Background:Disturbances of menstrual bleeding are major social and medical problem for women and account for high percentage of gynecological visit.Objectives:The objective of the study was to document menstrual abnormalities experienced by female college students, their awareness and health seeking behavior.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional survey was undertaken, 400 students were selected using stratified sampling technique and interviewed using semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Inferential statistical analysis such as Chi-square test and logistic regressions were carried out.Results:The mean age at menarche was 14.18 years. Irregular menstrual cycles were reported in 9.0%. Dysmenorrhea was present in 62.5%, and 12.5% reported school absenteeism. Students' awareness of menstrual abnormalities was poor (29%). A few of them (10.5%) decided to seek help for menstrual abnormalities. The awareness of students on menstrual abnormalities was significantly influenced by their age (OR = 2.33, P = 0.03); however, age at menarche and level of study did not influence their awareness (OR = 0.45, P = 0.24 and OR = 1.42, P = 0.12). History of dysmenorrheal (OR = 10.2, P = 0.001) and academic disturbance (OR = 5.45, P = 0.001) had significant influence on the health seeking behavior of the students.Conclusion:There was a general lack of information about menstrual issues and when to seek help. There is a need to educate female college students about menstrual issues in order to improve their health seeking behavior as regards menstrual abnormalities.

Data from several parts of Nigeria point to increasing sexual activity among single adolescents of both sexes with progressive decreasing age at initiation and poor contraceptive use. This paper investigates the sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among teenage secondary school students in Ilesha, southwest Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional population survey of 300 male and female secondary school students within the age group of 13-19 years. The setting is secondary school coaching classes in Ilesha, southwest Nigeria. The outcome measures include prevalence of sexual activity, age at first sexual debut, circumstances leading to first sexual debut, number of sexual partners and family planning use. The result shows that out of the 300 studied, 50% were sexually active, the predominant age at first coitus was 15-19 years, and circumstances leading to sexual debut included mutual agreement, coercion and curiosity. Predominant proportion of sexually active teenagers (86.7%) did not use contraception at the time of first coitus and most of them had more than one sexual partner. The conclusion from this study is that 50% of teenage secondary school girls in this part of Nigeria are sexually active; 68.7% whom, have multiple sexual partners, and 86.7% of them did not use contraception at sexual debut. This unsafe sexual behaviour therefore put them at a great risk of acquiring STDs including HIV infection, and unwanted pregnancy. This study therefore recommends sex education/family life education for young people to encourage them to delay sexual activity as much as possible and practice safe sex when it eventually commences. There is also the need to sensitise the young people, parents, teachers, the community and all stake holders on the magnitude of the problem and to open up dialogue that will break the social, cultural and other mysteries hindering adolescents and youth reproductive health education and services in Nigeria.

Background / Aim: Incisional hernia is still relatively common in our practice. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors associated with incisional hernia in our region. The setting is the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria during a period when prosthetic mesh was not readily available. Patients and Methods: All the women who presented with incisional hernia between 1996 and 2005 were prospectively studied using a standard form to obtain information on pre-hernia (index) operations and possible predisposing factors. They all had open surgical repair and were followed up for 18–60 months. Results: Forty-four women were treated during study period. The index surgeries leading to the hernias were emergency caesarian section 26/44 (59.1%), emergency exploratory laparotomy 6/44 (13.6%), and elective surgeries 12/44 (27.3%). Major associated risk factors were the use of wrong suture materials for fascia repair, midline incisions, wound sepsis, and overweight. Conclusion: For elective surgeries, reduction of weight should be encouraged when appropriate, and transverse incisions are preferred. Absorbable sutures, especially chromic catgut, should be avoided in fascia closure. Antibiotics should be used for complicated obstetric cases.

Background: Depression and anxiety are common mental disorders that frequently occur in the elderly. When they co-exist, it is known as comorbid depression and anxiety. Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms among older adults in western Nigeria. Methods: This is a community-based, cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted among 328 consenting older adults. The Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaires were administered to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms. Socio-demographic information was obtained using a separate questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 70.1 years (SD = 9.2). Sixty per cent of the respondents were females and 58% were married.  The prevalence of comorbid depression and anxiety was 6.0% (2.4% in men and 6.6% in women) and 13% had depression-only while 19.9% had anxiety-only. Socio-demographic factors significantly associated with comorbid depression and anxiety included living alone (p = 0.001) and being not married (p = 0.028). However, only living alone (p = 0.015, OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.41- 25.36) independently predicted comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms among older adults. Conclusion: Although the prevalence rates of “depression only” and “anxiety only” were higher among older adults, comorbid depression and anxiety was also prevalent in later life and living alone is a significant predictor. Therefore, there is a need to increase the recognition and treatment of comorbid depression and anxiety in older adults.

Nothing in the field of health care generates more controversy than does the issue of abortion. The views of 396 undergraduates of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria concerning the liberalisation of abortion laws were investigated in May 2001. Ninety respondents (22.7%) supported the liberalisation of abortion laws in Nigeria because they believed that it would lead to reduction in associated morbidity and mortality, encourage more qualified personnel to perform it, encourage women to request abortion openly and encourage accurate statistics on abortion. However, the majority of the respondents (59.6%) opposed the liberalisation of abortion laws due to the fear that it would increase promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases and abortion rates. Religious opposition and the belief that liberalisation would not reduce the level of poverty, ignorance and poor reproductive health facilities were the common factors leading to unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion in Nigeria. Support for the liberalisation of abortion laws shows significant relationship with increasing age (P = 0.001), male sex (P = 0.001) and a science-orientated faculty (P<0.05), but not religion. There is every indication that the issue of abortion is one that will continue to be unresolved for the forseeable future.