Ebonyi State University Research Articles

Emigration plans after graduation of clinical medical students of ebonyi state university Abakaliki, Nigeria: Implications for policy.

To determine the emigration plans after graduation of clinical medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. All clinical medical students of the University willing to participate were included. Information was obtained using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Outcome measure included proportion of students willing to emigrate and those willing to practice in rural areas after graduation. A total of 285 students participated in the study, (response rate, 92.5%). Majority, 93.3% intend to pursue specialist training after graduation. Minor proportion, 13.9% intend to specialize in Nigeria, whereas 74.4% prefer to specialize outside Nigeria. Major reasons for preferring specialist training abroad included good equipment/facilities, 33.8%, better remuneration/quality of life, 27.8%; and improved skills, 18.7%. Countries of interest for training outside Nigeria included Canada, 28.3%; United Kingdom, 23.2%; and the United States of America, 18.2%. Minor proportion, 17.2% intend to practice in rural area after graduation. Predictors of willingness to emigrate included being in 400 level class, (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =2.0, 95% CI = 1.1-4.1), being single, AOR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.2-13.3) and having decided on specialty of choice, (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.5-4.5). Predictors of willingness to serve in rural area included family residence in urban area, (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.2-0.8) and intention to specialize in Nigeria, (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.6-8.5). Majority of students intend to pursue specialist training and prefer training abroad. Minor proportions were willing to specialize in Nigeria and serve in rural areas. The students may have perceived medical practice in Nigeria as serving in rural areas hence students willing to work in rural areas were more likely to specialize in Nigeria. This may adversely affect health service delivery in Nigeria if left unchecked. Nigerian authorities should ensure that medical graduates willing to practice in Nigeria are not deterred. Also, plans to encourage doctors to practice in Nigeria should receive desired attention.

Effect of Blood Donor Educational intervention on the knowledge and Attitude towards Voluntary Blood Donation among Medical Students at a Nigerian University.

Background:Blood is a veritable tool in many life-saving situations. Despite the increased demand for blood, the supply of safe blood has been inadequate. This study was aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention on the knowledge and attitude of medical students of a Nigerian University to voluntary blood donation.Materials and Methods:This was a cross-sectional study involving 158 undergraduate medical students of Ebonyi State University in South-East Nigeria. Participants were recruited by stratified sampling technique. A pretested semi-structured participant administered questionnaire was used to baseline knowledge and attitude to voluntary blood donation. This was followed by educational intervention in the form of a workshop by experts in blood transfusion medicine. Then, postintervention assessment was done using the initial questionnaire 30 days later. The study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 20 software, and P value was set at ≤0.05.Results:Of the 158 medical students who participated in the study, there were 90 (57%) males and 68 (43%) females. Baseline proportion of the participants who had good knowledge was high (72.8%), while baseline attitude of the participants was positive to most aspects of voluntary blood donation. Post intervention, the level of knowledge about voluntary blood donation increased to 99.4%, and similarly attitude to voluntary blood donation improved.Conclusion:Educational intervention was effective in improving the knowledge and attitude towards voluntary blood donation among medical students. Continuous enlightenment will influence potential blood donors to have better knowledge and positive attitude toward voluntary blood donation.

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF SOCIAL STUDIES KNOWLEDGE AMONG STUDENTS OF UPPER BASIC SCHOOLS IN EBONYI STATE

This research work is carried out on socio-demographic determinants of social studies knowledge among students of upper basic schools in Ebonyi State. It is a descriptive survey research. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of this study comprised all 10, 298 Public Upper Basic II Students in the one hundred and eighty nine (189) Public Upper Basic Schools in the three Education Zones of Ebonyi State. The sample of this study was 515 Upper Basic II Students which represents 5% of the entire population in the area of the study. The instrument that was used for this study was entitled Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT). The test has fifty two (52) multiple choice items with option A-D to obtain information from students. The questionnaire is made up part ‘A’ and part ‘B’, Part A is on the personal data of the respondents. Part B is on Test of Knowledge of Students in Social Studies. The fifty (50) item of instrument Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT) was also used for data collection. It was validated by three experts, two of the experts were from Arts and Social Science Education Department (Social Studies Option) of the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, while one expert from Measurement and Evaluation Unit of Science Education Department The instrument reliability test was carried out using KudaRichardson 20 (K-20) statistics and a reliability coefficient of 0.91 were obtained. The researcher administered the instrument by issuing using Direct Delivery Technique (DDT) with the help of three research assistants, one from each Education Zones in the State. Data Analysis was done using Descriptive and Inferential Statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Hypotheses 1, 3 and 4 were tested using t-test while hypotheses 2 and 5 were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). All the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Decision Rule: 0- 24 very low, 25 – 49 low, 50 – 74 high, 75 – 100 very high. From the analysis, the following findings were made among others: The knowledge of students in Social Studies is not influence fully or affected by gender. The level of education of the parents influences or affects the knowledge of students in Social Studies. Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following recommendation: There should be a process of feed-back initiated for the Secondary schools in Ebonyi State, especially for students, teachers and parents at the Upper Basic level. This feed-back process shall be a medium whereby teachers and parents maintain regular contacts; sharing information concerning their students/wards. Parents should at all-time listen carefully and closely to their wards, not only to verbal communications but to nonverbal communications and to the emotions that may lie beneath what is said.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of Sickle Cell Genetic Screening Among Fresh Undergraduate Students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of Sickle Cell Genetic Screening Among Fresh Undergraduate Students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Students of Faculty of Health Science and Technology in Ebonyi State University,

Metabolic impairments could be seen at any point in human development. Although emphasis has been placed on older adults but it could be encountered in any age brackets. The aim of this study was to compare prevalence rates using different definitions of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) among students of Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology (FHST) in Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki.  This was a cross-sectional study involving 80 students (28 male students and 52 female students) recruited from among students of FHST in EBSU, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. MetS was defined in three different ways [by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), National Cholesterol Education Program—Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII), or World Health Organization (WHO) criteria]. Prevalence was found to be 6.3%, 2.5% and 7.5% using NCEP-ATP III, WHO, and IDF definitions respectively. The most common MetS components among female students using the NCEP-ATP III criteria were high blood pressure (5.8%) and abdominal obesity (5.8%), whilst low HDL-C concentrations, high blood pressure and abdominal obesity were most common among male students (7.1 % for each component mentioned). According to WHO, abdominal obesity (7.1%) and hyperglycaemia (7.1%) were the most common MetS components among male students. The most common MetS components among participants using the IDF criteria were abdominal obesity and high blood pressure. While some participants did not meet the MetS criteria of the NCEP-ATP III, WHO and IDF criteria (50%), many had one (30%) or two (13.8%) components and may be at risk of developing the syndrome in the future. The mean values of the risk factors used as criteria for the diagnosis of MetS were relatively normal in the study population thereby masking the presence of MetS, thus showing that the prevalence of MetS may gradually increase undetected unless individual members of the study population are subjected to laboratory investigation using different criteria for diagnosis of MetS. Therefore, traditional risk factors might be late markers for diagnosis of MetS since findings from this study showed that MetS was only detected in participants that already had it.

Antagonistic effect and bacteriocinogenic activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria isolated from <i>Sorghum bicolor</i>-based ‘ogi’ on food borne bacterial pathogens from cabbage

Background: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are important organisms recognized for fermentative ability as well as health and nutritional benefits. A large number of bacteriocins from LAB have been characterized and a number of studies have indicated the potential usefulness of bacteriocin in food preservative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antagonistic effects and bacteriocinogenic activity of LAB isolated from Sorghum bicolor-based ‘ogi’ against selected food borne bacteria from cabbage samples. Methodology: Five samples of Sorghum bicolor-based ‘ogi’ and 5 samples of suspected infected cabbage heads were randomly collected using sterile water proof material from Abakpa main market, Abakaliki, and processed at the Applied Microbiology Laboratory of Ebonyi State University, for isolation of LAB and food borne pathogen by conventional culture and biochemical identification tests. Antagonistic effects of LAB and its bacteriocinogenic activity were determined by agar well diffusion test. Results: Three different Lactobacillus species designated A, B, and C, were isolated from the Sorghum bicolorbased ‘ogi’ and 5 bacterial species were isolated from cabbage heads; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, and Shigella species. The Lactobacillus species had inhibitory effect against S. aureus, E. coli, and Shigella species with inhibition zone diameters (IZD) of 19 mm, 10 mm, and 10 mm respectively. The crude bacteriocin extracts from the Lactobacillus species showed higher inhibitory activity against tested bacterial isolates at 10-1 (0.1ml) than at 10-2 dilution (0.01ml), and the inhibitory activity was higher at pH 2 than pH 6 and 7, with no activity at pH 8. Conclusion: This study showed that LAB and its extracted bacteriocin demonstrated in vitro inhibitory activity against food borne pathogens isolated from cabbage heads. There is the need to further characterize the active components of the bacteriocin for possible commercial use as preservatives and potential source of new antimicrobial agent. Keywords: Lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocin, cabbage, fermented food, ‘ogi’

Sexual behaviour and perception of HIV/AIDS among students in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria

Background: The sexual behaviour and practice increases the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. Knowledge and perception of HIV/AIDS may be a determinant to sexual behaviour of the young adults. There this study aims to evaluate the sexual behaviour and perception of HIV/AIDS among university undergraduates of the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between 5th March 2016 and 30th March 2016 among 406 undergraduates. An anonymous, self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the data from the participants. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 7.2.1.Results: The modal age group for sex debut was 20-24 years while the mean age at coitache among the study group was 20.2±4.6 years. More than a half of the respondents 173 (56.7%) had only one sex partner while the remaining had two or more sexual partners. Condom use in the last sexual intercourse was low as just more than a third of the respondents used condoms in their last sexual intercourse. Almost all the student had heard of HIV/AIDS 403 (99.3%). The mass media was the commonest source of obtaining information with regards HIV/AIDS among the study population. Males are more likely to have had sex compared to the female sex. Student who take alcohol regularly and those that take tobacco in any form were also more likely to have had sex compared to those who do not take alcohol or tobacco, (p value <0.0001).Conclusions: Sex is a common practice among the study population. Majority engage in risky sexual practices. There is an urgent need to improve the campaign on safer sex using the mass media as a veritable medium.

Prevalence of HIV infection among newly admitted students in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the associated acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have remained a serious scourge and a major public health concern, affecting millions in sub-Saharan Africa despite awareness campaigns, preventive measures and promotion of antiretroviral regimens. This study determined the prevalence of HIV among newly admitted students of Ebonyi State University as a measure of the impact of awareness campaign towards prevention of HIV transmission.Methods: Newly admitted students of Ebonyi State University totalling 2,736 who voluntarily enrolled for the study were screened for HIV infection using the national HIV testing algorithm after information relating to their personal lifestyle, knowledge of safer sex and preventive measures have been obtained with the use of a client intake form.Results: Of the 2,736 subjects screened, 6 were positive for HIV, giving a prevalence rate of 0.22%, with prevalence rate of 0.29% (4 of 1344) in females and 0.14% (2 of 1392) in males (X2=0.2041, p=0.6514). The positive subjects were spread across age groups 15-19 years (1), 20-24 years (4) and 25-29 years (1). Males and females who have had sex were 801 and 579 out of which 239 and 209 respectively acknowledged to have had unprotected sex within three months of the study.Conclusion: The low HIV prevalence rate of 0.22% among school age and young adults in this study may indicate that awareness and safe sex campaigns in Ebonyi State have positive impact in HIV prevention amongst these groups of people.Keywords: HIV, students, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria, prevalence, campaign

Abstract 1619: Cervical cancer screening knowledge and behavior among female undergraduates

Abstract Background; Cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease that disproportionally affects women in developing countries with an estimated incidence rate of 33 cases per 100,000 women in Nigeria.. Over the year’s awareness and uptake of cervical cancer screening services have remained poor in developing countries. Lack of knowledge and poor attitude towards the disease and risk factors can affect screening practice and development of preventive behavior for cervical cancer Objective; This study assessed the level of knowledge and barriers towards cervical cancer screening among female university students. Method; We conducted a cross-sectional study of 234 female students at Ebonyi State University Abakaliki Nigeria from March to July 2017 using multistage sampling technique. Apretested questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and screening history. Data were analysed with Epi info version 7.1.4. Results; Participants’ mean age was 22 years (sd=3).Of the respondents 79.5% were not aware of cervical cancer screening while 58.9% and 78.5% had poor knowledge on cervical cancer and Human papilomavirus vaccination respectively. Major sources of information were health workers 70% and 35% Radio while only 4.0% have had Pap smear test. Common barriers include lack of centres where such services are obtainable 88% and fear of cancer being discovered 9%. Reported risk factors were multiple sexual partners 24.2% and early onset of sexual intercourse 19.8%. A significant association was found between institutional and personal barriers and having a Pap smear test. Conclusion Comprehensive education on cervical cancer screening in universities is critical in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with cervical cancer. Few screening centres contributed to poor cervical screening uptake. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Joseph Agboeze, Matthew Igwe Nwali, Nkiru Ezeani. Cervical cancer screening knowledge and behavior among female undergraduates [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1619.

Pattern of Blood Donation Practices among Students of a Nigerian University

Background: Blood transfusion service is an indispensable component of health care. Despite the increased demand for blood, the supply of safe blood has been inadequate.
 Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the pattern of blood donation practices among medical students in Abakaliki.
 Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at Ebonyi State University Abakaliki between October 2017 and March 2018. Stratified sampling technique was used to recruit participants from medical students using pre-tested, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, to assess their pattern of blood donation practices. Data was analysed using SPSS software, version 20.
 Results: One hundred and fifty eight medical students who participated in the study were made up of 90 (58.4%) males and 68 (41.6%) females. The most prevalent age group was 20 to 25years. One hundred and forty three (93%) of the participants were single. The most common blood group was O Rh positive, followed by A Rh positive then B Rh positive while AB Rh negative was the least. Majority of the participants have never donated blood. The minority who have ever donated blood, donated either once or twice and the donation was made for a family member or friend.
 Conclusion: Participants were found to have poor pattern of blood donation practices. Misconception, fear, cultural and religious influences deter people from practicing voluntary non-remunerated blood donation. Conducting awareness and enlightenment programs regularly will help to keep them well informed and motivated to practice voluntary non-remunerated blood donation.

Knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance among students of a medical school in Nigeria.

Antimicrobial resistance presents a growing concern worldwide. Medical students are potential antimicrobial prescribers and stewards following graduation as doctors. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge regarding antibiotic use and resistance among pre-final year and final year medical school students of Ebonyi State University, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among all the 184 pre-final and final year medical students of the College of Medicine at Ebonyi State University, Nigeria. Information was collected in April 2018 using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire and data were analysed with Epi-Info Version 7.2. Analytical decisions were considered significant at P < 0.05. Respondents were mostly males (62.5%), aged 20-29 years (68.9%) with 60.9% of them in the final year class. Eighty-seven percent of them desired more education on antibiotic use and resistance. Majority 119 (64.7%) respondents had good knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance, however, 39% incorrectly answered that bacteria cause common cold. Only 103 (56.0%) of them had positive practice of antibiotic use. While 8.2% of respondents always consulted a doctor before starting an antibiotic. 37.2% of them never discarded their remaining leftover medications. Knowledge was associated with respondent's gender (P=0.035) while practice was associated with the class of study (P<0.001). There was good knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance, however, practice levels were poor. There is need to enrich existing courses and training about antibiotic use in the curriculum of the medical schools with more emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship.

A Proposed Mobile Based Payment System (Quickpay) for Nigerian Universities

Objectives: In this research work, we proposed and designed a QR code, 2FA authentication based mobile payment system (Quickpay) for Nigerian universities with focus on Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Quickpay mobile payment system will aide student in the payment of all the necessary fees required by the university. Methods and Analysis: We deployed object oriented analysis and methodology where we utilized Unified Modelling Language (UML) in analyzing and modelling the new system. Then, the methodology facilitated the use of competent high level programming tool (PHP programming language) for the development of the software (Quickpay mobile app) after detailed system analysis and design. Findings: When using the system proposed in this study, the different security model used in design of mobile payment solution which was seamlessly integrated into the system that will ensure authorized access. This model deploys 2FA authentication system at the initial stage of verification and an SMS token (request for SMS code and User ID) at the second stage of verification to guarantee user access to the system. On successful authentication, the user uses phone to scan the QR code and send an SMS using USSD code and payment code user will click on generate invoice in the form QR code, the user will use a mobile generated form of the invoice to complete the payment transaction. Application Improvements: Despite the QR code system as deployed in most mobile payment system, Quickpay is designed to seamlessly interface with the university portal while utilizing several layers of possession factor authentication methods. This includes an SMS module to generate a security token for authentication and the 2FA authentication system. Keywords: Mobile Payment, Mobile Technology, QR code, 2FA Authentication, USSD Code

Comparative Evaluation of the Implementation of Quality Assurance Mechanisms in Educational Management Programme of Universities in South-East, Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

This study focused on comparative evaluation of the implementation of quality assurance mechanisms in educational management programme of public and private universities in South-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria. The study was guided by four research questions and four null hypotheses. The study was carried out in three private and eight public universities running educational management programme. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study was eleven heads of departments of the eleven universities. A questionnaire instrument constructed by the researcher was used to collect data for the study, titled, “Questionnaire on comparative evaluation of the implementation of quality assurance mechanisms in educational management programme of universities in South-East of Nigeria (QCEI QAMEMPUSEN). The instrument was face-validated by three experts in the department of Educational Foundations of Ebonyi State University. The reliability of the instrument was obtained using cronbach alpha reliability coefficient, and it yielded 0.83. Mean scores of the respondents were used to answer the four research questions while t-test was used to answer the four null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study came up with some major findings to include, that both types of universities (public and private universities) in South-East implementation the four major mechanisms for quality assurance in educational management programme to a little extent, but the private universities seem to record better implementation of the four mechanisms compared to the public universities. The study then recommended among others that the National Universities Commission (NUC) should lay more emphasis on the public universities especially during main accreditation exercise of universities, as to reduce the gap that exists in the standard in both types of institutions.

Relationship between Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development Practices and their Job Performance in Secondary Schools in Eobnyi State, Nigeria

The main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teachers’ continuous professional development practices and their job performance. It was a co-relational study, and was carried out from the three education zones of the state. Population of the study was 4500 teachers’ from the state public secondary schools. The sample for the study was 450 teachers’ selected from the three education zones of the state representing 10% of the population. Researchers-developed instrument, titled: questionnaire on teachers continuous professional development practices and job performance (QTCPDJP) was used to elicit information from the respondents. The instrument was face-validated by three experts from the department of Educational Foundations of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The reliability of the instrument was established through test retest procedure using twenty teachers in public secondary schools in Enugu State, and the reliability index of 0.87 was obtained using the pearson product moment correlation coefficient. The researcher administered the instrument directly on the respondents with the help of three research assistants. The study was guided by only one research question and one null hypothesis. Data collected were analyzed using pearson product moment correction coefficient. Findings of the study revealed that there is a moderate positive correlation between teachers’ continuous professional development practices and their job performance in secondary schools in Ebonyi State. The study among others recommended that teachers should take interests in professional growth and development through regular workshops, seminars and conferences in order to increase their job performance.

Transmission Dynamics of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in the Rural Community of Ebonyi State, South Eastern Nigeria.

This study accessed the dynamics of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in Nkalagu Community. A total of 500 mid-day urine samples were collected and transported to Microbiology Laboratory, Ebonyi State University, for analysis. 10ml each of the urine samples was centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 5 minutes. Transmission potential of snail intermediate host of Schistosomes collected from different sampling station at the transmission sites within the study community was equally accessed. The snail species collected were placed individually into a clean beaker with little quantity of water and then subjected to shedding light for 2 hours. Data obtained were entered in excel spread sheet and analyzed using chi square test. The result obtained shows that 205 (41%) out of 500 individuals examined were excreting S. haematobium ova in their urine. The highest prevalence of infection (23%) was found among 11-20-year age groups. Males were more infected (25.4%) than their female counterparts (15.6%), although this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). A total of 283 snails belonging to two Bulinus species (B. globosus and B. truncatus) were collected from the four sites sampled. Bulinus globosus recorded the highest species abundance (177) with the highest occurrence in site A. 52 (18.4%) out of 283 snails collected were infected with cercariae, and the highest cercariae infection (12.0%) was recorded among B. globosus. With prevalence of 41% among the human population and the prevalence of 18.4% patent infection among the snail intermediate hosts, urogenital schistosomiasis is still a public health problem in the study area and falls within the WHO classification of endemic area. Public health campaign is recommended in order to educate the people on the mode of transmission and control of the disease.

Effects of slaughter house wastes on soil properties and cocoyam corm yield in Abakaliki, Nigeria

A research was carried out in research and teaching farm of, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki to determine effects of different rates of slaughter house wastes on soil properties and cocoyam corm yield. Four rates of slaughter house wastes namely 0 (control), 3, 6 and 9 t ha‒1 were used as amendment. Soil and cocoyam were analysed using analysis of variance and differences between treatment means detected using Fisher's least significant difference (FLSD) at 5% probability level. Results from the study showed that slaughter house wastes application significant (P < 0.05) improved soil properties and cocoyam corm yield compared to control. Also, the higher the application of slaughter house wastes in the plots, the higher the improvements in soil properties though not all the improvements were significant (p < 0.05). Slaughter house wastes significantly increased cocoyam corm yield compared to control.

Medical students' perceptions regarding antibiotics use and antimicrobial resistance in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Background and Objectives: Medical students as future doctors have important roles to play in the control of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of medical students regarding antibiotics use and antimicrobial resistance in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all the 184 fifth and sixth year medical students in Ebonyi State University, Nigeria using semi-structured, self-administered questionnaires. Proportions, chi square and logistic regression were estimated with Epi Info version 7.2 at 5% level of significance.Results: Respondents were mostly males (62.5%), aged 20-29 years (68.9%) with 60.9% of them in final year. Majority (85.9%) had used antibiotics in the last one year. Most (78.3%) rated themselves to have adequate knowledge on antibiotic use and resistance but only 40.2% respondents had positive perception towards antibiotic use and resistance. Similarly, only 46.7% agreed that hand washing was important in controlling antimicrobial resistance. Majority (53.3%) believed that antibiotics were safe drugs and should be used commonly while only 50.5% disagreed with use of antibiotics as first line treatment for sore throat. Desire for more education on antimicrobial resistance and use was a significant predictor of positive perception (OR 0.36, 95% CI; 0.15-0.87; P=0.024)Conclusions: There was poor perception towards antibiotic use and resistance in spite of the high rates of antibiotic consumption and self-rated knowledge on antimicrobial use. There is need for reorientation of medical students' perceptions towards antibiotic usage and the role of infection control in curbing antimicrobial resistance.Keywords: antibiotic use, antimicrobial resistance, perception, medical students, Nigeria

Predictors of practice of breast self-examination: A study among female undergraduates of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in both developed and developing countries. This study was designed to determine the predictors of practice of breast self-examination among female undergraduate students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A three-stage sampling design was used to select 365 female students of the university. Data were collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire. Completion of one academic year qualified students for inclusion. Good knowledge of breast self-examination was determined by proportion of respondents who scored 50% and above of 15 variables used to assess knowledge. The mean age of the students was 22.1 ± 2.5 years. Majority (76.4%) were aware of breast self-examination and health workers; 37.0% were the major source of information. A minor proportion (5.8%) have had their close relatives diagnosed with breast cancer. Majority (55.3%) had good knowledge of breast self-examination. Majority (63.6%) have ever-practiced breast self-examination; however, only 15.9% of the respondents examined their breasts on a monthly basis. Predictors of ever-practiced breast self-examination included having good knowledge of breast self-examination (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] =6.4, 95% CI: 3.9-10.4), having a close relative diagnosed with breast cancer (AOR = 4.0, 95% CI: 1.1-15.1), and mother of respondent being self-employed (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.5-1.5). Awareness of breast self-examination and practice were high among the respondents; however, only a minor proportion practiced breast self-examination every month. Having good knowledge of breast self-examination was associated with its practice. Having a close relative diagnosed with breast cancer encouraged the respondents to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer, thus enabling the practice of breast self-examination. Moreover, the practitioners of breast self-examination taught and encouraged others to examine their breasts. There is a need to increase knowledge of breast self-examination through public health education using the media.

CHALLENGES OF ADOPTION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AMONG EMPLOYEES OF EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY, ABAKALIKI-NIGERIA

Ponte Academic JournalMar 2019, Volume 75, Issue 3 CHALLENGES OF ADOPTION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AMONG EMPLOYEES OF EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY, ABAKALIKI-NIGERIAAuthor(s): Nwele Anaemelechi O. ,Ezekwe Emmanuel A.J. Ponte - Mar 2019 - Volume 75 - Issue 3 Abstract:The study examined constraints of adoption of information & communication technology (ICT) among employees of local government areas for sustainable development in Ebonyi State-Nigeria. The study employed content analysis approach to achieve the objectives of the study. The study sought to ascertain the degree of constraints of adoption of ICT among the employees of local government areas in Ebonyi State. However, it is hypothetical that adoption of ICT can propel sustainable development in local government areas of Ebonyi State. Dwelling on the gains that timely exchange of information, relevant data management at the local government area in provision of service at the grass root may be hampered because of underutilization of ICT facilities among employees and competition will continue to be a nightmare without the adoption of ICT. In order to have a good foundation upon which the study rest, technology adoption theory propounded by Everett Rogers (2003) theories of Innovation and Diffusion was adopted. The major interest of the theory is to elucidate the irresistible power of ICT to propel sustainable development in local government areas of Ebonyi State. Following from the assumption of the theory and its focus the constraints of adoption of ICT emerged. It is the findings of the study that power, competence and funding have continued to be recurrent decimal. Consequently, the study recommends that administrators of local government may explore the opportunities of adoption of ICT in order to achieve sustainable development in local government areas of Ebonyi State. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Medical students' perception of their learning environment at a Nigerian University.

Background: The medical learning environment is an interactive network of factors that affect the medical student's academic progress and learning outcomes.This study was designed to assess the overall student's perception of their learning environment, identify the weak aspects of the environment, determine the effects of age, gender year of study on student's perception and recommend measures to further enhance students' learning experiences.Method: This is a cross-sectional study and cluster sampling technique was used to recruit respondents. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was applied to medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, to assess the following areas; student's perception of learning, student's perception of course organizers, student's academic selfperception, student's perception of atmosphere, and student's social self-perception. Completed questionnaires were analyzed with the SPSS software, version 17.Results: 180 questionnaires were analyzed. The mean global score was 120.4/200 (60.2%).It was noted to be significantly higher in the second year of study than in the fifth year of study. Further analysis of the subdomain revealed that students in their second year of study had significantly higher scores in all the subdomains except in the academic self-perception. Analysis of the individual items in the DREEM questionnaire showed that the students perceived the environment as not being relaxed during lectures, and that there was poor support system for students that get stressed in their course of study.Conclusion: Students' perception of their educational environment was positive but there was poor support system for students who get stressed. The school management needs to work on some aspects of social factors to improve on the perception and quality of teaching and learning.Key words: Medical, Students, Perception, Learning, Environment