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- ItemOpen AccessFood safety and hygiene practices of food vendors on Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile Ife, Nigeria(Obafemi Awolowo University, 2012) Omotayo, Sunday KolawolePatronage of food vending premises exposes a significant proportion of students and other members of the academic community to microbial agents and other food related toxins that may have contaminated the food as a result of unwholesome practices by the food handlers/vendors. It is important to have an understanding of the prevailing food safety beliefs, knowledge and practices of food handlers in order to minimize the risk of food borne outbreaks on Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) campus. This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of food handlers towards food hygiene; their practices of food and personal hygiene and the sanitary status of their vending environment. All food handlers/vendors on OAU campus who gave informed consent to participate were recruited to participate into the study. Data was collected from the food handlers/vendors with a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire, which elicited information on the demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practices of food safety. In addition, an observation checklist was used to assess environmental sanitation situation of the food premises. Data was analyzed with STATA 10, using descriptive statistics. A hundred and ninety (86.4%) of the two hundred and twenty vendors recruited eventually participated in the study. Sixty-nine (36.3%) of the respondents were under 30 years. The vendors were predominantly female (81.6%). Whereas 114 (60%) of the respondents had secondary school education and above, 33 (16.4%) respondents never had any education. None of the street food vendors ever had a pre-employment medical screening, and 50% have not had any medical screening at all. Twenty-two (11.6%) respondents were considerably new on the job, with less than a year of working experience. It was however observed that only 17 (9.0%) of the respondents wore a protective clothing; 71 (37.4%) had their heads covered; 7 (3.68%) used rubber gloves while handling food and 14 (7.4%) put on covered shoes. Fifteen respondents (7.9%) had long fingernails and four (2.1%) had open wounds. Utensils were seen unprotected at 70% of the stalls, and potential vectors of communicable diseases were seen in at least 15% of the stalls. Vendors’ training on food safety and hygiene (p=0.00), level of education completed (p=0.00) and number of years of food vending experience (p=0.04) were statistically significant factors affecting the food safety and personal hygiene practices of the vendors on OAU campus. In conclusion, forty-eight (25.3%) of the food handlers/vendors on OAU campus demonstrated good knowledge of food vending requirements. One hundred and fifty nine (83.7%) had positive attitudes towards food and personal hygiene. In addition, 25 (13.2%) were assessed to have good food safety and personal hygiene practices. Environmental assessment of food premises revealed that 8 (20.0%) of the vending stalls had good environmental sanitation status. There is need for health education and promotion among food vendors on OAU campus. Proper regulatory supervision is also recommended, in addition to health education and promotion, this should be targeted at achieving behavioural changes among these very important members of the university community
- ItemOpen AccessPattern of neonatal care practices in urban and rural areas of Ife-Ijesa Zone of Osun State.(Obafemi Awolowo University, 2014) Fasogbon, OlasojiThe study investigated factors influencing care and treatment preferences for newborns in rural and urban areas of Ife-Ijesha zone of Osun State with a view to providing information that may aid the design of relevant health promotive interventions targeted at reducing newborn deaths in the study area. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. Sample size was determed using the formula for comparing two independent proportions. A multistage sampling method was employed with the local government areas in Ife-Ijesha zone forming the primary sampling units. The first stage involved the use of simple random sampling technique to select two urban and two rural local governments each from the list of LGAs in the zone. At the second stage, simple random sampling was also used to select twenty-five percent of political wards in each LGA. In the third stage, systematic sampling technique was used to select eligible households (households that produced nursing mothers with index children (0-6) months old) in the selected wards. Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used to collect information for mothers in the household. Quantitative data were analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques while qualitative data was analysed using detailed content analysis. Generally, 68% of nursing mothers in the rural area compared with 67.8% in urban area delivered the index child in health facility/Hospital. In spite of easy access to health facilities in the urban area than rural area, some proportion of deliveries took place at home (urban 10.6% and rural 10.1%) and church (urban 19.4% and rural 14.8%). The greater proportion of deliveries that took place at home in urban area (78.9%) were delivered by skilled birth attendants in contrast to 52.9% in the rural area. A higher proportion of nursing mothers in urban area compared with nursing mothers in rural area recognized hypothermia/hyperthermia (urban 88% and rural 62%), refusal to breast feed (urban 75% and rural 61%) and floppy/ weakness (urban 48% and rural 32%) as danger signs during neonatal period. However, danger signs like overly sleepy (urban 11.1% and rural 32.5%), palor (urban 11.7% and rural 24.9%), convulsions (urban 6.1% and rural18.9%), weak cry (urban 40.0% and rural 41.4%), stiff limbs (urban 2.8% and rural 4.7%) and bulging fontanel (rural 3.6% and urban 4.8%) were less likely recognized in urban area compared with rural area. In both areas, practice of newborn care indices of optimal thermal care (rural 14.2% and urban 22.2%) and good cord care (rural 14.2% and urban 10%) are very low. Even though newborn care index of good neonatal feeding (rural 81.7% and urban 82.8%) was very high in both areas, yet equal proportion of nursing mothers in both areas (16.6%) reported that breast-feeding was initiated more than thirty minutes after delivery life against the recommendation of WHO. Socio-demographic factors and knowledge of neonatal health problems did not influence treatment preferences for newborns in both areas (P>0.05). However, age was the only predictor of care practices in urban area (OR 4.358, 1.812-10.481) unlike in rural area where neither socio-demographic factors nor knowledge of neonatal health problems predicted care practices. The study concluded that most mothers had poor knowledge of neonatal danger signs and many unsafe practices such as early bathing, application of harmful substances to umbilical stump and use of home remedies before seeking medical care for sick neonates were prevalent in both areas. Nursing mothers in rural area were less likely to observe optimal thermal care and good cord care practices compared with urban respondents. Age was the only predictor of good care practices in urban area.
- ItemOpen AccessPerception of risk factors and utilization of breast and cervical screening services among female university students in Osun State.(Obafemi Awolowo University, 2016) Oyekan, Tolulope JanetThe study assessed level of awareness and knowledge of breast and cervical cancers and the screening services and opinion on risk factors associated with the cancers among female university students. It also determined the level of utilization and factors influencing utilization of screening services for breast and cervical cancers among female university students. These were with the view of providing information that may be useful in improving screening services among this group. The study was a cross sectional descriptive survey carried out among female university students residing in halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University and Oduduwa University in Osun State. Four hundred and twenty two respondents were selected from the two universities using the multistage sampling technique. Data was collected for a period of 7 weeks, information on socio demographic characteristics of respondents, awareness and knowledge of breast and cervical cancers and its screening methods, opinion on risk factors and utilization of screening services were collected using pre-tested self- administered structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 software. Data analysis was carried out in three stages; univariate analysis was used to determine the proportions and summary statistics. Bivariate analysis was used to assess relationship between some selected factors and utilization of breast and cervical cancers screening services using chi square test. Multivariate analysis was used to identify factors that influence utilization of breast and cervical cancers screening services among respondents.The level of significance was determined at p value less than 0.05 The study showed that 90% of the respondents have heard of breast cancer, 10% are aware of breast cancer screening services. Of the 90% that have heard of breast cancer, 42% had poor knowledge, 39% had fair knowledge and 19% had good knowledge of breast cancer. Eighty nine percent of the respondents had utilized breast cancer screening services, of which 71.9% conducted self-breast examination and 4.3% had mammography done. Thirty percent of the respondents have heard of cervical cancer and 26.0% of the respondents are aware of cervical cancer screening services. Twenty two percent of the respondents utilized cervical cancer screening services of which 9.4% had visual inspection with acetic acid and 7.5% had Pap smear test done. It was observed that level of study and religion of respondents are factors associated with utilization of breast cancer screening services while, life style (sexual activity and smoking) and family history of cervical cancer are associated with utilization of cervical screening services. It was concluded that knowledge on breast cancer and awareness of cervical cancer screening services was poor. Self-Breast Examination (SBE) was the most adopted breast cancer screening services and utilization of cervical cancer screening services was poor.
- ItemOpen AccessAnxiety and depression among prison inmates in Osun state(Obafemi Awolowo University, 2014) Oyedeji, Ayobami OThis study examined anxiety and depression among prison inmates in Osun State, and its objectives is to determine factors that affect anxiety and depression with relationship to socio demographic variables among prison inmates in Osun-State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 prison inmates that were randomly selected from Ilesha and Ile-Ife prison in Osun –State. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect information about anxiety and depression; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to collect data on anxiety and depression among prison inmates. Data management and analysis were performed using the SPSS version 16. Univariate (Frequency), bivariate (Chi-square) and multi-variate (Regression) levels of analysis was carried out. The prevalence of anxiety among 175(70%) that were severely anxious and the prevalence of depression among 183(73.2%). Bivariate analysis showed that religion was significantly associated with anxiety (X2=16.90, p= 0.000) and depression (X2=11.310, p= 0.003). Length of stay in the prison show (X2=13.858, p= 0.003) on anxiety only, while imprisonment status shows (X2=11.60, p= 0.001) on anxiety anddepression (X2=6.663, p= 0.036). Those awaiting trials hadanxiety more than those that are sentencedalready(Odd Ratio=2.3, P=0.018,95% CI=1.16-4.721) and Depression among those who were awaiting trial is higher than those who are sentenced, those awaiting trials have the odd ratio of 1.979 and the significant level of 0.049 and the confidence interval of 1.002- 3.907 than those that are sentenced The study revealed that prevalence of anxiety and depression is high among the inmates of Osun State prison, while duration of imprisonment is associated with anxiety only.
- ItemOpen AccessEffect of child feeding practices on childhood nutritional status among under-five children in Nahuche, Zamfara State, Nigeria.(Obafemi Awolowo University, 2014) Owolawi, Adeola BashiratMalnutrition is a global crisis, an underlying cause of more than 2.6 million child deaths every year while 60 million are stunted globally with Nigeria accounting for 11 million. This study described child feeding practices among under-fives and determined the factors influencing the practices. It further assessed the nutritional status of under-fives and also determined the effect of child feeding practices on nutritional status of under-five children. This was with a view to providing baseline informationon the effect of child feeding practices on nutritional status of under-five children and possible follow up interventions on childhood nutritional issues. The study employed a cross-sectional, descriptive community-based design in which three hundred and ninety-seven primary caregiver/child pairs (Under–5) were selected from Nahuche Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NHDSS) area, Bungudu local government of Zamfara state using multistage sampling technique.Data were collected with the aid of interviewer administered semi-structured questionnairesthat elicitedinformation on respondents’ socio-economic and demographic characteristics, nutritional knowledge (which was evaluated on a scale), feeding practices, respondents’ spouse personal data, index child characteristicsand anthropometric measurements of the children. Data were analyzed using STATA 10, Chi square test was used to determine association between categorical variables while binary logistic regression was used to assess the determinants of good feeding practice at p< 0.05 level of significance. Ethical approval was obtained from the Operation Research Advisory Committee (ORAC) inZamfara State. The results showedthat education, knowledge on nutrition, occupation, and household size were independently associated with child feeding practices at the bivariate level of analysiswhile at multivariate level,mother’s knowledge of child feeding practices was the only statistically significant determinant of positive feedingpractices(OR=40.08, p<0.05).Assessment of nutritional status of children showed that 277 (70%) of children were stunted, 59 (15%) wasted and 147 (37%) underweight. Wasting and underweight were more common among female under-fives (18.3% and 37.7% respectively) compare tomales (11.6% and 36.3% respectively) at (χ2=3.4915 andχ2=0.6893 respectively). However,more male under-fives than females were stunted (72% and 67.6% respectivelyat χ2=1.0024). The study also revealed a significant relationship between wasting and child feeding practices(p-value=0.011). The present nutritional status results suggests the under-five children in the study area are living in appalling conditions which underline the great need for nutritional intervention.
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