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Although many Nigerian universities are making efforts to provide access to digital library resources, the level of utilization of these resources have not been encouraging due to several factors. Information literacy has been identified as a major factor when considering the factors that enhance use of digital resources. In view of this, this study was designed to investigate how "information literacy skills" predict the utilization of digital library resource by university teaching staff. The study was built around two theoretical models, that is, SCONUL's information literacy model, and the Technology Acceptance Model. A correlational research design guided the study. The population consisted of 6,653 teaching staff from six federal universities in Southern, Nigeria, and six hundred and sixty-five (665) persons comprised the sample, proportionately chosen via stratified random sampling. The test instruments designed for this study were: Test tool titled "Skill Test on Information Literacy" (STIL), and a questionnaire titled "Usage of Digital Library Resources" (UDLR). The study used the Kuder-Richardson technique to determine the items' reliability yielding results of 0.77, 0.78, 0.75, 0.64, 0.81, and 0.81 for digital library resources usage. The study used multiple regression analysis for the research question. The findings revealed that in terms of extent, a weak positive relationship exists between the skills of university teaching staff in information literacy and utilization of digital library resources. On the whole, the findings showed a significant correlation between university teaching staff skills in information literacy and utilization of digital resources. It implies that in improving the usage of digital resources by university teaching staff, attention must be focused on their abilities to utilize these resources. It was recommended that librarians should have a strategy for training lecturers on digital skills as part of the overall plan for promoting the usage of digital resources by lecturers.

Amidst the dual challenges of an eight-month university closure from nationwide public university strikes in Nigeria and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we needed to innovate the delivery of BME graduate curriculum to ensure graduate students continued to progress in their studies. To ensure BME graduate students were engaging in team-based, clinician-identified engineering design challenges, we developed a digital design notebook (DDN) using Google Sites as an open-access, collaborative tool for scaffolding and documenting the engineering design process. Student design teams remotely uploaded digital content documenting their project work onto scaffolded DDNs created by program instructors. DDNs were purposefully designed to shepherd students through the design process such that each phase of the design process corresponded to an editable "page" of the DDN. Video lectures, learning resources, assignments, and other program information were embedded into the DDN for students to access throughout their design challenge. Project mentors and program instructors remotely monitored and assessed students' work using the DDN. At the end of the design challenge, students effectively created an e-portfolio which showcased the work they conducted to build a biomedical prototype. Designing and implementing the DDN builds on previous research which demonstrates that "structured" design notebooks can be used as effective tools in engineering design and design thinking education. Our work also leverages educational frameworks for infusing engineering design into existing graduate biomedical engineering curriculum in Nigeria.

This study examined science teachers' attitude towards the use of mother tongue for instruction in Basic Schools, employing a descriptive survey design. The respondents were selected through purposive and convenience sampling techniques and data were collected from a sample of 162 Basic School Science. The questionnaire used for data collection was titled "Science Teachers' Attitude towards the Use of Mother Tongue in Instruction Questionnaire (STAUMTIQ)", which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.83 using the test-retest method. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used to analyse the data. The findings showed that science teachers' attitude towards the use of mother tongue for instruction in Basic schools was negative. Teachers' gender, school type and teaching experience did not influence their attitude, while educational qualification influence their attitude towards the use of mother tongue for instruction in Basic Schools. It was recommended that teachers should be encouraged to implement the language policy provision on the use of mother tongue for instruction, especially in Basic Schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Purpose: Schizophrenia, a chronic mental disorder, poses enormous threat to the individual, family and society. The advent of deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill transferred the burden of care to families especially close relatives. Few studies have described the families' subjective views in this context. Hence, this study aimed to explore impacts of caregiving and coping strategies for family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive qualitative design was employed, and 14 family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia attending federal neuropsychiatric hospital Enugu were purposively selected. A semi-structured interview guide was used to generate information, and the transcribed data were content analyzed using a thematic approach. Findings: Three major themes and 16 subthemes were derived to reflect the perceived impact of caregiving and coping strategies of family caregivers, which include burden of care (physical-self neglect, ill health, sleep deprivation; psychological-gross irritability, ruminations; social-stigmatization, social restrictions, diminished connections, reduced productivity); positive aspects (heightened understanding; empathetic attitude, strengthened ties) and adaptive resources (acceptance, optimism, social support, spiritual devotion). Originality/value: Family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia experience bio-psychosocial burden as a result of caregiving. Coping with challenges of caregiving can prevent distress and burnout. Hence, there is need for mental health professionals to recognize caregivers as person in need of emotional and practical support and care for the mentally ill in the context of a family-centered approach.

YouTube is one of the most utilized social media in the field of education. Nonetheless, the extent to which the diverse potentials of YouTube are being harnessed in the teaching-learning process is a function of the teachers' perception. Hence, this study examined future teachers' perception towards the use of YouTube for teaching-learning activities in Nigerian Basic Schools. The study employed descriptive survey method and 200 future teachers were selected using purposive sampling technique. The respondents filled to a questionnaire titled "Future Teachers' Perception towards the Use of YouTube Questionnaire (FTPUYQ). The validity of the questionnaire was established by experts, while the test re-test reliability yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.79. The results revealed that future teachers had a high level of perception towards the use of YouTube in teaching-learning activities in Nigerian Basic Schools. It was found that there was no significant difference in the future teachers' perception based on gender. Therefore, it was recommended that future teachers in Nigerian Basic Schools, should be exposed to various training and capacity building sessions on the procedure for creating, assessing, uploading and using YouTube videos to facilitate the success of the teaching-learning process.

Health education (HED) as a subject in the secondary school curriculum has been made a compulsory subject in West African Examination Council (WAEC) and Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) examinations for any candidate wanting to study any course in the medical and health-related disciplines in Nigerian tertiary institutions. This study seeks to find out the extent of the teaching of HED as a school subject in secondary schools in Bayelsa State; not as components of other subjects like health science, biology, and physical and health education. The proposed approach of the study was a State-wide survey of the teaching of HED as a school subject in secondary schools. This was done by involving 114 schools out of the 192 schools in the State. Findings revealed that out of the 114 schools visited, 38 schools only teach Physical and Health Education (PHE) as a subject in the Junior Secondary School level. During interviews with heads of schools that teaches PHE; it was gathered that the teachers who teach PHE also doubles as teachers of HED at the Senior Secondary (SSS) level. Implying that only 38 schools out of the 114 sampled schools teach (HED) as a school subject; this reveals an abysmal absence of the teaching of Health Education as a school subject in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The none-teaching of HED underscores its importance to healthful-living It is therefore recommended that health education as a subject be encouraged and taught in all SSS in the State.

Purpose: The study determined the level of health literacy in terms of knowledge of drug abuse as well as its application in making healthy decisions among secondary school students in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Method: Three research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Survey-design was utilised and 260 senior secondary three (SS3) students were selected through simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire consisting of two parts: part one was on knowledge test items on drug abuse, while part two was application of knowledge of drug abuse in decision making. The instrument had a reliability coefficient of r = 0.81 using split half reliability method. The statistics used in data analyses were mean, standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results: The result shows that the mean score of the knowledge of drug abuse was 59.28, indicating that participants had fair knowledge of drug abuse but the hypothesis tested, revealed no relationship between knowledge and application. Conclusion: The application of the knowledge learnt about drug abuse should be put into practice. Promoting health at this stage of life (adolescence) represents a potentially cost-effective approach to enhancing healthy child development, promoting long-term health and addressing health early in life. Recommendation: It was therefore recommended that more emphasis should be place on the teaching of the knowledge of drug as well its application to everyday living.

This study was on social variables and dropout tendencies among secondary school students in Ikom education zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The social variables considered were substance abuse, family type and teacher/students relationship. Out of population of 7228 students, a sample of 506 students were randomly selected for the study. A survey design was adopted. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaires titled 'Social Variables and Dropout Tendencies Questionnaire'. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The statistical tools used are Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Independent t-test. The results showed that there was significant relationship between: (i) substance abuse and dropout tendencies; (ii) family type and dropout tendencies; and (iii) teacher/student relationship and dropout tendencies. The results were discussed and the researchers recommended that: (i) students be monitored and counseled against substance abuse both at home and in school; (ii) parents should for the sake of their children stay together and train them; and (iii) teachers should create conducive and favourable environment for the students to learn.

The vision and mission statements have the groundwork of any corporate strategy because they help to guide the institution's mode of operation, develop a common purpose, foster a culture of mutual expectations, and also facilitate leadership styles. In more specific term, the vision and mission statement characterizes the most significant steps to be taken or completed by the university's decision-maker. To accomplish this study, a sample of the top 10 African universities was analyzed using the Atlas.ti and the list was obtained from the Times Higher Education and the world's best university ranking of 2022 in terms of their prestige and rivalry with other universities around the world. The findings highlight significant differences between the top 10 African universities' vision statements and mission statements in terms that the vision statement trend toward a global influence which a deep drive for research and the mission statement was typically longer than the vision statement. However, this study fills a gap in the current literature in regard to universities in Africa by analyzing the vision and mission statements to determine their strategic intent. Altogether, the study contributes to the growing body of knowledge in the field of strategic management for universities in Africa.

The threats of climate change to human society and natural ecosystems have become a devastating environmental problem for crop production and fish farming in Nigeria. This is partly because farmers and fisher folk are known to adopt age-old methods that do not counter current global warming and climate change effects. The purpose of this study was to establish through an empirical process the nature and degree of climate change impacts on crop production and fish farming and the environmental adult education programmes that would help crop farmers and fisher folk to mitigate the impacts on their occupational outputs. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. 323 crop farmers and 433 fish farmers, representing 20% each out of the total populations of 1,623 and 2,191 members of crop farmers'/fisher folk's Cooperatives respectively in four local government areas were selected for the study through the proportionate sampling technique. Two research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. Percentages, means and the T-test were the statistical methods used to analyse data obtained through a questionnaire. The results of the data analysis revealed that climate change led to reduction in variety of products and overall outputs, unpredictable times for crop/fish farming and harvest, as well as low incomes among other impacts. Based on the responses of the farmers, a number of environmental adult education programmes have been considered necessary to help the farmers mitigate the impacts of climate change on their occupational outputs. The researchers recommend, among other things, that with some assistance, relevant institutions in Nigeria should develop and implement the necessary environmental adult education programmes.

This study investigated the influence of Almajirci, on School Attendance and Academic performance Among Students of Almajiri Integrated Model School, Sokoto State. The sample size used was Three hundred and six Junior Secondary School students of Almajiri Integrated Model School Sokoto and Sultan Bello Secondary School Sokoto. Students of Almajiri Integrated Model School had almajiri experience while those in Sultan Bello did not. Two null hypotheses were formulated and analysed using frequency distribution table, percentages and ANOVA. Two instruments were used for data collection. They are Questionnaire investigating influence of almajirici on school attendance and Academic Performance Test in English language, Mathematics, Arabic and Islamic Studies. The results revealed that there is no influence of almajirci practice on the school attendance of students of Almajiri Integrated School. However, there was significant difference between the academic performance of students of Almajiri Integrated Model School Sokoto and Sultan Bello Junior Secondary School, Sokoto in favour of students of Sultan Bello Junior Secondary School. It is therefore recommended that parents and the society in general should support the government initiative effort by ensuring that children are enrolled into secular schools early enough and all almajirai are enrolled into Almajiri Integrated Model School Sokoto for all round education.

There are different cognitive strategies for processing information which in turn influence students' academic achievement. This paper reports an investigation of cognitive styles and achievement scores of secondary school students. In the study, the standardised Group Embedded Figures Test was used to determine the influence of student's cognitive styles on Technical Drawing students' achievement in Senior Secondary Schools in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. A research question and null hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The design of the study was a causal comparative or (ex post-facto) design. The sample for the study consisted of 87 Senior Secondary School Two (SSSII) Technical Drawing students drawn from the three sampled schools in three Area Councils of FCT. The students were categorized into three groups based on Group embedded figure test (GEFT). The instrument used for data collection was Technical Drawing Achievement test (TDAT). The instrument was face and content validated by three Technical Drawing Lecturers and two experts in Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability coefficient of Basic Electricity Achievement Test (BEAT) was established using Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (K-R20) and this yielded an index of 0.69. Data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results of the study revealed that cognitive style significantly influenced students' achievements in Technical Drawing. Recommendations made among others were that students' cognitive styles be adopted for effective teaching of Technical Drawing in Secondary Schools.

The aim of this study was to assess the dietary habits and anthropometric parameters of shift workers in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed, with a study population consisting of shift workers in various organizations within the municipality. The sample size was determined to be 200 using Bluman's formula, with multi-stage and random sampling techniques used for participant selection. Informed consent was obtained, and inclusion criteria ensured participants were current shift workers residing in Calabar Municipality. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed descriptively, with measures of central tendency and frequencies used. Anthropometric measurements were taken, including weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, and BMI. Results showed that the majority of respondents were female (63.0%) and aged between 18-29 years (39.0%). Most had tertiary education (73.5%) and earned between 150,000 and 299,000 Naira monthly (61.0%). Dietary habits revealed that 55.5% of respondents ate three meals daily, with 87.0% consuming snacks mostly at work. The average BMI was 24.46 kg/m² for males and 25.67 kg/m² for females, indicating a statistically significant difference between sexes. Waist circumference was 90.00 cm for males and 83.94 cm for females, while hip circumference was 105.14 cm for males and 97.44 cm for females. Both waist circumference and WHR were significantly different between males and females, with males having higher values. Shift workers in Calabar Municipality exhibit varied dietary habits, with significant differences in anthropometric parameters between males and females. It is recommended to implement interventions aimed at promoting healthier eating habits among shift workers. These interventions are crucial for mitigating potential health risks linked to irregular dietary patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to assess the impact of Mobile health (M-health) on medication time adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Methods: The study included all PLWHA who were receiving care at the Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri (FUTH) and Imo State Specialist Hospital (ISSH) Umugumma during the study duration. The test group (FUTH) received a 2-way text message sent three times a week and a once-a-week phone call, while the control group (ISSH) received only the standard care. Findings: The result shows that the adherence was higher among PLWHA in the test group compared to those in the control group (P = 0.000, χ2 = 168.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.22 to 16.19). Conclusion: M-health intervention significantly improved the medication time adherence among the participants in the test group compared to those in the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates into the adverse impacts of heavy metal concentration on human health, particularly when present in water used in palm oil production in selected industries in Ondo State, Nigeria. Through wet-digestive analysis, the levels of heavy metals including Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), and Cadmium (Cd) were assessed in both water samples and palm oil products. The results revealed concentrations of heavy metals in water samples and control ranging from Copper (0.167 - 0.297 and 0.143 mg/L), Lead (0.047 - 0.100 mg/L), Manganese (0.250 - 0.327 mg/L), and Zinc (0.0417 - 0.547 mg/L), while palm oil concentrations ranged from Cu (0.327 - 0.100 mg/L), Ni (0.045 - 0.010 mg/L), Pb (0.207 - 0.100 mg/L), Mn (0.390 - 0.183 mg/L), and Zn (0.697 - 0.453 mg/L). Comparison with World Health Organization (WHO) standards indicated that Pb concentrations in water exceeded permissible limits, suggesting potential contamination in palm oil samples. Additionally, a significant positive correlation (p<0.05) was observed between Pb levels in water and palm oil samples, indicating the transfer of lead contaminants into the palm oil during production. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and regulating heavy metal concentrations in water sources used in palm oil production to safeguard public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Education is critical for both individual and national development, representing the most vital investment for sustainable progress. In Nigeria, social studies at the basic education level aims to foster national consciousness, instill essential values and develop skills for societal contribution. Despite these well-defined objectives, the National Teachers' Institute has noted that the implementation of social studies has not fully achieved its goals. Therefore, the Guided Discovery Method, one of the powerful instructional approaches designed to achieve these objectives, guides and motivates learners to explore information, build new ideas, and create new models of thinking and behaviour. Aim: The study investigated the effect of Guided Discovery Instructional Approach on the Interest level of Junior Secondary School Students in Social Studies in Umuahia Education Zone of Abia State. Materials and Methods: The design adopted for the study was quasi-experimental design. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated respectively. The population of the study was 6,160 and 308 junior secondary students was sampled from the population respectively. The instrument for data collection was Social Studies Interest Scale (SOSIS). The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. The null hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA). Results: Students taught using the Guided Discovery Instructional Approach (Experimental Group) have higher post-test mean interest scores and greater mean gain in interest compared to those taught using the Expository Method (Control Group). This indicates that the guided discovery instructional approach is more effective in increasing students' interest in social studies. Female students have a higher post-test mean interest score and a greater mean gain in interest compared to male students. This indicates that the guided discovery instructional approach has a more significant impact on the interest levels of female students in social studies. Finally, the result on interaction effects of method of instruction and gender on students' interest indicated that the guided discovery instructional approach appears to be more effective in increasing interest in social studies for both male and female students, with a particularly strong effect on female students. Conclusion: The study concluded that the guided discovery instructional approach showed to be a better teaching method for increasing students' interest in social studies, especially among female students, thus sustaining its adoption and implementation in educational settings to achieve the desired educational results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access and quality of higher education are among the major criteria for assessing the product of any institution of higher learning. This paper discusses access and quality in Nigeria's higher education; need for a pragmatic approach for sustainable transformation. It discusses problems of access in the areas of carrying capacity of universities, process of admission, poverty, location and corruption. The problems of quality were traced to poor recruitment procedure, inadequate infrastructure, poor funding, corruption and lack of adequate practical experience. The problems of quality also extended to poor research development and underutilization of research findings. Pragmatic approach to solving each of these problems was discussed which include abolishing policies that have not benefited the education system like quota system. The paper advocates for merit at this crucial stage of national development, at least seventy percent of admissions into tertiary institutions should be based on pure merit. Recruitment of academic and non-academic staff should be purely on merit. Funds should be made available for the provision of adequate infrastructure. Research findings and recommendations should be urgently appraised and utilized.

Universities, across the globe, are identified as complex and critical engines for sustainable development. Nigerian universities have recorded success stories and breakthroughs, but they have their teething problems of retention and challenges which tend to impede their position on the world education league table. Retention of employees in the work environment has attracted a lot of attention from scholars in different fields of study to curb the trend of turnover intentions, human capital flight and redundancy of academia in Nigeria. Hence, this paper investigates the impact of workplace environments on the retention of the academic staff of public universities, Southern-Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional and descriptive approach to elicit information from 384 academic staff that were randomly and purposively selected. The use of a modified questionnaire (quantitative) was adopted. The quantitative data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM_PLS) to obtain results. The findings indicated that the issue of inadequate and decay of infrastructural facilities had been a concern to the sampled universities. Many lecturers, including professors, shared offices that are dilapidated, poorly ventilated and furnished. The results indicated an increasing pauperization, varying promotion criteria, erratic power supply, over-congested classrooms and a growing disparity in the ratio between teaching staff and students. Due to its consequences, strategies for curbing this menace in state universities, such as the creation of enabling environment, adequate funding of tertiary education, effective administration and motivation of staff of the sampled institutions, among others were proffered.

This quasi experimental research was conducted to assess the effects of students' learning styles on their performance in English language in Senior Secondary Schools in Imo State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to sample 300 students in the area of study. The study utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics in data collection and analysis. English Achievement Test (EAT) was used as the main instrument for pre-test and post-test. The research questions were answered with percentages and mean while the hypotheses were tested with ANCOVA at 0.05 level of significance. Relevant literature was reviewed accordingly. The result of the analysis showed that the learning style preference for English language students is converging. Result revealed that when teaching methods match the students learning styles they perform better. Also, in the study of English language gender variable has no significant impact on students' learning styles and performances. The findings have implications on the teaching and learning of English studies at the Senior Secondary Schools. It was therefore recommended among others that English language teachers should identity the learning style that soothes their students and use teaching strategies that complement them.

The study aimed at finding out sources and symptoms of occupational stress and management strategies of principals in secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study with a population of 420 principals (304 males and 116 females) in secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Occupational Stress and Management Strategies of Principals Questionnaire containing 26 items was the instrument for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used in answering the research questions while t-test was used in testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. From the research findings, results showed that poor working environment, pressure from teachers, etc. affect the performance of principals irrespective of gender. Persistent head ache, regular body pain and hypertension are principals' symptoms of stress. It was recommended that secondary schools principals should hire competent personnel to assist in administration, delegate duties, take regular exercises and sought counselling help among others to ease their stress and create enabling environment for better school administration.

The study was aimed at studying the psychological strategies for resolving interpersonal conflict among administrators in Tertiary Institutions with Nnamdi Azikiwe University as the case study. Gaining an understanding of these strategies may assist administrators of educational programs in handling interpersonal conflicts in more constructive and helpful ways. It may also provide the basis for further development of formal theory and the potential for theory testing. The conflict resolution strategies scales inventory of Howart and London (1980) guided data collection. The sample comprised of 20 administrative officers and secretarial staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. The descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the opinion, while the inferential t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The respondents in their opinion confirmed the five strategies for resolving interpersonal conflict. Thus we conclude that conflict can be resolved using any of the psychological strategies. The researchers hence, recommend the use of the strategies by counsellors especially in group counselling processes.

The issue of cultism has in spite of many efforts at reducing it, soared up in the Nigeria's tertiary institutions. Cultism has cast gloom over the educational sector. It is repeatedly said that the youths are the future leaders but it is a little wonder what the future holds for the youth of this country which has a good proportion of her youth as secret cult member. It therefore became imperative to carefully redress the issue of cultism in our tertiary institution where reason should rule over emotion. Undoubtedly, the issue has assumed horrifying proportion as cultic violence thrives even more. The main purpose of this study was to find out the causes, effects and strategies to stop cultism in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It was discovered from the study that cultism among the students of tertiary institutions is real and urgent solutions is needed by government and institution at large to curb it. The parents must work closely with the institutions authority to arrive at a lasting solution.

Background: Peer education is an approach to health promotion in which community members are supported to promote health-enhancing change among their peers. The study assessed the effect of peer health education on HIV/AIDS knowledge amongst in-school adolescents in secondary schools in Imo State. Methods: This was an intervention study carried out among 296 and 287 in-school adolescents aged 15 to 19 years attending Akwakuma Girls Secondary School and Federal Government Girls College Owerri Imo State respectively. The study was in three stages: before intervention, intervention, and after intervention. The impact of peer education was evaluated twelve weeks after intervention. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The study utilized a quasi-experimental study design. The chi-square test and McNemar's test were used to test the hypothesis with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Results: The result from the study revealed that the majority (73%) of the respondents at Akwakuma Girls Secondary School (test group) had poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS mode of transmission and prevention at baseline. The overall good knowledge of respondents in the test group improved from 27 to 81% after the intervention. 36% of the respondents in the control group had good knowledge at baseline, the knowledge of 64% of them with poor knowledge at baseline were compared post-test to those in the test group who also had poor knowledge at baseline. The knowledge of only 27.7% of those in the control group increased post-test while the remaining 72.3% still had poor knowledge. The result of the inter-school comparison using Chi-square revealed that the p-value was statistically significant. Intra-school comparison using McNemar's test revealed a statistical significance for all questions in the test group, while none was positively significant in the control group. Conclusions: Peer health education improved the knowledge of the students at Akwakuma Girls Secondary School which was very low at the baseline. The knowledge of the students in the control group with poor knowledge at baseline didn't increase post-study. Peer health education should be strengthened and expanded as one of the tools for behavior change among adolescents. There should be more focus on adolescents for HIV-targeted prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly becoming a global health concern. This study aimed to investigate and report MDR Escherichia coli (E. coli) prevalence, resistance, and virulence genes from poultry in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Methods: The samples were analyzed using microbiological standard methods and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Results: A total of 179 cloacal swabs were collected from bothlocal and exotic poultry breeds, of which 99.4% (178/179) tested positive for E. coli. Among these culturally identified samples, 99.4% (177/178) were furtherconfirmed Escherichia coli with a molecular weight of 401 bp. Multidrugresistance of 45% (80/178) was observed from the confirmed isolates. PCR assays were conducted to detect genes associated with resistance to antibiotics, specifically, tetracycline (tetA gene), sulfonamide (sul1 gene), ampicillin (ampC gene), and quinolone (gyrA gene). Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results revealed substantial antibiotic resistance, with 81.9% (145/177) of the isolates being resistant to tetracycline, 80.2% (142/177) to quinolone, 69.5% (123/177) to sulfonamide, and 66.1% (117/177) to ampicillin. Further analysis on 18 isolates that showed resistance to up to four different antibiotics was carried out using multiplex PCR to detect eae, hlyA, rfbE, fliC, and fstx virulence genes. The study found that 44.4% (15/18) of the isolates were positive for the eae gene, 27.7% (5/18) for stx, 22.2% (4/18) for rfbe gene, and 5.5% (1) for hlya gene, and none tested positive for fliC gene. Conclusion: These results showed high antibiotic resistance, virulent genes, and significant levels of MDR in E. coli from poultry. This study highlights the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship practices within the poultry industry due to their profound implications for food safety and public health. This issue is particularly critical in Nigeria, where poultry farming constitutes a significant portion of smallholder farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of lives and property remains the cardinal responsibility of the government and the hallmark for the existence of critical sectors like education, health, social infrastructure and the entire economy. However, the Nigerian state has experienced an increasing rate of internal insecurity in the Northeastern part of Nigeria, which has significantly negatively impacted the basic education sub-sector between 2014 and 2020 in the Northeast despite the government's efforts to fight insecurity. These internal security challenges have led to the destruction of schools and the abduction of secondary school students and teachers by bandits and Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria. Systems theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for this study. The expository qualitative method of inquiry was used for data collection, which entails the in-depth acquisition of documentary material, and the data was analysed using the content analysis technique. The study found, among others, that accessibility and affordability of basic education have retrogressed due to the insecurity in the Northeast, which undermines the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education by 2030. To curb these challenges, the study recommends that the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the government of Northeastern states, should recruit and train armed education marshals to offer security surveillance in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of Nigeria's societal advancement regarding consumers' economic status, access to food, nutritional well-being, and overall health, traditional fermented foods play a pivotal role. Across various African countries, traditional fermentation methods serve as a means to preserve food, extending its longevity and enhancing its nutritional value. The intricate food microbiome associated with fermented food holds significant importance and intrigue. Recent studies utilizing advanced DNA sequencing methods have revealed diverse microbial communities present in Nigerian fermented foods. These communities possess fundamental, technological, and economic value that could be harnessed to further improve food safety, quality, and overall health. This review presents an overview of fermented foods in Nigeria, delving into their microbial composition, and highlights the potential these foods and their associated bacteria hold in promoting health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the Web-browsing competencies of pre-service adult facilitators in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Survey design was adopted for the study. The population consists of all pre-service adult facilitators in all the federal universities in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Accidental sampling technique was used in selecting 234 pre-service adult facilitators. The instrument for data collection was a four-point scale questionnaire titled "WEBCQ" (Web-browsing Competencies Questionnaire). WEBCQ consists of 43 Web-browsing competencies. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was established by using Crombach Alpha which came up to 0.78. Two research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics was used to analyze the null hypothesis. The findings of the study showed that the pre-service adult facilitators have Web-browsing competencies to an average level and that male adult facilitators have significantly higher competencies than their female counterparts. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made which include that the country just like most developed nations should embrace the innovative distance learning in the form of online learning, e-learning, virtual classroom, and online counseling knowing that most of the current pre-service facilitators have average Web-browsing competence. (Contains 3 tables.)

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment among adults in Kogi, Nigeria. Methods: A Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) protocol was used with additional tools measuring disability and household wealth to measure the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI) and associations with sex, disability, wealth, cataract surgical coverage and its effectiveness. Results: Age- and sex-adjusted all-cause prevalence of bilateral blindness was 3.6% (95%CI 3.0–4.2%), prevalence of blindness among people living with additional, non-visual disabilities was 38.3% (95% CI 29.0–48.6%) compared to 1.6% (95%CI 1.2–2.1%; χ2 = 771.9, p<0.001) among people without additional disabilities. Cataract was the principal cause of bilateral blindness (55.3%). Cataract surgical coverage (CSC) at visual acuity (VA) 3/60 was 48.0%, higher among men than women (53.7% vs 40.3%); 12.0% among people with non-visual disabilities; 66.9% among people without non-visual disabilities, being higher among people in the wealthiest two quintiles (41.1%) compared to the lowest three (24.3%). Effective Cataract Surgical Coverage at Visual Acuity 6/60 was 31.0%, higher among males (34.9%) than females (25.5%), low among people with additional, non-visual disabilities (1.9%) compared to people with no additional disabilities (46.2%). Effective CDC was higher among people in the wealthiest two quintiles (411%) compared to the poorest three (24.3%). Good surgical outcome (VA>6/18) was seen in 61 eyes (52.6%) increasing to 71 (61.2%) eyes with best correction. Cost was identified as the main barrier to surgery. Conclusion: Findings suggest there exists inequalities in eye care with women, poorer people and people with disabilities having a lower Cataract Surgical Coverage, thereby, underscoring the importance of eye care programs to address these inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many Nigerian universities are making efforts to provide access to digital library resources, the level of utilization of these resources have not been encouraging due to several factors. Information literacy has been identified as a major factor when considering the factors that enhance use of digital resources. In view of this, this study was designed to investigate how "information literacy skills" predict the utilization of digital library resource by university teaching staff. The study was built around two theoretical models, that is, SCONUL's information literacy model, and the Technology Acceptance Model. A correlational research design guided the study. The population consisted of 6,653 teaching staff from six federal universities in Southern, Nigeria, and six hundred and sixty-five (665) persons comprised the sample, proportionately chosen via stratified random sampling. The test instruments designed for this study were: Test tool titled "Skill Test on Information Literacy" (STIL), and a questionnaire titled "Usage of Digital Library Resources" (UDLR). The study used the Kuder-Richardson technique to determine the items' reliability yielding results of 0.77, 0.78, 0.75, 0.64, 0.81, and 0.81 for digital library resources usage. The study used multiple regression analysis for the research question. The findings revealed that in terms of extent, a weak positive relationship exists between the skills of university teaching staff in information literacy and utilization of digital library resources. On the whole, the findings showed a significant correlation between university teaching staff skills in information literacy and utilization of digital resources. It implies that in improving the usage of digital resources by university teaching staff, attention must be focused on their abilities to utilize these resources. It was recommended that librarians should have a strategy for training lecturers on digital skills as part of the overall plan for promoting the usage of digital resources by lecturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the cognizance and perception of physiotherapy intervention in ADHD amongst clinical physiotherapy students in a tertiary institution and, also, determines the relationship of the study variables on the socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey and employed a convenient sampling technique to recruit 137 respondents. A cognizance and perception questionnaire was used as the survey instrument to obtain data. Descriptive statistics of frequency, mean, and standard deviation were used to analyse the socio-demographic characteristics. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyse the relationship amongst the variables of cognizance of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (COG-ADHD), perception of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (PERCEP-ADHD), cognizance of physiotherapy intervention (COG-PT_ITV), and perception of physiotherapy intervention (PERCEP-PT_ITV). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the influence of socio-demographic characteristics of age and the level of study on the cognizance and perception of ADHD. Variables having a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Result: The majority of the respondents (63.5%) had high cognizance of physiotherapy intervention for ADHD, while the majority of the respondents (60.6%) had a fair perception of physiotherapy intervention for ADHD. A significant proportion of respondents (26.3%) had no source of information on ADHD before the study. Cognizance of ADHD significantly correlated with perception of ADHD, ADHD, perception of physiotherapy intervention in ADHD, and cognizance of physiotherapy intervention in ADHD. There were significant positive correlations between gender and cognizance of physiotherapy intervention in ADHD and between the level of study and perception of ADHD. Conclusion: Respondent's perception of physiotherapy intervention in ADHD was relatively low; in contrast, their cognizance was relatively satisfactory. Strengthening their cognizance and perception is paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Pelvic floor exercise is beneficial to every antenatal and postnatal woman as it helps to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle and prevent pelvic floor complications. Although the knowledge, practice, and benefits of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFMEs) are fairly known among health care professionals, there seems to be a deficit in knowledge and practice of PFMEs among antenatal and postnatal women in the study location. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of PFMEs among women attending antenatal and postnatal clinics in a secondary health center, in Southeast, Nigeria. METHODS: Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, a convenience sampling technique was used to select 143 pregnant and postpartum women at a secondary health center. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect information on their demographics, knowledge, and the practice of pelvic floor exercises. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 at 5% alpha level. RESULTS: The findings showed that a small proportion (28.5%) had good knowledge; however, 54 (54.7%) practiced PFMEs. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and practice of pelvic floor exercises (p <.001). CONCLUSION: Limited knowledge and practice of PFMEs exist among the study population; therefore, good clinical practice guidelines should be developed to train and guide health providers on the best way to utilize antenatal classes to inform and train the antenatal and postnatal women properly on PFMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the association of the insulin resistance of third-trimester Nigerian pregnant women with their newborn infants' insulin resistance and birth size. Pregnancy-associated insulin resistance (IR), often assessed with homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), is associated, especially among women with gestational diabetes (GDM), with abnormal neonatal birth size and body composition, predisposing the baby to metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. The associations of maternal IR with neonatal IR, birth size and body composition are less studied in nondiabetic pregnant women, especially in sub-Saharan settings like Nigeria. Methods: We originally recruited 401 third trimester, nondiabetic pregnant women to a prospective cohort study, followed up until birth. Blood samples of mothers and babies were obtained, respectively, at recruitment and within 24 hours postbirth for fasting serum glucose (FSG) and insulin (FSI) assays, and HOMA-IR was calculated as [(FSI × FSG)/22.5)]. Results: Complete data for 150 mother-baby dyads was analysed: the mothers, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 31.6 (4.5) years, had live births at a mean (SD) gestational age of 39.2 weeks. The proportions of infants with wasting, stunting, impaired fetal growth (either wasting or stunted), small-for-gestation-age, largefor-gestational-age, low birthweight, and macrosomia were 4.2% (95% confidence interval, 1.1-10.3), 19.7% (12.9-28.0), 23.1% (15.8-31.8), 10.1% (5.3-17.0), 12.6% (7.2-19.9), 0.8% (0.02-4.5), and 5.0% (1.8-10.5), respectively. Maternal HOMA-IR was not associated with neonatal HOMA-IR (P=0.837), birth weight (P=0.416) or body composition measured with weight-length ratio (P=0.524), but birth weight was independently predicted by maternal weight (P=0.006), body mass index (P=0.001), and parity (P=0.012). Conclusion: In this nondiabetic/non-GDM cohort, maternal HOMA-IR was not associated with neonatal IR, body size or body composition. Larger studies are required to confirm these findings, with addi-tional inclusion of mothers with hyperglycaemia for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part I of this series showed significant influence of fertilizer on the growth and yield of tigernut. This paper documents the effects of these complementary fertilizers on the nutritional quality of the crop. Thus, the effects of seven fertilizer treatments on the nutritional quality of tigernut were studied. Proximate, mineral, vitamins and phytochemical contents of tigernut were evaluated across the fertilizer treatments. Most of the mineral contents were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the fertilizer combination except for magnesium (suggesting non-responsiveness of this mineral to fertilizer treatment). On the proximate contents, ash and moisture were statistically similar while other components varied significantly. The effect of fertilizer treatment on the vitamin content was only significant on vitamins B6 and C while for the phytochemical content, only phytates and tannin were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by fertilizer. It was conclusive that combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer increased the carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin C, tannin and most of the mineral contents of tigernut tubers. Findings reported herewith therefore validate the application of complementary fertilizer treatment for growing tigernut in this region because of enhanced nutritional quality of the tigernut seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tigernuts have so many food and medicinal potentials as it contains some amount of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Despite the food and health benefits associated with this tuber, its production in southern Nigeria is at an abysmal level probably due to lack of knowledge for its production or utility. This experiment was conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching and Research Farm to evaluate the effect of seven complementary fertilizer treatments on the growth and yield of tigernut. The experiment is an attempt to develop appropriate agronomic practice that will assure regular cultivation culture. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with seven fertilizer treatments and replicated 10 times. Treatments were NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha), NPK 20:10:10 (300 kg/ha), poultry manure, PM, (5 t/ha), NPK 15:15:15 (150 kg/ha) + 3 t/ha PM, NPK 20:10:10 (150 kg/ha) + 3 t/ha PM, K-nitrate (100 kg/ha) + Ca-nitrate (100 kg/ha) + 2.5 t/ha PM and control (No fertilizer application). Fertilizer treatments significantly (p < 0.05) influenced growth and yield parameters except fresh weight of leaves, length of longest root and weight of seed planted. Significantly (p < 0.05) superior values of growth and yield parameters were obtained in plants grown with NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha), followed closely by the application of NPK 20:10:10 at 150 kg/ha plus 3 t/ha PM. This study recommends application of NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha) or the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10 at 150 kg/ha plus 3 t/ha PM) to boost the yield and growth of tigernut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of COVID-19 and its consequences have altered people's perceptions of the availability of high-quality housing. Nigeria, the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, has taken many initiatives to address its growing population's housing demands. However, considerable focus has been placed only on housing quantity at the expense of housing quality. This study aims to investigate the interplay of factors affecting the provision of high-quality public housing projects in Nigeria. The objective is to identify the factors that significantly influence project success and failure in the delivery of quality public housing projects. A descriptive survey design with 351 randomly selected households and built environment experts (BEPs) was used. A self-developed structured questionnaire was used to collect data from households, buildings, and professionals over the course of three months. The findings indicate that in several buildings, the indoor air temperature and relative humidity extend acceptable limits (for example, 28 °C and 70% RH), which can have an effect on indoor air quality. Meanwhile, responses from the BEPs revealed that in order to develop high-quality housing, adequate project financing, evaluation of suitable building materials, and project management expertise were required. The study's conclusion emphasises that considering only the number of houses required to accommodate Nigeria's growing urban population is insufficient; rather, other factors such as appropriate design for improved air quality, high-quality and appropriate building materials, adequate project financing, and project management expertise would result in the quality delivery of livable public housing in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the paper was to examine professional training of librarians and service delivery in public libraries in Nigeria. It is an opinion paper and therefore expository in nature. The paper discussed the history of public libraries in Nigeria and service delivery. The paper critically reviewed the professional training of librarians in public libraries. It also exposed various library services, such as current awareness, user education, inter-library loan, circulation, reprographic service and challenges affecting the services in the public libraries. The paper recommended among others, professional training for librarians with digital skills to enhance their productivity for efficient and effective service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the determinants of sustainability reporting have been highly studied, the influence of Board Governance characteristics on sustainability reporting has mainly remained understudied in Africa, especially Nigeria, despite the overwhelming Business opportunities in the country. This study, therefore, investigates the influence of Board Governance on sustainability accounting and reporting, drawing insights from large businesses listed in Nigerian stock exchanges. Using a sample of 167 reports drawn from three sources--annual reports, sustainability reports, and website over the period 2015 to 2020, this study employs content analysis to quantify three layers of sustainability disclosure and fixed effects regression estimation model to predict the influence of Board governance variables on sustainability reporting quality. Our results indicate that Board governance characteristics such as Board capacity, board independence and Board Incentives are significant factors that affect sustainability reporting quality. The results further suggest that although the number of directors on the board is positively associated with the quality of sustainability reporting, CEO duality is insignificant and has a negative association with the quality of sustainability reporting. This study provides evidence that setting up long-term incentive-based compensation affects sustainability reporting positively in developing countries, such as Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is a swine viral pathogen of substantial economic importance in pig farming globally. However, large-scale surveillance is needed to determine its prevalence and associated risk factors in the Nigerian pigs. We conducted molecular-based surveillance and mapping of PCV2 in southwest Nigeria to assess its prevalence and spatiality. Six hundred forty-eight individual fecal samples were collected from the different age groups of pigs from 67 farms in three southwest states. The polymerase chain reaction technique was used to screen the samples with a specific primer pair. The viral prevalence was determined at individual animal and farm levels. Overall, 145 out of 648 samples (22.4%) and 49/67 farms (73.1%) tested positive for PCV2. The highest prevalence of PCV2 was observed in Oyo State (63/185, 34.1%) and in growers (66/145, 45.5%). Restricting visitors' entrance to the farm was found to be strongly protective for PCV2 (AOR 0.122; p = 0.007 ; 95% CI; 0.027–0.564), while not having a quarantine protocol (AOR 4.445; p = 0.041 ; 95% CI; 1.067–18.5280) and reporting coccidiosis as a common disease encountered (AOR 14.340; p = 0.007 ; 95% CI; 2.094–98.203) on the farm were significant risk factors identified to be associated with the presence of PCV2. This study revealed a higher prevalence of PCV2 in Nigerian swine herds than expected and presented significant spatial clustering of infection in the studied region. It has also highlighted the risk factors driving its spread in the studied area. The research findings underscore the need for a policy decision to promote PCV2 vaccination in the country, which is currently not in place. The availability and use of the PCV2 vaccines, in addition to effective biosecurity measures, will help to mitigate the virus and its associated diseases in the country for sustainable and profitable pig farming, which holds vast potential in solving the problem of hunger and poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence and ecological risk associated with nine pharmaceuticals; Ciprofloxacin, Metronidazole, Amoxycillin, Trimethoprim, Tetracycline, Sulfamethoxazole, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac and Paracetamol were investigated in water and sediments of Usuma Dam, Abuja, Nigeria. The samples were extracted with solid phase extraction and analysed with high performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV/VIS detector (HPLC-UV/VIS). Metronidazole with a concentration range of 191.11–572.73 ng/L and Trimethoprim with a concentration range of 0.27–0.42 µg/g d.w. were the predominant antibiotics in the water and sediments respectively. Ibuprofen was the only analgesics detected in the samples. The ecological risk assessed with the worst observed data for each pharmaceutical in the samples showed that Amoxycillin and Ibuprofen pose a high toxic risk to aquatic life in the dam while Trimethoprim and Ciprofloxacin could result in medium ecological risk. The results of this study draw attention to the occurrence and ecological risks of pharmaceuticals to aquatic life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The WHO recommends mass drug administration (MDA) as a strategy to deliver safe and cost-effective medicines to prevent and treat diseases. The antibiotic, azithromycin, has been used during MDA for the treatment and prevention of trachoma in Nigeria. Azithromycin has recently been shown to reduce infant mortality in communities receiving it for trachoma-elimination purposes in sub-Saharan Africa. This article reports on the implementation strategies for the safety and antimicrobial resistance of mass administration of azithromycin to children aged 1–11 mo using the trachoma programme platform in Kebbi state. Methods The mass administration of azithromycin among 1–11-mo-olds in Kebbi was implemented in three phases: (i) the preimplementation phase, during which specific activities were conducted to achieve government and community buy-in, ownership and capacity building; (ii) the implementation phase, which included the mass administration of azithromycin carried out by community volunteers (also known as community-directed distributors [CDDs]), monitoring (by health workers and independent monitors) and reporting of the distribution by all personnel; and (iii) the postimplementation phase, which included the validation of community data, where each item of community summary data is verified and checked for completeness and accuracy before uploading to the District Health Information System platform, where data are visualised, analysed and stored. Results In total, 97% of the target population received treatment; the remaining 3% were not treated due to signs of ill health, history of allergy to antibiotics, parental refusal or absence at the time of MDA. Children aged 1–11 mo accounted for 17% of the under-5 population, with females constituting 56% of the target population. In communities that were monitored, reports showed that only 5% lacked distribution materials (scales, slings or registers), >80% correctly entered data into community registers and 5% of children were not treated due to inadequate azithromycin provided to the CDDs for distribution. Conclusion The implementation of azithromycin MDA for children aged 1–11 mo in Kebbi, utilising the trachoma platform, exhibited commendable coverage due to existing programme platform, healthcare and community structures, intensive advocacy and social mobilisation, real-time monitoring and progress-tracking strategies. It also demonstrated that the trachoma platform is suitable for implementing public health interventions, even after the elimination of trachoma in previously endemic districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise in violent economic nationalism against foreign national interests in South Africa, particularly Nigerians and their investments poses some critical challenges to the liberal international economic system. This study investigates the impact of South Africa's economic nationalism on Nigerians' investments in South Africa. The study adopted the rational choice theory as the theoretical framework and mixed method of data gathering which relies on a documentary review, an unstructured interview and a focus group analysis involving Nigerians that were evacuated from South Africa. The findings revealed that violent economic nationalism among South Africans and the reprisal attacks in Nigeria have undermined Nigerians' investment potentials and created a host of issues in their economic relations including low productivity, temporary unemployment of workers in the investment industries, reduction of foreign exchange earnings and stagnated trade activities between the two countries among others. The study concludes that notwithstanding the perennial eruptions of violent episodes of economic nationalism in South Africa, the two countries have demonstrated commitment to boosting and sustaining their trade relations. It notes the absence of synergy between South Africa's demand for inclusive labour employment and Nigerians' investment activities. The study recommends close coordination between governments and the enforcement of rule of law in both countries especially, laws to protect foreign investors and investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, recent graduates from medical school provide more direct surgical and procedural care to patients than their counterparts from the Global North. Nigeria has no nationally representative data on the procedures performed by trainees before graduation from medical school and their confidence in performing these procedures upon graduation has also not been evaluated. Methods: We performed an internet-based, cross-sectional survey of recent medical school graduates from 15 accredited Federal, State, and private Nigerian medical schools spanning six geopolitical zones. Essential surgical procedures, bedside interventions and three Bellwether procedures were incorporated into the survey. Self-reported confidence immediately after graduation was calculated and compared using cumulative confidence scores with subgroup analysis of results by type and location of institution. Qualitative analysis of free text recommendations by participants was performed using the constant comparative method in grounded theory. Results: Four hundred ninety-nine recent graduates from 6 geopolitical zones participated, representing 15 out of a total of 44 medical schools in Nigeria. Male to female ratio was 2:1, and most respondents (59%) graduated from Federal institutions. Students had greatest practical mean exposure to bedside procedures like intravenous access and passing urethral foley catheters and were most confident performing these. Less than 23% had performed over 10 of any of the assessed procedures. They had least exposures to chest tube insertion (0.24/person), caesarean Sect. (0.12/person), and laparotomy (0.09/person). Recent graduates from Federal institutions had less procedural exposure in urethral catheterization (p < 0.001), reduction (p = 0.035), and debridement (p < 0.035). Respondents that studied in the underserved North-East and North-West performed the highest median number of procedures prior to graduation. Cumulative confidence scores were low across all graduates (maximum 25/60), but highest in graduates from Northern Nigeria and private institutions. Graduates recommended prioritizing medical students over senior trainees, using simulation-based training and constructive individualized non-toxic feedback from faculty. Conclusion: Nigerian medical students have poor exposure to procedures and low confidence in performing basic procedures after graduation. More attention should be placed on training for essential surgeries and procedures in medical schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the motivational factors that drive women to venture into entrepreneurship within male-dominated industries in Nigeria, using the frameworks of institutional theory and self-determination theory (SDT). The study uses a qualitative phenomenological approach and conducts 30 interviews with women entrepreneurs (WEs) from different sectors and backgrounds, using a snowball sampling technique. The results show that WEs are driven by various factors related to the institutional environment (regulatory, normative, and cognitive), such as economic improvement, family pressure and support, husband's consent and independence, family legacy, gender equality, skills, education, and experience. These factors reflect the economic commitment and resilience of WEs. This study enriches the existing literature on women entrepreneurs and institutional entrepreneurship by offering empirical evidence on how women entrepreneurs surmount the challenges presented by patriarchal societies and male-dominated businesses (MDB). The study posits that models of institutional entrepreneurship could potentially enhance the number of women entrepreneurs and make contribution to the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 3 and 8. This represents the pioneering study that applies both institutional theory and self-determination theory (SDT) to scrutinize women entrepreneurs operating in MDB. The study has implications for policymakers who want to foster and enable WEs in developing countries. It underscores the importance of understanding the unique women's motivations to become entrepreneurs in patriarchal societies and highlights the need for supportive institutional frameworks to facilitate their success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-quality neonatal care requires sufficient functional medical devices, furniture, fixtures, and use by trained healthcare workers, however there is lack of publicly available tools for quantification and costing. This paper describes development and use of a planning and costing tool regarding furniture, fixtures and devices to support scale-up of WHO level-2 neonatal care, for national and global newborn survival targets. Methods: We followed a systematic process. First, we reviewed planning and costing tools of relevance. Second, we co-designed a new tool to estimate furniture and device set-up costs for a default 40-bed level-2 neonatal unit, incorporating input from multi-disciplinary experts and newborn care guidelines. Furniture and device lists were based off WHO guidelines/norms, UNICEF and national manuals/guides. Due to lack of evidence-based quantification, ratios were based on operational manuals, multi-country facility assessment data, and expert opinion. Default unit costs were from government procurement agency costs in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Third, we refined the tool by national use in Tanzania. Results: The tool adapts activity-based costing (ABC) to estimate quantities and costs to equip a level-2 neonatal unit based on three components: (1) furniture/fixtures (18 default but editable items); (2) neonatal medical devices (16 product categories with minimum specifications for use in low-resource settings); (3) user training at device installation. The tool was used in Tanzania to generate procurement lists and cost estimates for level-2 scale-up in 171 hospitals (146 District and 25 Regional Referral). Total incremental cost of all new furniture and equipment acquisition, installation, and user training were US$93,000 per District hospital (level-2 care) and US$346,000 per Regional Referral hospital. Estimated cost per capita for whole-country district coverage was US$0.23, representing 0.57% increase in government health expenditure per capita and additional 0.35% for all Regional Referral hospitals. Conclusion: Given 2.3 million neonatal deaths and potential impact of level-2 newborn care, rational and efficient planning of devices linked to systems change is foundational. In future iterations, we aim to include consumables, spare parts, and maintenance cost options. More rigorous implementation research data are crucial to formulating evidence-based ratios for devices numbers per baby. Use of this tool could help overcome gaps in devices numbers, advance efficiency and quality of neonatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thirty million small and sick newborns worldwide require inpatient care each year. Many receive antibiotics for clinically diagnosed infections without blood cultures, the current 'gold standard' for neonatal infection detection. Low neonatal blood culture use hampers appropriate antibiotic use, fuelling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which threatens newborn survival. This study analysed the gap between blood culture use and antibiotic prescribing in hospitals implementing with Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Methods: Inpatient data from every newborn admission record (July 2019–August 2022) were included to describe hospital-level blood culture use and antibiotic prescription. Health Facility Assessment data informed performance categorisation of hospitals into four tiers: (Tier 1) no laboratory, (Tier 2) laboratory but no microbiology, (Tier 3) neonatal blood culture use < 50% of newborns receiving antibiotics, and (Tier 4) neonatal blood culture use > 50%. Results: A total of 144,146 newborn records from 61 hospitals were analysed. Mean hospital antibiotic prescription was 70% (range = 25–100%), with 6% mean blood culture use (range = 0–56%). Of the 10,575 blood cultures performed, only 24% (95%CI 23–25) had results, with 10% (10–11) positivity. Overall, 40% (24/61) of hospitals performed no blood cultures for newborns. No hospitals were categorised as Tier 1 because all had laboratories. Of Tier 2 hospitals, 87% (20/23) were District hospitals. Most hospitals could do blood cultures (38/61), yet the majority were categorised as Tier 3 (36/61). Only two hospitals performed > 50% blood cultures for newborns on antibiotics (Tier 4). Conclusions: The two Tier 4 hospitals, with higher use of blood cultures for newborns, underline potential for higher blood culture coverage in other similar hospitals. Understanding why these hospitals are positive outliers requires more research into local barriers and enablers to performing blood cultures. Tier 3 facilities are missing opportunities for infection detection, and quality improvement strategies in neonatal units could increase coverage rapidly. Tier 2 facilities could close coverage gaps, but further laboratory strengthening is required. Closing this culture gap is doable and a priority for advancing locally-driven antibiotic stewardship programmes, preventing AMR, and reducing infection-related newborn deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study expands on existing literature by exploring characteristics of female social entrepreneurs, their motivational factors, the challenges they face, and the needed support system in the Nigerian context. Design/methodology/approach: A purposive sampling technique was used to select 11 female social entrepreneurs for the qualitative case study design. The respondents were interviewed, and the data was recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis was carried out to reduce the responses into themes. Findings: Female social entrepreneurs in Nigeria possess a combination of integrity, transparency, and entrepreneurial traits like knowledge, ambition, and leadership. Their motivations include a primary focus on income and financial stability, coupled with a strong desire to help others, drive societal and community change, and tackle issues like unemployment. Notably, many are motivated by empowering their families and fellow women. Independence plays a significant role in their motivation, manifesting as a desire for flexibility and control over their lives, particularly for mothers. They also draw motivation from societal acceptance, success, appreciation, and respect. Challenges they face include funding limitations, market dynamics, and infrastructure issues common to social entrepreneurs, alongside gender-specific obstacles like inequality and self-confidence issues. Desired support includes funding, improved infrastructure, and gender equality enforcement, with less emphasis on education and training, likely due to their existing entrepreneurial activities. Research limitations/implications: The research has several limitations. Firstly, it is based on a small sample size of only 11 female social entrepreneurs in Nigeria, which may not fully capture the diversity of experiences in this field. Secondly, the findings are specific to the Nigerian context and may not be applicable to other regions or countries with different cultural and economic conditions. Thirdly, the qualitative nature of the research limits its generalizability, as it relies on subjective responses from interviewees. Additionally, the use of purposive sampling may introduce bias, and the cross-sectional data provides only a snapshot, lacking insights into how these entrepreneurs may change over time. Practical implications: The study highlights the need to address gender-specific challenges faced by female social entrepreneurs in Nigeria, such as gender inequality and self-confidence issues. To address these challenges, policymakers, NGOs, and business associations should prioritize initiatives that challenge traditional norms and provide training programs. Social implications: The research emphasizes the importance of addressing gender biases, promoting gender equality, and providing targeted support to empower women in entrepreneurship, which can have far-reaching positive social implications for Nigerian society. Originality/value: This paper enhances our understanding of female social entrepreneurship in the Nigerian context and provides valuable insights into the interplay between entrepreneurship, social leadership, and gender-related obstacles. It also has implications for future research in social entrepreneurship, particularly regarding gender dynamics and socio-cultural influences in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, the incidence and mortality from gallbladder diseases is on the rise. The gold standard for the management of symptomatic gallbladder disease is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The practice of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is at a nascent stage in Low and middle-income countries like Nigeria despite its obvious advantages over traditional open cholecystectomy. This systematic review aims to assess the extent to which laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed for the management of gallbladder diseases in Nigeria. Methodology: The review was guided by the PRISMA model. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Global health databases. All searches were conducted in August 2023. All study designs reporting laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Nigeria, in the past 10 years were included. Three authors conducted the data extraction using data extraction tables and two authors independently assessed the data for accuracy and completeness. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool was used to assess the data quality. Twenty-two articles with 1569 patients were included in this review. Results: Females accounted for 69.5% of the patients and 30.5% were males. Twelve (54.5%) of the studies were from the Southwest of the country, 3 (13.6%) each from the South East and North Central regions, 2 (9.1%) South-South, and 1 (4.5%) each from the North East and North West. Study designs were mostly cross-sectional with sample sizes from 1 to 400. The highest and lowest number of laparoscopic cholecystectomies reported were 300 and 1 respectively. The majority (95.2%) of laparoscopic cholecystectomies were on account of calculous cholecystitis and the methods reported were the 4-port and 3-port techniques. The follow-up period ranged from 3 weeks to 2 years with 54 (3.4%) complications reported. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Nigeria is relatively safe with minimal complications. Its demand and uptake are on the rise, though slowly owing to its relatively high cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor internet infrastructure limits the use of computer-based nursing process forms in rural areas. This study aimed to configure a computer-based nursing process form to support nursing diagnosis and care evaluation in rural healthcare clinics in Africa. This study utilized a methodological design. The design process utilized a three-stage procedure involving planning, configuration, and testing. Seven faculty members volunteered to participate in the laboratory verification process. Each simulation session lasted 45 min and span from patient admission to exit. The experts independently scored the software functionality dichotomously as Not Suitable (score 0) and Suitable (score 1) for nursing practice. The agreement between the faculty volunteers was 0.857. The configuration of a readily available Microsoft Access computer application to support nursing diagnosis without internet service is possible. Health facilities in rural areas without internet connectivity should resort to such local configurations to maximize the benefits of electronic-based documentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]