study, therefore, suggests that Chief Executives of Nigerian tertiary institutions should focus on the identified factors leading to job satisfaction such as good remuneration and welfare package, appreciation and commendation, adequate facilities and teamwork etc. Implementing the aforementioned factors will definitely increase job satisfaction among the academic staff on full-time appointment, thus, reducing the friction rate and creating a stable and reliable teaching/learning environment for academic staff and the students. Keywords Job Satisfaction, Tertiary Institution, Remuneration, Welfare Package, Full-time Appointment, Academic Staff. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-36-10 Publication date: December 31 st 2020

Entrepreneurial intentions of real estate students: an ordinal analysis of the predictors

PurposeThis study aims to examine the predictors of entrepreneurial intentions of real estate students in an emerging economy where there are significant odds against paid employment owing to the dwindling economic drivers.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data was obtained using closed-ended questionnaire served on final-year real estate students in three tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. Out of a total of 231 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 160 (69.3%) were retrieved and found suitable for analysis. Using ordinal least square regression, the study examined the influence of the independent variables on the respondents’ entrepreneurial intention across two models. While the first model was without the moderators of prior entrepreneurial exposure (that is, parental occupation, relationship with a real estate entrepreneur, previous/current engagement in business and attendance at business/entrepreneurial seminars/workshops), the second included all the control variables. Other descriptive and inferential statistical methods were adopted.FindingsThe findings revealed that personal satisfaction/prestige, support system, university education, age, cumulative grade points and mothers’ education were statistically significant predictors, atp&lt; 0.05, across the two models examined. Fathers’ education and occupation were only significant in the second model, that is, when controlled for prior entrepreneurial exposure. Also, the influence of faculties and barriers of registration/information were significant at 10% level only in the second model. Finally, the study found no statistically significant differencing across gender, family status, mothers’ occupation and relationship with a real estate entrepreneur.Practical implicationsEntrepreneurship is a significant factor influencing economic growth and increased market competitiveness, an examination of students entrepreneurial intentions appear important, especially in regions where there are low economic opportunities.Originality/valueThis study is among the first attempts at understanding the predictors of real estate students’ entrepreneurial intentions from an emerging market perspective.

AN EVALUATION OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL INCLINATION AMONG CLOTHING AND TEXTILE UNDERGRADUATE IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Entrepreneurship has been described as an incubator and energiser of market innovation, product and technological growth as well as a means of revitalising the economy and reducing unemployment. This study focused on assessing the entrepreneurship inclination among Clothing and Textile undergraduates and their attitude towards government entrepreneurial programmes. The study was carried out in selected tertiary institutions (Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities) in South-Western Nigeria. A Multistage sampling was used with a combination of stratified and proportionate sampling to select four hundred and fifty (450) final year students from the selected tertiary institutions in South-Western Nigeria. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results showed that most of the respondents were female (55.3%) while (44.7%) were male with a mean age of 22 years. More than half (54%) of the respondents were from Colleges of Education, 23.7% were from Universities and 22.2% were from Polytechnics. The findings further revealed that 30.4%, 24%, 19.6% and 14.2% were studying Home Economics, Creative arts, Fine arts and Clothing and Textiles respectively. The percentage of response on the students’ attitude towards entrepreneurship was 87.3%. The results of the chi-square showed that only the educational status of the respondents (χ2=14.65, p&lt;0.05) indicated a significant relationship between the educational status of the students and their entrepreneurial inclination. The regression analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between government empowerment programme and the entrepreneurial inclination of the respondents (r = 0.43, P = 0.00). The β value of 0.43 explained the percentage of government empowerment programme to entrepreneurial inclination of the respondents. Also, there was no significant difference between entrepreneurial skills inclination of undergraduate students across the selected tertiary institutions at P &lt; 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that respondents in the study area have positive attitude towards government entrepreneurship programme. Consequently, the respondents are entrepreneurial inclined and government entrepreneurship programme is effective to reduce unemployment in the country and in promoting job creation.&#x0D;

Potability assessment of packaged sachet water sold within a tertiary institution in southwestern Nigeria

Production of quality and safe potable water is vital to human health. This research examined the potability of the packaged sachet water being marketed within the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) campus. Seven sachet water brands were purchased randomly and the physicochemical and bacteriological qualities were determined. The results acquired are as follows: pH, 6.57–6.79 ± 0.02; electrical conductivity (EC), 0–145.00 ± 5.00 μScm−1, turbidity, 0.00–0.59 ± 0.02 NTU; total dissolved solids (TDS) 0.00–70.00 ± 0.00 mg/L; total suspended solids (TSS), 0.00–0.01 ± 0.00 mg/L; calcium, 42.00–161.00 ± 1.00 mg/L; iron, 0.65–1.25 ± 0.05 mg/L; alkalinity, 0.65–1.25 ± 0.05 mg/L; sulphate, 0.95–33.71 ± 0.01 mg/L; and nitrate, 0.01–0.04 ± 0.00 mg/L. Magnesium and phosphate were below detection level. The odour and taste were also unobjectionable. The physicochemical test results conformed with the World Health Organization World Health Organisation (WHO) (2004) and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) standards for drinking water. However, bacteriological analysis established the presence of total bacteria count in all water samples (100%) while two brands, (sample C and G), of the packaged sachet water (28.57%) were contaminated with total coliforms which failed to comply with WHO and NSDWQ standard. The analysed physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of the water samples exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05). Sustainable measures such as scientific examination of the water quality during preproduction, production and postproduction stages to determine the means of access of contaminants as its directly affect public health and safely should be routinely performed by the water producers. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control should implement established regulations and execute their statutory responsibilities through routine checks and effective monitoring of the operation and production facilities. Furthermore, Standard Organisation of Nigeria should intensify its effort through restrictions of the manufacturers using substandard packaging materials for their production. Consequently, there is need to invest in sustainable water infrastructure (water supply systems, treatment plants, storage and water resource management) that will cater for the populace of the entire university community through partnership with relevant stakeholders in the water industry and donations from non-governmental, national and international organizations hence, reducing the dependence on water supply from substandard private vendors.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection among Students of a Private Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem and account for a substantial proportion of liver diseases worldwide.&#x0D; Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of Hepatitis B and C virus infection among undergraduate students of Babcock University.&#x0D; Methodology: The blood samples of 200 participants (96 males and 104 females) were randomly collected and screened using rapid serological methods. HBV markers were determined using a HBV 5 in 1 Panel cassette (Innovita Biological Technology Co., Ltd., China); while antibody to HCV was detected using anti-HCV test strip (Blue Cross Bio-Medical Co., Ltd., China). The demographic and clinical information of the participants were collected using structured questionnaires.&#x0D; Results: Out of the 200 participants screened, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBsAg, 10 (5.0%) were positive for HBsAb, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBcAb, 2 (1.0%) were positive for HBeAb and none (0%) was positive for HBeAg. 2 (2.1%) of the 96 males screened were positive for HBsAg, while only one (1%) out of the 104 females screened was positive for HBsAg. There was no significant difference (P&gt;0.05) between the number of male and female students positive for HBsAg. On the basis of age distribution, data show that 3 (2.7%) out of the 110 students that were 16-20 years old were positive for HBsAg, while students in the other age groups were negative for HBsAg. Risk factors associated with infection include: tattooing, history of blood transfusion and shared sharp objects. Interestingly, zero prevalence rate (0%) of HCV mono-infection, as well as HBV/HCV co-infection was recorded in this current study.&#x0D; Conclusion: The outcome of this study showed that a low prevalence rate of HBV mono-infection exists among undergraduate students of Babcock University, therefore the on-going public health campaign programme against Hepatitis B and C should be sustained.

Indications for Permanent Teeth Exodontia: A Comparative Analysis of Two Tertiary Institutions In South-Western Nigeria

Indications for Permanent Teeth Exodontia: A Comparative Analysis of Two Tertiary Institutions In South-Western Nigeria

Abstract 1215: Epidemiology of breast malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa: A ten-year retrospective evaluation of 2,419 patients at a major tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract Background: There is limited information on the epidemiology and clinical presentation of breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis evaluated the prevalence, characteristics of the disease over a ten-year period, as well as the impact of sociodemographic factors on late breast cancer presentation in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Lagos, a major tertiary institution in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiological variants of all breast cancer cases at LASUTH, 2007- 2017. Materials and Methods: There was no restriction on gender or age groups. Late presentation was defined by symptomatic presentation. Tumors were characterized by histological subtypes. Mean, frequencies and percentages were performed using STATA/IC 12.1 for Windows. Results: A total of 2419 breast cancer patients were seen during the ten-year period. There were more female malignancies (n=2380, 98.4%) compared to male malignancies (n=39, 1.6%). The prevalence of breast cancer was found to be 37.5%. The overall mean age (years) was 47.27, the age range was 19 to 91 years. Increased risk of late presentation (n=1910, 79%). Overall higher presentation were made from christians (n= 1849, 76.4%), married individuals (n=2089, 86.4%), people in unskilled professions such as traders (n=808, 33.4%) and people with a tertiary level of education (n= 239, 12.8%). As the primary level of treatment, most of the patients had mastectomy (n=1533, 63.4%), chemotherapy (n=600, 24.8%) and radiotherapy (n=51, 2.1%). The topography of all reported cases include upper-outer quadrant of breast (n=433, 17.9%), axillary tail of breast (n=381, 15.8%), overlying lesion of breast (n=144, 11.5%), lower-inner quadrant of breast (n=133, 5.5%), upper-inner quadrant of breast (n=92, 3.8%), nipple (n=77, 3.2%), lower-outer quadrant of breast (n= 75, 3.1%) and the central portion of breast (n= 42, 1.7%). The three most common morphologies were Pleomorphic carcinoma (n=717, 29.6%), Infiltrating duct carcinoma (n=630, 26%) and giant cell type of the malignant tumor (322, 13.3%). Conclusion: Our study shows that breast cancers usually present mostly in young women in Nigeria, and shows the influence of culture on late presentation. Therefore we should institute deliberate public health education and counseling in our social institutions such as religious circles that are designed particularly to favour the peculiar demographics of the population to prevent late presentation. In addition, cross-sectional studies of breast cancer tumors in younger women (before the age of 40) should be explored to better understand the disease and further understanding too of breast cancers in African American women. Citation Format: Funlayo O. Buraimoh, Abiodun O. Popoola. Epidemiology of breast malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa: A ten-year retrospective evaluation of 2,419 patients at a major tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1215.

Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the most urgent top five environmental risks to public health. Numerous studies have documented that sick building syndrome (SBS) is surprisingly common even in buildings without widespread complaints and its relationship with hypersensitivity disease are often associated with exposure to high concentration of airborne microbial organisms. To contribute to knowledge on IAQ, this study evaluates the levels and composition of bacterial and fungal contamination of different offices in a tertiary institution in South-western Nigeria. A cross sectional design was used to compare the indoor airborne microbial load of three categories of offices within the institution premises: the central administrative (CA), academic (AC) and work and maintenance (W&M) offices. Indoor temperature (oC) and relative humidity (%) of the respective offices were measured using a 5-in-1 multi-tester N21FR made in China and categorized into comfort and high levels. Air samples were collected using a TE-10-890 Andersen single stage microbial air sampler and the total counts per cubic metre were compared with the American Industrial Hygiene Association guideline (AIHA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation and regression analysis. Offices in CA recorded the highest mean indoor Total Bacteria Count (TBC) of 22.6 ± 12.2cfu/m3 as compared to W&M (18.3 ± 10.4cfu/m3) and AC (15.6 ± 8.4cfu/m3) p 0.05. The indoor TBC and TFC of the categories of offices were found to be lower than the AIHA guideline limit. The number of persons at the point of sampling was found to significantly predict the level of indoor TBC, p<0.01. The most isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp., whereas Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp. were the most abundant fungi isolates. The present study implicated population as a major source of microbial contamination in the office environment. Adequate knowledge about indoor air quality in terms of microbial contamination and its implication on health should be provided to staff of the institution in the hierarchy of control measures to mitigate the levels of indoor airborne microorganisms.

Respiratory-Related Medical Admissions in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria

Background: Globally, respiratory diseases are common causes of medical admissions. Our objective was to determine the causes and outcome of respiratory diseases in our facility for health planning, policy formulation and allocation of resources.Method: A retrospective study of all respiratory-related admissions between January 2011 and December 2015. Classification of diseases was based on the ICD-10 coding system.Results: Respiratory-related admissions accounted for 460 (12%) of all medical cases with a slight male preponderance of 1.4 to 1. Mean age of patients was 50.4 ± 20.8 years. The majority 342 (74.3%) of these admissions were due to communicable respiratory diseases. Pulmonary tuberculosis (44.1%) and pneumonia (28.9%) accounted for the highest admissions which were closely followed by COPD (11.1%) and asthma (7.2%). The commonest co-morbidity was HIV/AIDS (12.3%) which also coexisted with other diseases in most cases of mortality. The median hospital-stay was 7 days. Most diseases had peak presentations during the dry season except bronchial asthma with rainy and dry peak seasons. The overall mortality was 17.6% and the highest mortalities were recorded in patients who had pulmonary tuberculosis (55.5%), pneumonia (20.9%) and COPD (8.6%).Conclusion: Communicable respiratory diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Scaling up on coverage of the control programmes as well as the methodical integration of non-communicable diseases into already existing control programmes will further strengthen the health-care systems in resource-limited settings.

Patterns of risky sexual behaviors among emerging adults in intimate sexual relationships in two tertiary institutions in southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACTThis study explored patterns of risky sexual practices and perceived vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections among 450 sexually active emerging adults (18–25 years) through a self-administered questionnaire and 43 interviews. Findings showed that 97.4% of men and 98.1% of women were in intimate sexual relationships, among which 74% of men and 46.5% of women had unprotected vaginal intercourse and anal sex (α = 1.74 for men and 1.09 for women) within the past month. Consequences of unprotected sexual practices notwithstanding, engagement in risky sexual practices prevail. Redesigning of current behavioral modification approaches targeted toward promoting healthy sexual practices in young adulthood is required.

Oro-facial lesions in human immunodeficiency virus infected children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence and types of oro-facial lesions and their relationship with the degree of immune suppression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children. This was compared with the prevalence among healthy HIV-negative children. The study was carried out in a tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria from May 2005 to March 2006. None of the children in the study had ever been treated with antiretroviral drugs. Thirty-four (87.2%) of 39 HIV infected children and two (9.5%) of the 21 HIV-uninfected children had oro-facial lesions (Fisher's exact, P = 0.0001). In the HIV-infected children, lymphadenopathy was the commonest lesion (82.1%) followed by oral candidiasis (43.6%), gingivitis (25.6%) and bilateral parotid enlargement (25.6%). The most common form of candidiasis was pseudomembranous. All the oro-facial lesions were more common in children with severe immune suppression and were not related to the age, gender or socioeconomic class of the children. It is therefore concluded that there is a high prevalence of oro-facial lesions in HIV-infected children in this study particularly in those with severe immune suppression. These lesions could serve as surrogate markers of HIV infection and aid in initiating prompt diagnosis where routine laboratory investigation for all children at risk is economically not feasible.

Emotional intelligence, academic procrastination and academic achievement in two tertiary institutions in South-Western Nigeria

Academic achievement is the main measure of the level of education attained, which is meant to achieve the curriculum objective of success and priority. The study investigated effect of emotional intelligence and academic procrastination on academic achievement of students in two Nigerian Universities. The study adopted research survey design. One hundred (100) respondents participated in the study. Two instruments were adapted for the study they are; Emotional Intelligence Scale and Academic Procrastination Scale. Four hypotheses were formulated and tested. Data obtained was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and T-test. Findings revealed that there was no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement of students (p>0.05) and there was no significance difference in academic achievement of respondents based on participants' level of emotional intelligence. Findings also showed that there was no significant relationship between academic procrastination and academic achievement (p>0.05), and there was no significance difference in academic achievement of participants based on participants' level of academic procrastination. It was therefore recommended that efforts should be made to look into other pressing factors like self-esteem, teacher's attitude, student's attitude, parental background among others which may be influencing student's poor academic achievement.