Nigerian Teachers Perception on the Use of ‘SMS Communication on Students’ Conventional Writings

The newly invented short message service (SMS) communication occasioned by the emergence of mobile telephones is a new phenomenon in communication. This form of communication oftentimes disregards the basic rules of English grammar especially among youths and this has raised a major worry for the society in recent times. This concern is that SMS communication is gradually taking over written communication and indirectly jeopardizing students’ usage of the Standard English language in their academic writings. Within this context therefore, this paper investigates Nigerian teachers’ perception of the pervasiveness of the SMS language among students and how this form of communication is jeopardizing students’ formal academic writings. A survey was carried out among the teachers in the six zonal headquarters of Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC) in Anambra State, Nigeria. A sample of 400 teachers was randomly selected. Two schools were randomly sampled from each zone making twelve schools, and about 33 teachers were sampled from each school. Findings show that teachers are aware students use SMS communication because they observe that it filters into their academic writings, particularly in written examinations. The study also identified that the form of SMS language commonly used among students is replacing words with alphabets such as ‘U’ in place of ‘You’. Based on the findings, the study concludes that SMS language in communication is very detrimental to the students’ academic writings and recommends that students who use the SMS language in their written examination should be strictly penalized. Keywords: Short Message Service; SMS communication; Teachers’ Perception; Text messaging; academic writings, Nigeria

Susceptibility to Potentially Harmful Self-Medication: The Place of M-Health Apps in Ensuring Well Being

The ubiquity of mobile technologies has engendered opportunities related to the utilization of mobile health technology applications which offer health solutions.  Such health care areas where mobile technologies are applicable include: disease management; medication adherence; safety monitoring; health information and wellness. m-Health technologies are used by patients, caregivers, and clinicians to improve health care management and enhance communication and information transfer between and among patients and medical personnel. The practice of self medication in a developing economy like Nigeria poses a great health challenge. The idea of self-medication implies the use of any medicine for the treatment of ailments without a physician’s prescription. Self-medication in Nigeria has reached a crisis situation such that Nigerians, especially, youths, take anything; even potentially toxic substances, as remedies for ailments. This paper was an attempt to establish a critical health issue and suggest the place of mobile health technologies in tackling the issue. We suggested the idea of the E-medication App – a mobile app technology which when considered, conceived and developed could arm mobile app subscribers with a tool enabling them to ask questions in the virtual sense using the E-medication App installed on their mobile phones and receive expert diagnosis and drug prescription. Keywords: Mobile technologies, m-Health App, Self medication, E-medicatio

Communicating Non Verbal Impressions: Perspectives on the Exposed Feminine Cleavage

Every day, people communicate millions of spoken and unspoken messages. Among the unspoken messages or non verbal messages is the exposed cleavage. For anybody that sizes up a lady, the eyes naturally go to any exposed cleavage. Attraction or attention appears instant. The question therefore is: why the trend of women exposing their cleavage with skintight blouses or dresses? If the goal of ladies who expose their cleavages is to attract attention, then the exposed feminine cleavage, with its attention grabbing quality, could work like magic. This study sought to establish the predominant impressions created by the non-verbal message of the exposed feminine cleavage. Two qualitative research designs – Focus Group Discussion and In-depth Interviews – were used to study ‘beholders’ perceptions of the exposed feminine cleavage. The results of the study established the message of the exposed cleavage as attention capturing and seductive. Moderation in dressing was recommended by the study so that the incidents of rape and sexual harassments associated with suggestive dressing would be reined in. Keywords: Non verbal impressions, exposed feminine cleavage, attention grabbing, non-verbal messag

Epilepsy, Stigmatization and the Publicity Imperative for Nigeria: An Assessment of NECAP-Rise Clinic Communication Initiative

Stigmatization associated with health conditions is often a challenge in health management. A person is stigmatized when he or she is a carrier of a dangerous disease such as TB or Ebola. Epilepsy is an ailment that is hereditary; a brain disorder that is symptomatic of seizures. This study sought to determine patterns of media exposure on NECAP-RISE campaigns against epilepsy stigmatization; the impact of such media campaigns on health information seeking among epileptic patients; the impact of NECAP-RISE media campaigns in bettering the understanding of epilepsy as a public health concern; and, stigmatization as a burden to epileptic patients in the Nigerian socio-cultural setting. In-depth interviews were conducted among 30 epileptic patients registered with RISE Clinic NECAP program. Also, 400 non-epileptic persons were surveyed across the three senatorial zones in Nigeria’s Anambra state. The study found that there was poor media publicity against epilepsy stigmatization; also, the study established that epileptic patients were usually stigmatized in the Nigerian context. The study, therefore, recommended publicity, verging on public education and enlightenment campaigns, by government and nongovernmental organizations to mitigate the burden of stigmatization faced by epileptic patients in Nigeria. Keywords: Stigmatization, Epilepsy, Publicity imperative, NECAP-Rise Clini

Social Media and Unfounded Health Beliefs: An Assessment of Participants’ Response to Health Posts on Epidemics

The flexibility of social media platforms has made seamless global exchange of communication practicable. The instinctive first port of call for information seekers, in the face of any new phenomenon, is usually these social media platforms. This study investigated social media participants’ response to health posts on epidemics. The study was designed as a survey. The study population comprised all university undergraduate students in South-East Nigeria (134,000). A sample of 400 respondents was selected from this population. Data collection was based on a 20-point questionnaire, administered to these study units. Findings indicate that there is widespread social media participation among university undergraduate students in South-East Nigeria and these students are exposed to social media health posts on epidemics. Also, these students, generally, place value on social media health posts, and centre their health beliefs on the gist of these health posts on epidemics. It was concluded that the influence of social media health posts on health beliefs warrants prioritizing the strength of these platforms, by health communicators and policy makers, in the quest to inform and influence the health choices of people, especially in regard to counteracting the negative influence of misinformation and disinformation that also comes from these platforms. Keywords: Social media, Health posts on epidemics, unfounded health beliefs, Health choices