Depression is a leading cause of disability and has been projected to become the 2nd most burdensome disease by the year 2020; depression has also been found to be the strongest single risk factor for attempted or completed suicides. Adolescent-onset mood disorders are frequently unrecognized or misdiagnosed and often go untreated. While there is a growing literature on the mental health literacy of adults, there has not been a parallel interest in the mental health literacy of young people in Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted among students of a Federal Government College (high school) in south-east Nigeria. All consenting students in the senior secondary classes (grades 10–12) were recruited, making a total of 285 participants. The participants were presented with the ‘friend in need’ questionnaire designed to elicit the participants’ recognition of the disorder depicted in two vignettes and their recommendation about the appropriate source of help-seeking. One vignette was of a clinically depressed case while the other vignette was about a girl undergoing normal life crisis. Out of the 285 students recruited into the study, 277 questionnaires were adequately completed indicating a response rate of 97.2%. A total of 4.8% (n = 13) participants correctly identified and labelled the depression vignette. Only four respondents (1.5%) recommended professional help from a Psychiatrist or Psychologist. Insomnia was the most identified symptom of distress for depression (17.1%). Females demonstrated higher mental health literacy, in terms of their ability to correctly label the depression vignettes, their expression of greater concern over a depressed peer than males, their expectation that depression requires a longer recovery than normal teenage problems and in their ability to identify individual symptoms of depression. Family and friends were the most recommended source of help. Mental health literacy was abysmally low amongst the adolescents surveyed. There’s an urgent need to increase mental health awareness in Nigeria.

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer in males in Africa, both in terms of incidence and mortality, accounting for 40,000 (13%) male cancers and 28,000 (11.3%) male cancer-associated deaths. In the developed world, the probability of being diagnosed with cancer is more than twice as high as in developing countries. In developing countries, most cancer victims are diagnosed at late stage, with incurable tumors, pointing to the need for education schemes and better detection programs. This study assessed knowledge , attitudes and perceptions of prostate cancer among male staff of the University of Nigeria. This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 655 male staff who agreed to participate and were recruited on giving oral consent. A self-administered questionnaire, written in English was used. The mean percentage knowledge score was 71.2%. Some 57.8% of respondents had a high knowledge level of prostate cancer. The mean percentage attitude score was 69.9%. More than half (60.8%, n = 397) of respondents had a positive attitude towards prostate cancer screening and treatment. The mean percentage perception score was 60.0%. More than half (53.9%, n = 351) of respondents had a negative perception of prostate cancer screening and treatments. The staff of the University of Nigeria have appreciable knowledge and a positive attitude with regard to prostate cancer. A significant proportion of staff however, exhibited poor knowledge and negative attitudes and perceptions of prostate cancer screening and treatment.

Home telemonitoring is a promising approach in the management of patients with chronic diseases. However, no study has assessed its acceptability and possible service charge in Nigeria. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate willingness to pay for pharmacist-provided telemonitoring among patients with chronic diseases and to explore its determinants. Hence, using the contingent valuation method, a cross-sectional study was conducted among eligible patients visiting 15 selected community pharmacies in Enugu metropolis, over a period of 3 months. Of the 335 patients who participated in the study, about 40 percent (i.e. 39.4%) were willing to pay an average monthly fee of ₦915.91 ± 485.49 (US$2.99 ± 1.59) for home telemonitoring services. Significant predictors of willingness to pay for home telemonitoring were perceived insufficient income (odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.07–0.60, p = 0.040) and health insurance status (odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.18–0.86, p = 0.019). Our findings suggest a promising potential for adopting home telemonitoring services among patients with chronic diseases in Enugu metropolis.