Disease pattern among university students in savanna region of Nigeria

The results of the analysis of 2492 records out of 2613 students for the session 1973–4 at Ahmadu Bello University Health Centre, Zaria located in the savanna region of Nigeria have been presented. Out of 2613 students only 121 (4·5%) did not attend the health centre at any time during the whole session. There were a total of 18,852 consultations by 2492 students with an average of 7·5 consultations per student per session. Venereal diseases together with sex problems formed the commonest condition with 3242 (17%) consultations, followed by psychiatric, respiratory and specific infections and parasitic diseases with 2856 (15%), 2593 (14%) and 2447 (13%) consultations respectively. The various factors contributing to the development of psychiatric problems in students together with some aspects of climatic and social environment have been discussed. The need for further development of student health services to include the special provisions with regard to incidence of venereal diseases has been emphasized. There appeared to be ample justification for further and more detailed investigations into drug addiction and alcoholism amongst students.