International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health Volume 3 Number 1

IJTMRPH

ISSN: 2576-9499 (Online) ISSN: 2576-9502 (Print) www.ijtmrph.org

Vol 3 No 1 (2019) Research · Translate ·Save Lives

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of TRANSLATIONAL

MEDICAL RESEARCH and PUBLIC HEALTH Int. J. Trans Med Res Pub Hlth

A Journal of the Global Health and Education Projects, Inc.

HEMATOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA Chinyelu O. Mba, MPH, MSc | Ransom B. Jacob, MSc | Mercy B. Green, MSc | Loveday U. Zebedee, BMLS, PGD

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BACKGROUND OR OBJECTIVES: Pregnant women experience a lot of

changes, which often reflect in their haematological indices. The study examines the differences in the haematological profile of pregnant and nonpregnant women in Port Harcourt, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

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METHODS: The subjects were systematically sampled, comprising of 90 pregnant and 90 non-pregnant women, with ages ranging 16 to 45 years.

Five millilitres of whole blood was collected from each subject at ambient temperature using standard venepuncture techniques and three millilitres was dispensed in EDTA bottle. T-test was used to compare the mean of the parameters among the pregnant and nonpregnant women. Analysis of variance was used to compare the means for the parameters within the three trimesters. Turkeys Post Hoc test was used to identify the trimester pairs that had significant mean difference, Haematological parameters were analyzed using Abacus380 haematological analyser. The data obtained were coded and analysed using SPSS version 20 and data were considered significant at p≤0.05.

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RESULTS: Comparison of pregnant women with controls showed that Total White Blood Count TWBC), monocytes, neutrophils, Mean Cell Volume (MCV), and Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH) were significantly increased in pregnancy (p<0.05); while Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin, hematocrit and Mean Cell Haemoglobin concentration were significantly decreased (p<0.01). The following haematological parameters showed significant mean variation within the 3 trimesters: MCH (F=3.59, p=0.03) and MCHC (F=16.85, p<0.01). MCHC showed significant difference between first versus second trimesters (p=<0.01) and 1st vs. 3rd trimesters (p=<0.01).

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CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSLATION The lower hematocrit and haemoglobin level of pregnant women when compared with the non-pregnant controls implies that there is need for more emphasis on the importance of prenatal vitamin supplementation during the antenatal period, perhaps leveraging prenatal counselling sessions. Proper supplementation may avert anaemia in pregnancy, and consequently, the poor birth outcomes.

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Key words: Haematological Profile, Pregnant Women, Nigeria, Pregnancy Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-01-23; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMMUNITY LEVEL MATERNAL HEALTH INTERVENTION IN IMPROVING UPTAKE OF POSTNATAL CARE IN MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA

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Moses M. Gitonga, MPH | Kenneth K. Ngure, PhD | Elizabeth E. Echoka, PhD

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Background: Provision of a continuum of care during pregnancy, delivery, and the postnatal period results in reduced maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Complications and lack of skilled • postnatal care has consequences for mothers and babies. We examined to what extent a community level integrated maternal health intervention contributed to improvements in uptake of skilled care after delivery by pregnant women.

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Add your second bullet point Methods: An Ex post quasi-experimental design was applied. Among here 590 reproductive-aged women, we assessed the effectiveness of a community level integrated maternal health intervention and predictors •

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of uptake of postnatal care. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

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Results: About three fifths (64%) of the women reported having sought postnatal care services at the health facility within six (6) weeks. Women in the intervention arm were 3.3 times more likely to take up postnatal care at a health facility (AOR= 3.31[95% CI 1.245 to 8.804] p=0.016). Women referred to the health facility for postnatal care by Community Health Workers (CHWs) were 2.72 times more likely to take up the services (AOR= 2.72[95% CI 1.05 to 7.07] p=0.039) than those not referred by CHWs. Distance to health facility (61%) was the major barrier, while some mothers did not feel the need for postnatal care (11%).

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Conclusion and Implications for Translation: Routine health education by trained providers at community level health facilities, coupled with enhanced CHWs' involvement can improve uptake of postnatal care. Ignorance and accessibility challenges are some barriers to the uptake of postnatal care.

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Key words: • Community • Maternal • Health • Intervention • Postnatal-Care • Kenya • MAISHA • Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) • Community Health Workers (CHWs) Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-03-20; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG STUDENTS IN HIGH COST SCHOOLS IN LUSAKA, ZAMBIA

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Chongo Clays Siwale | Seter Siziya, PhD ABSTRACT

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Introduction: The prevalence of alcohol consumption among adolescents is very high in Zambia, in-spite knowledge on the negative effects of alcohol consumption on adolescents. The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with alcohol consumption among secondary school students in high-cost school.

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Methodology: A cross-sectional study of 357 students in Grades 8 and 11 was conducted. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. The associations and correlations between explanatory variables and the outcome of interest was established using Chi-square or the Fishe's exact test. Magnitudes of association were estimated using Odds ratio.

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Results: The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 43.7%. Factors predictive of students' alcohol use were attitude towards alcohol consumption (AOR=3.15, 95% CI [1.04,9.56]), parental monitoring (AOR=0.69, 95% C.I [0.69, 0.94]), parental alcohol use (AOR= 1.76, 95% C.I [1.39,2.23]) and pocket money availability (AOR= 1.52, 95% CI [1.03,2.26]).

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Discussion: The prevalence of alcohol consumption was high. Students with positive attitudes towards alcohol consumption are 3.15 times more likely to drink alcohol compared to students with negative attitudes.

Students who are highly monitored by their parents are 31% less likely to drink alcohol compared to those rarely monitored by parents. Students whose parents drink alcohol are 76% more likely to drink alcohol compared to those whose parents do not drink alcohol. Students with high amount of pocket money are 52% more likely to drink alcohol compared to those without pocket money.

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Conclusion and Implication for Translation: Results indicate a high prevalence of alcohol consumption. Potential interventions should focus on inclining students' attitudes against alcohol consumption, encouraging increased parental monitoring, and teaching students how to use their pocket money appropriately.

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Key words: • Adolescent Alcohol Consumption • Attitude towards alcohol • Parental Monitoring • Parental Alcohol Use • Pocket Money

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Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-04-10; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

BODY MASS INDEX AND BREAST CANCER RISKS AMONG IGBO WOMEN IN IMO AND ABIA STATES, NIGERIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

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Christopher S. Oyamienlen, MPH | Charles A. Adisa, MD | Ikechukwu N. S. Dozie, PhD | Evangeline T. Oparaocha, PhD | Angelica A. Anele, MD | Kingsley C. Anochiwa, MPH ABSTRACT •

Background: The association between body mass index (BMI) and breast cancer risk has been well recognized. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of BMI with breast cancer risks among women of Igbo origin in Imo and Abia states in South Eastern Nigeria.

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Methods: The study was conducted at three different locations: Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba, Abia State; Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State; and the Maranatha Specialist Mission Hospital, Aba, Abia State. This was a prospective hospital-based case control study. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric measures using a structured questionnaire. Collected data were imported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. In all, 681 patients participated in the study of which 347 were cases and 334 were controls. The T-test was used to assess statistical differences of height, weight, and BMI in the studied groups. Logistic regressions were used to calculate the multivariate odds ratio (OR) using 95% confidence interval (CI) with significant level set at p>0.05.

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Results: Higher BMI is associated with increased risk of breast cancer.

There was a significant statistical difference between the height of cases and controls in both pre-and post-menopausal women. The mean value of height was 161.14± 7.1cm among cases compared to controls which was 161.39 cm (p<0.05). The mean weight among cases was 66.34 ± 11.8kg compared to controls at 65.45 ± 9.2kg (p<0.05); the mean BMI was 25.6± 4.8kg/m2 among cases compared to controls 25.1± 4.6 kg/m2 (p<0.05).

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Conclusion and Implications For Translation: Primary prevention measures are important to modestly curtail the increasing burden of obesity and high BMI. By controlling the weight, through physical activities, changes in diet and modestly alcohol intake will reduce the risk of breast cancer.

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Key words: • Breast Cancer • Imo State • Abia State • South East Nigeria • Body Mass Index • Nigeria Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-05-15; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

STRESS COPING STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN WEST BANK/PALESTINE

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Mariam Amer Al-Tell, BSN, MSN, PhD | Khulud Mansor, BSN, MSN ABSTRACT

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Background or Objectives: All humans by nature cope with stressors by using productive and non-productive coping strategies. Adolescents and students in particular experience stress mainly due to academic examinations but the strategies adopted by students in the West Bank/Palestine are largely unknown and understudied. This study examines stress-coping strategies adopted by general secondary school-aged students in government schools in Northern West Bank.

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Methods: This is a quantitative designed study of 334 students selected from 39 schools utilizing a stratified random sampling method. A self-reporting questionnaire composed of Brief Coping Orientation of Problems Experienced (COPE) was used to identify stress management methods among the students.

A scale consisting of 14 domains representing 28 coping methods was created with the following 4-likert-scale response choices: 1) "I haven't been doing this at all," 2) "I've been doing this a little bit," 3) "I've been doing this a medium amount," and 4) "I've been doing this a lot." Respondents reported their views scoring them from 1-4; the mean for each method was calculated and ranged from scores 2-6.

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Results: In all, religion (6.30±1.6,1) and planning (6.11±1.35) methods were the predominant domains of coping methods used by majority of the students.

Problem-focused and emotion-focused coping methods were used more than the "less-useful" coping methods more among females than by their male counterparts. The "use of instrumental support," "denial," and "behavioural disengagement" were methods used more by students in the humanities than their counterparts in the scientific branches.

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Conclusion and Implications for Translation: Almost all of the students have different levels of stress with different effects. The useful (i.e., "problem-focused" and "emotion-focused") coping methods were mostly used by students, and the "less useful" coping once were used a "little bit." Religion and planning were the predominant coping methods used by students. It is recommended that schools should emphasize on the use of useful evidence-base coping methods to deal with their stress.

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Keywords: • Stress • Coping • Coping methods • Secondary schools • Students Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-05-19; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

WILLINGNESS TO BECOME DECEASED ORGAN DONORS AMONG POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SELECTED COLLEGES IN KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL

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Pragya Paneru, MPH | Samyog Uprety, MD | Shyam S. Budhathoki, MD | Birendra K. Yadav, MPhil | Suman L. Bhandari, MSc

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Introduction: Globally, there is a discrepancy between demand and availability of organs for transplantation. Transplantation is done from a living donor as well as a brain-dead/deceased donor. However, the • Health Organization (WHO) encourages deceased donor World transplantation, since there is no risk to the donor. Although, the Transplant Act of Nepal 2016 opened the doors for deceased donor organ transplantation, the rate of transplantation from deceased donors • is very low. Thus, this study assesses factors associated with willingness for deceased organ donation among post-graduate students of law, medicine, and mass communication streams.

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Methods: A total of 9 colleges, 3 from each specialty were selected via lottery method. The total sample size calculated was 440. Selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect the data. 170, 140 and • forms were 130 distributed in law, medicine and mass communication respectively via convenient sampling. Multivariate analysis among the variables that had p- value <0.05 in bivariate analysis was carried out to find out the strongest predictors of willingness to be deceased organ donors.

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Results: In all, 53.2% were willing to become deceased organ donors.

Family permission in one's wish to donate organs, having someone in family with chronic disease, having attended any conference or general talk on organ donation, knowing a live organ donor and knowing that body will not be left disfigured after organ extraction were found to be the strongest predictors for willingness to be deceased organ donors; while lack of awareness was reported as the main barrier for the same reason.

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Conclusion: There is a need for extensive awareness programs and new strategies to motivate individuals and family members for organ donation.

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Key words: • Deceased Organ Donation • Willingness • Kathmandu • Nepal • Organ Transplantation • Living Donor • Deceased Donor Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-05-19; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF PIPER GUINEENSE (AFRICAN BLACK PEPPER) IN FEMALE DIABETICS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIABETES TREATMENT

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Gordon Amadi, BSc | Samuel C. Iwuji, PhD | Taofik O. Azeez, PhD | Chidozie J. Nwaokoro, PhD | Chioma O. Wodu, BSc

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Objectives: To investigate the biochemical effects of oral doses of Piper guineense (P. guineense) leaf extract on female diabetics using experimental animals.

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Methods: The animals, albino wistar rats, were divided into six groups (n=7). Animals in group 1 received water and feed only. Animals in groups 2 to 6 were induced with diabetes using alloxan. Methanolic leave extracts of P. Guineense were administered to groups 2 to 4 in 40 mg/kg, 80 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weights representing low, medium and high doses respectively. Group 5 animals were treated with 10 mg/kg body weight of Glibenclamide (Antidiabetic drug) and group 6 animals were left untreated.

All treatments were carried out orally and lasted for a period of 14 days. At the end of the 14 days, the animals were humanely sacrificed through cardiac puncture and the blood samples collected for the analyses of some liver and kidney function parameters using assay kits.

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Results: The results showed that the oral doses of methanolic leave extract of P. guineense had no negative alterations on the biochemical parameters analyzed namely, 1) Lipid profile (Triglyceride, Low Density Lipoprotein, Total Cholesterol and High Density Lipoprotein levels), 2) electrolytes profile (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate, 3) Urea) and 4) Creatinine levels. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in the urea levels of treated animals and marked but insignificant reduction in the total cholesterol level and increase in High Density Lipoprotein at P<0.05.

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Conclusion and Implication for Translation: The reported antidiabetic P. guineense leaf extract caused no adverse biochemical changes in female diabetic rats. This implied that the extract may not distort the lipid and electrolyte profiles of female diabetics and could be pharmacologically safe in the management of female diabetics. It further implied that the Piper, Uziza, commonly taken after childbirth by nursing mothers in some tropical countries may maintain the lipid and electrolyte balance and consequently, prevent hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.

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Keywords: • Diabetes • Piper guineense • Lipids • Electrolytes • Methanolic extracts • Black pepper Vol 3 No 1 (2019), Published: 2019-05-27; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21106/ijtm

International Journal of Translational Medical Research and Public Health

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Editor-in-Chief: Romuladus E. Azuine, DrPH, MPH, RN.

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Editor: Gopal K. Singh, PhD Add your first bullet point here Editorial Assistant: Carl Dowling, SAP.

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Add your second bullet point Contact Information: here submissions@ijtmrph.org

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Website: Add your third bullet point here www.ijtmrph.org