UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

The study was carried out to determine “influence of cultism on the academic performance of undergraduate students: university of benin”. The research questions raised for this study are; What is the prevalence of cultism among students. Does cultism have any significant negative and positive effect on student academic performance. How does involvement in cultism affect the academic performance of students. What measures can be implemented to mitigate the negative effects of cultism on the academic performance of students. The population of this study comprised all the 15 faculties in the University of Benin, 2022/2023 Academic session. The population of forty three thousand four hundred and seventy (43,470) students were the respondents. The sample size selected for this study is one hundred (100) undergraduate students, selected randomly from the 15 faculties of University of Benin using simple random sampling technique. This study was conducted to assess the influence of cultism on the academic performance of undergraduate. a case study of university of Benin. Four research questions were raised. This study made use of the descriptive survey research design. The population of this study comprised all the 15 faculties in the University of Benin, 2022/2023 Academic session. The population of forty three thousand four hundred and seventy (43,470) students were the respondents. The sample size selected for this study is one hundred (100) undergraduate students, selected randomly from the 15 faculties of University of Benin using simple random sampling technique. In order to elicit information from the respondents, a structured questionnaire named "Influence of Cultism on the Academic Performance of University Students Questionnaire (ICAPUQ) was distributed to the respondents. The questionnaire was divided into two sections. Section A was designed to generate information about the school and respondents. Section B consists of questions drawn from the research questions. The scale used was "Yes" or "No".The test-retest reliability method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and the process yielded an index of 0.81 Data obtained from the study were analysed using mean and standard deviation.. The following recommendation were made: There should be increased security measures and surveillance on campus to identify and prevent cult activities, ensuring the safety and well-being of all students at the University of Benin.There should be regular workshops and seminars organized by the university to educate students on the dangers and consequences of cultism, as well as provide support resources for those who may be at risk of joining a cult. There should be a zero-tolerance policy towards cultism, with strict disciplinary actions in place for students found to be involved in such activities, to deter others from engaging in similar behavior.There should be more access to mental health support services for students experiencing the pressures

Chronic kidney disease poses a significant psychosocial burden, particularly among patients undergoing long-term dialysis in low-resource settings. This study assesse psychosocial challenges and coping strategies among patients receiving dialysis treatment in a tertiary institution in Benin City. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 100, selected through a purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, frequency tables) and inferential analysis, with significance established at p < 0.05. Findings revealed that a substantial proportion of patients experienced high levels of psychological distress, including anxiety (72.0%) and depressive symptoms (65.3%), largely attributed to prolonged treatment duration and uncertainty about prognosis. Financial strain was reported by 81.4% of respondents, with many struggling to consistently afford dialysis sessions, medications, and transportation. Social challenges included withdrawal from socialactivities (58.7%) and feelings of dependency (62.5%). Despite these challenges, the majority of respondents adopted spiritual coping strategies (78.9%), followed by reliance on family support (69.4%) and acceptance of illness (54.2%). However, professional psychological support services were poorly utilized (18.0%) due to stigma and limited availability within dialysis units. A statistically significant association was found between financial burden and psychological stress levels (p = 0.002), as well as between coping strategy adoption and overall emotional adjustment (p = 0.004). The study concludes that dialysis patients face complex psychosocial that extend beyond clinical care. It recommends integration of mental health services, social support systems, and financial subsidy programs into dialysis care to enhance patient well-being and treatment adherence.

Background: Social media addiction is a behavioural problem characterised by excessive, poorly controlled use of social media platforms that interferes with daily functioning and is associated with depression, anxiety, stress and reduced productivity among university students. It is common in young adults and is linked to long daily usage, night-time use and other behavioural patterns that worsen mental-health outcomes. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, prevalence, patterns of social media addiction and its association with the mental health status of undergraduates in the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Subjects and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 548 undergraduates of the University of Benin selected using a multi-stage (proportionate stratified + systematic) sampling technique. Data were collected with a pre-tested, self- administered questionnaire (sociodemographics, knowledge and attitude sections) and standardised scales, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) for addiction risk and the DASS-21 for depression, anxiety and stress. Data were presented in frequency tables and analysed using bivariate (χ²) tests and multivariable logistic regression; statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 21.5 ± 2.9 years and 306 (55.8%) were females. Awareness of social media addiction was high (519, 94.7%). Majority had good knowledge of social media addiction (395, 76.1%) and a positive attitude towards it (396, 72.1%). By BSMAS grading, 127 (23.2%) were low-risk, 349 (63.7%) moderate-risk and 72 (13.1%) high-risk for social media addiction (social media addiction present = 72/548, 13.1%). On DASS-21 grading, 136 (24.8%) had d pression, 163 (29.7%) had anxiety, and 44 (8.0%) had stress; overall 200 (36.5%) were classified as having poor mental health while 348 (63.5%) xii had good mental health. Respondents with a positive attitude were more likely to have poor mental health (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.382–3.734, p = 0.001) and respondents with social media addiction were substantially more likely to have poor mental health than those without (OR = 10.30, 95% CI = 5.337–19.914, p < 0.001). Social media addiction was also a strong predictor of specific outcomes anxiety (OR = 4.121, 95% CI = 2.324–7.305, p < 0.001) and stress (OR = 12.669, 95% CI = 5.386–29.804, p < 0.001). Other factors (monthly allowance, knowledge level, average daily hours and time of day of use) were associated with addiction risk and mental-health outcomes in bivariate and multivariable analyses. Conclusion: Awareness and knowledge of social media addiction were high among UNIBEN undergraduates, but about one in eight students met high-risk criteria for social media addiction and over one-third had poor overall mental health. Social media addiction together with attitude, knowledge and usage patterns was a strong predictor of poorer mental- health outcomes (depression, anxiety and stress). Interventions to improve digital-wellness (education on healthy use, time-management, sleep hygiene and targeted counselling) are recommended.

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) defined Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) as a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. CVDs include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions. And are the leading cause of death globally, causing, -an estimated 17.9 million deaths in 2019 alone, which represents 32% of all global deaths. Heart attacks and strokes account for more than four out of five deaths from CVDs, about of which one-third of these deaths happen prematurely among adults under the age of 70 years (World Health Organization, 2021). In Africa, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), particularly CVDs, are highly prevalent (Minja et al., 2022). In addition to contributing to 22.9 million Disability- Adjusted Life Years (DALY) and 38.3% of fatalities associated with NCDs, CVDs have the highest burden among those under 30 years. Currently, the burden of CVDs has increased by about 50% in Africa (Ka et al., 2024). Similarly, NCDs remains a leading cause of death, with an age-standardized rate of 567 deaths per 100,000 people in Nigeria. This figure has surpassed deaths from infectious diseases, maternal issues, new-born conditions, and malnutrition (Bollyky et al., 2017).

Background: Radiographers play a vital role in healthcare, utilizing imaging technologies to support accurate diagnosis and treatment. However, non-medical students, such as those in law, may lack comprehensive knowledge of radiographers’ responsibilities, potentially hindering interdisciplinary collaboration and effective healthcare advocacy.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of University of Benin Faculty of Law students regarding the role of radiographers in healthcare and to identify factors influencing their awareness.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 310 undergraduate law students at the University of Benin, using a structured questionnaire adapted from validated health literacy tools. The questionnaire assessed demographic data, knowledge of radiographers’ roles, and sources of health information. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means) and chi-square tests to examine associations between demographic factors and knowledge levels at a 0.05 significance level. Results: The findings revealed a high level of knowledge among respondents, with a mean knowledge score of 85.02% (SD = 22.70), and 77.1% classified in the “good” knowledge category. A significant association was found between year of study and knowledge levels (χ² = 21.838, p = 0.0052), with senior students demonstrating greater awareness. Gender showed a marginal association (χ² = 5.847, p = 0.0538). Informal sources, such as media and peers, were the primary information channels, highlighting limited formal educational exposure. Conclusion: University of Benin law students exhibit substantial knowledge of radiographers’ roles, though reliance on informal sources suggests potential inaccuracies. Integrating health literacy modules into non-medical curricula and promoting inter-professional education could enhance understanding and foster collaboration. Targeted interventions for lower-level students and public awareness campaigns are recommended to ensure accurate knowledge and support future healthcare advocacy. Keywords: Radiographers, Health Literacy, Law Students, Knowledge assessment, inter-professional collaboration, University of Benin.