Objectives. Review of public health perspectives of preeclampsia in developing countries and implications for health system strengthening. Methods. Literature from Pubmed (MEDLINE), AJOL, Google Scholar, and Cochrane database were reviewed. Results. The prevalence of preeclampsia in developing countries ranges from 1.8% to 16.7%. Many challenges exist in the prediction, prevention, and management of preeclampsia. Promising prophylactic measures like low-dose aspirin and calcium supplementation need further evidence before recommendation for use in developing countries. Treatment remains prenatal care, timely diagnosis, proper management, and timely delivery. Prevailing household, community, and health system factors limiting effective control of preeclampsia in these countries were identified, and strategies to strengthen health systems were highlighted. Conclusion. Overcoming the prevailing challenges in the control of preeclampsia in developing countries hinges on the ability of health care systems to identify and manage women at high risk.

A door-to-door survey to detect commonly occurring neurologic diseases was carried out in Igbo-Ora, a large Nigerian town with a population of approximately 20,000. Effective health care facilities have been operating in the community since 1963. Primary health care workers and nondoctor personnel administered a complete census, a screening questionnaire, and a simple screening neurologic examination. The pretested screening questionnaire had been shown in a pilot study to have a sensitivity of 95% for identifying those with epilepsy. Individuals positive on the screening phase of the survey were evaluated by neurologists and neurosurgeons, who used well-defined criteria to make the diagnosis. There were 101 (48 males and 53 females) who suffered from active epilepsy (5.3 cases/1,000) on prevalence day. The highest age-specific prevalence ratios occurred in those below age 20. The most common of the identifiable seizure types was complex partial seizures (52 cases). The prevalence ratio of epilepsy in this Nigerian town (with an effective health care system) is similar to that reported in some developed countries and several times lower than figures derived from studies in developing countries. These data suggest that an improved health care system would probably reduce the prevalence and burden of epilepsy in developing countries.

BackgroundRefugees as “People Living in Highly Stressful Situation” are particularly vulnerable to mental ill-health as a result of the trauma experienced pre- and post-migration. The lack of information on the mental health disparities of refugees and non-refugees in West Africa is what this study aimed to bridge.A cross-sectional study design was employed using a cluster sampling technique. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaires consisting of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), WHO quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Community Quality of Life (CQoL) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of mental health status and QoL.ResultsRespondents consisted of 444(45.7%) refugees and 527(54.3%) non-refugees. Two-thirds 292 (66%) of the refugees were Liberians. Mean age: refugees - 34.8 ± 12.8 years versus non-refugees - 33.3 ± 8.1 years (p < 0.05). While the majority 376(84.7%) of the refugees were married, most 468(88.8%) of the native population were not (p < 0.001). Significantly higher proportion of refugees had polygamous marriages, lived in poorer type of accommodation and had no formal education compared to the non-refugees (p < 0.05). The overall QoL and CQoL scores were both significantly lower for the refugees (p < 0.001). Refugees were three times more likely than non-refugees to have poor mental health [OR: 3.43; 95%CI: 1.83-6.40]. Overall, being currently ill tripled the odds of mental ill health [OR: 2.73; 95%CI: 1.98-3.77]. Unskilled workers [OR: 2.78; 95%CI: 1.68-4.60], skilled workers [OR: 2.98; 95%CI: 2.03-4.38] and the unemployed [OR: 1.94; 95%CI: 1.29-2.92] had two or more times the odds of poor mental health compared to professionals.ConclusionsQoL and occupational status were the major threats to the mental health of the refugees. Results of this study point to the need for continued attention to not only the healthcare needs but the welfare, housing, employment and overall QoL to support the long-term mental health of refugees and non-refugee populations alike.

Most medical students experienced verbal forms of mistreatment and abuse during their training. Appropriate strategies for the prevention and reduction of medical student mistreatment should be developed.