Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37104375›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Readiness, barriers, and attitude of students towards online medical education amidst COVID-19 pandemic: A study among medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Edmund Ndudi Ossai, Irene Ifeyinwa Eze, Chukwuma David Umeokonkwo, Chukwuemeka Obioma Izuagba, Lawrence Ulu Ogbonnaya

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Edmund Ndudi OssaiDepartment of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Irene Ifeyinwa EzeDepartment of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0003-4496-7259
Chukwuma David UmeokonkwoDepartment of Community Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0002-0050-2874
Chukwuemeka Obioma IzuagbaDepartment of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Lawrence Ulu OgbonnayaDepartment of Community Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki · NGEbonyi State University · NG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruption to medical education in Nigeria, necessitating the call for online medical education in the country. This study assessed the readiness, barriers, and attitude of medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria, to online medical education.

methodsA cross-sectional study design was employed. All matriculated medical students of the university participated in the study. Information was obtained using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire which was self-administered. Good attitude towards information and communication technology (ICT) based medical education was determined by the proportion of respondents correctly answering 60% of nine variables. Readiness for online classes was determined by the proportion of students who preferred either a combination of physical and online lectures or only online medical education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Chi-square test and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression analysis were used in the study. A p-value of <0.05 determined the level of statistical significance.

resultsFour hundred and forty-three students participated in the study (response rate; 73.3%). The mean age of the students was 23.0±3.2 years. The majority of the respondents, 52.4%, were males. The students' most preferred sources for studying before the COVID-19 pandemic included textbooks, 55.1% and lecture notes, 19.0%. The commonly visited websites included Google, 75.2%, WhatsApp, 70.0% and YouTube, 59.1%. Less than half, 41.1%, have a functional laptop. The majority, 96.4%, have a functioning email address, while 33.2% participated in a webinar during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though 59.2% had a good attitude towards online medical education, only 56.0% expressed readiness for online medical education. The major barriers to online medical education included poor internet connectivity, 27.1%, poor e-learning infrastructure, 12.9% and students not having laptops, 8.6%. Predictors of readiness for online medical education included previous participation in a webinar, AOR = 2.1, (95%CI: 1.3-3.2) and having a good attitude towards IT-based medical education, AOR = 3.5, (95%CI: 2.3-5.2).

conclusionsThe majority of the students showed readiness for online medical education. Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic necessitate the initiation of online medical education. University authorities should ensure that every enrolled medical student owns or have access to a dedicated laptop through a university-mediated arrangement. Adequate attention should be given to the development of e-learning infrastructure, including steady internet services within the confines of the university.

Indexed as

COVID-19Education, DistanceEducation, MedicalStudents, MedicalAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleNigeriaPandemicsUniversitiesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID37104375
PMCPMC10138474
OpenAlexW4367174535

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.