IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL EVALUATION AND PHYSICAL REPORT (IJMEPR )

E-ISSN 2579-0498
P-ISSN 2695-2181
VOL. 8 NO. 6 2024
DOI: 10.56201/ijmepr.v8.no6.2024.pg123.130

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Knowledge And Utilization of Information Technology for Disease Surveillance Among Public Health Practitioners in Obio- Akpor LGA, Port Harcourt

Kate, Ijeoma Ndupu, Prof. Adelani Tijani, Dr. Daniel Ekpah and Mrs Chioma Nkwocha

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Abstract

The study assessed Knowledge and Utilization of Information Technology for Disease Surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio-Akpor LGA Port Harcourt. A sample of 267 health workers was used for the study. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The study used four research questions with one hypothesis. One research instrument was used to collect the data. The instrument was subjected to a reliability testing using test- retest method. The data collected was Pearson Product Moment Correlation and reliability coefficient of 0.89 was obtained showing that the instrument is reliable. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of percentage, mean and charts while the hypothesis was tested using Pearson Product Moment. The results revealed that; 15.5% of the respondents were between the age of 20 – 30years, 35.3% were between 31 – 40years, 27.4% were between 41 – 50years while 19.8% were between 51years and above, 61.4% of the respondents had B.Sc., 22.5% had M.Sc. while 16.1% had PhD. The study further revealed that the Information Technology tools used for Disease Surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio- Akpor LGA were mobile app, web-based surveillance system amongst others, the level of knowledge of information technology tools and systems for disease surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio-Akpo LGA was moderate at 53.1%, the level of utilization of information technology tools in Disease Surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio-Akpor LGA was moderate at 53.8% and that the challenges militating against the use of Information Technology tools used for Disease Surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio-Akpor LGA include, network issues, low budgets, lack of trainings among others. The study concluded that Knowledge and Utilization of Information Technology for Disease Surveillance among public health practitioners in Obio-Akpor

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