American Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities

Relationship between leadership styles of head and teachers’ job satisfaction in the public colleges of district Lahore

Iqra Noreen — 2024-12-16

Leadership encompasses the ability to influence individuals in pursuit of defined educational and institutional objectives. This study aimed to ascertain the leadership styles of principals in colleges, assess the job satisfaction levels of college educators, and examine the correlation between leadership style of head and the job satisfaction of teachers. A descriptive research design was employed for this investigation. The study's population comprised public colleges located in the Lahore district. Proportionate multistage stratified random sampling method was used to choose the sample by the researcher. The researcher evolved two questionnaires to probe the relationship between job satisfaction and leadership styles, both of which demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.91. Data collection was conducted through personal visits to public sector colleges. The Pearson Coefficient Product Moment was applied to analyze the correlation among leadership styles and job satisfaction. Furthermore, to investigate variations in demographic characteristics pertaining to leadership style and work satisfaction among college teachere in Lahore, independent sample t-tests were utilized.The results indicated a significant, positive, and robust relationship between heads' leadership style and the job satisfaction of teachers. Both transformational and transactional leadership styles were found to be strongly associated with teachers' job satisfaction. Results of the study showed female teachers are more satisfied than male. It is essential to emphasize effective leadership styles, accompanied by appropriate guidance and supervision, to enhance job satisfaction, as satisfied teachers are more likely to perform their duties effectively and contribute significantly to achieving educational objectives.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding use of malaria prevention measures among pregnant women in Busia County, Kenya

Raymond Sudoi — 2024-12-23

Malaria poses severe health risks for pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Kenya, where it remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) and Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), utilization remains low, necessitating studies on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) to inform effective interventions. In a parallel-group randomized trial (September 2023 to February 2024), 156 pregnant women aged 15–49 in Busia County were block-randomized to receive either SMS reminders on ITN and IPTp use (intervention group) or no reminders (control group). Primary outcomes were ITN utilization and IPTp adherence. Using a structured questionnaire, a KAP assessment was conducted regarding ITNs and IPTp for malaria prevention. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured from all the participants. Healthcare providers and Community Health Workers (CHWs) were key information sources at baseline; post-intervention, SMS reminders became significant in the intervention group (46%). ITN use remained high across both groups, while IPTp recall, and adherence improved. Positive attitudes (>90%) and high perceived severity (94%-98%) persisted. Post-intervention, the intervention group showed greater perceived benefits (19% vs. 8%, p=0.018), and self-efficacy remained high, supporting SMS feasibility and acceptability. Strong adherence to ITN and IPTp use was driven by high perceptions of malaria’s severity and the benefits of preventive measures, underscoring the importance of ongoing education.Combining CHW education with SMS reminders may enhance malaria prevention in pregnant women, supporting sustained practices and improving maternal and infant health in high-risk areas.

Roles of social workers in bridging the gap between social policy and social action in youth unemployment in Nigeria

Babatunde Ayoola Fajimi — 2024-12-24

Youth unemployment remains a persistent social issue in Nigeria, despite the implementation of social welfare policies and proactive measures by stakeholders in the social sector. Current interventions often do not match ongoing social actions hence the need for multisectoral approaches to address the problem. This study investigates the roles of social workers in bridging the gap between social policy and social action in order to mitigate youth unemployment in Nigeria. A correlational survey research design was utilised for this study. The study's population consisted of 6,047 registered social workers and the sample size of 360 participants was calculated using the Krejcie and Morgan table. The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique, incorporating disproportionate simple random sampling, purposive sampling, and snowball sampling, to select participants from the Social Work associations across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. The validity of the research instrument was confirmed by expert scholars, and a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.86 was obtained from a pilot study involving participants not included in the main sample. The questionnaire was administered electronically and responses analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study identified a relationship between social policy and social action but there is no synergy between policy formulation and social action. Consequently, the roles of social workers were not integrated into the interactions between social policy and social action. The government, Social Work professional associations, and other stakeholders should incentivise social workers to offer innovative interventions to unemployed youth in overcoming the challenges of unemployment and transitioning to entrepreneurship.