Geopolitical Zones Research Articles

Teenage Pregnancy in Nigeria from 1970 to 2023: Burden, Issues, and Prospects

Background: Teenage pregnancy represents a multifaceted challenge that affects not only the health of adolescent girls but also the socio-economic development of communities and the nation as a whole. Objective: We narratively reviewed how socio-cultural, economic, and health system factors have influenced teenage pregnancy rates in Nigeria over time and identified opportunities for improvement. Methods: The study was a narrative review of published studies. A total number of 85 articles were obtained: 30 from PubMed, 37 from Google Scholar, and 18 from African Journals Online (AJOL). The articles were then screened for duplication and eligibility. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage. Results: The studies carried out nationally were 14 (46.7%) followed by that of the southwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria 9 (30.0%). Cross-sectional studies were the most utilized study type 15 (50.0%). The majority of the studies were carried out between 2011 and 2020, 19 (63.33%). Conclusion: While the incidence and prevalence have shown some regional improvements, particularly in urban areas, the burden remains high in rural regions where socio-cultural practices such as early marriage persist. The associated health risks, including maternal and infant mortality, and the socio-economic challenges of disrupted education and poverty, highlight the urgent need for comprehensive interventions.

Approaches to Crime Control in Public Universities: A Case Study of South-South Geo-political Zone of Nigeria

Approaches to Crime Control in Public Universities: A Case Study of South-South Geo-political Zone of Nigeria

Learners’ Characteristics and Cognitive Test Anxiety in Semester Examination among Students in National Open University of Nigeria

The paper focused on how learners’ characteristics influenced cognitive test anxiety among students of National Open University of Nigeria. The research design used for the study was cross-sectional survey, drawing on the population of 200,000 students at 200 to 400 levels, a sample of 460 were selected using simple sampling technique. Four hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The instrument used for this study was Open and Distance Learners’ Cognitive Test Anxiety Questionnaire (ODLCTAQ) constructed by the researcher. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Chi-square statistics was used to analyse the data in order to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that the influence of employment status on students’ cognitive test anxiety was not significant (ꭓ2 (6)= 3.028; P=.805) but that students’ academic discipline had significant influence on students’ cognitive test anxiety (ꭓ2 (12) = 25.942; P=.011). Also, geopolitical zone of NOUN students had significant influence on cognitive test anxiety (ꭓ2 (6)= 20.331; P=.002). It is therefore recommended that management of National Open University of Nigeria should schedule well-spaced out examination timetable in order to take care of the students who are civil servants and those that work in the private companies to have more time to prepare for examinations so as to reduce their cognitive test anxiety. Faculties should put in place various means of reducing the cognitive test anxieties of the students through effective facilitations, discussions and practical sessions.

Policing for Sustainable Development in Public Universities in South-South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

Policing for Sustainable Development in Public Universities in South-South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria

Information sharing activities in the management of people living with HIV in Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to investigate the information-sharing activities available to the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria. The specific objectives were to find out the information-sharing activities of the PLHIV, the frequency of engaging in the activities, nature of the information shared, and the challenges. A cross-sectional research design was employed. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The population of the study was the entire People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria. Two states from each geopolitical zone of Nigeria were randomly selected. Four hundred (400) PLHIV were also randomly selected as samples, using proportionate sampling. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the PLHIV were exposed to various information-sharing activities. They also frequently engaged in different information-sharing activities; monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annually. The nature of the information shared was health-related. It was concluded that exposure to different types of information sharing activities enlightened the PLHIV on how to effectively self-manage the disease. The information shared among the PLHIV was generally health related. It was recommended to HIV stakeholders to create more awareness on information sharing among PLHIV in Nigeria through the use of Seminars, Workshops, Social Media, and other information-sharing activities.

Assessment of the knowledge of healthcare workers on monkeypox in Nigeria.

Monkeypox, a re-emerging zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), poses a public health challenge in Nigeria. To effectively combat this disease, it is essential to assess the knowledge of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria concerning monkeypox outbreak. A cross-sectional web-based survey with 609 healthcare workers in Nigeria was conducted using a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge of monkeypox. Data were coded and analyzed with Microsoft Excel and Python in Anaconda Jupyter Notebook. The majority of respondents (n=318, 52.2%) had good knowledge of MPXV but also had knowledge gaps regarding certain symptoms and disease similarities. Interestingly, respondents were completely unaware of the possibility of sexual transmission of the disease. However, they recognized the possible significant impact of monkeypox on the social and economic lifestyle of Nigerians (n=582, 95.6%, adjOR=21.181, 95% CI: 14.450-31.051). Respondents had mixed knowledge regarding the use of smallpox vaccines and antiviral agents for monkeypox prevention and treatment. Furthermore, a significant proportion (n=526, 86.4%, adjOR=0.159, 95% CI: 0.126-0.201) attributed the outbreak to bioterrorism. The logistic regression highlighted a strong influence of academic qualification, type of healthcare provider, years of experience, and geopolitical zone of practice, on monkeypox knowledge in Nigeria. The study highlights the importance of continuous education for healthcare professionals in Nigeria to improve monkeypox outbreak management. Despite their moderate performance, there are knowledge gaps in critical areas among HCWs, necessitating further research to explore reasons and influencing factors for knowledge levels.

Fertility among Northern Nigeria women and associated factors: Negative binomial regression model approach

Objective: The 2020 sustainable development progress report shows that human population growth is a critical barrier to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). There are very few studies on determinants of fertility particularly looking at the northern part of Nigeria that has a relatively high fertility level compared with the southern part of the country. This study therefore is aimed at identifying the factors associated with fertility among women in northern Nigeria. Methods: The data for this study was from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018. The number of children ever born by women aged 15 – 49 years and other variables who lived in Northern Nigeria were extracted and analyzed using Negative Binomial Regression, where the level of significance was 0.05. Results: There were variations in factors associated with fertility among the geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Age of the respondents, sex of household head, wealth index, religion, ethnicity, use of family planning (FP) method, and child death experience were among the factors associated with fertility. Women with no/lower education, early marriage, being Muslim and Hausa/Fulani ethnic background experienced high fertility (p<0.05). Conclusion: Attention to the factors mentioned above and intervention programmes designed to reduce fertility are indispensable. Education of female children should be given extra attention as this will empower them to be more informed. Hence, achieving SDGs will become a reality.

Survey on The Impact of Road Transportation Companies on Travel Motivations in Nigeria Geo-Political Zones

This research survey on the impact of Road Transport Companies on travel Motivations in Nigeria Geo-political zones. Transport by road is the physical process of transporting cargo or people by road using motor vehicles or other means such as bicycles motorcycles etc, Travel motivations are the inner state of a person or certain needs and wants of the tourists or people that can be considered as one of the most important psychological influences of behavior. However, a lot of Researchers have confirmed that many people are motivated to travel due to the existing road transport Companies and road transport Companies don't know much about their existence in terms of motivations. The specific objectives examined the effect of Road transport companies on Tourist social interactions, cultural traveling, and traveling for pleasure. A lot of people will also benefit from this research including Future researchers, travelers, and transport companies. The method of data collection used in this research study was primary data which was achieved through questionnaires, Finding shows that there is a strong relationship between Road transport companies and tourist traveling for social interactions, cultural purpose, and pleasure. The researcher concludes that road transport companies play a positive role in motivating tourist/travelers for traveling and recommend that the government of the day should provide good Road for these transport Companies Since tourist sites are more in the rural communities and Road transport companies should train more for the drivers and customer attendants.

Role of environmental education in water pollution prevention and conservation in Nigeria

Abstract Water-related issues such as scarcity and pollution have become increasingly pressing in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, highlighting the need for an effective environmental education (EE) programme. The relationship between EE and water pollution prevention and conservation in Nigeria remains an open question. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the role of EE in water pollution prevention and conservation in Nigeria. A simple random sampling was used to select 766 respondents from the southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Results show a high level of awareness of water pollution and conservation strategies. However, people's attitude towards preventing water pollution and conservation was poor. Age does not significantly (at p < 0.05) affect awareness and attitude towards water pollution prevention and conservation. However, the level of education significantly (at p < 0.05) influences the level of awareness and attitude of people towards water pollution prevention and conservation. EE increases awareness and attitude towards water pollution prevention and conservation. Therefore, the Federal Ministries of Water Resources and Education should endeavour to make EE a compulsory programme in the school curriculum across all levels of education.

Strengthening postharvest technology development and improvement through feedback

This inquiry is predicated on the datum or truism that all technologies have a gap and or become obsolete at some point, and the utilization of passé technologies and methods predisposes the agricultural sector to underdevelopment. It investigates technological paucities and fixes for NSPRI technologies (NSPRI Smoking Kiln (NSK), Parabolic-shaped Solar Dryer (PSSD), Ice Fish Box® (IFB®), Hermetic Steel Drum (HSD) and Ventilated Plastic Crate (VPC)) from the perspective of users of the technologies. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design using the in-person method as its feedback mechanism in 18 states across 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Data were obtained through interview schedules supplemented with key informant interviews while a multi-stage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of respondents. Firstly, eighteen (18) States where NSPRI postharvest technologies have been disseminated and adopted were purposively selected. Secondly, users of improved NSPRI postharvest technologies were selected from diverse locations within the states earlier selected. Non-probabilistic techniques particularly snowballing were also employed at this stage. Frequencies, percentages, means and weighted averages were employed in the analysis of data components. Results showed that 70% of respondents have never provided feedback on NSPRI technologies. Executives of various associations were used by 45% of NSK users, 59% of IFB users, and 48% of VPC users to provide feedback while 43% of PSSD users and 40% of HSD users shared opinions through NSPRI extension staff. In general, there exists a strong (NSK: 94% PSSD: 95.2% IFB®: 91% HSD: 88.6% VPC: 74.5%) willingness to recommend technologies among respondents even as they provided positive feedback on use parameters and components of the technologies. However, respondents opined that the roller and chimney (NSK), durability of polypropylene cover (PSSD), draining of thawed ice (IFB®), and bolted ring (HSD) require improvement.

Delays in seeking treatment for fever in children under five years of age in Nigeria: Evidence from the National Demographic Health Survey.

In countries with high child mortality rates, such as Nigeria, early intervention for common childhood illnesses (e.g., pneumonia and malaria) is essential for improving clinical outcomes. The timely reporting and treatment of fever is therefore critical in making a differential diagnosis and choosing an appropriate course of treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and major risk factors associated with delays in seeking treatment for fever in children under five years of age in Nigeria. This study used a total weighted sample of 7,466 children under five years of age from the 2018 National Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey. Multivariable binary logistic regression modelling was used to investigate the association between predisposing, enabling, need, health service and community level factors, and delay in treatment-seeking for fever. We report the delays in seeking treatment for childhood fever that was reported by mothers in the last two weeks prior to the national survey. The prevalence for delayed treatment was 62.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.1%, 64.1%). Our findings showed that there were fewer delays in seeking treatment in children aged 24-59 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.93), among mothers who were formally employed (aOR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), regularly attended antenatal services (aOR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.66, 0.88), and for those who resided in wealthier households (aOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.89). Children whose mothers resided in the North-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria were less likely to delay seeking treatment for fever (aOR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.73). However, mothers who had an unwanted pregnancy had a higher odds of delaying treatment for childhood fever (aOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.39). There were significant delays in seeking treatment for childhood fever in poorer homes found in geopolitically unstable zones of Nigeria. Mothers who were poor, unemployed, and with younger children (<12 months) often delayed seeking treatment for their febrile child. Future health promotion strategies and microenterprise schemes should target both rural and urban mothers residing in poor households. Children under 12 months of age should be a priority.

High Prevalence of Hepatitis E IgM Antibody among Pregnant Women in Their Second and Third Trimester in Southwest Nigeria

Background: Background: Pregnant women with Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, particularly those in the second or third trimester, are at increased risk of acute liver failure, fetal loss, and mortality; but unfortunately, routine HEV screening is yet to be introduced for pregnant women in Nigeria and many developing nations. This study was conducted to determine HEV prevalence and the associated risk factors among pregnant women unaware of their HEV status in three states of the southwestern geopolitical zone in Nigeria. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-two consenting pregnant women aged 18 -55 years from Lagos, Oyo, and Osun state were recruited for the study and screened for HEV IgM antibodies using DIAPRO HEV IgM ELISA KIT (Milanno-Italy). Sociodemographic data and risk factors were obtained using a structured questionnaire, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: An overall HEV prevalence rate of 9.9% was observed among pregnant women in Southwest Nigeria. State-specific prevalence of 14.7%, 8.5%, and 6.7% was observed in Oyo, Lagos, and Osun, respectively. HEV prevalence increased with increase in trimester of pregnancy, with more than 80% of the HEV prevalence found among women in their second and third trimester. All the HEV prevalence occurring in women of active childbearing age (≤ 40 years) and among low-income earners. None of the risk factors considered was found to have a statistical correlation with HEV prevalence. Conclusion: High HEV prevalence in the second and third trimesters was reported in southwest Nigeria. We advocate routine screening of pregnant women for HEV IgM antibody for prompt HEV detection and proper HEV management to forestall HEV complications in pregnancy.

Knowledge, Attitude and Use of Contraceptives Among Women of Reproductive Age in a Nigerian Rural Community

BACKGROUND: The use of contraception, encompassing various methods such as hormonal pills, condoms, intrauterine devices, and natural techniques like abstinence, plays a pivotal role in family planning and reproductive health. Despite its importance, the utilization of contraceptives, particularly in low-resource nations like Nigeria, has remained notably low. This is concerning, considering the positive impact of contraception on maternal and child health and its contribution to national development by curbing population growth. In Nigeria, awareness of contraception is relatively high, but the adoption of modern contraceptive methods is alarmingly low, with only 10% of females utilizing them. This rate is notably insufficient given the high levels of sexual activity, especially among adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, regional disparities exist within Nigeria, with the south-south geopolitical zone exhibiting a higher prevalence of modern contraceptive use at 15.5%. Factors influencing contraceptive usage include education, religious beliefs, and awareness of available methods. In Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, the prevalence of modern contraceptives was notably higher at 36.8% in 2017, underscoring the impact of education and knowledge of contraceptive options. Increasing contraceptive use is crucial for Nigeria, a lower-middle-income country, as it not only aids in averting unplanned pregnancies and maternal mortality but also in controlling population growth. AIM: The study aimed to shed light on contraceptives' profound health advantages to both women and families. By investigating the knowledge, attitude, and use of contraceptives within the context of the study community, it sought to contribute to the promotion and enhancement of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in the rural community of Sagbama, South-south Nigeria. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among women of reproductive age, over a period of 3 months in Sagbama Community, Bayelsa state. Multi-stage sampling was employed. Data was obtained using interviewer-administered semi-structured 31-item questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26. Bivariate analysis with p-value &lt;0.05 was significant. RESULTS: Among the 314 respondents, the mean age was 29.96 years. Nearly half were married (48.4%), with varying numbers of children. The majority had some form of education, with 46.8% having secondary education. Most respondents (95.9%) had heard of contraceptives, primarily from friends (76.4%) and hospitals (58%). The most well-known contraceptive methods were male condoms (95.9%), contraceptive pills (79.9%), and implants (72.3%). Positive attitudes toward contraceptive use were observed in 83.4% of respondents, driven by the desire to prevent unwanted pregnancies and space births (80.9%). Of sexually active women (81.4%), 53.3% used contraceptives, with male condoms (44%) and pills (15.7%) being the most common methods. Reasons for non-use included a perceived lack of need (28.6%) and fear of side effects (26.5%). CONCLUSION: Despite high knowledge levels, the use of contraceptives among women of reproductive age in the community was poor. Education and addressing misconceptions are essential to promote effective contraceptive use. Comprehensive health and sex education involving both men and women should be provided to dispel misconceptions and encourage correct contraceptive use.

Rheumatoid arthritis knowledge gap and intervention in Nigeria study.

Family physicians are often the first healthcare providers to encounter patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Nigeria, given the paucity of rheumatology services nationwide. This study aimed to assess and address the knowledge gap regarding RA among family physicians in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey involving 609 family physicians from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria was conducted in October 2022. Pre-intervention questionnaires were administered to assess the participants' knowledge of RA. An investigator-led PowerPoint presentation on RA was then delivered as an intervention, followed by the same participants completing post-intervention questionnaires to evaluate knowledge improvement. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science, version 25. The mean age of participants was 42 ± 15 years, predominantly male (63.9%). The median pre-intervention knowledge score was 3.2 (IQR: 2.0-4.5), with 77.0% scoring <5. After the intervention, the median score significantly improved to 7.1 (IQR: 4.3-8.6) (p = .001), with 62.6% scoring >7. Significant improvements were observed in several knowledge areas where gaps existed pre-intervention, including the understanding that NSAIDs are not the mainstay of management (p < .001), the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate (p < .001), confidence in diagnosing RA (p = .016), the recognition of joint deformities as a characteristic feature (p < .001), and the understanding that rheumatoid factor is not definitive for diagnosis (p < .001). This study highlights the importance of interventions in closing the knowledge gap about RA diagnosis and management. We recommend the implementation of a comprehensive approach to rheumatology education and services by policymakers.

Barriers to the uptake of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis among young key populations in Nigeria.

Young key populations (YKP) contribute to the burden of HIV in Nigeria and are a priority population for oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, their uptake of PrEP remains low. We assessed the main barriers to PrEP uptake and the variation among YKP (15-24years) in Nigeria. This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2020 Integrated Biological & Behavioural Surveillance Survey conducted among key populations (KP), including female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), and transgender people (TG), in 12 states in Nigeria. A closed-ended question asking the main reason for not taking PrEP among KP who had never taken PrEP was included in the surveillance questionnaire. We collapsed the responses into six barrier themes. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, we examined the association between the barriers (dependent variable) and KP group (independent variable), controlling for age, educational attainment, religion, marital status, employment status, and geopolitical zone. A total of 1776 YKP were included in this study. The most cited barriers by KP group were: lack of access (28.3%) and fear of side effects (28.3%) by FSW; lack of interest (37.1%) by MSM; low risk perception (65.5%) by PWID; and lack of access (34.4%) by TG. The odds of reporting fear of side effects, lack of access, lack of interest, and nonspecific/others reasons were significantly different by KP group. The barriers limiting the uptake of PrEP among YKP vary by KP group. Our results highlight the need for KP-specific interventions to improve the uptake of PrEP among YKP in Nigeria.

Critical Care in Sub-Saharan Africa, Where Are We? A Review.

Critical care services in sub-Saharan Africa have not gained much grounds despite becoming part of modern clinical practice in the 1950s. Managing patients with potentially recoverable illnesses and injuries is still not at par with evidence-based practices in developed climes, and most die from many preventable causes. Many hospitals in Africa do not have an intensive care unit, leaving critically ill patients being treated mostly in the general wards. A survey from Zambia indicated that only 7% of hospitals in the country have an intensive care unit, whereas a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria revealed that there were 30 public and private intensive care units serving a population of over 200 million, spread around all the geo-political zones, with most in the teaching hospitals. The situation is not generally better in most parts of the continent. This review focuses on why critical care is at the level it is in sub-Saharan Africa and provides suggestions on what should be done to change the narrative.

Investigation of Entrepreneurial Emotional Intelligence on Financial Performance of FIIRO Technology Adoptees in South West Geopolitical Zone, Nigeria

Success in entrepreneurial activities is vital to economic development. This has become a major issue of global concern to researchers in entrepreneurship all over the world, including developing nations where entrepreneurs, most especially the micro, small and medium enterprises, play key roles in creating employment opportunities. Therefore, researchers in this field of study should concentrate on conducting empirical research focusing on success factors to bail out ailing enterprises before they shut down, a rampant phenomenon, especially in this post-COVID-19 era coupled with recent global inflation. This study investigated the effect of emotional intelligence on the financial performance of FIIRO (Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi) technology adoptees. The study population is 250 FIIRO technology adoptees who have set up enterprises between 2020 and 2022 based on technologies adopted at FIIRO and are operating in South West Geopolitical Zone comprising Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, Osun and Lagos States. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 20 entrepreneurs per state, giving a total of 120 technology adoptees selected for the study. Research design is a cross-sectional approach. A 6-point Likert Scale questionnaire was used to collect data from 86 participants who responded to the questionnaire. Simple regression analysis through SPSS is used for data analysis to test the six hypotheses of the study. Five measures or dimensions of emotional intelligence used in this study are: internal motivation, empathy, self-regulation, self-awareness and skill building, while financial performance measures are: profitability, sales growth, market share, net asset growth and number of employees. The result shows a weak but significant effect of emotional intelligence on financial performance {R2= 0.332, F(1,84)= 10.398, p= 0.002} of FIIRO technology adoptees. Self regulation {R2= 0.115, F(1,84)= 10.889, p= 0.000} and empathy {R2= 0.157, F(1,84)= 15.641, p= 0.000} have weak but significant effect on financial performance. However, self-awareness {R2= 0.020, F(1,84)= 1.735, p= 0.191}, internal motivation {R2= 0.000, F(1,84)= 0.031, p= 0.860} and skill building {R2= 0.025, F(1,84)= 2.144, p= 0.147} have very weak and no significant effect on financial performance. Entrepreneurs would find the results of this study useful to properly harness their emotional intelligence dimensions, most especially self-regulation and empathy dimensions, to achieve the enterprise goal, which is a success.

Effect of flip teaching approach on college of education students’ interest and achievement in ordinary differential equation in south-south geo-political zone, Nigeria.

The study investigated the effect of flip teaching approach on College of Education students’ interest and achievement in Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) in South-South Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria. The study used a pretest-posttest non-equivalent group quasi-experimental design, wherein two research questions and two hypotheses addressed the design. Purposive sampling was used to choose 78 NCE III students from two intact and control classes. The ODE Interest Scale (ODEIS) and ODE Achievement Test (ODEAT), whose reliability indices were determined using Cronbach Alpha and Kuder-Richardson-20 techniques, were used to collect the data. The mean as well as the standard deviation were used to examine the data, and ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at the.05 level of significance. The findings demonstrated that, in comparison to standard teaching methods, the flip teaching technique had a considerably positive impact on students' interest in and achievement in ordinary differential equations. Therefore, it was suggested that ordinary differential equations be taught and learnt in colleges of education using the flip teaching approach.

Grit and its associated factors among final year pharmacy students in public universities in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study

Background: Assessing grit among pharmacy students provides insights into the students' experiences as well as the importance of implementing interventions to increase their levels of grit. The purpose of this study was to assess students' grit in Nigerian pharmacy schools and to identify factors that predict the amount of grit among pharmacy students. Methods: This study utilised a nine-item questionnaire-based cross-sectional design among final-year pharmacy students from one public university, in each of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria for a month. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Results: A total of 590 pharmacy students responded to the questionnaire (response rate = 66.89%). Most students 409 (69.32%) were between the ages of 20 - 25 years. A majority, 573 (97.1%) reported being free from any chronic diseases and 427 (72.37%) reported being engaged in extracurricular activities. A group mean grit score of 37.091 ± 0.253 was observed. Students from all the schools reported ‘Not Like me’ 14 (2.37%) to ‘I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge’, while 275 (46.61%) chose ‘Very much like me’. Predictors of high grit level were institution (Beta, p-value), mode of accommodation (ꞵ = 1.494, p = .039), and sponsorship (ꞵ = 4.207, p = .047). Conclusion: Pharmacy students in Nigeria have a high grit level and the institution of study had an impact on the level of grit.

The high cost of healing and teaching: a cross-sectional survey of burnout among academic physicians in Nigeria

BackgroundGlobally, the medical and teaching professions are two major professions with the highest prevalence of burnout, and academic physicians bestride the two professions. This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among academic physicians working in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.MethodologyThis was a self-administered online survey. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Educators (MBI-ES) on Google Form and sent to 256 academic physicians in tertiary hospitals across Nigeria using the WhatsApp broadcast feature. MBI-ES was categorized into two categories (Burnout and No Burnout), and binary logistic regression was used to test the influence of 13 predictors on the three dimensions of MBI-ES as well as MBI in its entirety.FindingsA total of 155 academic physicians responded, resulting in a response rate of 60.5%. There were 121 (80.7%) males and 29 (19.3%) females (five cases respondents omitted this detail). Eighty-seven respondents exhibited moderate to high burnout in at least one of the dimensions of the MBI, translating to a prevalence rate of 57.7% in our study. Five variables, number of peer reviewed articles published, hours of weekly teaching, enjoyment of academic writing, apathy to teaching and religion were all significantly associated with burnout. Moderate to high emotional exhaustion was reported by 30.8% (45 respondents), moderate to high depersonalization by 5.5% (8 respondents),, and low to moderate personal accomplishment by 43.5% (67 respondents).Eight variables: religion, geopolitical zone of practice, enjoyment of academic writing, apathy toward teaching, university ownership, number of published peer-reviewed articles, salary, and supplementary income were significantly associated with emotional exhaustion, while the number of weeks spent teaching in a year and teaching hours/week were significantly associated with depersonalization and personal accomplishment, respectively. Age (OR 1.302, CI 1.080–1.570), Teaching hours/week (OR 0.924, CI 0.854–0.999), Salary (OR 0.996, CI 0.993-1.0), and supplementary salary (OR 0.996, CI 0.993–0.999) were found to significantly predict emotional exhaustion.ConclusionThe study reveals a high prevalence of burnout (57.7%) among academic physicians in Nigeria, highlighting an urgent need for targeted interventions and policy changes. Given the significant role these professionals play in healthcare and medical education, immediate action is essential to address this issue. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of preventive measures and exploring the long-term impacts of burnout.