2026· International journal of research and scientific innovation· Vol 13, pp. 2919-2927· 0 citations
TL;DR
To achieve universal health coverage in Nigeria, it is necessary to address workload problems, offer incentives, enhance drug supply, and engage nurses in decision making to achieve universal health coverage.
Abstract
Background: The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was established in Nigeria to improve healthcare access and reduce out of pocket expenditure. However, participation among healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, remains suboptimal. Understanding the facilitators and barriers affecting nurses’ involvement is critical for strengthening the scheme.
Objective: To identify facilitators promoting participation and to assess individual and organizational barriers hindering participation among nurses at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, Anambra State.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used to conduct a descriptive survey on 184 registered nurses who were chosen through multistage sampling. The structured validated questionnaire was used to collect the data. The SPSS version 28 was used to analyze the descriptive statistics such as means, frequencies, and percentages. The scale was a 5 points Likert scale with the mean scores of 3.41 and above being regarded as agreement.
Results: Most of the respondents were women (61%), with an age between 28 and 37 years (37%), and a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree (50%). The main facilitators were the realization of the benefits of NHIS to the healthcare system, better access to care by patients and the sense of being valued in the implementation of NHIS policies. The significant personal obstacles included lack of involvement in decision making, heavy work load, and lack of incentives. Organizational obstacles comprised of insufficient provision of medicines and equipment, bad grievance systems, and protracted enrolment processes.
Conclusion: Although nurses recognize the advantages of NHIS, there are major personal and organizational obstacles that curtail their involvement. To achieve universal health coverage in Nigeria, it is necessary to address workload problems, offer incentives, enhance drug supply, and engage nurses in decision making.
Background:
Research is fundamental and indispensable to the advancement of medicine and health. Global reports reveal a significant global divide, with developing countries having much lower health research outputs. This limits healthcare advancement and innovation. This study explored the perception and barriers to research participation among resident doctors in the Federal Medical Centre, Bayelsa. Nigeria.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study of 80 resident doctors undergoing residency training was conducted. A validated tool, including an 18-item Likert scale tool and semi-structured questions that explored perceptions and barriers to health research participation was used to obtain information. Findings were summarized using tables and charts.
Results:
Mean age was 37.59 years (+4.56). Most resident doctors 71(88.8%) felt that Health research improves the resident doctor’s critical appraisal skills. 40(50.0%) perceived Health research as difficult, and 55 (68.7%) felt Publication of research is frustrating. Across the research stages, the most difficult areas identified were Data analyses and interpretation 19 (23.8%). Only 1(1.3%) resident doctor had ever received a grant; two-thirds 53(66.2%) did not have a research mentor. The most common obstacles to research practice were lack of money 62 (77.5%), insufficient time 56 (70.5%) and limited availability of research mentors 52 (65.5%).
Conclusion:
Resident doctors generally value health research but face significant practical barriers like insufficient time, lack of technical training, and inadequate funding that limit engagement despite positive attitudes. This gap between perceived value and actual participation reflects structural and institutional shortcomings rather than a lack of motivation of their part. Structured interventions, including dedicated funding, mentorship, adequate research time, and targeted training, are needed to translate favorable attitudes into improved research output among resident doctors.
U. Mariere, S. Rotifa, H. C. Afakwu-Adimoha et al.· Journal of Medicine in Afric...· 0 citations
INTRODUCTION
Telemedicine plays a key role in Malaysia's National Digital Health agenda, but the population's readiness at the national level in public tertiary hospitals remains poorly understood. Identifying gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices is crucial to ensuring fair and successful telemedicine implementation, especially in semiurban areas where digital skills vary widely.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 255 adult outpatients was conducted at a public tertiary hospital in North-East Malaysia, focusing on those who visited the family medicine, medical, orthopedic, and surgical outpatient clinics. Systematic random sampling was used to select participants. The study utilized a validated Bahasa Malaysia questionnaire to assess patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding telemedicine. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify sociodemographic factors predicting each readiness domain.
RESULTS
While 60.4% of participants demonstrated good knowledge and 75.7% held favorable attitudes, understanding how these readiness levels can guide targeted interventions remains limited. Only 16.9% had prior telemedicine experience, and 52.2% showed adequate practice readiness based on the composite score. Younger age was independently associated with greater knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93-0.98), more favorable attitudes (AOR 0.95; 95% CI 0.92-0.97), and greater practice readiness (AOR 0.97; 95% CI 0.95-0.99). The strongest predictor of practice readiness was prior telemedicine exposure (AOR 3.11; 95% CI 1.42-7.43).
DISCUSSION
Our population faces a significant readiness-to-practice gap, mainly due to age-related digital barriers and limited experience. Addressing these challenges through structured onboarding can help ensure equitable access to health care for all, thereby encouraging collective action.
N. Zulkifli, Juhaida Daud, Ritzzaleena Rosli Mohd Rosli et al.· Telemedicine journal and e-h...· 0 citations
Introduction: Professionalism is a conceptualization of obligations, attributes, interactions, attitudes, and role behaviors required for professionals with individual clients and to the society as a whole. Despite there is a known effect of low professionalism of nurses on health care delivery system, the study determining professionalism and affecting factors in Ethiopia is limited in to a few numbers. Therefore this study was aimed to assess perceived level of professionalism and associated factors among nurses working in Hadiya Zone public hospitals, south Ethiopia. Methods: An institution based concurrent mixed cross sectional study was conducted from May 09 to June 09/2022. A total of 376 nurses were selected by using Computer generated Simple random sampling techniques for quantitative study whereas Purposive sampling technique was used to select qualitative study participants. Epi data version 4.6 was used to enter the data whereas Statistical package for social science version 25 was used for the analysis of quantitative data. Ordinal logistic regression model was used to identify effects of independents on outcome variable. Results: A total of 360 nurses participated in the study with a response rate of 95.7%. The overall low perceived professionalism among nurses working in Hadiya zone found to be 40.3%. Variables such as Educational status (AOR= 0.045 (0.021, 0.096), Sense of accomplishment (AOR= 3.21(1.85, 5.55), and participating in professional associations (AOR= 5.302(2.82, 9.96) were significantly associated with professionalism. Qualitative study finding showed Salary, training, upgrading education; undermining nursing profession, inadequate facilities were the raised influencing factors of professionalism. Conclusion: This study revealed that professionalism among nurses was low and the associated factors were; level of education, taking training, participating in professional organizations, and sense of accomplishment. Ethiopian nursing association and Ministry of Health should focus on developing nurses professionalism.
T. M. Wondafirash, B. F. Wengoro, E. Haile· medRxiv· 0 citations
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), first defined by Dr. David Sackett, is “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.” Over time, the concept expanded to Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) to include all health professions, as outlined in the Sicily Statement, which also defines the necessary skills and educational qualifications to practice EBP effectively. To explore facilitators and barriers to adherence to Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) among health professionals at Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted from April to August 2024. Data were collected through 27 key informant interviews and one focus group discussion involving six health professionals selected using purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes, supported by triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking to ensure reliability and validity. Barriers to EBP adherence included administrative and systemic challenges, workforce issues, resistance to change, resource limitations, and infrastructure gaps. Facilitators included strong leadership, resource availability, accountability systems, and supportive environments. Effective implementation, monitoring, and quality improvement initiatives were also critical in promoting EBP. This study highlights that adherence to Evidence-Based Practice among health professionals is influenced by a combination of individual, organizational, and system-related factors. Strengthening leadership support, improving access to up-to-date clinical guidelines and resources, and enhancing continuous professional development are essential to promote optimal adherence to EBP and improve the quality of healthcare delivery.
Abigiya Zewde Biru, T. Tadesse· BMC Health Services Research· 0 citations
Nursing professionals showed favourable attitudes toward evidence-based practice; however, organizational and educational barriers continue to hinder its implementation.
Medha Wadhwa, Apurvakumar Pandya, K. Gupta et al.· International Journal of Hea...· 0 citations
Background: Digital health adoption in primary health care remains poorly understood in Rivers State, Nigeria, where Public Health Nurses (PHNs) serve as the frontline health workforce. Most prior Nigerian studies have not measured infrastructure availability as an independent variable, limiting the accuracy of findings on adoption barriers.
Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes, availability, and utilisation of digital health tools among PHNs in Rivers State and identify independent predictors of utilisation.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 232 PHNs from all 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria, selected by stratified random sampling between October and December 2025. A validated self-administered questionnaire (Cronbach α = 0.83) and facility observation checklists were used for data collection. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression using SPSS version 25. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean scores across facility types and locations (F = 12.45, p < 0.001).
Results: Functional computers were available in 24.1% of facilities, internet connectivity in 19.0%, electronic health record systems in 12.1%, and telemedicine platforms in only 5.2%. Rural facilities had significantly lower availability scores than urban facilities (mean 2.1 vs. 3.8; p < 0.001). The mean knowledge score was 6.2/10; 33.6% demonstrated good knowledge, 45.7% moderate, and 20.7% poor. Positive attitudes were held by 53.4% of PHNs, and 76.8% were willing to adopt digital tools with training. High utilisation was reported by 37.9%. Availability (OR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.44–4.13), attitude (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.46–4.28), knowledge (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.28–3.42), and urban location (OR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.41–3.65) independently predicted high utilisation (χ² = 52.38, p < 0.001; Nagelkerke R² = 0.42).
Conclusion: PHNs in Rivers State possess moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward digital health, but absent infrastructure — particularly in rural areas — remains the dominant barrier to utilisation. The data demonstrate that infrastructure investment, targeted training, and technical support are prerequisites for effective digital health integration in primary health care.
