1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Healthy living is a national human right (Shabi, ND). This implies that everybody is entitled to be healthy. in the words of Ediong (2000), good health should be placed first in the priorities of everyman, as it determines the extent to which an individual can strongly compete for a share of the natural resources, job and exploring of talents and potentials.
Complete physical, social and mental balance, are foundations for good health. This is why the World Health Organization WHO (1992), describes health as: not just the absence of disease or infirmity, but the state of complete mental, social and physical well — being.
Apart from balance diet and adherence to safety precautions, another important thing that promote healthy living is, access to health information.
Health information, according Roliason (1998) is the information and continuum between health education and health promotion. Health information can also be seen as the information relating to the general well-being of individuals.
Undergraduate's students are not ostracized from health information needs. According to Nwezeh (2008), the first year students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, need health information such as those on emotiona health, personal hygiene, mental health promotion, reproductive health. She emphasized that the reproductive health information needs of those students relate to sexuality and students unwanted pregnancy, abortions and infertility.
Students may need information on diseases prevention, infections, feeding and diets/ healthy information, pertaining eating. These health information are sourced from hospitals, private clinics, friends, patents, relations, radios and personal studies (Nwezeh , 2008:5).
Access to the health information needs of students may be challenged by poor access to clinics and private hospitals, lack of awareness of current information materials and information and communication facilities ( Nwezeh 2008:14) Having X — rayed the health information needs of students generally, it is pertinent to examination, the health information needs of the new students in Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.
1.2 Background of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri
Imo state Edict-No 16 of April 1976 established the Federal polytechnic Nekede, Owerri. Among other things the edict empowered the polytechnic to erect, provides equipment and maintain a library.
In response to this, a chief librarian was appointed on March 1798, by the time the polytechnic open on the 5th December 1978 a clerk typist and a messenger had appointed to assist the chief librarian. By the time the polytechnic was still operating at a temporary site at the government technical college Owerri it was exactly on this date that the library started operating with an initial collection of 300 volumes including serials titles, newspapers, periodicals etc. Which were organized and consulted by users in a separate segment of the library.
Today, the polytechnic moved to its permanent site in Nekede in November 1980, with the library occupying one room in the engineering block with a separate portion for serials in January 1983, the library moved to the classroom complex where it occupied more rooms.
The polytechnic purpose built a befitting academic library which occupies a two storey building, which was constructed under the region of the former Rector, in the person of Dr C.I Osuji.
The polytechnic new college library was commissioned on May 19, 2001. By Prof. A.B, Borishade and opened to the members of the polytechnic Nekede (staff and students) in January 2002.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
The Federal Polytechnic Nekede, new students are expected to extend lectures, do their assignments, write term papers, carry out researches and write quizzes/examinations. These are expected to contribute to their academic excellence.
Recent observations shows that the students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, have generated the appalling habits of poor attendance to lectures and lateness to class. Observation has also proved that the library has become a dormant building to students they barely attend or visit the library to read, because they now consider it irrelevant. Submission of assignments and studying has become a major problem for most students.
These have snowballed to withdraws, repeats, high rate of carry overs, files of applications in HOD offices and poor academic performances. These have been contributed to the health status of the new students who are far away from home. They have not really accessed the health information they need and their strategies of seeking these varied information are not yet known.
It is against this backdrop that the study is proposed to examine the health information needs and seeking strategies of new students.
1.4 Objective of the Study
The main objective of this study is to examine the Health Information needs and seeking strategies of new students.
The specific objectives are:
- To examine the kinds of Health information needed by new students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.
- To examine the strategies used by new students, when seeking health information needs.
- To examine the challenges encountered by new students when seeking health information needs
- To examine how new students access to health information can be improved on.
1.5 Research Questions
The researcher will be guided by the following research question?
- What kinds of health information are needed by new students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri?
- What strategies are used by these new students when seeking health information needs?
- What are the challenges encountered by new students, when seeking health information needs?
- How can new student's access to health information be improved upon?
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study focuses on the health information needs and seeking strategies by new students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri it will shed light on the kinds of health information needed by new students, their health information seeking strategies the challenges to accessing health information and how the access to health information can be improved upon.
1.7 Significance of the Study
The benefits derivable from this study include:
- It will furnish data on the kinds of health information needed by new students in the polytechnic Nekede.
- Again, the study will shed light on the health information seeking strategies of these new students. This knowledge will assist them to access better health information.
- The challenges to accessing health information will also be exposed and solutions proffered.
- Finally, the study report will add to the quantum of documents on health information in library profession.
1.8 Definition of Operational Basic Terms
The operational basic terms are:
Health Information:
These information that help new students to maintain a healthy living.
Health Information Needs:
This refers to a group in the information needed for healthy living and those available to new students.
Health Information Seeking Strategies:
This refers to how new students conduct themselves when working for health information they need.
New Students:
This refers to all the students in National Diploma (ND1) and Higher National Diploma (HND).
…
