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The study was a survey of secondary school teachers' attitude towards women leadership of secondary schools in Ilorin Metropolis. The study population comprises all public secondary school teachers in Ilorin Metropolis. From the population, random sampling technique was used to sample a total of 500 secondary school teachers across 20 randomly selected public secondary schools in the metropolis. The samples were further stratified on the basis of gender and year of experience. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire entitled Women School Leadership Questionnaire (WSLQ) and collected data were analyzed using percentages and t-test statistics. Findings revealed that 35.4% (n=177) secondary school teachers preferred women as principals. 37.4% (n=187) as Vice-Principals and just 9.8% (n=47) never wanted women as school leaders. On the other hand, 81% (n=405) of respondents believed that women school leadership is characterized by financial prudence. 29.8% ( n=149) agreed women school leadership encouraged collaborative approach to school governance. 12% (n=60) believed it led to domination of school activities by the women and 40.2% (n=201) believed having women as principals made schools well organized. At the level of hypotheses testing, it was found that secondary school teacher's preference of women as principals did not differ on the basis of gender of the teachers but differed on the length of teachers' teaching experience. It was therefore, concluded that appointing women as school principals may not be rejected by male and female subordinates as such appointment may even bring about financial prudence and organized school environment at secondary school level. Thus. it was recommended that more women should be encouraged and appointed to become principals in Nigerian secondary schools.

Annual outbreaks of Lassa fever have resulted in a public health threat in Nigeria and other endemic countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the Lassa Virus (LASV) is endemic in rodent populations, zoonotic spillover to humans causes annual outbreaks. This study reviewed the burden of Lassa fever (LF) in Nigeria between 2020 and 2023 and conducted a cross-sectional survey of Nigerians to evaluate their risk perceptions of LF. During the period under review, 28,780 suspected and 4,036 confirmed cases of LF were reported from 34 of the 37 states of Nigeria. These cases resulted in 762 deaths (a CFR of 18.9%). The overall case positivity rate was 14% (4,036/28,780), with more positive cases in 2020 (17.5%, n = 1,189/6,791). A total of 2,150 study participants were enrolled in the prospective cross-sectional study, with most of them (87.5%, n = 1,881/2,150) having previously heard of Lassa fever (LF). The numerical scoring system revealed that 35.43% (n = 762/1,881) of those aware of LF have poor knowledge of its preventive measures, route of transmission, and control measures. Approximately 6.84% (n = 147/2,150) of them were at a high risk of contracting LF, with 27.6% (n = 584/2,150) of study participants feeling concerned about contracting LF because of the presence of rodents in their immediate vicinity, occupational exposure to healthcare workers, and the probability of contamination of food by infected rodents without necessary food safety measures. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that tertiary education was associated with an increased likelihood of better LF knowledge (OR: 17.32; 95% CI: 10.62, 28.26; p < 0.01) and a lower risk of contracting LF when compared to respondents with no formal education. In addition, study participants who reside in low-burden states have lower LF perception than those residents in high-LF-burden states (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38–0.91; p = 0.049). On the other hand, study participants with poor risk perception (knowledge) of LF had a higher likelihood (RR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.53; p < 0.01) of contracting LF when compared to those with good knowledge of LF. Similarly, those residents in low LF burden states were less likely (OR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.05,0.17; p < 0.01) to contract LF when compared to those residents in high burden states. There is a need to improve LF diagnostics capacity, infection prevention and control measures, and implementation of the One Health approach to controlling LASV from animal reservoirs. In addition, public enlightenment campaigns to address fundamental knowledge gaps are crucial to mitigating the ongoing and future impact of LF in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing. Dyslipidaemia is a known complication of diabetes mellitus manifesting frequently as cardiovascular diseases and stoke. Elevation of small, dense low density lipoprotein has been recognised as a component of the atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype associated with cardiovascular complications. We speculate that the elevation of this lipoprotein particle may be the antecedent of the atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype. This study therefore aims to determine the pattern of dyslipidaemia among diabetes mellitus patients in Jos, North-Central Nigeria. Methods: One hundred and seventy-six patients with type 2 diabetes and 154 age-matched controls were studied. The patients with diabetes were regular clinic attenders and had stable glycaemic control. None were on lipid-lowering therapy. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, and lipids (including total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride) were measured by chemical methods using the Hitachi 902 analyzer. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol was calculated using the Friedewald's equation. Small, dense low density lipoprotein cholesterol, -sdLDL-C was measured using the precipitation method by Hirano et al. Means of the different groups were compared using EPI Info and a P-value of <0.05 was accepted as significant difference. Results: Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride and small, dense lipoprotein cholesterol were all significantly higher in diabetes patients than controls except high density lipoprotein cholesterol. The percentage of LDL-C as sdLDL-C among the diabetes versus control group was 45% ± 17.79 v 32.0% ± 15.93. Serum sdLDL-C concentration was determined to be 1.45 ± 0.64 among diabetes patients and 0.8 ± 0.54 among control subjects. 75% of diabetes patients had hypertension and were taking blood pressure lowering medications. Conclusion: The classical atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype was not demonstrated among subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus in this study, but the elevation of serum small dense low density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with sustained hypertension suggests the establishment of atherogenic complications among our diabetes patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hydatidiform mole is a relatively common gynecological problem which could present like spontaneous abortion, one of the commonest gynecological emergencies. It has the propensity to become malignant but can easily be identified and treated. The aim of this study was to determine the demographics, clinical features, treatment options and outcome of patients with hydatidiform mole in our environment. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective review of all the cases of hydatidiform mole seen at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos, Nigeria over a 5-year period. Results: There were 34 cases of hydatidiform mole giving an incidence of 1 in 357 deliveries. However only 25 case notes were available for analysis and the mean age of patients was 28±3 years. Vaginal bleeding (92%), honeycomb appearance on ultrasound scan (84%), and passage of vesicles (60%) were the most common clinical findings while suction curettage was the mode of treatment for all the patients in this study. Twenty-eight percent of cases were confirmed by histology. No patient came for follow-up after the third month of diagnosis. Twenty percent of the patients booked for antenatal care within 9 months of diagnosis while 12% of patients presented as gynecological emergencies with features of malignant disease within six months of diagnosis. Conclusion: Hydatidiform mole is common in Jos, North Central Nigeria, and presents most commonly with vaginal bleeding with over 10% becoming malignant. Hence all patients who present with vaginal bleeding should be screened for HM. None of the patients completed the recommended duration of follow-up and only about ¼ had histology reports. Concerted efforts need to be made to address the challenges of patients adhering to recommended follow-up protocols and having to pay first before investigations are done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate attention given to the management of asthma and ways of improving treatment could be a significant factor for the increase morbidity and mortality from asthma despite major advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. There seems to be paucity of data concerning the management pattern and burden of asthma in Africa. This study was under taken to determine the prevalence, management pattern and the burden of asthma. This study was a cross sectional design involving clinical and lung function assessment. The diagnosis of asthma was made using the clinical features of asthma and lung function parameters (Forced expiratory volume in one second, Peak expiratory flow rate, Reversibility tests). Totally, 120 asthma patients participated in this study. All subjects completed the clinical asthma control questionnaires. All items were rated with the calculation of their mean and percentages. Student t-test was used to calculate the difference between the mean of the lung function tests for subjects and control. The prevalence of asthma among respiratory unit patients was 6.6% and higher in the first three decades of life with female preponderance (F:M=1.5-1).There is a strong family history of asthma(81.7%). Associated allergies include rhinitis (75%), pharyngitis (54%), conjunctivitis (54%) and dermatitis (30%). Percentage of asthma patients treated with bronchodilators alone (70%), combined inhaled bronchodilators and steroid (28.3%). Impaired daily activities include sports (84%), Job career (60%), Physical activity (55%), Social activity (54%), Household chores (61%), Disturbed sleep (53%), Daytime symptoms (51%), Hospitalized(50%). Subjects had significant low lung function values when compared with control (P < 0.05). The burden of asthma is very high despite the advanced knowledge of the pathophysiology and management of asthma.