Evaluation of the Relationship between Covid-19 Pandemic and Research Productivity among Academic and Medical Staff Of Public Universities and Hospitals in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between COVID-19 pandemic and research productivity among academic and medical staff of public universities and hospitals in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Correlational research design was used in this study. The researchers purposively used 2,543 respondents with 2 public universities and 2 public hospitals as the population of the study. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 228 respondents with the same number of public universities and hospitals. The instrument used for data collection was COVID-19 Pandemic on Academic and Medical Staff Research Productivity (COVID-19 PAMSRP). The instrument was validated by the experts using e-face validity and the reliability index was 0.93 using Cronbach alpha method. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) was used for the analysis. The findings from the study revealed that, there was negative relationship between COVID-19 pandemic on academic and medical staff research productivity in Nasarawa State. By implication, COVID-19 pandemic affects both academic and medical staff. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that both school and medical management should organize conferences, seminars and workshops for staff in such a way that it would improve the levels of their research productivity and services delivery for the safety of lives and Nigerian academics and medical staff should engage in reliable research that will lead to development and innovations for the improvement of education and health sectors.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, research productivity