Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: November | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 1-12
Preventive Practices of Infectious Disease Control and Its Socio-Demographic Determinants among Urban Market Attendees in Imo State, Nigeria
Chukwuma B. Duru1, Anthony C. Iwu2, Kenechi A. Uwakwe1, Kevin C. Diwe1, Irene A. Merenu1, Kinsley I Achigbu3, Henry N. Chineke4, Emmanuel U. Ndukwu2, Alison a. Ohiri, Bright C. Nwatamole1
1Department of Community Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
2Department of Community Medicine, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu Imo State, Nigeria.
3Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
4Department of Family Medicine Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu Imo State, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Chukwuma B. Duru
ABSTRACT
Background: The market place occupies an important socio-cultural and economic position in the lives of Nigerians. It attracts a diverse group of people with varying levels of preventive practices towards infectious disease control thereby increasing the risk and transmission of infectious diseases.
Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude, preventive practices and sociodemographic determinants of infectious disease control preventive practices among market participants in Owerri, Imo State. Nigeria.
Methods: The study design was a cross sectional descriptive type using and the participants were selected from two major urban markets in Imo State using the multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using a pretested, semi-structured, interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive data was presented as frequency tables and summary statistics. Chi square statistics were computed to determine significant relationships between variables and p-value was set at 0.05 significant levels.
Results: The results revealed that the majority of the respondents had a good/high level of knowledge (66.8%), good/positive attitude (76.2%) and a good/high level of preventive practice (73.6%) towards infectious disease control. About 15-30% of the respondents were of the strong opinion or at least, undecided that infectious disease can be transmitted through charms, evil spirit and nemesis; and also that prayers and traditional homes were better than hospitals in the treatment of infectious disease. Similarly, about 10-23% of the respondents never or rarely avoid direct contact with people, cover nose or mouth when coughing, sleep under insecticide bed nets or regularly attend medical check-up. It was further revealed that there were statistically significant relationships between the level of preventive practices and age (p<0.0001), gender (p<0.01), occupation (p<0.0001), place of residence (p<0.05), type of home (p<0.0001) and the number of individuals per household (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The proportion of people still without adequate knowledge, positive/good attitude and good/high level of preventive practices poses a threat to the population as they serve as transmission links and therefore increase the opportunities for the transmission of infectious diseases within the markets.
Key words: Preventive practices, infectious disease, determinants, market, Nigeria.