Ezra Olatunde Ogundare

The financial burden of sickle cell disease on households in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria

Background Studies on economic impact of sickle cell disease (SCD) are scanty despite its being common among children in developing countries who are mostly Africans. Objective To determine the financial burden of SCD on households in Ado Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria. Methods A longitudinal and descriptive study of household expenditures on care of 111 children with SCD managed at the pediatric hematology unit of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital was conducted between January and December 2014. Results There were 64 male and 47 female children involved, aged between 15 and 180 months. They were from 111 households, out of which only eight (7.2%) were enrolled under the National Health Insurance Scheme. The number of admissions and outpatients’ consultations ranged from 1 to 5 and 1 to 10 per child, respectively. Malaria, vaso-occlusive crisis, and severe anemia were the leading comorbidities. The monthly household income ranged between ₦12,500 and ₦330,000 (US

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Prevalence, Perceptions, and Healthcare-Seeking Behavior amongst Nigerian Men

76 and US

Pattern and medical care of child victims of sexual abuse in Ekiti, south-western Nigeria

2,000) with a median of ₦55,000 (US

Evaluation of a Portable Haemoglobin Metre Performance in Children with Sickle Cell Disease and Implications for Healthcare in Resource-poor Settings.

333), and health expenditure ranged between ₦2,500 and ₦215,000 (US

Pattern and outcome of dog bite injuries among children in Ado-Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria

15 and US

Unusual Presentations in Pediatric HIV: Case Series

1,303) with a mean of ₦39,554±35,479 (US

Care of the Newborn in Developing Countries

240±215). Parents of 63 children lost between 1 and 48 working days due to their children’s ill health. Parents of 23 children took loans ranging between ₦6,500 and ₦150,000 (US

Knowledge, attitudes and screening practices regarding prostatic diseases among men older than 40 years: a population-based study in Southwest Nigeria

39 and US

PCR Results and PMTCT Treatment Outcomes among HIV-Exposed Infants in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria, 2010-2014

909) to offset hospital bills. The percentage of family income spent as health expenditure on each child ranged from 0.38 to 34.4. Catastrophic health expenditure (when the health expenditure >10% of family income) occurred in 23 (20.7%) households. Parents who took loan to offset hospital bills, low social class, and patients who took ill during the study period significantly had higher odds for catastrophic health expenditure (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.399–87.176, P=0.000; 95% CI 2.322–47.310, P=0.002; and 95% CI 1.128–29.694, P=0.035, respectively). Conclusion SCD poses enormous financial burden on parents and households.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and the factors influencing the healthcare-seeking behavior of men with LUTS. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed of 658 men selected using multi-staged sampling techniques. They were interviewed about LUTS and their healthcare-seeking behavior. The data were analysed using PASW Statistics ver. 18. Associations between specific factors and healthcare-seeking behavior were examined using the chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results The overall prevalence of LUTS was 59.1%. Storage symptoms (48.2%) were more prevalent than voiding (36.8%) or post-micturition (29.9%) symptoms. Approximately a quarter (25.5%) had a poor quality of life (QoL) score. The average duration of symptoms before seeking help was 3.4 years. Almost half (46.8%) of the men with LUTS had never sought help. Perceptions of LUTS as an inevitable part of ageing, subjective feelings of wellness, financial constraints, and fear of surgery were the most common reasons for not seeking help. The most common reasons for seeking help were to moderate-severe symptoms, impaired QoL, and fear of cancer. Severe LUTS, impaired QoL, and the concomitant presence of erectile dysfunction, dysuria, or haematuria were clinical factors that positively influenced healthcare-seeking behavior. Conclusions In this population-based study, we found that the prevalence of LUTS was very high amongst adult males. However, only about half of these men sought medical attention. Their healthcare-seeking behavior was influenced by severity of symptoms, QoL scores, and socio-demographic factors such as educational status.