Relationship between religiosity, religious coping and socio-demographic variables among out-patients with depression or diabetes mellitus in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Religion is a powerful coping strategy. Diabetes and depression are common conditions in our environment that induce psychological distress, thus requiring coping for better outcome. Studies indicate that increased religiosity is associated with better outcome in clinical and general populations. Therefore, studies of the distribution of religiosity and religious coping among these populations are essential to improve outcome. Objectives: To assess the association between religiosity, religious coping in depression and diabetes mellitus, and selected sociodemographic variables (age, gender and occupational status). Methods:Using simple random sampling we recruited 112 participants with diabetes and an equal number with depression consecutively, matching for gender. Religiosity was determined using religious orientation scale (revised), religious coping with brief religious coping scale and socio-demographic variables with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results: Intrinsic religiosity was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=5.02,p<0.001); no significant difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=1.47,p=0.15).Positive religious coping was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=2.31,p=0.02); no difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=0.80,p=0.43). Females with depression had higher intrinsic religiosity scores than males with depression(t=3.85,p<0.001); no difference in intrinsic religiosity between females and males with diabetes(t=0.99,p=0.32).Positive religious coping was greater among participants with diabetes in the low occupational status(t=2.96,p<0.001) than those in the high occupational status. Conclusion: Religion is indeed a reliable coping method, most commonly used by the elderly and females with depression. Positive religious coping is more common among diabetic patients who are in the low occupational status.

No relationship between most polymorphisms of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) gene with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine women’s disorders in reproductive age. Hyperandrogenism has a critical role in the etiology of PCOS and it can cause fault in Steroidogenesis process. During steroidogenesis, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) seems to increase the delivery of cholesterol through mitochondrial membrane. Therefore, polymorphisms of StAR might effect on this protein and play a role in the etiology of PCOS. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between StAR SNPs with PCOS. Thus, seven polymorphisms in this gene: rs104894086, rs104894089, rs104894090, rs137852689, rs10489487, rs104894085 were detected. Materials and Methods: In this case control study, 45 PCOS women, 40 male factor/unexplained infertile women, and 40 fertile women as two control groups were participated from 2008-2012. Polymorphisms were detected using restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: Heterozygote genotyping for rs137852689 SNP (amino acid 218 C > T) was only seen in seven PCOS patients, one in normal ovulatory women, and five in male factor/unexplained infertile women (15.5%, 2.5%, 12.5%, respectively) (p= 0.12). While, it has shown no association between other SNPS with PCOs. Conclusion: The RFLP results for seven chosen SNPs, which located in exon 5 and 7 showed normal status in three groups, it means no heterozygous or homozygous forms of selected SNPs were observed. So, it seems evaluation of the active amino acid sites should be investigated and also the study population should be increased.