WhatsApp Platforms Research Articles

The Relationship of Self-Care Knowledge Towards COVID-19 Crisis with Anxiety and Quality of Life in Infertile Women

Introduction: Self-care is any activity that establishes and maintains one’s own health and prevents and deals with illnesses. According to the evidence, epidemiological crises affect individuals' mental health. Also, dealing with infertility can lead to mental health issues. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of self-care knowledge towards the COVID-19 crisis with anxiety and quality of life in infertile women. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey via the social media platform WhatsApp based on convenience sampling of infertile women was conducted from April to December 2019 during the COVID- 19 pandemic in Infertility centers of Shiraz, a metropolis in the South of Iran. Data was collected by demographic and infertility-related questionnaire, self-structured questionnaire of self-care knowledge towards the COVID-19 crisis, Spielberger state anxiety and Fertility Quality of Life questionnaire using Porsline software on a self-report basis. Inclusion criteria were infertile women active in the virtual network. SPSS software IBM company version 20 was used for data analysis. Results: Most of the participants (62.2%) had average self-care knowledge about Covid-19. There was an inverse, and significant relationship between self-care knowledge of COVID-19 and anxiety of infertile women, i. e., the lower level of self-care knowledge of infertile women towards Covid-19 crisis was associated with a higher level of anxiety (p < 0.05). No significant relationship was found between the level of self-care knowledge of COVID-19 and infertile women’s quality of life (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Increasing self-care knowledge of COVID-19 among infertile women could affect their mental health. Education and increasing self-care knowledge during pandemics are recommended to manage the anxiety of infertile women and, as a consequence, promote fertility.

Crisis Communication Strategies During Natural Disaster Crisis Case Studies: Selangor Flood, Malaysia

A crisis is unpredictable, especially a natural disaster crisis. Malaysian citizens are always exposed to uncertainty from the flood effect. They were affected physically and mentally, especially by the affected victim and family. Though appropriate aid was given to the needed victims by the authorities, there were many dissatisfied reactions from affected victims whereby they claimed that the authorities were not helping them during the flood and that early preparation was missed. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the crisis responses and communication carried out by the authorities in dealing with the crisis. The researcher used the qualitative method through in-depth interviews to collect information. For this research, six major key informants were finalized through snowball sampling for a qualitative in-depth interview. These informants were selected from various districts, particularly in Selangor. The finding revealed that mostly all the selected informants were not prepared for the crisis due to a lack of urgent information from related sources and they were emotionally affected due to the danger and losses faced by them. Participated informants agree that communication plays an important role during the disaster, but according to them, immediate responses and information they received were mainly received from surrounding people and non-governmental organizations through WhatsApp platforms. This study recommends that crisis preparation is on standby by providing immediate information through a diversified method. The role of governmental public relations should be highlighted to increase public trust in managing the crisis.

Reactions to COVID-19 Media Awareness Campaigns: Insights from Gweru Urban High Density Suburbs

This study explored the public’s reaction to COVID-19 awareness campaigns against a myriad of conspiracies towards the COVID-19 vaccines. These conspiracies are peddled in both the mainstream and social media platforms. It is this study’s contention that some awareness messages were very convincing culminating in some sections of the public being vaccinated while on the other hand the messages were misconstrued leading to some sections of the public also rejecting to be vaccinated. In a quest to unravel the myths behind the conspiracies, this study through a mixed methods approach, interrogated 500 residents of Senga and Nehosho suburbs of Gweru of their opinions by Facebook and WhatsApp platforms. These platforms were used to avoid the spread of the pandemic through physical contact. Findings from the study indicated that the media played a crucial role in informing the public of the COVID-19 pandemic, culminating in some people getting vaccinated while on the other hand, some rightly rejected the vaccines. Those who got vaccinated indicated that the awareness messages were quite informative and thus convinced them to seek projection. On the other hand, those who rejected the vaccines did so due to ignorance, fear of the unknown, religious and political orientation among other reasons. The study therefore recommends that media messages be packaged with education so as to fully equip audiences with proper information in order for them to make informed decisions.

Contexts and pragmatic strategies of COVID-19 related cartoons in Nigeria

Abstract The global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has been experienced differently by people depending on their socio-cultural contexts. These varied experiences are expressed in various forms of communication, including cartoons. This paper examines the pragmatic resources inherent in COVID-19-related cartoons depicting the impact of the virus on Nigerian society. Forty COVID-19-related cartoons, circulated on social media, were collected on Twitter and WhatsApp platforms between March and April 2020 as data. Multimodality and presupposition served as theoretical framework and descriptive research design was adopted. Findings reveal five socio-contextual domains, religion, health, economy, politics and governance nd family, characterizing the social experiences of Nigerians during the pandemic. Through the evocation of situational reality, pragmatic sarcasm, punning, and orientation to government insensitivity, the cartoonists evoke pragmatic functions of informing and warning about social behaviours in the religion, family and health domains; recreating situational realities on socioeconomic impacts in the domain of economy; and satirizing government policies and mocking politicians’ insincerity in the domain of politics and governance on sociopolitical experiences of Nigerians before and during the pandemic. The study concludes cartoons are a strong means of portraying societal realities and people’s experiences comically and graphically.

Body Chemistry and Leadership Behaviour

This study applied body chemistry and neuroscience to leadership behaviour. Specifically, it sought to replicate some studies on the relationship between leadership behaviour and happiness. The research method was exploratory because of the paucity of research on leadership behaviour and happiness and involved the use of qualitative and quantitative techniques. The qualitative technique centred on a review and summarisation of existing literature on leadership behaviour, happiness hormones, and happiness on Google Scholars. The quantitative research used a valid and reliable online questionnaire survey on Google Forms to collect information from 80 respondents on different WhatsApp platforms in Canada, the United States of America and Nigeria, selected by judgemenal non probability sampling technique. They were asked if there was a relationship between leadership behaviour and happiness. Six descriptive data analysis methods- tabulation, bar graphs, mode, summations, percentages and average score per respondent - were applied to answer the research question from the coded questionnaire responses. It was found out that there was a relationship between leadership behaviour and happiness. The research also identified the main hormones and neurotransmitters, secreted by mostly the brain, that increase the wellbeing and happiness of leaders and other persons. They are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins (DOSE). It is recommended that leaders should initiate happiness generating activities like kindness, appreciation, team work, praising others, outdoor exercises, get- togethers and handshakes to enhance their leadership behaviours. The researcher also recommended that leadership recruitment, selection, training, evaluation and rewards should be centred on the capacity to generate and distribute happiness. Leaders should be ‘happifiers’ or happiness generators and distributors. Keywords: Body chemistry, leadership behaviour, happiness, dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins and happiness.

Comparative performance of undergraduate students in micro-teaching using Telegram and WhatsApp in collaborative learning settings

The growing concerns to accommodate large classroom sizes, lack of microteaching laboratory and inadequacy of time for every student to present and be properly assessed has affected the performance of students in micro-teaching in Nigeria. This therefore calls for different innovative approaches backed up by technology to ameliorate the problem. Thus, this study checked the ­­­comparative performance of undergraduate students in micro-teaching using Telegram and WhatsApp in collaborative learning settings in Gombe State, Nigeria. A sample of 282 students enrolled on Telegram and WhatsApp from Federal University Kashere and Gombe State University, respectively was purposively selected for the study. The two sampled groups were assigned into experimental group I (Telegram) and experimental group II (WhatsApp) in collaborative learning settings using a simple random sampling technique. The instruments for the study comprised of micro-teaching achievement test validated by experts in the field of educational technology and curriculum studies, where a split-half method of reliability was used to obtain a figure of 0.91 using Pearson product moment correlation. Descriptive statistics involving mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while inferential statistics involving an independent sample t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that while the students in both Telegram and WhatsApp platforms performed better in the post-test, a significant difference was obtained in the achievement and retention of the two groups in favor of WhatsApp. It was therefore recommended that lecturers should deploy the use of Telegram and WhatsApp in collaborative learning settings to cover for large classroom sizes and lack of micro-teaching laboratory.

Relevance of Rapport Management in Marital Conflicts: Issues from Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown

The total lockdown in Nigeria during the second quarter of year 2020, which emanated as a strategy to control the pandemic caused by the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) generated diverse cases of marital conflicts that necessitate close examination. In this connection, the aim of this research is to investigate the rapport strategies involved in the marital conflicts depicted in a widely shared video skit on some WhatsApp platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Nigeria, with the objective to project rapport orientations and relational skills for managing marital relationships. The linguistic approach adopted for this research is Spencer-Oatey's (2008 and 2011) [13, 14] Rapport Management, which pertains to the sub-field of Pragmatics. Rapport management perspective is viable for analyzing marital conflicts, particularly being that language is pivotal in both the construction and destruction of social relationships. Rapport management basically includes politeness/impoliteness dimensions, face sensitivities, sociality rights and obligations, as well as interactional goals. The methodology for this research is qualitative and its paradigm is interpretive. The research findings reveal that all levels of language and domains such as speech acts, topic choice, topic organization, turn-taking rights, choice of tone, use of address terms and honorifics, gestures, eye contact, proxemics and other body movements need to be properly managed because they could affect rapport between interlocutors either positively or negatively, such that marital relationships could either be enhanced, maintained or threatened.

Media literacy and parent’s acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination for children

Vaccination is a prevention cure to stop COVID-19 spreading. In early 2022, the Malaysian government encouraged parents from preschool and primary schools to vaccinate their children to protect them from infectious viruses. The Malaysian government encourages parents of pre- and primary-school children to vaccinate their children vaccinated against COVID-19 virus. Although vaccination benefits children, some parents are hesitant about immunizing their children due to the opposite and different types of information they received about the immunization effect. This study attempts to identify the readiness and acceptance of vaccination to children among parents from Selangor state based on the availability of information tools used by parents in accepting or rejecting vaccination. This study employed a survey method. A sample of 200 parents who have children between the ages of one to 12 years old were selected to participate in this study. Convenient sample selection was carried out to reach the targeted and qualified respondents through email, social media and WhatsApp platforms. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The results indicated that most of the selected parents ready to vaccinate their children and in examining the trustworthiness of the information platform covering COVID-19 vaccination content, mostly trusted the content provided by the Ministry of Health (MoH). The findings also demonstrated a significant positive relationship between parent’s information-seeking behavior and readiness to vaccinate their kids.

Code-Switching in French and Francophone Studies Classrooms in a Ghanaian Public University: Exploring Perceptions and Motivations

Code-switching in language classrooms is a contentious topic of debate, with some experts advocating for the monolingual use of the target language as the medium of instruction, while others support a bilingual approach such as code-switching and translanguaging. This paper examines the motivations for code-switching and the perceptions of both lecturers and students on bilingual practices in French and Francophone Studies classrooms. The study adopted a mixed research design, gathering data through interviews, classroom observation and an online questionnaire using a Google Form interface. The questionnaires were distributed to students via their WhatsApp platforms. A total of 120 French students filled out the questionnaires and 5 lecturers were selected for the interview session. The findings revealed that lecturers employ code-switching to address the linguistic needs of both Anglophone and Francophone students in the classrooms. The reasons for code-switching included students’ limited language background, low proficiency in the French language, inadequate teaching materials, situational factors, and the relevance of other languages in French classrooms. Overall, the majority of the lecturers and students expressed a positive perspective towards code-switching use in the classroom stating that such code choices facilitate the understanding of concepts and contribute to interactive classroom experiences. There was, however, the caution against its pervasive use as it hinders the ability to learn and speak the French language.

An Analysis of Students’ Experience in Using English Learning Application “myON” in Helping Students’ English Learning Process

<p class="Abstrak">Generally, teaching and learning activities mostly rely on books, instructional materials provided by teachers, and written or verbal exercises. These learning approaches are monotonous. Given the progress of technology and the internet, it is necessary for educators to utilize technology-driven online learning platforms, such as myON applications. This will be achieved by employing qualitative research methodologies to investigate the students' experiences and perspectives on the utilization of the “myON” application for English learning. A Google Form questionnaire is utilized and distributed using the messaging platform Whatsapp. Data analysis include the utilization of narrative methodologies to effectively and accurately summarize and depict the outcomes of questionnaires, which are derived from the experiences of students. The study centered on students in the IX-B Grade of Al-Fityan High School in Medan Selayang, Sumatera Utara. Its objective was to examine the level of student engagement and enthusiasm in utilizing online learning tools, while also seeking to enhance accuracy through feedback obtained from questionnaires. The app received positive feedback from students in class IX B, who expressed satisfaction with its simple design and its positive influence on their English proficiency. While the majority experienced significant improvements in their writing, reading, listening, and grammatical skills, a few individuals indicated dissatisfaction, citing intricate explanations, high costs, and a perception of monotonous. Hence, it is imperative for the "myON" application to underscore the significance of this tool in the process of English language acquisition by showcasing improved functionalities and enhanced communication capabilities that correspond with user preferences.</p>

Copyright laws and information technology usage as factors influencing information services delivery in university libraries in Edo State, Nigeria

The study examined copyright laws and information technology usage as factors influencing information services delivery in universities in Edo State. The research design employed was a descriptive survey. The population comprised 43 respondents. Considering the controllable size of the population, the total enumeration sampling technique was adopted. The instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire, which was converted to a google online questionnaire form. It was administered to the respondents via the WhatsApp platforms. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The finding from the study revealed that copyright laws have a significant effect on information service delivery in these institutions. Similarly, it was also revealed that the use of information technology by library staff in information service delivery in universities libraries in Edo State is very high. The study also include recommendations and its limitations.

Facilitated WhatsApp Support Groups for Youth Living With HIV in Nairobi, Kenya: Single-Arm Pilot Intervention Study.

Mobile technology can support HIV care, but studies in youth are limited. In 2014, youth receiving HIV care at several health care facilities in Nairobi, Kenya spontaneously formed peer support groups using the social media platform WhatsApp. Inspired by youth-initiated groups, we aimed to evaluate the use of WhatsApp to deliver a social support intervention to improve HIV treatment and psychosocial outcomes in youth. We developed a facilitated WhatsApp group intervention (named Vijana-SMART), which was grounded in social support theory and guided by the design recommendations of youth living with HIV. This paper evaluates the intervention's acceptability and pre-post changes in health outcomes. The intervention involved interactive WhatsApp groups facilitated by study staff for 6 months, with each group having approximately 25 members. Study staff sent weekly structured messages, and the message content was based on social support theory and encouraged unstructured peer-to-peer messaging and support. We conducted a single-arm pilot among 55 youth living with HIV aged 14-24 years recruited from a government health care facility serving a mixed-income area of Nairobi. At enrollment and follow-up, self-report questionnaires assessed acceptability; antiretroviral therapy (ART) information, motivation, and behavioral skills (IMB); depression; social support; stigma; resilience; and ART adherence. All participants received the intervention. We used generalized estimating equations (GEEs) clustered by participant to evaluate changes in scores from baseline to follow-up, and correlates of participant WhatsApp messaging. The median participant age was 18 years, and 67% (37/55) were female. Intervention acceptability was high. All participants reported that it was helpful, and 73% (38/52) sent ≥1 WhatsApp message. Messaging levels varied considerably between participants and were higher during school holidays, earlier in the intervention period, and among youth aged ≥18 years. IMB scores increased from enrollment to follow-up (66.9% to 71.3%; P<.001). Stigma scores also increased (8.3% to 16.7%; P=.001), and resilience scores decreased (75.0% to 70.0%; P<.001). We found no significant change in ART adherence, social support, or depression. We detected a positive association between the level of messaging during the study and the resilience score, but no significant association between messaging and other outcomes. Once enrolled, it was common for participants to change their phone numbers or leave the groups and request to be added back, which may present implementation challenges at a larger scale. Increased IMB scores following WhatsApp group participation may improve HIV outcomes. Increased stigma and decreased resilience were unintended consequences and may reflect transient effects of group sharing of challenging experiences, which should be addressed in larger randomized evaluations. WhatsApp groups present a promising and acceptable modality to deliver supportive interventions to youth living with HIV beyond the clinic, and further evaluation is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05634265); https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05634265.

Gender difference in undergraduates’ micro-teaching performance using Telegram and WhatsApp platforms in collaborative learning settings

Gender difference has continued to influence achievement and retention of students due to inconsistencies in performance, which troubles researchers. This therefore calls for different approaches to ameliorate this problem by deploying the use of Telegram and WhatsApp in collaborative learning settings in order to bride those gender gaps since technology serves as a leveler. This study examined gender difference on achievement and retention of students in microteaching using Telegram and WhatsApp platforms in collaborative learning settings. A sample of 282 students enrolled on Telegram and WhatsApp from two universities in Gombe State, Nigeria, was purposively selected for the study, where the two sampled groups were assigned into two experimental groups. The instrument used in this study is the micro-teaching achievement test validated by experts in the field of educational technology and curriculum studies, where a split-half method of reliability was used to obtain a figure of 0.91 using Pearson product moment correlation. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while inferential statistics involving an independent sample t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught using Telegram platform (t=2.571, p&amp;gt;0.05); there is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught using WhatsApp platform (t=3.671, p&amp;gt;0.05); there is no significant difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students taught using Telegram platform (t=5.274, p&amp;gt;0.05). However, there is a significant difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students taught using WhatsApp platform in favor of the female students (t=4.071,p&amp;lt;0.05). It is hereby recommended that lecturers should deploy the use of Telegram and WhatsApp platforms in collaborative learning settings during micro-teaching in order to bridge the individual differences occasioned by gender since technology has the potential to serve as a leveler and also be able to bridge gender differences.

WhatsApp platform uses in Teaching and Learning in South African Tertiary Institutions

Over the past decade, there has been a growth in the usage of new technologies, such as WhatsApp applications, for teaching and learning in educational settings. This study investigates how the WhatsApp platform influences teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. It focuses on tertiary institutions where WhatsApp platforms have become essential for online learning. Connectivism learning theory is applied as a conceptual framework to analyse the influence of the WhatsApp platform on teaching and learning at tertiary institutions. Using a qualitative methodology, a scoping analysis was conducted of 13 academic publications published between 2018 and 2023, which focused on the use of the WhatsApp platform as a learning tool. The study found a notable growth in the usage of WhatsApp as a teaching and learning tool in higher institutions. In addition, the study established that no clear policy guides the use of WhatsApp platforms in teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. Nevertheless, adopting WhatsApp in higher education has several advantages, including improved connections between lecturers and students. The study suggests utilising WhatsApp platforms to improve instruction in higher education facilities and a policy must be developed that speaks to the formal use of WhatsApp in teaching and learning. Future studies should concentrate on the effects of further use of new technologies on teaching and learning in tertiary institutions.

Virtual Learning and Memory Dissonance

This study aimed to find out declarative memory recalls during online classes. Using a qualitative approach, the instruments used were simple and difficult word-sets. The data were collected through Zoom and WhatsApp platforms and later analyzed using interactive analysis. The results revealed two dissonances encountered: Informational Loss and Built-Up Dissonance. Initially, in the simple-word set, the majority of the students encountered Informational Loss 74 times (after 30 seconds) increasing to 97 times (after 30 minutes). In difficult word sets, it occurred 144 times, increasing to 154 times within identical spans. Regarding Built-Up Dissonance, it occurred 19 times (after 30 seconds), decreasing to 13 times (after 30 minutes) in simple word sets, and 27 times (after 30 seconds), increasing to 30 times (after 30 minutes) in difficult word sets. Surprisingly, it was found that in the recall test, linguistic buffering was generally employed instead of visual buffering. This finding helps teachers understand that virtual learning prompts need to be accompanied by activities involving procedural memory to minimize dissonances.

Prevalence and association of musculoskeletal disorders among breastfeeding women in Saudi Arabia.

To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, and to explore the association between maternal positioning and musculoskeletal pain among lactating women. The cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from January to May 2022 at buraidah, Saudi Arabia, and comprised Arabic-speaking women aged 18-49 years who were breastfeeding. Sociodemographic and clinical data related to musculoskeletal disorders was collected using a redesigned questionnaire through Twitter and WhatsApp platforms. Data was analysed using SPSS 28. Of the 474 women who responded, 192(40.7%) were excluded because they did not meet the eligibility criteria. The sample comprised 281(59.3%) women. The median age was 33 years with an interquartile range of 10 years 71(25.3%). Overall, 163(58%) subjects reported musculoskeletal pain caused by breastfeeding, 78(27.8%) experienced musculoskeletal pain with breastfeeding, 43(15.3%) considered discontinuing breastfeeding, and 59(21%) reported that musculoskeletal pain prevented them from performing their activities of daily living. The most painful segments reported were the back 6.24±3.21, nipple 5.51±3.43, shoulders 4.88±3.40, and neck 4.10±3.13. Sitting on a mat was the commonly adopted maternal positioning 2.38±1.41. Cradle hold was the most convenient baby-holding positioning during breastfeeding reported by 170(60.5%). The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was found to be high among breastfeeding women in Saudi Arabia, and an association was found between musculoskeletal disorders and maternal breastfeeding positioning.

Using WhatsApp as a medium of postgraduate instruction in a private university in Nigeria: fall-outs of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a global lockdown and the cessation of all academic activities on-site. Higher education in Nigeria was not exempt, as a paradigm shift was required for university officials to explore non-conventional teaching methods to prevent students from wasting time and to keep them intellectually engaged. During the pandemic, our research examines how a private institution in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria, utilised the social networking platform WhatsApp for Ph.D. student seminars. The study obtained data from ten doctoral students in the Department of Library and Information Science at Adeleke University via online interviews. The difficulties faced by the students and the benefits of utilising ICT were highlighted. Due to the constant insecurity and poor road network in Nig eria, as well as the risk of long-distance travel, especially for postgraduate students who are not always resident on campus, we recommend the continued use of E-learning platforms in Higher Education Institutions as a solution to reducing transportation costs.

Online-based Learning Management System in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Era: Reality in Islamic Higher Education

The impact of the industrial revolution 4.0 developments with physical and internet cyber systems in the education sector is the development of computer-based teaching which then propagates to the development of online learning and the use of e-learning media. With a combined system, distance learning occurs in a learning management system with web-based assistance platforms and social media which is the result of the development of Industry 4.0 during the 21st century. The main objective of this research is to analyze and compare student perceptions in implementing eight platforms of implementing an online-based Learning Management System at the tertiary level. Then, this study links students' perceptions in implementing online-based learning management with reference to three aspects of assessment; teaching and learning aspects, lecturer competency aspects, and infrastructure aspects. A quantitative approach with a survey design has been chosen. Sampling technique was purposive sampling and involved 147 respondents. The results concluded that the Zoom, Google Classroom and Whatsapp platforms were the most frequently used distance learning media and were also liked by students. Currently, not many lecturers use Moodle because there is not enough time to learn how to use Moodle and prepare all the resources to design the desired learning, while there are many alternative platforms that are easier to learn and use in a short time. The survey on the three aspects of daring learning has been agreed in detail and the results provide positive conclusions regarding the implementation of online-based learning in the past 4 years.

Assessing the Level of Understanding (Knowledge) and Awareness of Diagnostic Imaging Students in Ghana on Artificial Intelligence and Its Applications in Medical Imaging.

Recent advancements in technology have propelled the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in various sectors, including healthcare. Medical imaging has benefited from AI by reducing radiation risks through algorithms used in examinations, referral protocols, and scan justification. This research work assessed the level of knowledge and awareness of 225 second- to fourth-year medical imaging students from public universities in Ghana about AI and its prospects in medical imaging. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study design that used a closed-ended questionnaire with dichotomous questions, designed on Google Forms, and distributed to students through their various class WhatsApp platforms. Responses were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 25.0 and Microsoft Excel 2016 version. The response rate was 80.44% (181/225), out of which 97 (53.6%) were male, 82 (45.3%) were female, and 2 (1.1%) preferred not to disclose their gender. Among these, 133 (73.5%) knew that AI had been incorporated into current imaging modalities, and 143 (79.0%) were aware of AI's emergence in medical imaging. However, only 97 (53.6%) were aware of the gradual emergence of AI in the radiography industry in Ghana. Furthermore, 160 people (88.4%) expressed an interest in learning more about AI and its applications in medical imaging. Less than one-third (32%) knew about the general basic application of AI in patient positioning and protocol selection. And nearly two-thirds (65%) either felt threatened or unsure about their job security due to the incorporation of AI technology in medical imaging equipment. Less than half (38% and 43%) of the participants acknowledged that current clinical internships helped them appreciate the role of AI in medical imaging or increase their level of knowledge in AI, respectively. Discussion. Generally, the findings indicate that medical imaging students have fair knowledge about AI and its prospects in medical imaging but lack in-depth knowledge. However, they lacked the requisite awareness of AI's emergence in radiography practice in Ghana. They also showed a lack of knowledge of some general basic applications of AI in modern imaging equipment. Additionally, they showed some level of misconception about the role AI plays in the job of the radiographer. Decision-makers should implement educational policies that integrate AI education into the current medical imaging curriculum to prepare students for the future. Students should also be practically exposed to the various incorporations of AI technology in current medical imaging equipment.

Adoption of Electronic Medical Records in Tertiary Health Care Centres: A Survey of Federal Medical Centres in South-South Nigeria

The study investigated the adoption of electronic medical records in Federal Medical Centres in Bayelsa and Delta States of Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. One hundred and nineteen staff of Departments of Health Records and Information Management of both medical centres participated in the study. Online questionnaire was used for data collection. One hundred and thirty-four soft copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the respondents via personal whatsapp accounts of the respondents and whatsapp platforms of the Health Information Managers Association of Nigeria and the Association of Health Records and Information Management Practitioners of Nigeria to which the respondents belonged. One hundred and nineteen questionnaires were properly completed, retrieved and found usable for data analysis. This produced a response rate of 88.81 %. The data collected were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation. Findings showed that the extent of adoption of electronic medical records in the medical centres was low; benefits derived from adoption, which were not perceived much differently by the sampled staff, were enhanced healthcare service delivery/access to medical information, saving of records storage space/cost of medical care, speeding up of treatment process, improvement of confidentiality/security of medical information/timely communication among medical practitioners, reduction of treatment error risk/ patients’ mortality rate/patients’ waiting time and facilitation of clinical decision making; challenges encountered in adoption, which were seen much differently by the records personnel, were poor internet connectivity or network, high cost of ICT equipment, low technical expertise, lack of funds/training/uniform standards and poor power supply.