Main Article Content
Knowledge and Attitude of HealthCare Professionals towards the Health-Related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in a Tertiary Health Institution in Kano State, Nigeria
Abstract
Background
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are series of eight time-bound development goals that seek to address issues of poverty, education, gender equality, health, environment and global partnerships for development agreed upon by the international community to be achieved by the year 2015. This study was aimed at assessing the knowledge and attitude of Healthcare Professionals on the health-related MDGs, being important stakeholders in the achievement of these goals.
Method
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among healthcare professionals working at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Kano, a tertiary health institution. Information was obtained through the use of self-administrated semi-structured questionnaires containing both close-ended and open-ended questions.
Results
Up to 46% of the respondents were medical doctors, 42% were nurses, 9% were laboratory technologists and 3% were pharmacist. The mean age of respondents was 35 ± 6.8 years with the males constituting 51%. Majority of the respondents (40%) qualified within the last 5 years preceding this study. Only 6% of the respondents had good knowledge of the MDGs while 73% had poor knowledge. Knowledge of health-related MDGs was also poor with only 9% of the respondents having good knowledge while 71% had poor knowledge. Most of the respondents had a positive attitude towards the MDGs, with as high as 82% feeling that the declaration was necessary while 67% of them felt the strategies were adequate. Similarly, 84% of the respondents felt that they have a role to play in achieving the health-related MDGs in particular. There was a statistically significant association between the knowledge of
MDGs, and health-related MDGs among the professionals. Conclusion
Even though achieving the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015 will largely depend on good knowledge and involvement of all stakeholders at all levels, knowledge of the MDGs among the various healthcare professionals is generally poor. This study therefore reveals the gap in knowledge of MDGs among healthcare professionals who are important stakeholders in the realization of the health-related MDGs. Appropriate education and sensitization of the various health professionals on MDGs particularly the health related MDGs through seminars and workshops are imperative towards bridging this knowledge gap.
Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Healthcare professionals, Health-related MDGs
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are series of eight time-bound development goals that seek to address issues of poverty, education, gender equality, health, environment and global partnerships for development agreed upon by the international community to be achieved by the year 2015. This study was aimed at assessing the knowledge and attitude of Healthcare Professionals on the health-related MDGs, being important stakeholders in the achievement of these goals.
Method
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among healthcare professionals working at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Kano, a tertiary health institution. Information was obtained through the use of self-administrated semi-structured questionnaires containing both close-ended and open-ended questions.
Results
Up to 46% of the respondents were medical doctors, 42% were nurses, 9% were laboratory technologists and 3% were pharmacist. The mean age of respondents was 35 ± 6.8 years with the males constituting 51%. Majority of the respondents (40%) qualified within the last 5 years preceding this study. Only 6% of the respondents had good knowledge of the MDGs while 73% had poor knowledge. Knowledge of health-related MDGs was also poor with only 9% of the respondents having good knowledge while 71% had poor knowledge. Most of the respondents had a positive attitude towards the MDGs, with as high as 82% feeling that the declaration was necessary while 67% of them felt the strategies were adequate. Similarly, 84% of the respondents felt that they have a role to play in achieving the health-related MDGs in particular. There was a statistically significant association between the knowledge of
MDGs, and health-related MDGs among the professionals. Conclusion
Even though achieving the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015 will largely depend on good knowledge and involvement of all stakeholders at all levels, knowledge of the MDGs among the various healthcare professionals is generally poor. This study therefore reveals the gap in knowledge of MDGs among healthcare professionals who are important stakeholders in the realization of the health-related MDGs. Appropriate education and sensitization of the various health professionals on MDGs particularly the health related MDGs through seminars and workshops are imperative towards bridging this knowledge gap.
Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Healthcare professionals, Health-related MDGs
