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Purpose: Oral contraceptives are routinely used by women, because they are effective birth control methods, but few women are aware of their adverse ocular side effects. This study was carried out to determine the level of awareness and knowledge of the adverse ocular side effects associated with oral contraceptive use among women in Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over an eight-month period from February 2023 to September 2023, including 402 women (n = 402). The study employed both self-administered online and printed questionnaires. Results: The mean age of the participants was 27.76 ± 7.03. A total of 196 had tertiary education, 131 had secondary education and 75 had no educational background. Two-hundred thirty-seven participants were users of oral contraceptives, while 165 had never used them. Of the participants that were users of oral contraceptives, 44 had previously experienced visual problems as a side. The study results reveal that 289 participants (71.9%) were not aware of the potential adverse effects of oral contraceptives, while only 82 participants (20.4%) were aware. Conclusion: The results of this study show that there is poor awareness of the side effects of oral contraceptives, more specifically, the adverse effects on the eyes. It is recommended that more public health awareness campaigns be initiated, with the goal of accurately educating women about the ocular pathologic risks associated with oral contraceptives. Furthermore, healthcare workers should effectively communicate the risks associated with oral contraceptives to their patients. This can help women looking for contraception options make informed decisions about using oral contraceptives.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis are the most prevalent human diseases. Diabetes worsens the periodontal condition, but periodontitis also hampers glycemic control in diabetic patients. Based on staging and grading, the latest periodontitis classification puts DM as one of the grade modifiers. Periodic periodontal maintenance prevents reinfection and could help people with diabetes maintain effective glycemic control. Dental health education and periodontal disease awareness are crucially needed for diabetic patients, especially during the pandemic. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the relationship between levels of awareness and knowledge of periodontitis in diabetic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A closed-ended questionnaire was distributed to new patients referred to the Periodontology Clinic of the Dental Hospital of Universitas Indonesia. Patients’ data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic from January to June 2021. Results: Eighty-four patients participated, of which 34.5 % were diabetic patients with periodontitis. Statistically, significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between levels of awareness and knowledge of periodontitis among diabetic patients and nondiabetic patients (both groups are suffering periodontitis). Awareness and knowledge of periodontitis are inversely correlated with their current clinical periodontal status, therefore patients with less awareness and knowledge have more severe periodontitis. Conclusion: Lack of awareness and knowledge of periodontitis was found among both nondiabetic and diabetic periodontitis patients. Dental health education is required to improve understanding and awareness of the relationship between periodontitis and DM.

Background: The ongoing pandemic due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is becoming a serious global threat. Experts suggest that the infection can be controlled by immediate prevention measures. Sailing is one of the occupational categories more vulnerable to this virus outbreak due to the proximity of the working conditions. Objective: Awareness and knowledge assessments of seafarers towards the current epidemic is mandatory to understand the effectiveness and success of the infection control measures adopted by shipping companies. Methods: In this study, we presented an online questionnaire survey to determine the knowledge levels of COVID-19 among seafarers. The data were collected by self-reported survey, and analysis was done by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The t-test was used to understand the knowledge attitude differences to COVID-19 among different occupational groups of seafarers, and the p-value ≤ of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 1,458 responses received, 92.82% had a college or university degree. The results reported that the mean COVID-19 knowledge score was 5.82 (standard deviation = 0.51, range 0–6), and the overall correct percentage was 97%. There was a statistically significant difference between age groups (F (4, 1453) = 5.44, p < 0.001) and educational groups (F (4, 1453) = 1.52, p < 0.001). The knowledge score was not significantly different across the educational status of the participants (F (2, 1455) = 1.52, p = 0.220). Conclusions: The present study highlighted good knowledge and behaviours among sailors about COVID-19. However, shipping companies need to come up with new campaigns to hold optimistic practices and suitable guidelines on ships, including cruise boats, to keep sea workers always alert and collaborative in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.