F.U OKAFOR

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.

Hypertension is diagnosed if the blood pressure is elevated on at least three different blood pressure measurements taken on two or more office visits. Blood pressure is an indication of
the amount of work that the heart has to do to pump blood around the body. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality. This research focused on the assessment of anti-hypertensive prescription pattern on blood pressure control among outpatients in a tertiary healthcare facility (University of Benin Teaching Hospital) in Edo state. A total of 254 questionnaires were administered, and 251 were returned, representing a response rate of 98.8%. The study adopted descriptive design. A convenient sampling technique. The results showed that the overall level of knowledge regarding anti-hypertensive prescription patterns among the respondents showed that the majority of the respondents (42.6%) had a fair level of knowledge, followed by those with poor knowledge (29.1%) and those with good knowledge (28.3%). Also, the overall compliance level of respondents to antihypertensive prescriptions showed that the majority of the respondents (46.6%) had a fair level of compliance, followed by those with poor compliance (28.7%) and those with good compliance (24.7%). Furthermore, the findings revealed that the factors influencing compliance to anti-hypertensive prescriptions were found to have a high influence on compliance. The most influential factor was financial constraints, followed by busy schedules, too many medications, lack of information about the disease, and side effects from medication.