UBTH

Healthcare policies are central to the regulation of radiographic practice and play a vital role in shaping the quality of patient care. This study investigated the impact of healthcare policies on radiographers at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), focusing on policy awareness, influence on daily practice, patient care outcomes, and the challenges of policy adherence. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from viii 31 radiographers through a structured questionnaire. The results showed that 61.3% of respondents were aware of institutional healthcare policies, while 74.2% could identify policy documents relevant to their duties. Full compliance with radiation safety requirements (100%) was observed, demonstrating strong adherence in safety-sensitive areas. Policies were found to substantially influence professional conduct, as 93.5% agreed that policies guide daily radiographic practice, while 87.1% indicated that policies ensure standardization and 90.3% affirmed improved accountability. In terms of patient care, 93.5% agreed that policies enhance service quality and 87.1% believed they promote consistency, although only 42.0% felt that policies reduce imaging time. A Chi-square test further confirmed a statistically significant relationship between healthcare policies and daily radiographic practice (χ² = 61.29, df = 1, p = 0.000), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Despite these positive outcomes, radiographers reported major challenges such as inadequate resources (87.1%), insufficient training (61.3%), outdated guidelines (58.1%), and inconsistent implementation across departments (58.0%). The study concludes that healthcare policies positively shape radiographic practice and patient care at UBTH, but their effectiveness is limited by systemic and administrative constraints. Strengthening policy communication, updating guidelines, improving resource availability, and expanding training opportunities will enhance policy adherence and further improve patient outcomes in radiography.

Hypertension remains a leading cardiovascular risk factor among elderly populations worldwide, with age-related physiological changes, lifestyle behaviors, and socio- demographic characteristics serving as critical determinants. This study assessed age-related factors in the development of hypertension among elderly patients attending the Consultant Out-Patient Department at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed involving 191 elderly patients diagnosed with hypertension. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics with mean scores to determine the level of influence of various factors. The study revealed high influence across all three dimensions examined. Lifestyle risk factors demonstrated a grand mean of 3.25, with high-salt diet consumption showing the strongest impact. Socio-demographic factors yielded a grand mean of 3.18, with low-income levels and limited healthcare access being most influential. Age-related factors showed a grand mean of 3.27, with vascular changes due to advancing age scoring highest at 3.38. The majority of respondents were females aged 65-69 years, predominantly married, with primary or secondary education, having lived with hypertension for one to five years. Multiple interacting factors contribute significantly to hypertension development among elderly patients, with age-related physiological changes, lifestyle behaviors, and socioeconomic status all playing crucial roles. Comprehensive, age-appropriate interventions addressing these multifaceted determinants are essential for effective hypertension prevention and management in elderly populations.

Background: Residency training is a supervised postgraduate medical program in Nigeria designed to prepare doctors for specialization. Resident doctors play a critical role in patient management and interdisciplinary collaboration, including aiding referral to rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy. However, evidence suggests that the utilization of physiotherapy services largely depends on physicians’ awareness and perception of its role. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception of physiotherapy among resident doctors in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 169 resident doctors in UBTH, selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from validated instruments. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of physiotherapy, perception of the profession, and factors influencing both. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v26). Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to summarize responses. Results: Of the 169 participants, 62.1% were male and 49.1% were aged 31–45 years. Most respondents (89.9%) identified a degree as the qualification required to practice physiotherapy, and 59.8% reported five years of training. However, 74.0% believed that a doctor’s referral was mandatory before patients could access physiotherapy. While 96.4% recognized physiotherapy as essential in rehabilitation and 60.9% considered it first-line management for musculoskeletal disorders, only 41.4% had personally consulted physiotherapists. Overall, 62.1% demonstrated satisfactory perception of physiotherapy, while 32.0% exhibited good perception. Key factors influencing knowledge and perception included clinical case outcomes (55.0%), interprofessional communication (55.0%), and research findings (46.2%).
Conclusion: Resident doctors in UBTH demonstrated good knowledge and largely positive perception of physiotherapy, although misconceptions about physiotherapy autonomy and limited awareness of practice settings persist. Strengthening undergraduate exposure, interprofessional education, and clinical collaboration may improve referral practices and enhance integration of physiotherapy in patient care.

Urinary tract pathogens are increasingly resistant to conventional antibiotics, prompting interest in plant-derived bioactive agents. This study evaluated the phytochemical profile and antibacterial potential of Cinnamomum tamala bark extracts against selected clinical isolates. Dried bark samples were subjected to aqueous and ethanolic extraction, followed by phytochemical screening using GC–MS analysis. Antimicrobial activity was carried out using ditch plate and agar well diffusion methods, while minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined via agar dilution techniques. The ethanolic extract demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition, with zones of inhibition ranging from 8.25 ± 4.8 mm at 50 µg/mL to 21.75 ± 2.93 mm at 800 µg/mL, showing significant differences across concentrations (p = 0.034). The aqueous extract exhibited no effect at low concentrations but was active at higher concentration, producing inhibition zones up to 6.50 ± 3.77 mm, significantly different across groups (p < 0.001). MIC results indicated stronger activity for the ethanolic extract, particularly against E. coli (12.5 µg/mL), compared to the aqueous extract, which required higher concentrations (100–200 µg/mL) across organisms. Similarly, ethanolic MBC values ranged between 25–100 µg/mL, significantly lower than the consistent 200 µg/mL required for the aqueous extract. Phytochemical screening revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, andphenols in both extracts, while saponins and glycosides were exclusive to the aqueous extract, and steroids and resins were unique to the ethanolic extract. GC–MS analysis identified major constituents including Squalene (21.13%), 9- Octadecenoic acid (17.62%), and 13-Octadecenal (16.89%) in the ethanolic extract, while the aqueous extract was dominated by 9- orabicy clo[3.3.1]nonane (28.24%) and Cyclopropane derivatives (17.04%). These findings highlight the potent antibacterial efficacy of C. tamala ethanolic extract, particularly against E. coli, with activity linked to its terpenoid and fatty acid constituents. The results suggest that C. tamala may serve as a promising source of natural antimicrobials.

Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. In Nigeria, poor self-carepractices remain a challenge, often influenced by sociocultural beliefs and determinants. As such, this study assessed the sociocultural determinants of self-care practices among patients with hypertension attending the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, EdoState. A Descriptive cross-sectional study was used in this study, of which data were collectedfrom 230 hypertensive patients through structured questionnaires. The result showed thatmajority of participants were female (53%) with a mean age of 49 years. With a high prevalence of senior secondary education (24%), majority were either retired or employed in the private sector, with an average monthly income of ₦83,258.24. In addition, adherence to medication (x.18) was high, whereas practices such as home blood pressure monitoring ( x= 2.46) and dietary management ( x2.45) showed moderate adherence. Furthermore, common socio- cultural factors sinfluencing self-care practices included high medication costs (x= 3.45), family support (x= 3.43), religious beliefs (x3.25), spiritual beliefs (x= 3.11), and pressure to adhere to cultural food customs which could affect dietary adherene (x= 3.10). Multivariate logistic regression further indicated that longer duration of hypertension significantly increased adherence odds (OR=8.606, 95% CI: 1.914–38.693, p=0.005) with rural residents (OR=2.164, 95% CI: 1.068–4.385, p=0.032) being more adherent. More so, perceived stigma increased the likelihood of adherence (OR=2.595, 95% CI: 1.065–148.987, p=0.044). Hence, the study recommended developing culturally sensitive programs to destigmatize hypertension and dispel misconceptions about traditional/spiritual practices in relation to treatment

Background: Chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension have become significant public health concerns worldwide. Effective self-care behavior amongst these patients is crucial for successful management of their health and prevention of complications. With the emergence of
mobile health technology there is a vast growing interest in utilizing this technology to facilitate and improve self-care behaviors amongst patients
Aim: To assess the impact of the "MedPlan Mobile App," an mHealth solution, on self-care behavior among hypertensive and diabetic patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted was used to collect data
on self-care behaviors and the use of the "MedPlan Mobile App” among hypertensive and diabetic patients. Out of the 280 questionnaires distributed, 267 were completed and used . Key findings: The largest demographic groups in the study were respondents aged 46-55 (44.2%), males (50.2%), and those diagnosed with a chronic condition for 1- <5 years (46.1%). Usage of the MedPlan mobile app, 68.4% reported using it most of the time or always, and 64.7% monitored their blood pressure/glucose levels regularly (most of the time or always). 69.9% reported using the App medication reminder feature and 70.3% found the video health tips feature useful (useful or very useful). Cronbach's Alpha, is high at 0.827. The t-value is 11.921, and the p-value is 0.000, indicating a significant positive association.
Conclusion: there is relationship between the duration of using the "MedPlan Mobile App" and the improvement of self-care behaviors among hypertensive and diabetic patients, there are some factors that influence patient engagement and adoption of the "MedPlan Mobile App", and there are challenges that hypertensive and diabetic patients face in adopting and using the "MedPlan Mobile App" to improve their self-care behaviors.