E-learning readiness from perspectives of medical students: A survey in Nigeria.

CONTEXT: Learning in the medical school of the study university is still by the traditional face-to-face approach with minimal e-communication. AIM: This paper assesses student's perspectives of E-learning readiness, its predictors and presents a model for assessing them. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study of medical students. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: By proportional quota sampling 284 students responded to a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire adapted from literature. Ethical issues were given full consideration. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis was with SPSS version 20, using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Spearman's correlation, and multiple regression. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Medical students are ready for E-learning (Mlr = 3.8 > Melr = 3.4), beyond reliance on the face-to-face approach (69.7%), expecting effective (51.1%), and quality improvement in their learning (73.1%). Having basic information and communications technology skills (68.9%) (Mict = 3.7 > Melr = 3.4), access to laptops (76.1%), ability to use web browsers confidently (91.8%) (Mwb = 4.3 > Melr = 3.4), with only few able to use asynchronous tools (45.5%), they consider content design important to attract users (75.6%), and agree they need training on E-learning content (71.4%). They however do not believe the university has enough information technology infrastructure (62.4%) (Mi = 2.7 < Melr = 3.4) nor sufficient professionals to train them (M = 2.9). Predictors are attitude, content readiness, technological readiness, and culture readiness. The model however only explains 37.1% of readiness in the population. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students in this environment are ready to advance to E-learning. Predicted by their attitude, content, technological and cultural readiness. Further study with qualitative methodology will help in preparing for this evolution in learning.

Determinants of patterns of maternal and child health service utilization in a rural community in south eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Women and children constitute a large proportion of any population. They are the most vulnerable to morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries. In many situations the problem of poor maternal and child health stems from the poor use of available services even when they are not of optimum quality. This study seeks to describe the patterns of utilization of Maternal and Child health (MCH) services in a rural area of Enugu State, and identify factors that are associated with and responsible for determining them. METHODS: The study used a cross sectional analytic design. Pretested semi structured questionnaires were administered by interviewers to 602 women from a rural community in Enugu state, South east Nigeria. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 8-10 men/ women each were conducted to identify factors affecting service utilization. Chi square analysis was done to identify factors associated with Maternal and Child Health services utilization. Logistic regression was used to identify determinants of utilization patterns. N vivo software was used to analyze findings of the FGDs. RESULTS: The study revealed that increasing age, educational level, monthly income, number of children and occupation of both women and their husbands were associated with increased MCH service utilization. Average monthly income (OR: 1.317, p = 0.048, CI: 0.073-0.986) and number of children (OR: 1.196, p < 0.01,CI: 1.563-7.000) were determinants of increased use of child care services while educational level (OR: 0.495, p < 0.001, CI: 1.244-2.164) and age (OR: 0.115, p < 0.001, CI: 0.838-0.948) determined better use of delivery and family planning services respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Improved use of MCH services is related to socio economic challenges women face such as illiteracy and low income. Furthermore, the way health facilities and their staff are perceived by rural women affect how they use some of these services and should be considered in programs which seek to reduce maternal and child mortality. Behavioral change programs with high local content need to be implemented within rural areas especially among younger, illiterate women .

Prevalence of depression among health workers in Enugu, South East Nigeria.

AIMS: Determination of the prevalence and distribution of depression among health workers at tertiary level of health care delivery in Enugu South East Nigeria. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive survey of depression in health workers at tertiary level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: By proportional quota sampling, the sample size of 309 was used. Ethical issues were given full consideration. A structured self-administered questionnaire including the Zung self-rating depression scale was used to collect data. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS statistical package version 15. Statistical significance was considered present when P < 0.05. RESULTS: The total of 46 of the 309 workers (14.9%) were found to be depressed. Of the health workers found to be depressed, there were more females (18.0%) than males (8.7%). A feeling of sadness over family, living and working conditions was more consistent among the depressed. CONCLUSIONS: The condition of depression is present among health workers in this part of the world. Being a female health worker, may be associated with depression in South East Nigeria. Studies to investigate the determinants and effects of depression in the Nigerian health work force are necessary.

Perception of child adoption among parents/care-givers of children attending pediatric outpatients' clinics in Enugu, South East, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increasing interest by couples in child adoption due to its acceptability in recent times in our locale. The enactment of the Child's Right Act in Nigeria has harmonized child adoption process across the nation. With the rising demand for babies from child care institutions by many Nigerian couples, there is need to ascertain their perception of child adoption. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the perception of child adoption among parents/care-givers of children attending Pediatric Clinics in Enugu. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The parents and care-givers of children attending pediatrics out-patients clinics in Enugu, Enugu State, South East, Nigeria served as the respondents. Two hundred and fifty nine of them were selected by convenience sampling method after obtaining their informed written consent. The data were obtained using semi - structured questionnaire that was administered by an interviewer and subsequently analyzed using SPSS Version 15.0. RESULTS: Many caregivers (respondents) (94.2.7%) had heard of child adoption and 79.2% of them understood the actual meaning of the term child adoption. About 1.9% of them had adopted previously. Majority of the respondents (73.87%) prefers to adopt a child during its neonatal age with a slight preference for adoption of male babies. 15.1% and 8.9% of the respondents gave private hospitals and middle men, respectively, as sources of child adoption. Knowledge of the Government adoption laws and process was generally below average (49.2%) among the respondents. CONCLUSION: Continued advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns should be strengthened in order to harmonize adoption process in our setting.