Objective: To assess healthcare workers' involvement in healthcare waste management in public and private hospitals.
Methods: Validated questionnaires (n = 660) were administered to randomly selected healthcare workers from selected private hospitals between April and July 2013.
Results: Among the healthcare workers that participated in the study, 187 (28.33%) were medical doctors, 44 (6.67%) were pharmacists, 77 (11.67%) were medical laboratory sci-entist, 35 (5.30%) were waste handlers and 317 (48.03%) were nurses. Generally, the number of workers that have heard about healthcare waste disposal system was above average 424 (69.5%). More health-workers in the government (81.5%) than in private (57.3%) hospitals were aware of healthcare waste disposal system and more in government hospitals attended training on it. The level of waste generated by the two hospitals differed significantly (P = 0.0086) with the generation level higher in government than private hospitals. The materials for healthcare waste disposal were significantly more available (P = 0.001) in government than private hospitals. There was no significant difference (P = 0.285) in sy-ringes and needles disposal practices in the two hospitals and they were exposed to equal risks (P = 0.8510). Fifty-six (18.5%) and 140 (45.5%) of the study participants in private and government hospitals respectively were aware of the existence of healthcare waste man-agement committee with 134 (44.4%) and 19 (6.2%) workers confirming that it did not exist in their institutions. The existence of the committee was very low in the private hospitals.
Conclusions: The availability of material for waste segregation at point of generation, compliance of healthcare workers to healthcare waste management guidelines and the existence of infection control committee in both hospitals is generally low and unsatisfactory.

Objective: To determine the pattern, challenges and correlates of condom use among Nigerians living with HIV Infection. Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire study among HIV positive adults attending an HIV treatment centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Data entry and analysis were done with Epi-info version 3.5.1. Results: The mean age of respondents was 35 (SD=7.7; range: 17-58 years) and mean age at sexual debut was 20 years old (range: 7-37 years). Majority were women (66.6%), had at least secondary school education(91.1%), married (68.2%) , on ART (50.7%) and knew their partners HIV status(60.9%). The rate of condom use at last sex act was 65.9%, but only 48.8% used condom consistently. Factors associated with condom use were male gender (OR=2.43, CI=1.35-4.33, P=0.002), less than secondary school education (OR=3.12, CI=1.04-9.28, P=0.05) and Not knowing partner’s HIV status (OR=1.90, CI=1.04-3.80, P=0.04). Refusal to use condom (28.4%) were as a result of pregnancy intention, undesirability of condom in marriage and decreased sexual pleasure.Conclusion:There is low consistent condom use rate of 48.8% among this cohort despite their exposure to behavioural change messages. A review of the present counselling strategy and combination prevention is therefore advocated.

Objective: To assess healthcare workers' involvement in healthcare waste management in public and private hospitals. Methods: Validated questionnaires (n = 660) were administered to randomly selected healthcare workers from selected private hospitals between April and July 2013. Results: Among the healthcare workers that participated in the study, 187 (28.33%) were medical doctors, 44 (6.67%) were pharmacists, 77 (11.67%) were medical laboratory scientist, 35 (5.30%) were waste handlers and 317 (48.03%) were nurses. Generally, the number of workers that have heard about healthcare waste disposal system was above average 424 (69.5%). More health-workers in the government (81.5%) than in private (57.3%) hospitals were aware of healthcare waste disposal system and more in government hospitals attended training on it. The level of waste generated by the two hospitals differed significantly (P = 0.008. 6) with the generation level higher in government than private hospitals. The materials for healthcare waste disposal were significantly more available (P = 0.001) in government than private hospitals. There was no significant difference (P = 0.285) in syringes and needles disposal practices in the two hospitals and they were exposed to equal risks (P = 0.851. 0). Fifty-six (18.5%) and 140 (45.5%) of the study participants in private and government hospitals respectively were aware of the existence of healthcare waste management committee with 134 (44.4%) and 19 (6.2%) workers confirming that it did not exist in their institutions. The existence of the committee was very low in the private hospitals. Conclusions: The availability of material for waste segregation at point of generation, compliance of healthcare workers to healthcare waste management guidelines and the existence of infection control committee in both hospitals is generally low and unsatisfactory.

OBJECTIVETo determine the pattern, challenges and correlates of condom use among Nigerians living with HIV Infection.

METHODSA cross sectional questionnaire study among HIV positive adults attending an HIV treatment centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Data entry and analysis were done with Epi-info version 3.5.1.

RESULTSThe mean age of respondents was 35 (SD=7.7; range: 17-58 years) and mean age at sexual debut was 20 years old (range: 7-37 years). Majority were women (66.6%), had at least secondary school education(91.1%), married (68.2%)), on ART (50.7%) and knew their partners HIV status(60.9%). The rate of condom use at last sex act was 65.9%, but only 48.8% used condom consistently. Factors associated with condom use were male gender (OR=2.43, CI=1.35-4.33, P=0.002), less than secondary school education (OR=3.12, CI=1.04-9.28, P=0.05) and Not knowing partner's HIV status (OR=1.90, CI=1.04-3.80, P=0.04). Refusal to use condom (28.4%) were as a result of pregnancy intention, undesirability of condom in marriage and decreased sexual pleasure.

CONCLUSIONThere is low consistent condom use rate of 48.8% among this cohort despite their exposure to behavioural change messages. A review of the present counselling strategy and combination prevention is therefore advocated.