SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES,

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning and development. In Nigeria, ADHD remains largely underdiagnosed and poorly understood, particularly among primary school teachers who serve as frontline identifiers of the condition. Children with ADHD in Nigerian classrooms are often mislabelled as stubborn, lazy, or poorly disciplined due to low teacher awareness and inadequate training on neurodevelopmental disorders. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and classroom management practices regarding ADHD among primary school teachers in the Oredo Local Government Area, Benin City, to identify gaps in understanding and the factors influencing teachers' attitudes and practices. It further explores the impact of these factors on classroom identification and support for children with ADHD. The findings from this research will help develop targeted training approaches to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and improve educational outcomes for children with ADHD in primary schools. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 435 primary school teachers in Oredo Local Government Area, Benin City, who were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected via structured self-administered questionnaires adapted from the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale (KADDS), the ADHD Specific Attitudes Scale (SASA), and the Behaviour and Instructional Management Scale (BIMS). IBM SPSS version 27.0 was used for data analysis. Descriptive data were expressed as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. Associations between socio demographic factors and knowledge, attitudes, and classroom management practices were analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression. The level of significance was set at p <0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Results were presented in prose, tables, and bar charts. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 38.72 ± 8.43 years. The majority 296 (68.0%) were female, and most identified as Benin 203 (46.7%). A significant portion 384 (88.3%) were Christians, and 217 (49.9%) held Nigeria Certificate in Education as their highest qualification. Most teachers, 241 (55.4%), worked in public schools, and 165 (37.9%) had 11 to 20 years of teaching experience. Knowledge assessment revealed that only 62 (14.3%) of teachers displayed adequate knowledge of ADHD, while 296 (68.0%) had low knowledge, particularly in the domains of symptoms, diagnosis, causes, and outcomes. Regarding attitudes, 255 (58.6%) held positive attitudes toward ADHD, though only 52 (11.9%) felt capable of effectively teaching students with ADHD behaviours. Classroom management practices showed that 359 (82.5%) demonstrated high adoption of general management strategies, yet all 435 (100%) teachers reported having no access to school counsellors or special education professionals. Nearly all teachers 431 (99.1%) expressed a strong desire for more training on ADHD. Significant associations were observed between knowledge and school type (p = 0.039), attitude and age group (p = 0.025), as well as attitude and school type (p < 0.001). Teachers with education-based qualifications were 4.2 times more likely to adopt evidence-based management strategies (OR = 4.189, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that more than two-thirds of primary school teachers had poor knowledge of ADHD, with factors such as school type, age, and qualification type playing significant roles. The study also revealed that while a slight majority held positive attitudes toward ADHD, only a small minority felt confident in teaching students with the condition. This study highlights significant gaps in teachers' knowledge and self-efficacy regarding ADHD, with important implications for classroom identification and support. Addressing these challenges through mandatory ADHD training in teacher education, in-service workshops, and deployment of school counsellors is essential to improve early identification and educational outcomes for children with ADHD in Benin City.

Background: Undergraduate students are the upcoming workforce of any country and their health is essentially linked to the social and economic development of the country. Health- seeking behaviour and health outcomes are shaped by socio-cultural beliefs, accessibility, cost and perceived quality of available health services and these affect health outcomes and indices. This study aimed at assessing the perception of, satisfaction with, major barriers to utilization, major health conditions prompting utilization of on-campus health services and factors influencing use of alternative sources of healthcare. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among undergraduate students of University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. A sample size of 430 was obtained, and a multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data for the study after pretesting. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and the level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 23.0 ± 3.2 years. A higher proportion, 52.8% were male, Christians (58.1%) and single (67.7%). Out of 430 respondents, 61.4% resided off-campus, 52.6% received a monthly allowance of between 50,001 to 100,000 naira and 73.5% received support from their parents. From the responses, 41.4% had received care at the health center in the past year and were most commonly by joint pain (21.9%), fever (15.7%) and headaches (11.8%). Ninety-five percent and 99.0% had a good perception of health center and were satisfied with the services provided there respectively. Common barriers to seeking health care at the center were long waiting time (37.4%), out-of-pocket payments (17.9%).