Implementation and outcome evaluation of the medical education partnership initiative biostatistical reasoning workshops for faculty and postgraduate students at the university of kwazulu-natal; durban; south africa

Background. There is a shortage of biostatistics expertise at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN); Durban; South Africa and in the African region. This constrains the ability to carry out high-quality health research in the region.Objectives. To quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate a programme designed to improve the conceptual and critical understanding of bio statistical concepts of UKZN health researchers.Methods. A 40-hour workshop in biostatistical reasoning was conducted annually between 2012 and 2015. The workshops were structured around interpretation and critical assessment of nine articles from the medical literature; with a mix of in-class sessions and small group discussions. Quantitative evaluation of the knowledge gained from the workshops was carried out using a pre- and post-workshop quiz; and qualitative evaluation of the workshop process was done using a mid-workshop questionnaire and focus group discussions.Results. For each year that the workshop was conducted; post-workshop quiz scores were significantly higher than pre-workshop scores. When quiz assessments from all 4 years of training were combined; the pretest median score was 55% (interquartile range (IQR) 40 - 62%) and the post-test median score was 68% (IQR 62 - 76%); with p0.0001 for the overall comparison of pre- v. post-scores. There was a general consensus among participants that the workshop improved their reasoning skills in biostatistics. Participants also recognised the value of the workshop in building biostatical capacity at UKZN. Conclusion. The workshops were well received and improved the critical and conceptual understanding of the participants. This education mode offers the opportunity for health researchers to advance their knowledge in settings where there are few professional biostatistician collaborators

Cross border mobility of nurse educators: Case studies from Botswana and South Africa

Migration of nurses across the borders is an ongoing phenomenon that stimulated debates nationally and internationally. The debates were mostly concerned with the nurses working with patients and in the communities. Very little was a concern for nurse educators especially in the two countries studied. Currently, there is acute shortage of nurse educators in these countries with an average age of 50 years for those currently employed. The purpose of the study was to raise awareness on cross border mobility of nurse educators and draw on Foucault's analysis to conceptualise the means by which cross border migration of nurse educators could be revisited. A case study design of seven nurse educators who had migrated and came back to their countries of origin was explored. Data were generated in three phases using telephonic qualitative interviews. All data were analyzed by constant comparison. The study concluded that the quality of nurse education is undermined by shortage of nurse educators and high student ratios partly as a result of issues concerning cross border migration. Three main themes emerged from the study: family disintegration, lack of recognition and shortage of nurse educators. The study findings have implications for health care policy regarding nurse educators and a change of mindset on cross border mobility of nurse educators

Knowledge of Pharmacogenetics among Healthcare Professionals and Faculty Members of Health Training Institutions in Ghana

Background: Pharmacogenetics has a potential for optimizing drug response and identifying risk of toxicity for patients. Pharmacogenetics knowledge of healthcare professionals and the unmet need for pharmacogenetics education in health training institutions are some of the challenges of integrating pharmacogenetics into routine medical practice. Aim: To assess pharmacogenetics knowledge among healthcare professionals and faculty members of health training institutions in Ghana. Method: Semi-structured questionnaires were used to interview healthcare professionals from selected public and private hospitals. Faculty members from health training institutions were also interviewed. Results: The respondents were Medical doctors 42 (46.7); Pharmacists 29 (32.2) and Nurses 19 (21.1). Healthcare professionals rated their knowledge of Pharmacogenetics as Excellent 5 (5.6); Very Good 10 (11.2); Good 53 (60) and Poor 19 (21.4). Thirty-two faculty members from health training institutions were also interviewed. Faculty members rated their knowledge of pharmacogenetics as Excellent 2 (6.3); Very Good 3 (9.4); Good 9 (28.1); Fair 12 (37.5) and Poor 6 (18.8). Thirty seven percent (12) of these faculty members said pharmacogenetics was not part of their institutions' curriculum; 7 (22) did not know if pharmacogenetics was part of their curriculum and only 13 (40.6) said it was part of their curriculum. Conclusion: Few healthcare professionals and faculty members of training institutions are aware of the discipline of pharmacogenetics. There is the need for continuous professional education on pharmacogenetics and development of competency standards for all healthcare professionals in Ghana

Knowledge; Attitudes and Perceptions of Epilepsy among Secondary School Teachers in Osogbo South-West Nigeria: A Community Based Study

Background: The attitudes toward people with epilepsy are influenced by the degree of knowledge of the condition. The social problems encountered by school children with epilepsy as a result of negative attitude and beliefs are quite enormous. Objectives The study therefore looked at the knowledge; attitudes; and perceptions of teachers; who see a lot of epileptics; relate to them on a daily basis and have influence on them. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey; using a self-administered questionnaire obtained from the author of a similar study in the United States; was carried out among 269 school teachers randomly selected from various secondary schools in Osogbo; the Osun State capital in South-West Nigeria. The questionnaire included the scale of attitudes toward persons with epilepsy and knowledge about epilepsy as well as demographic and teaching experience survey among others. Results Despite the high level of education of the teachers ranging from Masters Degree to National Certificate in Education; there were significant deficits in terms of general knowledge about epilepsy (70 of the respondents reported their general knowledge about epilepsy in the lower half of the scale). There was also poor knowledge of the first aids measures in the classrooms. Below one-third (29.2) felt it was contagious and 40 of respondents reported that sufferers should not be kept in regular classes. However; their attitudes toward epilepsy were generally positive. Conclusions and Recommendations: We concluded that teachers need to have health education courses on common disease conditions such as epilepsy that are prevalent in school age; this might help to reduce the prejudice and increase the acceptance of epileptic individuals in the classrooms. Also; generally public health campaigns should be encouraged in this field

Observations of Teachers in llorin; Nigeria on their Practices of Corporal Punishment that are Potentially Injurious to their Pupils' Eyes

Objective: To document the observations of elementary school teachers (ESTs) in Ilorin; Nigeria on their practice of some types of corporal punishment (CP) that could result in eye injuries among their pupils. Materials and Methods: A short battery of questions that explored ESTs' observations on attitudes to; and knowledge of some commonly used CP practices was self-administered on 172 consenting teachers from six sampled schools. The potentials for their pupils to sustain eye injuries while receiving such CP practices were inferred from the usage of items with sharp and protruding ends to administer CP; and the application of CP onto pupils' body parts that are in close proximity to the eye such as the head and face. Results: Only 50 of the 172 ESTs favored the practice of CP of pupils by their teachers. Analyses of several potentially moderating variables on this response such as ESTs' ages; years of EST teaching experience; school; and class or grade that EST teaches did not prove significant. Over three-quarters of ESTs (80.2) had ever observed that pupils were being disciplined by ESTs with a cane. About a fifth of them had also bserved that ESTs applied CP to the head (19.8) and the face (16.3) of pupils. Conclusion: Findings suggest that ESTs' commonly employed CP practices have significant injurious potential to their pupils' eyes. It is recommended that CP be abolished in elementary schools; and instead alternative nonabusive methods of disciplining erring pupils by teachers be introduced

Prevalence of Non-Invasive Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes among Higher Education Teachers in North-Western Nigeria

Background: Teaching is associated with a number of stressful circumstances that promote unhealthy lifestyles capable of fuelling risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. This study investigated the prevalence of selected non-invasive risk factors of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) among higher education teachers. Methods: Higher education teachers numbering 876 from three tertiary institutions in Kano; North- Western Nigeria were assessed on selected non-invasive risk factors of T2D including Body Mass Index (BMI); Waist Circumference (WC); Waist-Hip-ratio (WHR); Percent Body Fat (PBF) and family history of diabetes. Lifestyle including smoking; alcoholism and physical inactivity were also assessed. Results: Female-male ratio of participants was 1:5 while the age range was 24-58 years. Female teachers had higher prevalence of poor adiposity markers represented by overweight (33.8); obesity (12.7); high PBF (21.7) and WC in the high risk domain (53.5). They also had higher prevalence of hypertension (22.5) while men had higher prevalence of WHR (31.2) in the high risk domain. Positive family history of diabetes was 6.5(males); 7.5(females); physical activity at walking level 46.0(males); sedentary activity 85.9(females); current smoking habit 42.8(males); 4.3(females) and current alcohol consumption was 11.9for males and 0for female teachers. Conclusion: There may be considerable chances of developing T2D among the higher education teachers based on prevalence of the selected risk factors and the risk may be higher among the female teachers. Measures to change the modifiable risk factors for the better in this population are urgently needed

Teachers' Perspectives of Mental Health Needs in Nigerian Schools

Objective:This study assessed teachers' perspectives on children's mental health needs and the development of school-based mental health programmes in South-West Nigeria. Method: Focus group discussions were held with teachers from randomly selected urban and rural primary schools in Ibadan; Nigeria. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Teachers identified significant mental health problems in school-age children and described a variety of bio-psychosocial contributing factors. These ranged from problems with primary support systems to poverty; spiritual factors; medical illnesses and genetic vulnerability. The school environment was recognised as an ideal place for dealing with child mental health issues despite deficiencies in teachers' knowledge; skills and resources. A school mental health programme that would provide training for teachers and awareness campaigns as well as human; material and financial resources was proposed. Conclusions: The findings from this study provide a background for understanding the current state of interventions to address child mental health problems in a resource poor country in sub- Saharan Africa and specific areas where future program development is most likely to have an impact

VCT Uptake and Associated Factors among Teachers from Harari Administrative Region

Background: Although HIV/AIDS is affecting most productive segments of the population; the basic education sector which is vital to the creation of human capital is also equally affected. The loss of skilled and experienced teachers due to the problem is increasingly compromising the provision of quality education in most African countries and thus; needs appropriate intervention measures that reverse the current trend. Objectives: To assess the prevalence and determining factors of VCT uptake among teachers of Harari Administrative Region. Methods: A cross sectional study design with analytic component was conducted among 566 teachers drawn from 20 randomly selected schools of Harari Administrative Region from March to April 2009. Self administered questionnaire; adapted from previous relevant studies was used to estimate the prevalence of VCT uptake and the various socio-demographic and psychological factors. Data were entered and analyzed using bi-variate and multivariate models. Results: A total number of 497 teachers responded to the questionnaire adequately making the response rate of 87.8. The mean age of the participants was 34.68 ranging from 18 - 61 years. There were more teachers from urban areas (72.0) and most of them were males (62.2). About half (54.1) were married and few (5.2) were divorced. The vast majority (98.6) heard about the confidential VCT service and their major sources of information were mass media (85.3) and health workers (56.2). The prevalence of VCT uptake was 46.3. The odds of utilizing VCT significantly increased with being younger age group; female and first and second cycle teachers' category.Conclusions: The major factors identified for increased uptake of VCT are gender; age and salary category. Actions targeting the males; non-youth age group and low grade teachers' are necessary to follow their peer groups to utilize the VCT service in order to achieve the goal of education set for 2015