Family life education (FLE) is a process of imparting both factual knowledge about human development, sexual relationships, preparation for parenthood, pregnancy, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases and also values, attitudes and perceptions that will enhance health self-concepts and relationships. Although experts agree that the home is the best place to begin FLE, parents themselves are sometimes reluctant as discussion of these topics may be embarrassing or even taboo between generations. Parents also express concern that they may not be knowledgeable enough to handle FLE. The inhibitions on FLE in the home may be exacerbated by urbanization that reduces traditional social support systems. With this background, the investigators looked at the nature and level of family life communication between parents and their adolescent children in homes in the suburban community of Apata in Ibadan, Nigeria. Of six FLE topics, the 253 families interviewed discussed only an average of three. Some parents did not feel competent and others felt that raising such issues might encourage undesirable behavior by the youth. Mothers were found to be the major initiators of FLE. A 12-point communication score was constructed based on potential FLE topics that could be discussed at home. The level of FLE communication was found to increase with parents' level of education. Greater time at home by parents was also associated with better scores. A positive perception of a parental role in FLE was reflected in higher scores. Strategies to increase parents' knowledge on FLE topics as well as their self-efficacy in providing FLE is suggested with special focus on the facilitating potential of schools and women's groups in the community.

This paper introduces the concept of supportive supervision in community-based nursing intervention as a supervisory tool among health consumers. It provides overview of supportive supervision as management tool to facilitate delivery of quality service by the health care providers. It also describes the adaptability of this concept to supervision of community members following heath education and training with a view to enhancing and sustaining health promotion and prevention of diseases. The author describes utilisation of this tool in promoting and sustaining mothers' skills in home management and prevention of malaria at a community level and recommends its usage by community health workers as a substitute to home visit for different populations within a community where there is dwindling human and material resources to carry out home visits so as to promote effective outcome.

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Infection with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a public health problem. Worldwide, there are about 170 million people infected with HCV. HCV is transmitted through sex and use of contaminated sharp objects during tattooing or intravenous drug abuse. These routes make youth to be more vulnerable. Transfusion and mother to child transmissions are also documented modes. This study was carried out to determine sero-prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among in school youth at Achievers University, Owo in southwest Nigeria. Samples of blood were collected from 70 undergraduate students and sera harvested were tested for the presence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus by Enzyme Immunoassay Technique. Most participants fall within age range 21-25 (91.4%). The study showed that none of the subjects was positive for anti-HCV antibodies. Education and awareness level might have impacted positively on this outcome. Thus routine screening for HCV and sustained awareness creation activities to eradicate HCV and its attendant consequences from our society is of paramount importance.