Because of drastic currency devaluation, and lack of disability benefits and nursing homes, the findings contrast with Western reports where cost of drugs constitutes 2-5%, and indirect costs constitute over 50% of the total cost of schizophrenia.

Nigeria is a large West African country, more than 900 000 km2 in area–nearly four times the size of the UK. Despite having a population of about 117 million people, 42% of whom live in cities, Nigeria has about half the population density of the UK. About a sixth of all Africans are Nigerian. The country has a diverse ethnic mix, with over 200 spoken languages, of which three (Yoruba, Hausa and Ibo) are spoken by about 60% of the population. The official language of government and educational instruction is English. There is a federal system of government and 36 states. Religious practice has a major role in Nigeria's culture; of the two main religions, Islam predominates in the northern part of the country and Christianity in the south. A large proportion of the population still embraces traditional religions exclusively, or interwoven with either Islam or Christianity.

ContextStudies on knowledge and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS reported from developed countries have shown that people with psychiatric disorders constitute a special risk group. In Nigeria, although similar studies have been conducted on various population groups, there has, so far, been no reported study on people suffering from psychiatric disorders.ObjectiveThe present study set out to compare knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS among schizophrenic patients and diabetic patients.MethodsNinety-eight consecutive schizophrenic patients attending the outpatient clinics of a psychiatric hospital over a period of 8 weeks completed an interviewer's administered questionnaire. The interview covered demographics, risk behaviors, knowledge related to HIV/AIDS, and patients' attitudes toward people infected with HIV/AIDS. Their responses were compared with those of 56 diabetic patients who were similarly interviewed in a teaching hospital.ResultsCompared with the diabetic patients, the schizophrenic patients were significantly less sexually active in the previous 12 months (P < .05). They had more misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and were less tolerant towards people living with HIV/AIDS compared with the diabetic patients. They were also more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors.ConclusionMental health providers rarely educate psychiatric patients about HIV/AIDS and should be more involved in doing so. Despite being less sexually active, patients with schizophrenia engaged in risk behaviors as did the diabetic patients.

Background:In Nigeria, with a rising incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM), there are no controlled studies of specific psychiatric morbidity among sufferers. Objective: To assess the prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders and general cognitive impairment in patients with diabetes mellitus. Method: Using Wing's Present State Examination and the Mini-Mental State Examination, we assessed the prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders and cognitive impairment among 100DM patients attending an out-patient clinic, in comparison with a matched non-clinic sample; and examined the relationship between psychiatric morbidity and clinical variables. Results: They were predominantly males (66%), mean age 43.0 years, mean duration of illness, 7.7 years and in low level occupations. Only 11 of the patients had sexual dysfunction (11%) and psychiatric symptoms (31%). Psychiatric diagnosis (ICD-10) were, generalised anxiety (6%) and mild depressive disorder (4%). Two had subjective memory disturbance. Insulin-dependent patients had significantly more widespread psychiatric symptoms than the non-insulin dependent. Psychiatric symptomatology was significantly associated with low occupational status, duration of illness and sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: Health education, subsidising the cost of treatment, and physicians' sensitivity to the emotional condition of patients, will help to relieve psychic distress and make for more adequate management.

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