KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND PRACTICE OF REGULAR MEDICAL CHECK-UPS AMONG THE STAFF OF EDO SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, BENIN CITY

Assessment of the knowledge, perception and practice of regular medical check-ups among staff of Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Edo State. Background: Routine medical check-up is a practice of preventive medicine that plays an essential role in health care. It usually involves a thorough history, physical examination and screening of apparently well individuals or stable individuals of all age groups and genders who are being managed for known medical conditions with chronic courses conducted regularly by qualified healthcare professionals. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of regular medical check-ups among staff of Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Edo State. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the staff of Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique comprising two stages was employed to select respondents and data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS vs 27.0. Significance was established at p < 0.05, and results were presented as prose, frequency tables, summary statistics and charts. Results: A total of 148 respondents participated in this study, and their mean age (SD) was 30±7 years. The majority, 90%(134) had attained tertiary level of education, and 32.7% (55) were doctors. The vast majority of respondents showed adequate knowledge of routine medical check-ups; about 94.6% (140) of them had heard of regular medical check-ups, and 98%(145) stated that both healthy and ill individuals should undergo regular medical check-ups, not just those who are ill. The majority,95.3% saw the relevance of regular checkup in the diagnosis and surveillance of medical conditions. Of this group of individuals, 83.1% (123) of them had ever had a medical checkup, with the majority(6.1%) of those who hadn't gone citing a busy schedule as their excuse. Numerous factors influence the practice of routine medical check-ups, one of which is the wait time between arriving at the hospital and the doctor's session; 33.8% of respondents stated that the wait time is often between 30 minutes and 1 hour. Conclusion: This study found that while a high proportion of hospital staff, were knowledgeable about regular medical check-ups. A good proportion also had a positive perception of the issue However, the proportion of respondents who practised regular medical check-ups was lower in comparison. Since a busy schedule was a main deterrent to routine medical check-ups, addressing the wait time for doctor appointments and test results will be essential to closing the knowledge-practice gap. Furthermore, initiatives that support free medical examinations, including encouraging health insurance plans among employees, will further advance the practice, since the majority of respondents (94.6%) said they would seek medical attention if granted the opportunity for a free examination.