Introduction Domestic violence (DV) in the form of verbal abuse is very common among women, especially pregnant women, posing as a serious public health issue that could lead to complications in pregnancy and threaten maternal and fetal outcomes. Studies have determined that domestic verbal abuse (DVA) in pregnancy was more common in women less than 25 years of age as well as in those with low education levels. This study determined the overall prevalence of verbal abuse in pregnant women, in a semi-urban population and is unique in that the verbal abuse in pregnant women with a previous girl child was also determined. This study helps healthcare providers identify the potential causes of DVA in pregnancy and provide timely interventions in the form of counseling for pregnant women and families. Objective This observational study was carried out to assess the prevalence of DVA among pregnant women, to determine the trimester of occurrence of DVA among pregnant women, and to explore the associations of DVA with age, employment status, parity gestational age, and birth weight.  Materials and methods This was a six-month hospital-based observational study conducted at Dr D. Y. Patil Medical College\'s in-patient department (IPD) of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Pimpri, Pune. Consent was obtained from 200 pregnant women who received admission for delivery and provided a validated modified copy of a DV assessment screening questionnaire. A statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 10. A Chi-square test was employed wherever required, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The study included 200 pregnant women, who were admitted to the hospital for delivery. The prevalence of DV in the form of verbal abuse was noted to be 74 out of 200 (37%). The working status of the woman showed an influence on DVA. There was also a significant increase in verbal abuse (68%) among the age group between 18 and 23 years. The previous delivery of a female child also had a significant impact on DVA, which turned out to be more prevalent, particularly if two female children were born previously (80%). The study also noted higher rates of preterm deliveries in pregnant women with DVA being 57%. Conclusion The study demonstrates that women, even in modern times, experience DVA during pregnancy, especially among the younger age group. It has also been found that it is more common among women who are financially dependent due to maternal unemployment. As a result, there is a need to routinely screen pregnant women for DVA to avoid potentially detrimental pregnancy outcomes and to prevent ongoing abuse.

Living areas in developing countries impact seriously lifestyle by modifying energy consumption and energy expenditure. Thus, urbanization is associated with less practice of physical activity (PA), a leading cause of metabolic syndrome (MetS) which prevalence vary in African countries. The present study aimed to assess the effect of PA on MetS according to urbanization level in the littoral region, Cameroon.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in three geographical settings (urban, semi-urban, and rural) in the littoral region in Cameroon. A total of 879 participants were included (urban: 372, semi-urban: 195 and rural: 312). MetS was defined according to the International Federation of Diabetes 2009. The level of PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity questionnaire.
Low level of PA was (P < 0.0001) reported in urban (54.5%), semi-urban (28.7%) and rural (16.9%) and high level in rural area (77.9%). The prevalence of MetS was higher in urban areas (37.2%), then rural (36.8%) and finally semi-urban (25.9%). Hyperglycemia (p = 0.0110), low HDL-c (p < 0.0001) and high triglyceridemia (p = 0.0068) were most prevalent in urban residents. Participants with low level of PA were at risk of MetS (OR: 1.751, 95% CI 1.335-2.731, p = 0.001), hyperglycemia (OR: 1.909, 95% CI 1.335-2.731, p = 0.0004) abdominal obesity(OR: 2.007, 95% CI 1.389-2.900, p = 0.0002), low HDL-c (OR: 1.539, 95% CI 1.088-2.179, p = 0.014) and those with moderate level of PA were protected against high blood pressure(OR: 0.452, 95% CI 0.298-0.686, p = 0.0002) and compared to those with high level of PA. Urban dwellers were at the risk of MetS compared to rural residents (OR: 1.708, 95% CI. 1.277-2.285, p = 0.003) and protected against high blood pressure (OR:0.314, 95% CI 0.212-0.466, p < 0.0001), abdominal obesity (OR: 0.570, 95% CI 0.409-0.794, p = 0.0009), and low HDL-c (OR: 0.725, 95% CI 0.534-0.983, p = 0.038) compared to rural residents.
MetS was more prevalent in urban dwellers and was associated with a low level of PA.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is prevalent in most low- and middle-income countries, and it is a major cause of disability and low quality of life. Stroke incidence is rising in tandem with the prevalence of its risk factors. Our research aims to identify stroke risk factors in a semi-urban slum in northcentral Nigeria.
METHODS: This community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2017 to determine the prevalence of stroke risk factors among adult (≥18 years) residents of the Kabong community, in Jos, north central Nigeria. A total of 196 participants were recruited by multistage sampling technique. An adapted WHO STEPS questionnaire was used for the study and blood samples were obtained for lipid biochemistry.
RESULTS: We studied 196 participants, of whom 118 (60.2%) were females. The participants\' median age was 48 (29) years, with those ≥ 65 years accounting for 17.3%. Generalized and abdominal obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were all prevalent in 39.1%, 52.3%, 37.1% and 17.8% of the population respectively. A LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio of >2.5 was observed in 74.1% of participants, elevated total cholesterol in 52.3%, elevated LDL-cholesterol in 57.4%, low HDL-cholesterol in 68.5% and high triglycerides in 13.2%. Current smoking and alcohol consumption were found in 4.1% and 32% of respondents, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in this young population. Elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, and illiteracy were all predictors of cardiovascular events. Health education, screening, and lifestyle changes are needed to reduce future cardiovascular disease burden.
BACKGROUND: Les maladies cardiovasculaires sont répandues dans la plupart des pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire et constituent une cause majeure d’invalidité et de mauvaise qualité de vie. L’incidence des accidents vasculaires cérébraux augmente parallèlement à la prévalence de leurs facteurs de risque. Notre recherche vise à identifier les facteurs de risque d’AVC dans un bidonville semi-urbain du centrenord du Nigeria.
UNASSIGNED: Cette étude transversale à base communautaire a été menée en juillet 2017 pour déterminer la prévalence des facteurs de risque d’AVC chez les résidents adultes (≥18 ans) de la communauté de Kabong, à Jos, dans le centre-nord du Nigéria. Au total, 196 participants ont été recrutés par une technique d’échantillonnage à plusieurs degrés. Un questionnaire STEPS adapté de l’OMS a été utilisé pour l’étude et des échantillons de sang ont été prélevés pour la biochimie des lipides.
UNASSIGNED: Nous avons étudié 196 participants, dont 118 (60,2 %) étaient des femmes. L’âge médian des participants était de 48 (29) ans, les participants ≥65 ans représentant 17,3 %. L’obésité généralisée et abdominale, l’hypertension et le diabète sucré concernaient respectivement 39,1 %, 52,3 %, 37,1 % et 17,8 % de la population. Un rapport A LDL/HDL-cholestérol > 2,5 a été observé chez 74,1 % des participants, un taux élevé de cholestérol total chez 52,3 %, un taux élevé de LDL-cholestérol chez 57,4 %, un faible taux de HDLcholestérol chez 68,5 % et un taux élevé de triglycérides chez 13,2 %. Le tabagisme et la consommation d’alcool ont été constatés chez 4,1 % et 32 % des personnes interrogées, respectivement.
CONCLUSIONS: La prévalence des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire est élevée dans cette jeune population. Une pression artérielle élevée, une hypertriglycéridémie et l’analphabétisme sont des facteurs prédictifs d’événements cardiovasculaires. L’éducation à la santé, le dépistage et les changements de mode de vie sont nécessaires pour réduire le fardeau des maladies cardiovasculaires à l’avenir.
UNASSIGNED: Maladies cardiovasculaires, Facteurs de risque, Semiurbain, Centre-nord, Nigeria.

Background The global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been on an alarming increase in the last two decades. The morbidity and mortality associated with CKD are even worse in Nigeria, like other developing countries, due to multiple socioeconomic and demographic factors in the country. CKD contributes to the increasing need for hospital admission. Hypertension and chronic glomerulonephritis have been the leading causes of CKD in Nigeria. However, diabetic nephropathy has recently gained more significance as a cause of CKD in developing countries. Aim and methods This study aimed to describe the current trend in the burden and population characteristics of CKD in Southern Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study. The study recruited adult patients with prehemodialysis CKD seen in renal clinics over a two-year period (November 2014 to October 2016). Data were obtained using a questionnaire and from the clinic register. All participants were clinically assessed, including history, anthropometric measurements, and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio. Results A total of 1,549 patients were seen at the Medical Outpatient Clinic over the study period. CKD accounted for 9.7% of medical outpatient clinic attendance. The mean age of participants was 49±13 years. The leading causes of CKD were diabetes mellitus (32%), chronic glomerulonephritis (30%), and hypertension (22%). Among the participants, CKD stages 3, 4, and 5 were prevalent in 26.7%, 43.3%, and 14.7%, respectively. Conclusion and recommendation CKD is very prevalent among medical clinic patients. Diabetic nephropathy seems to be a more significant cause of CKD than was previously reported. Late presentation of patients to nephrologists remains an obstacle to improving CKD outcome in Nigeria. There is need for more intensive preventive measures and early intervention.

UNASSIGNED: Physical inactivity and unhealthy diet are leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases globally. Limited studies have assessed the prevalence of these risk factors in community-based settings in Nigeria.
UNASSIGNED: This study assessed the prevalence of physical activity and the dietary pattern of residents in selected semi-urban communities in Ibadan, Nigeria.
UNASSIGNED: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 500 randomly selected residents from two semi-urban communities. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select households and participants. Data were collected using a pretested modified version of the WHO STEPS instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were determined at 5% level of significance.
UNASSIGNED: The mean age was 35.36 ± 12.24 and a mean household size of 4.07 ± 1.85. Majority (87.2%) of the respondents engaged in low physical activity (< 150-300 min/wk). Consumption of fruits and vegetables was low among respondents at 33% and 36.4% respectively. The employment status of respondents was significantly related to expected workplace physical activity level (χ2=11.27; P=0.024).
UNASSIGNED: This study highlights the need for the development and implementation of community-driven, multi-layered public health promotion initiatives across different settings.

UNASSIGNED: Traumatic injuries are a serious public health problem. The burden of these injuries is increasing globally, and there is evidence that the pattern is changing.
UNASSIGNED: The study had two objectives. The first was to determine the aetiology and clinical spectrum of trauma in a teaching hospital. The second was to determine whether these have changed compared with previous reports from the region.
UNASSIGNED: Between September 2017 and August 2018, data from injured patients who presented consecutively to the accident and emergency department at the Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria, were prospectively collected using a trauma data form and analysed.
UNASSIGNED: Road traffic crashes (RTCs) caused 75.6% of the injuries, and motorcycle crashes accounted for more injuries than all the other major causes of injuries combined. Compared with previous studies from the same hospital, assault has risen to the second position, whereas falls have fallen to the third position as causes of traumatic injuries. The Injury Severity Scores (ISS) of the patients ranged from 1 to 75, with a mean score of 7.01. The mortality rate was 2.5%. Time to treatment: odds ratio (OR) = 3.25 (1.1-10.0), ISS: OR = 1.172 (1.07-1.28), age: OR = 1.097 (1.013-1.188), and systolic blood pressure: OR=1.07 (1.106-1.025) were the significant predictors of mortality. No patient was transported to the hospital in an ambulance.
UNASSIGNED: The pattern of trauma in the subregion is changing as the proportion secondary to RTCs and motorcycle crashes is higher than previously reported studies from the area. The implication of this finding for the prevention of RTCs is discussed.

Neurological diseases in children may be associated with mortality and long-term morbidity when they recover from acute ailments. The pattern of neurological disorders in an outpatient service may highlight the burden of these diseases. The objective of the present study is to describe the pattern of neurological disorders at the Pediatric Neurology Clinic of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Nigeria. A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients in a Pediatric Neurology Clinic of OOUTH, from 1st January 2011 till 31st December 2014, was carried out. A total of 4,476 patients attended the pediatric outpatient unit. Of these, 433 children had neurological disorders with a prevalence of 9.67%. The most frequent pediatric neurological disorders included seizure disorders (37.7%), cerebral palsy (37.7%), and central nervous system infections with complications (6.2%). The subjects with cerebral palsy were the youngest, while the subjects with seizures were the oldest. This study emphasizes that neurological disease contributes substantially to childhood morbidity in a semi-urban African tertiary hospital.

Current alcohol public health policy in Australia is not uniform but is generally focused on restricting access and early prevention of problematic alcohol use. Semi-urban and rural populations are at greater risk of disease and other poor health outcomes due to a variety of factors. Little is known about problematic drinking patterns over time in semi-urban and rural populations. This study aims to assess patterns of problematic drinking defined as both long-term risky and heavy episodic drinking over time by age, sex, and mental health status among urban, semi-urban and rural populations). Four waves (2004 to 2016) of the Australian NDSHS (National Drug Strategy Household Survey) were analyzed to assess problematic drinking of participants over 18 years of age. We used regression models and predictive margins to identify trends in problematic drinking over time based on age, sex, and mental health status. Our results show young adults across all regions, males, and mentally well individuals in urban areas have reductions in the risk of problematic drinking over time. Middle-aged adults across all regions, females, and those with varying mental health presentations in rural areas have some increases in risk of problematic drinking over time. The general conclusion is that targeted alcohol-related public health policy may need to change and focus on females, middle-aged individuals, and those living in rural areas. Programs to support problematic drinking in people with mental health disorders may also need to be a priority.

Few data to date exist on pediatric hypertension (PH) prevalence and risk factors in semi-urban areas in Cameroon, and they are believed to be the same as urban areas. These data are needed to design targeted preventive strategies and contribute to reducing the burden of PH in Cameroon and countries with equivalent standards of care. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study, from November, 2017 to June, 2018, in primary and secondary schools, from semi-urban (Bamboutos, West Region) and urban (Mfoundi, Center Region) settings in Cameroon, including children and adolescent aged between 3 and 19 years, recruited on a stratified probability sampling. PH was defined according to the American Academy of Pediatrics 2017. Overall, 1001 and 842 participants were, respectively, included in urban and semi-urban areas. The overall average age was 13.9 ± 4.03 years, and two-thirds were girls. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent in urban area (overweight: 17.1%; obesity: 5.9%), compared to semi-urban (overweight: 1.1% and obesity: 0.8%) (p < .001). The prevalence of hypertension was higher in urban (12%) than semi-urban areas (8.6%) (p = .01). We have identified as factors associated with PH: age > 14 years (OR = 3.18 [1.6; 6.2]) and secondary level of education (OR = 2.5 [1.2; 5.5]) in urban areas; family history of hypertension (OR 1.93 [1.1; 3.4] in semi-urban areas. PH prevalence is higher in urban than semi-urban areas, and the associated factors are not the same. Policies to address hypertension in the pediatric population must be targeted and tailored to the different population profiles.

The burden of hypertension is reported to be on the rise in developing countries, such as South Africa, despite increased efforts to address it. Using a cross-sectional study design, we assessed and compared the prevalence of and risk factors associated with hypertension amongst adults aged ≥18 years in semi-urban and rural communities (1187 semi-urban and 1106 rural). Trained community health workers administered the INTERHEART Risk Score tool and performed blood pressure assessments using the MEDIC Pharmacists Choice Blood Pressure Monitor. Hypertension was defined to be a systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors and determine their relationship with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension amongst semi-urban and rural communities was 21% with no gender difference. In the semi-urban area, physical activity, family history, fruit intake, salty food, and eating meat were significantly associated with the odds of hypertension among women, whereas only the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), diabetic status, and salty food were the predictors for rural women. Factors such as fried food and low fruit intake were significantly associated with the odds of hypertension among men in the semi-urban area, whereas only the WHR was significant among men in the rural area. Hypertension was found to be prevalent among semi-urban and rural adults in Limpopo Province, South Africa.