Digital Literacy and Electronic Information Resources’ Use by Medical Practitioners in Management of Coronavirus Disease at Federal Medical Centres in North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated medical practitioners’ digital literacy and electronic information resources use in management of coronavirus disease at federal medical centres in North-Central, Nigeria. Three specific objectives with three corresponding research questions were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted and the population consisted of 995 medical practitioners (Medical Doctors and Nurses) in three selected Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) in North-Central, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 284 medical doctors and nurses in FMCs studied. Structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection. Descriptive statistical tool was used in analysing the data collected. Result indicated that majority of the respondents showed high level of perception in the threat of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this indicated that medical practitioners in Federal Medical Centres studied made efforts in managing COVID-19 pandemic in order to mitigate or eradicate completely the deadly disease pandemic in Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) in North-Central, Nigeria. The study also revealed the level of medical practitioners’ digital literacy skills was low which resulted to poor use of electronic information resources in managing the disease. The study concluded that only e-newspapers was used for updates on the pandemic management. The study recommended that in-house trainings be organised on digital literacy skills for medical practitioners, awareness on the available electronic information resources on COVID-19 pandemic and management for effective utilisation by medical practitioners.