Mentorship and Knowledge Utilization among Health Information Management Professionals in Bayelsa State: Implications for Health Information Management Practice
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Knowledge utilization is essential for effective Health Information Management (HIM) practice because it enhances evidence-informed decision-making, service quality, and organizational performance. However, limited empirical evidence exists on the influence of mentorship on knowledge utilization among Health Information Management Professionals (HIMPs) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. This study investigated the relationship between mentorship and knowledge utilization among HIMPs and examined its implications for Health Information Management practice. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Seventy Health Information Management Professionals participated in the study using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics, including Cronbach's alpha, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression at a 5% level of significance. The findings showed that respondents demonstrated relatively high professional competence (Mean = 17.93 ± 4.79) and favourable mentorship practices (Mean = 17.37 ± 4.23), whereas knowledge utilization was comparatively lower (Mean = 16.97 ± 3.15). There were no significant differences in knowledge utilization across gender (t = −0.220, p = 0.826) or other socio-demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed weak positive but non-significant relationships between knowledge utilization and mentorship practices (r = 0.058, p = 0.631), professional competence (r = 0.171, p = 0.158), and organizational factors (r = 0.068, p = 0.577). Multiple regression showed that the predictors jointly explained only 3.3% of the variation in knowledge utilization (R² = 0.033; F(3,66) = 0.756, p = 0.523). The study concludes that mentorship and professional competence alone are insufficient to improve knowledge utilization. It recommends institutionalized mentorship programmes, strengthened organizational support, continuous professional development, and robust knowledge management systems to enhance Health Information Management practice.
Institutions: Bayelsa Medical University, Niger Delta University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7204758697