COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are illnesses primarily spread through sexual contact. They include treatable infections such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, as well as incurable but manageable conditions like HIV, herpes simplex virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis B. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perception of STIs among adolescents in secondary schools within Ekosodin community, Benin City, Edo State. A descriptive research design was adopted, involving 525 senior secondary students from four public schools, with a sample size of 397 selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, validated by the supervisor, and tested for reliability using the test-retest method. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, including frequency counts and percentages, with results presented in tables. Findings revealed that most adolescents (78.36%) were aware of STIs, and a significant proportion (85.48%) recognized that risky sexual behaviors increase vulnerability to infections, leading to serious health consequences. Based on these outcomes, it is recommended that STI education be integrated into school curricula and that awareness campaigns through media be strengthened.

BACKGROUND: Globally, COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a major public health concern and has had severe, wide-reaching effects on the functioning of societies, economies, social and healthcare systems worldwide. In addition to the ongoing health crisis, mental health crisis has been unfolding. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers had high workload and exposure to multiple psychosocial stressors. The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers has been assessed worldwide, but there are limited data on how healthcare workers have been affected in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, prevalence and effect of COVID-19 on the mental health status of Frontline and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and also to identify their coping strategies. METHODOLOGY: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 through June 2023 among Frontline Health Workers and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City using a systemic random sampling technique. The sample size was calculated using the formula for estimating two proportions for a comparative cross-sectional study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and Research Committee, University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire adapted and modified from the World Health Organization( WHO )Interim Guidance document on the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the Brief-COPES Strategy scale. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25.0 and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Data presentation was done using graphs, frequency tables and prose.

BACKGROUND: Globally, COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a major public health concern and has had severe, wide-reaching effects on the functioning of societies, economies, social and healthcare systems worldwide. In addition to the ongoing health crisis, mental health crisis has been unfolding. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers had high workload and exposure to multiple psychosocial stressors. The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers has been assessed worldwide, but there are limited data on how health care workers have been affected in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, prevalence and effect of COVID-19 on the mental health status of Frontline and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and also to identify their coping strategies. METHODOLOGY: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 through June 2023 among Frontline Health Workers and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City using a systemic random sampling technique. The sample size was calculated using the formula for estimating two proportions for a comparative cross-sectional study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and Research
Committee, University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using a structured self administered questionnaire adapted and modified from the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Guidance document on the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Brief-COPE Strategy scale. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25.0 and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Data presentation was done using graphs, frequency tables and prose. RESULT: A total of 500 respondents with mean age (SD) of 37.5 ± 5.6 and 39.9 ± 6.2 years for Frontline and Non-Frontline Health Workers participated in this study respectively. Findings from the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Guidance document on the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers during COVID-19 used to assess knowledge and attitude of respondents revealed that: majority 145 (86.8%) and 191 (57.4%) of the Frontline and Non-Frontline Health Workers had overall good knowledge of COVID-19 (p < 0.001, 0.006 respectively) and a high proportion 134 (80.2%) and 284 (85.3%) of the Frontline and Non Frontline Health Workers had overall positive attitude towards COVID-19 (p = 0.054, 0.096 respectively). The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) tool used to assess the mental health status of respondents showed that majority 148 (88.6%) of the Frontline Health Workers experienced depression, anxiety and PTSD while 286 (85.8%) of the Non-Frontline Health Workers experienced depression, anxiety and psychological distress (p = 0.240, 0.547 respectively). Being more aware (good knowledge), Frontline Health Workers were 24.7% times more likely to be psychologically affected (depression, anxiety and PTSD) by COVID-19 compared to Non As a result of positive attitude, Frontline Health Workers were 85.5% times more likely to be psychologically affected (depression, anxiety and PTSD) by COVID-19 compared to Non Frontline Health Workers. This was also statistically significant (p= 0.444, OR: 1.855, 95% CI: 0.381– 9.021). The Brief-COPE Strategy scale used to assess coping styles of respondents showed that most 137 (82.0%) of the Frontline Health Workers coping styles were religion, getting support from people, making fun and being positive of the situation while 255 (76.6%) of the Non-Frontline Health Workers coping styles were getting support from people, concentrating on their work and use of drugs and alcohol (p = 0.128, p= 0.162 respectively). Coping styles were effective for both categories. Frontline Health Workers with tertiary level of education were 10.3% times less likely to be psychologically affected (depression, anxiety and PTSD) by COVID-19 compared to Non Frontline Health Workers. This was however not statistically significant (p= 0.082, OR: 0.897, 95% CI: 0.216– 3.734).
CONCLUSION: From this study, respondents had overall good knowledge of COVID-19. Good knowledge was higher among Frontline Health Workers than in Non-Frontline Health Workers. Majority of the respondents had positive attitude towards COVID-19, and it was observed to be higher among Frontline Health Workers than in Non-Frontline Health Workers.
About half of the respondents tested positive to COVID-19. Positive test was higher in Frontline Health Workers than Non-Frontline Health Workers. Higher proportion of the population were affected mentally. Negative mental health effect was
noticed to be higher among Frontline Health Workers compared to Non-Frontline Health Workers. Domains such as depression, anxiety, PTSD and psychological distress were identified as areas responsible for the psychological symptoms. Good knowledge of COVID-19, positive attitude towards COVID-19 and religion were predictors of coping styles among Non-Frontline Health Workers while knowledge of COVID 19, attitude towards COVID-19, level of education and marriage were identified as predictors of coping styles of Frontline Health Workers. Timely identification and implementation of an appropriate support to vulnerable groups would effectively mitigate the mental health impact of future pandemics on Health Care Workers. KEYWORDS: COVID-19, Health Care Workers, Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, coping strategies

Basic Life Support (BLS) is a critical life-saving intervention for individuals experiencing cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or airway obstruction. Medical students, as future frontline healthcare providers, are expected to possess adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and competent practical skills in BLS. However, studies have reported deficiencies in these areas among medical students globally. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of Basic Life Support among clinical medical students at the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 clinical medical students (400L to 600L) at the University of Benin. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire adapted from previous studies and based on the American Heart Association (AHA) 2020 BLS guidelines. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge (13 items), attitude (7 items on a Likert scale), and practice (10 items) of BLS. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27.0. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and percentages. Associations between categorical variables were tested using the Chi-square test, and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of good KAP. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 452 questionnaires were distributed and retrieved, yielding a 100% response rate. The mean age of respondents was 22.92 ± 2.74 years, and 59.5% were male. Overall, only 30.8% of respondents demonstrated good knowledge of BLS, while 69.2% had poor knowledge. Knowledge improved significantly with academic level (p < 0.001), with 600-level students showing the highest proportion of good knowledge (43.6%). Female students had significantly better knowledge than males (p = 0.029). Regarding attitude, 78.5% of respondents demonstrated a good attitude towards BLS, while 21.5% exhibited a poor attitude. The majority (96.0%) agreed that BLS is necessary for medical students, and 91.4% supported its inclusion in the medical school curriculum. However, practice levels were markedly low, with 86.5% demonstrating poor practice. Only 13.5% had good practice scores. Mannequin training was significantly associated with better practice (p = 0.026). Major barriers to BLS acquisition and performance included limited availability of BLS training (68.8%), lack of practice opportunities (67.9%), fear of causing harm (56.9%), and fear of legal consequences (50.9%). Furthermore, 57.7% of respondents did not believe their medical school provided adequate BLS training, and 70.8% were uncomfortable using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Conclusion: This study revealed significant gaps in the knowledge and practice of BLS among clinical medical students at the University of Benin, despite a generally positive attitude towards its importance. The lack of formal training, inadequate hands-on practice with mannequins, and psychological barriers such as fear were identified as major hindrances.

The increasing recreational use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") among women of reproductive age raises critical concerns regarding fertility and pregnancy outcomes. This study investigated the reproductive and developmental toxicity of MDMA in adult female Wistar rats, focusing on hormonal regulation, oxidative stress, histopathology, and gestational effects following pre-gestational and gestational exposure. A total of 140 Wistar rats (120 females, 20 males) were assigned to pre-gestational (Category A) and gestational (Category B) protocols. Treated groups received oral MDMA at 80 mg/kg and 160 mg/kg, while controls received distilled water. Serum levels of FSH, LH, PRL, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were measured alongside oxidative stress markers (SOD, CAT, GPx, MDA) and histological analyses of the pituitary, ovaries, and uterus. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc test (p < 0.05).
MDMA induced dose-dependent reductions in body and reproductive organ weights, likely due to serotonergic suppression of appetite, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Hormonal assays revealed significant disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, including reduced LH (p = 0.02), elevated estradiol (p = 0.00), and progesterone (p = 0.05). A biphasic testosterone response was observed: reduced in the 80 mg/kg group (0.48 ± 0.00 ng/mL vs. 1.12 ± 0.14 ng/mL in controls) and elevated in the 160 mg/kg group (1.48 ± 0.09 ng/mL; p = 0.00), suggesting dysregulation of androgen synthesis via theca cell dysfunction or disrupted HPG feedback. Reproductive outcomes mirrored endocrine alterations. Pre-gestational exposure reduced conception rates (100% in controls vs. 20% and 0% in treated groups). Gestational exposure impaired implantation, fetal viability, and growth, leading to increased resorptions, intrauterine growth restriction, stillbirths, and postnatal abnormalities. Biochemical assays revealed dose-dependent suppression of antioxidant enzymes and altered lipid peroxidation, indicating oxidative damage in ovarian and uterine tissues.
Histopathological evaluation showed progressive degeneration: the pituitary exhibited chromophobe predominance and vacuolation; ovaries showed follicular atresia, degeneration, and vascular injury; and uterine tissues demonstrated glandular atrophy, edema, inflammation, and myometrial disruption. These structural changes aligned with the observed biochemical and hormonal abnormalities. In conclusion, MDMA exposure before or during pregnancy disrupts female reproductive function in a dose-dependent manner. It impairs fertility, alters endocrine signaling, induces oxidative stress, and causes tissue-specific toxicity, with profound consequences for implantation and fetal development. These findings reinforce the public health risks of MDMA use during reproductive years and the need for targeted reproductive toxicology awareness.

Diagnostic radiation (X-rays, CT scans) generates reactive oxygen species and DNA damage, affecting apoptotic gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster, a model for cellular responses. Effector caspases DrICE and Dcp-1 regulate apoptosis under stress. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of acute (X-ray) and chronic (CT room) radiation over 7 and 14 days on DrICE and Dcp-1 mRNA expression in Drosophila. The flies were divided into 4 groups; X ray exposure (7days), X ray exposure (14days), CT room exposure (7days), CT room exposure (14days). DrICE and Dcp-1 mRNAs expression were determined using Polymerase chain reaction. The data obtained was analyzed using graphpad prism (version 8.02, California, USA). The result showed that DrICE mRNA increased significantly (p<0.001) in all exposure groups (X-ray/CT room, 7/14 days) when compared to the control (66.16± 0.31), but decreased (p<0.01) in CT room at 14 days (75.84± 2.17) when compared to X-ray (14 days) (83.29± 1.14) and CT room (7 days)(86.18±1.84). Dcp-1 mRNA showed no significant change (p>0.05) with X-ray (7/14 days) when compared to the control, but decreased (p<0.01) in CT room at 14 days ( 57.16±2.37) when compared to control (71.29±1.13) and X-ray 7 and 14 days ( 74.51±2.66 and 69.06±1.72) with a milder drop (p<0.05) at 7 days(61.48±1.15). In conclusion, DrICE upregulation shifts to suppression under chronic CT exposure, indicating an adaptive response. Dcp-1 stability under X-ray contrasts with CT suppression, showing dose-rate effects. This suggests radiation modulates apoptosis, with potential for pest control, needing further protein studies.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) refers to the practice of feeding infants only breast milk for the first six months of life, without introducing any other liquids or solids, except for oral rehydration solutions, drops, syrups (vitamins, minerals, or medicines) as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). This
practice is recognized globally as one of the most effective strategies for reducing infant morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries (Wu et al., 2022). EBF not only provides essential nutrients for infant growth and development but also protects against common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, thereby promoting
overall child survival and development (Gebeyehu et al., 2023; WHO, 2020, as cited in Wu et al., 2022). Despite strong global advocacy, the rates of EBF rmain suboptimal in many regions, including sub-Saharan Africa. According to Ejie et al. (2021), barriers to EBF in African countries include socio-cultural beliefs, inadequate maternal knowledge, limited support from health professionals, and economic pressures. In Nigeria, EBF is a significant public health concern. The 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reported that only 29% of infants under six months were exclusively breastfed, which is far below the WHO's global target of at least 50% by 2025 (Okoroiwu et al., 2021). This statistic highlights a significant gap between policy recommendations and actual maternal practices

Iron homeostasis is vital for numerous physiological processes, including oxygen transport, cellular respiration, and erythropoiesis, and its imbalance can result in anemia or iron overload. The transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) plays a central role in this regulation by mediating iron uptake at the cellular level. Given the limitations of synthetic modulators of iron metabolism, the search for natural alternatives has gained scientific attention. Piperguineense, commonly known as uziza, is a West African spice rich in phytochemicals with reported hematopoietic and antioxidant properties. This study therefore, aimed to investigatethe effect of varying concentrations of aqueous Piper guineense leaf extract on TfR1geneexpression in Drosophila melanogaster, a model organism widely used due to its conservedgenetic similarity with humans. Flies were divided into five groups: a control group and four treatment groups receiving 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/ml of the extract, respectively. Survival rate was monitored for 21 days, while molecular analysis was conducted through RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, and semi-quantitative PCR. The 100 mg/ml group demonstrated the highest survival rate and a TfR1 expression level comparable to the control
(2.28 ± 0.07 vs 2.30 ± 0.10), suggesting maintenance of normal iron uptake. At 200 mg/ml, a slight decline in TfR1 expression (2.10 ± 0.08) was observed relative to the control, while300 mg/ml produced a more pronounced reduction (1.97 ± 0.06). The 400 mg/ml group showed the lowest expression (1.89 ± 0.05), indicating significant dose-dependent downregulation. These findings implied that low concentrations may enhance or preservenormal iron metabolism, whereas higher doses may suppress transferrin receptor activity, potentially disrupting iron uptake. It is therefore recommended that Piper guineense extract
be used in low doses for beneficial hematologic modulation, and further studies be conducted to isolate its active compounds and assess safety thresholds in mammalian systems

Dental caries is a common chronic infectious resulting from tooth-adherent cariogenic bacteria, primarily Streptococcus Mutans, which metabolize sugars to produce acid, demineralizing the tooth structure over time. Dental caries is one of the commonest childhood disease. In general, the prevalence of caries in preschool children seems to be on the decline or the trend has reached a plateau in most of the developed countries, but may be increasing in some developed and several developing countries. A considerable proportion of preschoolers thus are still affected by dental caries. A sample size of 100 caregivers of pre-school children of the University of Benin Staff school were used. A stratified questionnaire focusing on the knowledge and attitude to Dental Caries risk factors was filled by all respondents with 51.7% knowing the meaning of Dental Caries and 48.3% not knowing the meaning of Dental Caries An understanding of caries risk factors in preschoolers is essential in controlling the prevalence of dental caries in this age group. This is the main objective of our research.

Background: Undergraduate students are the upcoming workforce of any country and their health is essentially linked to the social and economic development of the country. Health- seeking behaviour and health outcomes are shaped by socio-cultural beliefs, accessibility, cost and perceived quality of available health services and these affect health outcomes and indices. This study aimed at assessing the perception of, satisfaction with, major barriers to utilization, major health conditions prompting utilization of on-campus health services and factors influencing use of alternative sources of healthcare. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among undergraduate students of University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. A sample size of 430 was obtained, and a multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data for the study after pretesting. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and the level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 23.0 ± 3.2 years. A higher proportion, 52.8% were male, Christians (58.1%) and single (67.7%). Out of 430 respondents, 61.4% resided off-campus, 52.6% received a monthly allowance of between 50,001 to 100,000 naira and 73.5% received support from their parents. From the responses, 41.4% had received care at the health center in the past year and were most commonly by joint pain (21.9%), fever (15.7%) and headaches (11.8%). Ninety-five percent and 99.0% had a good perception of health center and were satisfied with the services provided there respectively. Common barriers to seeking health care at the center were long waiting time (37.4%), out-of-pocket payments (17.9%). viii ix Conclusion: The study showed that there was a good perception of the health center and respondents were satisfied with services at the health center. Recommendations: The government should strengthen implementation of the Tertiary Institutions’ Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) of the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) at the health center, increase public-private partnership to reduce health cost and encourage local production of pharmaceuticals. The health center should improve awareness of service at the center, increase number of staff and strengthen existing programmes