SCHOOL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES

This study assessed the public perception and awareness of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool beyond pregnancy among undergraduate students in the University of Benin, Ugbowo campus. Although ultrasound is widely recognized for its use in obstetric imaging, its broader diagnostic applications remain underappreciated by the public. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design
was adopted, targeting students from the Faculties of Arts, Life Sciences, and Basic Medical Sciences. Using a stratified random sampling method, a total of 327 questionnaires were distributed and completed. Data were collected through a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Findings revealed that 60.24% of respondents were female, while the majority (53.21%) were between 20 and 23 years old. Most respondents (40.37%) were from the Faculty of Arts, with the 300-level students contributing the largest group (24.46%). The study showed that although most students were aware of ultrasound as a tool for pregnancy monitoring, their knowledge of its use in other diagnostic areas such as abdominal, cardiac, and musculoskeletal examinations was limited. Despite this, respondents generally perceived ultrasound positively, describing it as safe, affordable, and advantageous
compared to other imaging modalities like CT and MRI. The study concludes that while awareness of ultrasound beyond pregnancy remains inadequate, students hold favorable attitudes toward its diagnostic potential. It recommends strengthening health education initiatives, integrating basic diagnostic imaging information into university health programs, and organizing awareness campaigns to broaden public understanding of ultrasound’s diverse clinical applications.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal (MSK) ailment inthegeneral population. Weightlifting is a popular activity that puts so much strain on the body'smuscles and predisposes athletes to LBP. The lower back is the most often damaged bodypart inweightlifting and weightlifting is the one that increases the risk of LBP in all sports. Thereisadearth of knowledge regarding the association between LBP and weightlifting among universitystudents. Aim: The study aims to investigate the prevalence of low back pain and determine it's potential risk factors among weightlifting and non-weightlifting undergraduate students of the Universityof Benin. Methods: A total of 104 students comprising of 52 weightlifters and 52 non-weightlifters wereselected across the university with the use of snowball and convenience sampling. Anadaptedversion of the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire was used to obtain information onsocio-demographic data, weight-lifting characteristics and occurrence of LBP. Descriptive statisticssuch as percentage and inferential statistics such as Chi-square were used to summarise thedata. Alpha level was 0.05. Results: Weightlifters (WLFs) have a higher lifetime prevalence of LBP 82.69(%) comparedtonon-weightlifters (NWLFs) 71.15(%). The difference in between lifetime and 7 days prevalenceamong both weightlifters and non-weightlifters was statistically significant (p=0.000). Frequency of weightlifting was significantly associated with LBP (p= 0.019). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of low back pain among weightlifting andnon-weightlifting undergraduate students in University of Benin. Significant association were foundbetween frequency of weightlifting with the occurrence of LBP. Keywords: Low back pain, weightlifters , non-weightlifters, prevalence