Psycho-Social Roles of Medical Social Workers in Managing Stressed Patients in Government Hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria

The focus of this study is to investigate the psycho-social roles of medical social workers in managing stressed patients in government hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria. Two research questions are generated to guide the study. Descriptive design is adopted for the study. The population covers all medical social workers in Rivers State Government hospitals. A sample of 300 respondents is randomly selected for the study. The selection is done through the use of simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaire is the main instrument used for data collection. The instrument is face-validated by professionals in the Department of Educational Sociology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt. Furthermore, the reliability value of 0.72 Correlation Co-efficient is established for the study. Percentage and frequency table are used to analyze all respondents’ data for the study. The results of the analysis revealed that psycho-social roles of medical social workers in managing stressed patients in government hospitals help the ill with such illness recuperate faster. Based on the findings, the study recommends, among others that State Government should fund the hospitals adequately, in order to train medical social workers on cutting edge counselling techniques for the treatment of stressed patients. Again, the state government should employ qualified medical social workers, who are proficient in psycho-social roles of managing stressed patients in government hospitals. Keywords: Psycho-social roles, medical social workers, managing stressed patients, government’s hospitals, Rivers State, Nigeri

What to do about Climate Change-Caused Flooding and the Associated Diseases in Rivers State of Nigeria

The prime focus of the study is to explain what to do about climate change- caused flooding and the associated diseases in Rivers State of Nigeria. In doing so, this work gives an overview of climate change-caused flooding and effects of flooding on people in flooded areas, as well as explains flooding associated diseases in Rivers State. Besides this, it further proffers legislative, short-term and long-term measures that will help reduce if not eliminate flooding and its associated diseases in Rivers State of today, and indeed of the future. Keywords: Climate Change-Caused Flooding, Associated Diseases, Rivers State, Nigeria

Improving Safe Blood Donation in Nigeria: The Roles of the Mass Media

The study discusses improving safe blood donation in Nigeria and the roles of the mass media in achieving same in Nigerian hospitals. In this regard, it answers the questions: What is blood? What is blood donation? And is safe blood donation adequate in Nigeria? Beyond the relevant answers given on the above questions, it also explains the roles of mass media in improving safe blood donations among Nigerians. Besides this, it recommends among others that the federal government, state government, private hospitals and concerned Nigerians should encourage mass media campaigns continuously on the need for safe blood donations to save lives. It also upholds that the federal and state governments should establish more blood banks in their health facilities, in order to spur the people, who would become aware through the mass media, to access same for safe blood donations. Keywords: Improvement, Safe Blood, Donation, Roles, the Mass Medi

Effects of Alcohol Abuse and Bad Road on Road Traffic Accidents: A Study of Commercial Bus Drivers on East/West Road in South/South Region, Nigeria

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of alcohol abuse and bad road on road traffic accidents: a study of commercial bus drivers (CBD) on East/West road in South/South region of Nigeria. Two research questions are generated to guide the study. The population adopted for the study covers all male CBDs who ply East/West road in the region. Simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique are used to select a sample of 200 respondents for the study. The questionnaire is the instrument used for data collection. The instrument is face validated by professionals in the Department of Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt. The reliability test score of 0.68 is established for the study. Statistics used for the study are percentage and frequency table, as well bar graph. Percentage and bar graph are used to analyse results for the study. Thus, the results of the two research questions reveal that effects of alcohol abuse and bad road on CBDs lead to sudden traffic accidents on East/West road in South/South region of Nigeria. Based on these findings, the study recommends, among others that the federal government through its National Orientation Agency (NOA) carry out enlightenment campaigns and organize sensitization workshops and conferences, in order to inform and educate the CBDs on the dangers of alcohol abuse as well as bad roads on road traffic accidents in the study area, and indeed in Nigeria. Keywords: Effects, Alcohol Abuse, Bad Road, Road Traffic Accidents, CBDs, East/West Road, South/South Region, Nigeri

Spectrum of birth trauma and predisposing factors; experience in two Nigerian tertiary health facilities

Objectives: To highlight the spectrum of birth trauma encountered in our practice, identify the risk factors, and the management outcome in two tertiary health facilities in Nigeria. Design: A five-year prospective case control observational study carried out between June 2013 and May 2018.Setting: The Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Surgery and Family Medicine of: Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State Nigeria and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Subjects: Consecutive cases of birth trauma in infants seen within six weeks of life, and a control group of randomly selected similar infants without birth trauma. Factors investigated in this study were gestational age at birth, type of health facility, mode of delivery, presentation of baby during delivery, status of birth attendant, birth weight and maternal parity. Results: There were 128 cases of birth trauma seen in 107 patients (BT group) during the study period. Forty six of these BT were delivered in our institutions giving hospital incidence of 3.1/1000 live births. Breech presentation, vaginal delivery, congenital malformation, instrument-assisted delivery, and birth weight above 3.5Kg were significantly associated with birth trauma. Conclusion: A wide spectrum of birth trauma is encountered in our region and it is slightly different from those reported from other regions. Traumatized or ruptured congenital body swellings have been identified as a major predictor of mortality in patients with birth trauma in our region. Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest in carrying out this study. The entire study was funded by the authors themselves

Integrating Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint in Teaching and Learning Process: An Appraisal of Lecturers Competence in Electronic Teaching

This is a descriptive survey research, which examined the awareness and the lecturers’ computer literacy level at the University of Port Harcourt Faculty of Education. It also looked at the skills, use and possible inhibitions against the effective integration of MS PowerPoint in teaching/learning situations. The study further appraised and ascertained the future use of the MS PowerPoint in teaching/learning in the faculty. The faculty of Education constituted the population. The entire 166 lectures in the nominal roll of the faculty as at the time of this study were used for the research work. However, 145 out of the 166 respondents returned their questionnaires. Five research questions guided the study. A self-developed instrument with 32 items questionnaire was validated with a reliability index of 0.70, and the data collected was analyzed using statistical percentage. The findings revealed that: - 120(83%) are computer literate. 94(65%) use MS PowerPoint for presentations; 110(76%) have no skills on MS PowerPoint software use; while 128(88%) cannot create PowerPoint presentation due to lack of training. The research further revealed that there is a high expectation of future use of MS PowerPoint software in teaching/learning process, as 143(99%) are interested in future use of the software. Finally, appropriate recommendations were proffered to improve electronic teaching in the University of Port Harcourt. Keywords: Electronic teaching, Electronic integration, PowerPoint, Computer literacy, Competence, Skills

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency contraception among medical doctors in Port Harcourt

Background: The contraceptive prevalence in our environment is very low with attendant increase in unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. The use of emergency contraception (EC) in women with unprotected intercourse could be the only option that can avoid the unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion.Objective: The objective was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency contraception among doctors in Port Harcourt.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of medical doctors practising in Port Harcourt. Self administered questionnaires were completed by 100 participants randomly selected from medical doctors present at a general meeting in January 2006. Data collation and analysis was carried out with Microsoft Excel XP software and presented as percentages and proportions.Results: The awareness of EC was high among the doctors in Port Harcourt. However knowledge about its use was poor. Although 98% of them were aware of emergency contraception, 58% could not identify correctly any type. Oral mifepristone (RU486) was the most recognized form of EC identified by 38% of the doctors. Rape would be the commonest indication for emergency contraception as reported by 76% of the doctors, ahead of missed pills by 36% and incestuous sexual intercourse by 46% of the doctors. Postinor (levonorgestrel) given within 72 hours and IUCD inserted within 5 days of intercourse were the commonest forms of EC administered by 26% each of the doctors interviewed.Conclusion: Although the awareness of EC is high among the doctors in Port Harcourt, the knowledge and use of EC is low. Therefore there is a need to improve both education and attitude to use of emergency contraception among medical doctors in Port Harcourt

E-education: Changing the Mindsets of Resistant and Saboteur Teachers

Advances in information and communication technology are reshaping the ways educators convey learning experiences to learners. To date, most teachers firmly believe that the traditional method of instruction is the best. Hence, there is the need to change the mindsets of these educators towards the use of technologies in the classroom in order to meet the current demands of learners. Consequently, educators need to acquire and utilize the necessary information and communication technologies of today. Siddiqui (2008) asserts that if the technology is to be appropriately used to support student collaboration, inquiry, and interactive learning, teachers’ beliefs about teaching/learning must change. This paper, therefore, highlights the need for resistant and saboteur teachers in Nigeria to change their mindsets towards the use of technologies in the classroom in order to meet the emerging cultural change in teaching and learning process in the contemporary age. It examined why teachers’ are skeptical about using technologies in the classroom. The scholars’ proffered suggestions to encourage resistant teachers to learn the use of new technologies in teaching/learning process. However, the benefits and the future of use of these technologies in the classroom by teachers’ were concisely examined. KEYWORDS: E-education; Mindset; Resistant teachers and Saboteur teacher

Promoting Peace, Security and Other Social Issues in Nigeria Online Education Programmes

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa is faced with a lot of social contradictions, and the country is totally in need of peace and unity among her citizenry. The search for peace process cannot be achieved in a vacuum. An urgent problem demands immediate solution. In view of the current challenges confronting the social, political, religious and economic fabrics of the country, there is need to adopt new strategies to ameliorate these issues. The paper focused on peace education culture. The authors are of the view that the persistent violence and insecurity, which are heavily caused by illiteracy, poverty, excessive bribery and corruption, among others, could be seriously challenged through the instrument of education, as an apparatus for change and development. Hence, peace education culture needs to be integrated into the Nigerian education curriculum to address the identifiable issues that are threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria. The authors have advocated for aggressive or massive education as an antidote for illiteracy and poverty, which are some of the causes of conflicts and insecurity. The paper also stressed the need for early adoption of peace education culture in Nigerian school system which can be achieved using online technology. Keywords: Peace education, Social contradiction; Illiteracy, Violence, Corruption and Poverty.

Ovulation Induction in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: What is the Optimal Option?

Infertility is a distressing medical and psychosocial problem afflicting about a quarter of all couples wanting to reproduce their offspring. Majority of the anovulatory problem in the female, as a cause of infertility, is due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition is a complex interplay of factors, which affect women even beyond their fertility. It has been found to increase the risk of other adverse conditions such as the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes mellitus, and endometrial cancer as well as infertility. Different groups have made diagnosis of PCOS with various diagnostic criteria. The Rotterdam criteria used in the diagnosis of PCOS mainly emphasize the reproductive malfunctions of this complex disease. The treatment of anovulatory infertility in PCOS is as enigmatic as the disease itself. Various methods have been deployed to treat the anovulation with variable success. Clomiphene citrate is a traditional first-line drug in treating anovulation in women with PCOS. Weight reduction, letrozole, metformin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and ovarian drilling are some of the other ways in which anovulation has been treated in these women. What method is more likely to succeed in treating the infertility from anovulation in PCOS and in what circumstance are the subject matters of this discussion