COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Background: Plastic pollution is considered a global issue, with all environments currently being contaminated by plastics. Therefore understanding the dynamics of plastic pollution is essential for fostering sustainable behaviors. The study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of undergraduate students at the University of Benin regarding plastic pollution. Findings aim to inform targeted educational interventions and policy recommendations to enhance environmental stewardship among the youth, ultimately contributing to broader sustainability efforts.
Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of plastic pollution amongst undergraduate students of the University of Benin with a view to bring about a reduction in plastic pollution.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was carried out among university students in Benin City from May 2023 to September 2024. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 520 participants for the study. Data was collected from respondents using a structured, self-administered questionnaire with close-ended and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was adapted from the University of Sharjah online survey questionnaire on plastic pollution. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and Research Committee, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).Results: A total of 520 out of 520 questionnaires administered were retrieved and analyzed, giving a response rate of 100.0%. There were 278 (53.5%) male respondents and 242 (46.5%) female respondents with an average age of 21.28 ± 3.91 years. The study revealed that most 474 (91.2%) of the respondents had good knowledge of plastic pollution. Those who were not studying medicine and those who reside in private residences (on and off campus) were the statistically significant determinants of knowledge of plastic pollution. Respondents who were not studying medicine were 0.270 times less likely to have good knowledge of plastic pollution than those who were studying medicine (OR = 0.270, 95% CI = 0.125 – 0.582, p = < 0.001). Respondents who reside in private residences (on and off campus) were 0.431 times less likely to have good knowledge as against those who reside in hostels (on and off campus) (OR = 0.431, 95% CI = 0.225 – 0.823, p = 0.011). The majority of the respondents, 501 (96.3%), had an overall positive attitude toward plastic pollution. Those aged 35 - 44 and those in 300 level had the highest proportion of respondents with a positive attitude toward plastic pollution. The majority of them, 428 (82.3%), had appropriate practice toward plastic pollution. Sex, department, and knowledge of plastic pollution were the statistically significant determinants of practice relating to plastic pollution. Male respondents were 0.518 times less likely to have appropriate practices than female respondents (OR = 0.518, 95% CI = 0.316 – 0.849, p = 0.009). Respondents who were not studying medicine were 2.390 times more likely to have appropriate practices than those who were studying medicine (OR = 2.390, 95% CI = 1.188 –4.809, p = 0.015). Respondents who had good knowledge of plastic pollution were 2.280 timesmore likely to have appropriate practices than those who had poor knowledge (OR = 2.280,
95% CI = 1.098 – 4.734, p = 0.027).
Conclusion: The study showed that the majority of the respondents had good knowledge of plastic pollution and a positive attitude toward plastic pollution. There was a large majority that had appropriate practice toward plastic pollution.

Sporting activities are an essential component of undergraduate student life, providing not only opportunities for physical fitness but also benefits for mental health, social cohesion, and academic performance. Among medical students, who face demanding curricula and high levels of academic stress, regular participation in sports can reduce burnout, improve concentration, and promote resilience. Determinants of sporting activity among medical students are multifactorial. Structural determinants include the availability, accessibility, and safety of sports facilities, along with institutional support such as organized competitions, club funding, and timetabled recreation periods. Individual determinants include gender, prior exposure to sports in secondary school, physical health, perceived self-efficacy, and competing responsibilities such as part-time work or fa ily commitments. There are many studies on sporting activities worldwide, but few has been carried out specifically to determine its prevalence among medical students in tertiary health institutions particularly in Benin city. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of benefits, attitude, level of participation and determinants of participation in sporting activities as well as to compare the observed benefits among participants.in the University of Benin college of medicine. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used for this study. Three hundred and eighty-seven medical students in the University of Benin were selected for this study using a stratified sampling technique. Data was collected using self-administered pre-structured questionnaire adapted from the American Adult Knowledge of Exercise Recommendations Survey (AAKERS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEES) and analyzed using the IBM SPSS version 27.0 software. Data was categorized and analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentage based on the total number of respondents. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate analysis were done. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The results were presented with tables, charts and prose Results: A total of 387 medical students participated in the study. The mean age (SD) of respondents was 22.16 ± 3.33 years. A higher proportion of the respondents 53.5% (n = 207) were males and 21.4% (n = 83) of the respondents were in final year class. A larger proportion 238 (61.5%), lived in school hostels while 253 (65.4%) received more than ₦30,000 as monthly xiv allowance, Majority (92.2%) had heard about the benefits of sporting activities with internet being the most common source of information (61..6%). Over nine-tenth 365 (94.3%) of the medical students had adequate Knowledge of benefits of sporting activities and 81.1% positive attitude toward sporting activities. Sex and place of residence were found to be significantly associated with attitude toward sporting activities. Slightly above two-thirds (64.3%) of medical students reported having ever participated in sporting activities during medical school, while only about one-tenth (14.9%) engaged in sports on a daily basis. sex, level of study, place of residence, monthly allowance, lack of time, financial constraints, physical limitations or injuries and competing academic commitments were significant determinant of level of participation. The male students were 1.80 times more likely to participate in sports than females (95% CI: 1.035–3.139, p=0.037). Preclinical students were less likely to participate than clinical students (OR=0.413, 95% CI: 0.201–0.852, p=0.017). Students residing in school hostels were over three times more likely to participate compared to those living at home (OR=3.352, 95% CI: 1.116– 10.069, p=0.031). Those with physical limitations or injuries were more likely to participate (OR=2.172, 95% CI: 1.229–3.837, p=0.008), while students with a negative attitude toward sports (OR=0.064, 95% CI: 0.030–0.138, p<0.001) and those perceiving sports facilities as too far (OR=0.498, 95% CI: 0.283–0.875, p=0.015) were less likely to participate. A majority (76.3%) of regular participants reported fewer absences from school due to illness, and (73.0%) hospitalization or bed rest for preventable conditions within the past year was less common compared to their counterparts who did not engage in sports
Conclusion: Over nine-tenths of the medical students in the University of Benin have adequate knowledge of the benefits of sporting activities. Over four-fifths of the medical xv students in the University of Benin have positive attitude toward sporting activities. Only twothirds of medical students at the University of Benin have participated in sporting activities