Project OPUS: Development and evaluation of an electronic platform for pain management education of medical undergraduates in resource-limited settings.

INTRODUCTION: Pain is a very frequent symptom that is reported by patients when they present to health professionals but remains undertreated or untreated, particularly in low-resource settings including Nigeria. Lack of training in pain management remains the most significant obstacle to pain treatment alongside an inadequate emphasis on pain education in undergraduate medical curricula, negatively impacting on subsequent care of patients. This study aimed to determine the effect of a 12-week structured e-Learning course on the knowledge of pain management among Nigerian undergraduate medical students. METHODS: Prospective, multisite, pre-post study conducted across five medical colleges in Nigeria. Structured modules covering aspects of pain management were delivered on an e-Learning platform. Pre- and post-test self-assessments were carried out in the 12-week duration of the study. User experience questionnaires and qualitative interviews were conducted via instant messaging to evaluate user experiences of the platform. User experience data was analysed using the UEQ Data Analysis Tool and Framework Analysis. RESULTS: A total of 216 of 659 eligible students completed all sections of the e-Learning course. Participant mean age was 23.52 years, with a slight female predominance (55.3%). Across all participants, an increase in median pre- and post-test scores occurred, from 40 to 60 (Z = 11.3, p<0.001, effect size = 1.3), suggestive of increased knowledge acquisition relating to pain management. Participants suggested e-Learning is a valuable approach to delivering pain education alongside identifying factors to address in future iterations. CONCLUSION: e-Learning approaches to pain management education can enhance traditional learning methods and may increase students' knowledge. Future iterations of e-Learning approaches will need to consider facilitating the download of data and content for the platform to increase user uptake and engagement. The platform was piloted as an optional adjunct to existing curricula. Future efforts to advocate and support integration of e-Learning for pain education should be two-fold; both to include pain education in the curricula of medical colleges across Nigeria and the use of e-Learning approaches to enhance teaching where feasible.

Political distrust and the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

While studies have explored how health sector corruption, weak healthcare system, large-scale immune compromised population, misinformation and prevalence of highly congested slums contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, they have glossed over the impact of political distrust on the spread of the virus. This study explores the impact of political distrust on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study utilised qualitative dominant mixed methods approach comprising telephone interviews and a survey of 120 educated Nigerians purposively selected from four COVID-19 most affected states including Lagos, Oyo, Kano and Rivers as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The study also relied on secondary data on the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria sourced from Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control from 27 February to 31st August 2020. The study found that political corruption motivates large-scale political distrust. This undermines public compliance to government protocols, limits the outcomes of government responses to COVID-19 and facilitates the spread of the virus in Nigeria. The paper concludes that improving government accountability in the public sector management is relevant for building public trust, promoting citizens' compliance to COVID-19 safety measure and mitigating the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria and beyond.

The impact of traffic sign deficit on road traffic accidents in Nigeria.

This study assesses the impact of traffic sign deficit on road traffic accidents in Nigeria. The participants were 720 commercial vehicle drivers. While simple random sampling was used to select 6 out of 137 federal highways, stratified random sampling was used to select six categories of commercial vehicle drivers. The study used qual-dominant mixed methods approach comprising key informant interviews; group interviews; field observation; policy appraisal and secondary literature on traffic signs. Result shows that the failure of government to provide and maintain traffic signs in order to guide road users through the numerous accident black spots on the highways is the major cause of road accidents in Nigeria. The study argues that provision and maintenance of traffic signs present opportunity to promoting safety on the highways and achieving the sustainable development goals.