Strong family history and early onset of schizophrenia: about 2 families in Northern Nigeria.

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable psychotic disorder and high genetic loading is associated with early onset of the disease. The outcome of schizophrenia has also been linked with the age of onset as well as the presence of family history of the disease. Therefore families with patients with early onset Schizophrenia are subpopulations for genetic studies.

Descriptive Characterization of Psycho-Trauma, Psychological Distress, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among Children and Adolescent Internally Displaced Persons in Kaduna, Nigeria.

Background: A postelection violent conflict in Kaduna resulted in 800 deaths and 65,000 displaced people leading to setting up of camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). We set out to determine the prevalence and pattern of psycho-traumatic stressful life events, psychological distress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among child/adolescents IDPs.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 73 child/adolescent IDPs were selected by total sampling.

Childhood epilepsy in a tropical child psychiatric unit: challenges of providing care in a resource-constrained environment.

Background: Epilepsy is an important cause of childhood morbidity and its care is fraught with challenges. Itinerant search for remedy and manifestation as or with psychiatric disorders could result in presentation in a psychiatric unit. Identification of these challenges is essential to providing optimal care.

Quality of life of people with cancers in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Cancer is associated with psychological and physical morbidities. The presence of such comorbidities has been reported to worsen the overall outcome and quality of life (QOL) of affected people.

Aims: To assess the QOL and its determinants among participants with cancer.

Sleep quality among primary care attendees in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria: a case-control study.

Objective: To assess sleep quality and its determinants among primary care patients in a Northern Nigerian setting.

Methods: We administered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to 217 consecutive patients attending the General Outpatient Clinic of Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Kaduna, and PSQI to 223 age-matched controls to evaluate their sleep quality and levels of anxiety and depression. A data collection sheet was used to record the sociodemographic characteristics of patients and controls, and the clinical characteristics of the patients.

The burden experienced by family caregivers of patients with epilepsy attending the government psychiatric hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Background: Caring for patients with chronic medical and psychiatric disorders is associated with significant burden. However little is known about the burden experience by caregivers of patients with epilepsy in Nigeria. The objective of this study, therefore, was to assess the level and correlates of burden among caregivers of patients with epilepsy.

Caregiver burden among poor caregivers of patients with cancer in an urban African setting.

Objectives: The nature and magnitude of the problems facing caregivers remain largely unknown in developing countries of the world. This study addresses these issues in a group of caregivers of patients with cancer in Zaria, Nigeria.

Method: One hundred and three patients attending an oncology outpatient clinic at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital were enrolled in the study with their caregivers.

Factors associated with emotional distress among caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Katsina, Nigeria.

Background: Caregivers play an important role in the management of chronic mental illness in the community. Caring for patients with chronic mental illness like schizophrenia can cause emotional distress in the caregivers. However, the magnitude of the problem remains largely unknown in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries.