Elder Effiong Umoh, from Ekpene Obom (Umo Umoh Effiong) is a Ph.D. and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Akwa Ibom State University in Nigeria. His research primarily focuses on social exclusion, cultural studies, and the reintegration of persons with disabilities and former leprosy-affected persons.
Key aspects of his academic work include:
- Leprosy and Social Inclusion: He has conducted specific studies on the social inclusion and reintegration of former leprosy patients treated at the Ekpene Obom Leprosy Hospital in the Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. His research highlights the economic and social costs of stigmatization and discrimination faced by these individuals.
- Disability Studies: Effiong has published extensively on community-based rehabilitation services and livelihood enhancement for persons with disabilities in Akwa Ibom. His work examines inclusive education, health inequalities among rural women with disabilities, and the psychosocial rehabilitation of individuals with psychosocial disabilities.
- Cultural and Social Dynamics: His broader sociological research covers topics such as the cultural dynamics of burial rites in Annang traditional society, the lexico-structural ambiguity of the Anaang language, and the nexus between technical education and industrial development in Nigeria.
He is frequently cited in academic circles for his contributions to understanding the intersection of disability, social welfare, and cultural practices in the Niger Delta region.