Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: February | Volume: 9 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 197-202
Assessment of Knowledge of Lassa fever Among Residents in North-Eastern Nigeria
Sagir Abdulkadir, Ahmed Sani Mohammed
Physical and Heath Education Department, School of Sciences, Aminu saleh College of Education, Azare Bauchi State
Corresponding Author: Sagir Abdulkadir
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by Lassa virus, a member of the virus family it has a huge negative impact on the health of residents from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria and the people globally. In Nigeria, the recent outbreak in Bauchi State which occurred mid-November 2015 was unprecedented. By January 2016, the virus had already spread to other states like Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo. This study assessed the knowledge of Lassa fever among residents of North-Eastern States of Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population included all residents from the study area estimated number of 18,971,96. The sample was drawn based on Krejcie and Morgan (1971). Data was collected using structured questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 22.
Results: knowledge of Lassa fever of 384 residents in North Eastern Nigeria who filled the questionnaire, 183 representing 47.7% were males, while 201 representing 52.3% were females. Using Chi-Square it was statistically significant (P<0.05). It has been found that the P- Value of .001 when knowledge of Lassa fever between male and female residents were compared.
Discussion: Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 400 questionnaires with completed data were analyzed (response rate 96%). Majority, 207 (51.8%), were males while 193 (48.2%) were females. Most, 234 (58.5%), had tertiary education while 148 (37%) had secondary education. Fifty-nine percent had heard of Lassa fever with radio as their major source of information. About 76% had inadequate knowledge, 54% had negative attitude while 51% had poor practice toward Lassa fever. Determinants of knowledge of Lassa fever include having higher education (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) = 11.49, 95% CI [3.10, 42.69], p = .0001), being in civil service (AOR = 0.22, 95% CI [0.09, 0.51], p = .01), and earning higher income (AOR = 4.23, 95% CI [2.61, 6.84], p = .0001).
Conclusion: The study revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female residents in their knowledge of Lassa fever prevention in the North-Eastern States, Nigeria. Conclusion: Knowledge towards Lassa fever was highly connected with the level of education of the respondents in the North Eastern States of Nigeria.
Key words: Knowledge, Lassa fever