Misplaced Priorities Research Articles

Uncovering the priorities of scientific research onsustainable development goals: A case study in Ethiopia

AbstractThe United Nations has defined 17 SDGs aimed at addressing fundamental human needs. While the SDGs are relevant to all countries and communities worldwide, they hold particular significance to Ethiopia. Scientific research dedicated to a specific country, or a region therein plays a crucial role in identifying the necessary interventions, planning appropriate courses of action, and monitoring progress toward achieving the SDGs. A considerable amount of scientific research directly or indirectly related to the SDGs, has been conducted on Ethiopia, but the research is fragmented and a clear overview of its focus and impact on the SDGs is lacking. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive review of all available scientific literature on the former province of Wollo, which was the site of one of the most infamous famines in recent times. We found 1591 relevant studies, classified, and analyzed them based on their relevance to the SDGs. Our results indicate that while there has been a significant increase in scientific research in recent years, the focus has been skewed toward a few goals and limited targets within them. Specifically, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) have received significantly more attention. Further analysis also reveals misplaced priorities indicating a misalignment between scientific research and the needs of the study area. We conclude that while we approach 2030, the deadline for the SDGs, considerable attention must be given to the prioritization of SDGs in scientific research.

Promoting Wellness as a Primordial Prevention Strategy for Achieving Sustainable Public Health in the Post-Covid 19 Era.

The global scenario of a contracted economy over 4% and distraught healthcare systems due to the 2019 pandemic behooves us to redesign our strategies to move towards holistic approaches that allow health and wellbeing to be uniquely viewed within their contexts, promising sustainability. World-over, communities are more aware of the connectedness with nature and the role of positive behaviors. Disproportionate investments go into secondary and tertiary cure in healthcare systems and there is a minimal uptake of primary prevention. Investments in primordial prevention (PP) that can help achieve sustainable health are inadequate. PP is defined as an approach that prevents the risk factors for disease conditions from manifesting through maintenance of good health by embracing healthy environment, diet, and lifestyle behaviors, to function optimally. We propose integration of wellness as a primordial prevention strategy for sustainable public health using the 3 Ps: People, Places, and Policies/Programs. Wellness is holistic and multi-dimensional and is a primordial prevention concept as it focuses on people thriving based on a positive approach to health. The authors point out that the stumbling block in public health is due to unsustainable behavior as a result of misplaced priorities.

Tale of an ill-fated scapegoat: National security and the struggle for state regulation of social media in Nigeria

The struggle for state regulation of the social media in Nigeria today finds expression in the desperate efforts by state actors to foster a negative relationship between the platforms and national security. The ban on Twitter in the country recently is a manifestation of the grand plan to regulate social media operation, which has been on-going since the inception of the current administration in 2015, with the narrative of national security prominently featured as a key justification. Using data derived from secondary sources, this study underscores the struggle for state regulation of the social media in Nigeria and the accompanying implications. Drawing insights from two recent case studies in the country – the 2020 #EndSARS protest and 2021 Twitter ban, the study argues that attempts at social media regulation hinged on national security are counterproductive and, if actualized, will close up available spaces that citizens have at their disposal to engage in critical discourse on pressing national security issues. The study contends that social media are key tools for robust discourse towards facilitating responsive governance in the twenty-first century as experience in Nigeria recently has shown. Against this backdrop, it argues that although Nigeria is confronted with a multiplicity of security challenges at the moment, attempts at hinging this rising tide of insecurity on the social media with the aim of regulating them amount to a misplaced priority and present the platforms as ill-fated scapegoats. Arguments in the study suggest that the basic motivations for social media regulation in Nigeria are repressive in nature and portend damaging implications to the process of good governance and democratic consolidation.

Bet your Company Culture and Business Performance in Nigeria

The study examined the relationship between Bet your company culture and business performance in Nigeria. The strategic focus of any corporate venture is to maximize gains in business, which is achieved through actualizing vision and mission objectives. Bet your company as a way of life to achieve corporate success was examined in this study. A case study of NNPC was brought to focus based on some selected empirical studies in the literature. The study deployed a technique of Management by Objective (MBO) to instigate the bet company style of culture in NNPC. The review found that the concept of MBO which Udoji’s Commissions introduced as an important part of managerial process, most public enterprises in Nigeria, especially NNPC, did not afford its subordinates the opportunity to engage in goal-setting; instead, the predominant management approach involved the imposition of objectives by the leadership for associates to attain. Also, there was a report of misplaced priority by decision makers of NNPC not to train staff as and when needed, thereby stifling expected overall performances. It was recommended that NNPC and other firms adopt a bottom-up approach to decision-making. Institutions should involve the subordinates in significant decision-making and seek feedback as and when needed. Keywords: Bet your company; NNPC; Nigeria, Corporate Objectives

Meningitis in Niger Republic amidst COVID-19: current issues and novel recommendations.

Amidst coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there has been a misplaced priority on meningitis in the Niger Republic, thus refocusing resources and attention away from the continuing meningitis campaign in the Niger Republic. The over-strained state of public health resources and staff has also led to decreased surveillance, postponed diagnoses, and constrained immunization efforts in Niger Republic. This review aims to bridge the gaps regarding meningitis amid COVID-19 in Niger Republic and offer recommendations to government to mitigate meningitis in the country, with the hope of finding a permanent solution to this debilitating disease. The authors reviewed 45 past and present pieces of literature on meningitis and COVID-19 from 2013 to 2023 in well-renowned scientific databases such as PubMed, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, Medline, and Embase. Since 2015, Niger Republic has experienced multiple meningitis epidemics that have resulted in 20,789 cases and 1, 369 deaths [a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.6%]. A total of 231 cases of meningitis were reported from 1 November 2021 to 31 January 2022. And recently, 559 cases of meningitis (of which 111 are laboratory confirmed), including 18 deaths (overall CFR 3.2%), occurred in the Zinder region, southeast of Niger Republic, from 1 November 2022 to 27 January 2023. Meningitis remains a public health concern in the world, especially in Niger Republic, which could lead to serious long-term complications. Therefore, adequate and novel measures and therapeutic actions should be implemented by the Niger Government to lessen the burden of the disease in the country.

Neoliberal urban development and the polarization of urban governance

This paper explores the impact of neoliberal urban planning on urban governance, using Dar es Salam as a case study. Drawing on planning literature and the concepts of ‘state-capitalist,’ ‘coercive monopoly,’ and ‘de jure collusion’, the paper examines how the desire to spur economic growth has undermined planning practice and city management. By combining literature, observations and interviews with practitioners and academics, the paper reveals that neoliberal planning promotes elite interests, over the needs of the poor, limiting their right to the city. Planning is reduced to a mere exercise of market facilitation, with little to no social impact. Lack of social resonance, the paper notes, suggests a misplaced priority and a parochial preoccupation among city authorities. To create equitable urban spaces and development, the paper argues for a shift toward inclusive planning approaches in the cities of the Global South.

‘Now I Have Found Myself, and I Am Happy’: Marta Olmos, Sex Reassignment, the Media and Mexico on a Global Stage, 1952–7

AbstractIn May 1954, the story broke internationally of Marta Olmos, recipient of the first widely known, male-to-female sex reassignment conducted in Mexico. Her doctor, Rafael Sandoval Camacho, claimed that homosexuality could be cured and that, through transitions, queer Mexicans could be made into ‘socially useful’ citizens. While initially celebrated as a scientific triumph placing Mexico among elite nations, and receiving support from individuals close to the Ruiz Cortines administration, opinions soured as critics – physicians, politicians, cartoonists and clerics – condemned Marta for renouncing manhood through a fraudulent cure that threatened the binary sex/gender order underpinning Mexican nationalism. Sex reassignment, understood through foreigners including Christine Jorgensen and associated with ‘anti-social’ queer Mexicans, thus exemplified misplaced priorities during a period in which the state sought to ‘modernise patriarchy’. While self-affirming for Marta and permitted unofficially through state indifference, sex reassignment became seen as anti-Mexican. Thus, Marta's case illuminated how the state reconciled development with policing its patriarchal order.

Media Framing of Student-Athlete Suicide: An Examination of Problems, Causes, Moral Evaluations and Treatment Recommendations

At least five NCAA student athletes died by suicide in spring 2022. The deaths generated national news media attention while underscoring the stressors student-athletes face in relation to mental health. Journalists play an important role in shaping public understanding of issues, including mental health and suicide. By framing issues, journalists can shape the way audiences interpret (a) problems, (b) their causes, (c) their moral implications, and (d) potential treatments. The present study used thematic analysis to understand how four types of news organizations framed the student-athletes' deaths by suicide in 2022. The study examined 75 stories from national news outlets (e.g., Washington Post), sports publications (e.g., ESPN), student publications (e.g., The Badger Herald at the University of Wisconsin-Madison), and community publications (e.g., The Capital Times in Madison, WI). News stories identified environmental factors (e.g., poor mental health resources, stress) as a problem for student-athletes, while describing misplaced university priorities as a cause. Journalists described a need for universities and the NCAA to improve the depth and breadth of mental health resources for student-athletes, describing the action as a moral imperative. Implications are discussed in relation to sports communication and health communication.

Exploring Nigeria’s Public Projects Prospects for the Good of Nigerians

Public projects that should facilitate wellbeing of Nigerians have suffered setbacks and not been able to do so. This study is a descriptive type and discussed the forces of projects failure, intrigues of public officers that subvert project outcomes, the expected roles of state actors in project pursuits, and prospects for public projects in Nigeria. The study found that paucity of funds, policy summersault, and inflation of projects costs, poor delivery of projects or outright abandonment by contractors, attitudes of the ruling regime, its successor and beneficiaries are some of the forces that obstruct public projects. The study also found that corruption, use of direct labor, connivance; party politics, poor focus and maintenance, personalization of public project, misplaced priority are some of the intrigues of project initiators that subvert project outcomes in Nigeria. The study also found that numerous skilled bureaucrats, due process, procurement system, and supremacy of the constitution, multi-party politics, and the presidential system of government with democratic system that Nigeria practices are some of the opportunities open to the country on its public projects fortune. This study made use of secondary data that was sourced from journal articles, online materials, government gazettes, policy documents, and other publications. The data was content analyzed thematically. The study concluded that members of the public need to make attainable gains from numerous public project opportunities. Keywords: project initiator, opportunities, public projects, masses, wellbeing of Nigerians DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/13-3-01 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

Academic dishonesty by students of bioethics at a tertiary institution in Australia: an exploratory study

BackgroundInstitutions of higher learning are persistently struggling with issues of academic dishonesty such as plagiarism, despite the availability of university policies and guidelines for upholding academic integrity.MethodologyThis was a descriptive qualitative study conducted on 37 students of a Healthcare Ethics course at an Australian tertiary institution from February 2016 to October 2018. The purpose of the study was to explore the reasons for plagiarism detected the TurnitinR plagiarism checking software and extensive review of manuscripts. The interviews were conducted in private rooms and in strict confidence. Thematic analysis was manually done.ResultsFour major themes namely, lack of interest; pressure of time with competing priorities; lack of understanding of the policy on academic honesty, and “the determined students” were identified. Sub themes under lack of interest were lack of preparation and effort, low self-efficacy, poor studying techniques, and convenience of internet sources. Under pressure of time, the subthemes were, misplaced priorities, procrastination, high workloads, poor planning, competing interests, and the perception of availability of time at the start of the semester. Regarding lack of understanding of the policy on academic honesty, the subthemes identified were, lake of awareness of plagiarism, lack of awareness of acceptable similarity, conflicting messages from tutors and confusion with high school learning. The determined students were those that either made all effort to reduce plagiarism but still remained high, used the another language at home other than English, had poor paraphrasing techniques or lacked resources for English language editing.ConclusionThere are varied and diverse reasons for plagiarism. There is a need to systematically reinforce and educate students on issues pertaining to academic dishonesty and their associated implications.

Navigating barriers to gender equality in the European Union context: The case of healthcare sector

Context: Progress towards achieving gender equality in the European Union context is reported slow and fragmented, although some achievements have been made. Scholarship has been discuss-ing extensively the gendered barriers, yet their manifestation on a comprehensive and prevalence basis has received scant attention so far. Highlighting the big picture of all (in)visible gendered barriers and their manifestation in relation to countries’ specificity may contribute in understand-ing better the missing link between policy and practice. This study aims firstly, to identify com-prehensively the gendered barriers and their prevalence, and secondly, to gain deeper insights on how a persisting policy problem at the EU and Member States level remained poorly addressed for over two decades. Methods: A mixed methods approach was adopted to ensure the qualitative research quality cri-teria. The systematic literature review, questionnaire and semi-structured interviews methods to obtain and analyze data were included. Qualitative analysis was supplemented by the fundamental tenet of feminist research on the centrality of women. Results: Twenty-six gendered barriers with quantitative logic and varying degree of prevalence were identified and depicted in the Barriers Thematic Map (BTM) across healthcare, academia and business sectors. Twenty and twenty-one gendered barriers in Greek and Maltese healthcare set-tings were found respectively unveiling the country’s specificity in barriers’ manifestation. The sustainable development thinking in gender equality objectives in EU and MS was found suffering from inconsistencies and misplaced priorities. Conclusion: The gendered barriers are multiple, manifest themselves in chorus and with a varying degree of prevalence across sectors and are greatly influenced by country’s specificity. Evidence informed gendered policies respecting national priorities may need to be revisited by policy actors to deliver the promised egalitarian social orderand sustainable future for the EU citizens.

Genomic evidence for three distinct species in the Erebia manto complex in Central Europe (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

A problem to implement conservation strategies is that in many cases recognized taxa are in fact complexes of several cryptic species. Failure to properly delineate species may lead to misplaced priorities or to inadequate conservation measures. One such species complex is the yellow-spotted ringlet Erebia manto, which comprises several phenotypically distinct lineages, whose degree of genomic isolation has so far not been assessed. Some of these lineages are geographically restricted and thus possibly represent distinct units with conservation priorities. Using several thousand nuclear genomic markers, we evaluated to which degree the bubastis lineage from the Alps and the vogesiaca lineage from the Vosges, are genetically isolated from the widespread manto lineage. Our results suggest that both lineages are genetically as strongly differentiated from manto as other taxonomically well separated sibling species in this genus from each other, supporting a delineation of bubastis and vogesiaca as independent species. Given the restricted and isolated range of vogesiaca as well as the disjunct distribution of bubastis, our findings have significant implication for future conservation efforts on these formerly cryptic species and highlight the need to investigate the genomic identity within species complexes.

Nigeria’s Poverty Reduction Scheme: Spreading Herself Too Thin?

The Nigerian government expects to effectively pull 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030. Without a doubt, the government was compelled to intervene because of the country’s severe poverty, as seen by the large number of out-of-school children, gender-based difficulties, and the residents’ pitiful socioeconomic realities. And, in order to get out of these mudslides, the government decided it was time to create a plan capable of resolving these concerns in less than a decade. However, tracing the Nigerian government’s track record of developmental failure, misplaced priorities, hasty policy formulation, and poor policy implementation that have remained recurrent feral flaws in the system, the paper expresses a cynical view about the plan’s realization; relying on historical accounts of vision failures and the country’s economic realities, it sees the scheme as an overzealous project taken too far and submits that it will be nothing different from the failed visions of the past.

Analysis of Global Search and Research Interests on Dentists Using Infoveillance and Bibliometric Approaches

About half of the world’s population requires the services of a dentist. However, the in-depth understanding of the concerns and priorities of the global public and scientific communities concerning dentists is essential for the planning and development of sustainable strategies, interventions, and policies that will cater for the current global oral health needs. Therefore, this study investigated the global search and research interests on dentists using a hybrid research design—a combination of infoveillance and bibliometric research designs. The data analysed in this study were obtained from Google Trends and SCOPUS. The findings show that, over the years, there has been a significant growth in the volume of information search and research outputs on dentists with huge inequalities existing between the Global South and North. It is also notable that the COVID-19 pandemic played a significantly influential role in the global information search and dissemination trends on dentists. The knowledge and funding for dentist-related research flow significantly from the countries of the Global North. The review of the network visualisation of keyword co-occurrence revealed a misplaced priority in the global research interest areas on dentists and oral health. The obtained findings could help to shape the future of dental healthcare and policy.

Markets and the Future of the Circular Economy.

The circular economy stands at a crossroads between true systemic change and rebranded business-as-usual. It will either evolve to become functional—optimizing technical capabilities to mimic resilient ecosystems—or dysfunctional—reinforcing current destructive, destabilizing structures and incentives despite appearing to make marginal progress. This paper offers a unique critique of the circular economy: we argue that the circular economy is set up for failure precisely because it is required to conform to our current socio-econo-political system—that is, a market system. We identify four core characteristics of market systems: private property, competition, a market for labor, and value determined by price. Together, these characteristics create incentives that are antithetical to a functional circular economy: a requirement for infinite growth, short product lifetimes and limited material circularity, technically suboptimal products and systems, ineffective reverse logistics networks, and misplaced priorities from distorted notions of value. We then show that the fundamental organizing principle of market systems is market efficiency, which is based on a false assumption of scarcity. In contrast, we suggest a competing worldview of sustainable abundance based on a principle of technical efficiency, which optimizes technical and environmental outcomes. Using this lens, we suggest alternatives to the core market characteristics, including an ecology of complementary currencies, a new understanding of private property, an adjusted balance of competition and cooperation, labor market alternatives, a reevaluation of true value, and lessons from Indigenous peoples. If—and only if—we embrace technical efficiency over market efficiency, we can unshackle the circular economy to create meaningful system change and a future of sustainable abundance.

A paradigm shift in guiding the operations of open schools in Tanzania: Praxis of emerging controversies and dynamics

This paper reports the findings of a study that had examined the operations of open schools for out-of-secondary-school youth and adults in Tanzania. Its objective was to establish the practicality of the policy guidelines in guiding the operations of open schools and the emerging controversies and dynamics in their daily operations. This qualitative study collected data using documentary review and interviews, which was later subjected to thematic analysis. The study found contradictory and incongruous policy guidelines for open schools that largely rendered them impractical. Moreover, misinterpretations, varying understandings and inconsistencies in practices among open schools were common occurrences. There also emerged several dynamics in guiding the operations of open schools such as un-standardised practices, erratic registrations and persistence of uncontrolled open schools in the black market. In consequence, it was difficult to rationally manage their practices. Overall, the rather misplaced policy priority governing the operations of open schools calls for a special attention and impetus to bring about the desired positive change in this education sub-sector.

Fiscal Behaviour of Subnational Governments in Nigeria: An Augmented Autoregressive Distributed LAG (ARDL) Approach

Purpose: The paper examined the determinants of fiscal behavior of subnational governments in Nigeria between 1981 and 2020. Approach/Methodology/Design: An Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds test for cointegration which involves an extra F-test on the lagged level variables in the ARDL equation was employed. Findings: The results reveal that finances of the lower level of governments in Nigeria have not been managed optimally as there appeared a misplaced priority in terms of government outlay. Practical Implications: The implication presented in this paper is meant for the concerned authorities. The results indicate the need for the subnational governments in Nigeria to cut the overhead costs of governance by reducing the frivolous expenditures in order to curtail the incessant borrowing habit of these tiers of government locally and internationally. Originality/value: Despite the fact that factors determining subnational fiscal behavior have been approached from diverse ideological and methodological perspectives, yet, the challenges linger on, the paper, therefore, employed sophisticated econometric technique to examine why the finances of the lower level of governments in Nigeria have not been managed optimally.

Kidney Health for All – Bridging the gap to better kidney care in Africa

Introduction: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Africa is generally higher than global averages. Moreover, the management of patients with CKD suffers huge disparities compared to the rest of the world. We reviewed the literature on the major challenges in the management of kidney disease in Africa and suggest ways to bridge the gap for better kidney care on the African continent. Results and recommendations: The prevalence of CKD in Africa is 15.8%. Kidney failure is associated with increased morbidity and mortality as a result of limited infrastructure and out-of-pocket payment for renal replacement therapy in most parts of the continent. The increasing prevalence of CKD results from epidemiological transition with increasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and established communicable diseases. Furthermore, Africa has unique risk factors and causes of kidney disease such as sickle cell disease, APOL1 risk alleles, and chronic infections such HIV, and hepatitis B and C. Challenges facing kidney care in Africa include poverty, weak health systems, inadequate primary health care, misplaced priorities by political leaders, a relatively low nephrology workforce, poor identification of acute kidney injury (AKI), low transplantation rates as well as a lack of sustainable prevention policies and renal registries. To bridge the gap to better kidney care, there should be more community engagement, advocacy for increased government support into kidney care, comprehensive renal registries, training of a greater nephrology workforce, task shifting of nephrology services to non-nephrologists, expanded access to renal replacement therapy and promotion of organ donation. Conclusion: Africa needs greater investment in kidney health. Keywords: chronic kidney disease, Africa, sub-saharan Africa, Kidney failure, kidney health

Human Development Index: A Comparative Study between Nepal and Other SAARC Member Countries

This study aims at assessing the trends, patterns and compositions of indices of Human Development Index (HDI) of Nepal, with the bid of comparing these with those of the SAARC member countries. Using primary and secondary sources of data, the study embarks on a consecutive analysis of the years ranging from 2015 to 2019, while employing a descriptive research design. Simple descriptive tools; content analysis, trend line, and bar diagram are used for data presentation and analysis. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been preparing the global Human Development Index report since 1990. The study argues that misplaced priorities and not necessarily a shortage of resources often prevent countries from reaching acceptable levels of human development indexes, and thus failing to assuring their citizens the necessary universal access to basic essential amenities such as health, education, security and overall human emancipation. It concludes that, this type of comparison is pertinent because it would attract public attention, in terms of policy advocacy, which could lead to extensive positive policy initiatives for more detailed discussions and application of development strategies amongst the SAARC members’ countries.

Towards Health System Strengthening: A Review of the Nigerian Health System From 1960 to 2019

The Nigerian health system is weak and has been evolving over the years with misplaced priorities and the focus on health inputs rather than outputs. The design and adoption of several policies have contributed little to strengthening the health system towards improvement in health outcomes. Available evidence on the Nigerian health system from 1960 to 2019 was reviewed. Decentralization and fragmentation of the health system with duplication of responsibilities among the three tiers of government have affected effective health service delivery and accountability. The national health insurance scheme has provided health insurance coverage to less than five per cent of the population. Nigeria is also faced with health workforce crisis with no end in sight. While some modest gains and improvements have been recorded over the decades, maternal mortality, child mortality, immunization coverage, access to basic health services and life expectancy remain poor. Nigeria needs to strengthen its health system.