To compare clinical radiography training experiences (structure, resources, participation, feedback) and self-perceived competence/practice readiness between public and private radiography centres in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Comparative cross-sectional survey design from August to October 2025 using a validated self-administered questionnaire distributed in person during departmental seminars and clinical debriefings at University of Lagos-affiliated centres.
Centre-based settings at public and private radiodiagnostic centres.
A total of 260 final-year students and recent graduates, 130 each from public and private radiodiagnostic centres. Inclusion criteria included: age ≥18 years, with ≥6 months clinical exposure, from centres affiliated to the University of Lagos. All participants completed the self-administered questionnaire. There were no interventions.
The primary outcome was the self-perceived competence/practice readiness, and the secondary was participation, extent and feedback mechanisms, measured as planned without protocol deviations. All variables were measured using validated items in the questionnaire.
Private centres significantly outperformed public centres in hands-on practice and feedback, with higher self-perceived competence (mean 35.6±5.7 vs 32.8±6.4; p=0.001). There were no significant differences in training structure (p=0.78). Public centres reported higher patient loads (86.2% vs 68.5%; p=0.001) but lower equipment availability (47.7% vs 72.3%; p
Private centres were associated with higher self-perceived competence and readiness, better resources and feedback, while public centres offered greater patient volumes. Hybrid placements and targeted infrastructure investment are recommended to help address disparities in perceived readiness.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent global health threats, responsible for an estimated 4.95 million deaths annually, including 1.27 million directly linked to drug-resistant infections. Nigeria is particularly affected, ranking 19th globally in AMR-related mortality, with an estimated 64 500 attributable and 263 400 associated deaths in 2019. These estimates are likely conservative due to limited surveillance. Economically, AMR could cost Nigeria 5%–7% of its GDP by 2050.
Despite this burden, antibiotic misuse remains widespread, with 42% of adults and over 46% of children under 5 receiving antibiotics without prescriptions. At the primary healthcare (PHC) level, where most antibiotics are prescribed, challenges such as limited diagnostics, inconsistent prescription and poor access to digital tools hinder effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS).
The primary objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among PHC prescribers in Imo State, Nigeria. A secondary objective is to explore preliminary indicators of their digital readiness to inform future technological interventions for AMS.
A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire.
PHC facilities across all 27 local government areas of Imo State, Nigeria.
A purposive sample of 547 facility-based public PHC prescribers included 84% of all facility Officers-in-Charge of health facilities in the state and 16% of other PHC workers who were involved in prescription.
The primary outcome measures were composite scores for knowledge (adequate/inadequate), attitude (positive/negative) and prescribing practice (good/poor), derived from a validated questionnaire. Secondary measures included sources of AMR information and indicators of digital readiness.
While 77.1% demonstrated adequate knowledge, only 32.7% exhibited positive attitudes and 88.5% reported poor prescribing practices. Attitude was the strongest predictor of good practice (OR=17.585, p
These findings underscore a critical gap between knowledge and practice, driven in part by limited access to digital decision-support tools. To address the documented gaps in tool access and training, strengthening digital inclusion through context-adapted e-learning, offline-compatible AMS tools and simplified digital antibiograms is a necessary implication for improving antibiotic stewardship and clinical outcomes at the PHC level.