Knowledge, Attitude And Perception Of Lassa Fever Among People

Knowledge, Attitude And Perception Of Lassa Fever Among People

Chapter One

Preface

Background of Study

Lassa fever is one of the conditions for which daily epidemiological reporting to the health authorities is being done in Nigeria. A fleetly changing epidemiological pattern had been reported over the times( Ogbu, Ajuluchukwu and Uneke, 2007). It causes mortality and morbidity where outbreaks do worldwide including Nigeria where it was first linked in 1969.

Lassa fever is caused by a single stranded RNA contagion( Healing and Gopal, 2001 Johnson etal., 1987). The main point of this fatal infection is bloodied or delayed cellular impunity leading to fulminant viraemia, generally starting as fever of unknown origin( Chen and Cosgriff, 2000). The natural host for the contagion are multimammate rats( Mastomysnatalensis), which breed constantly and are distributed extensively throughout West, Central, and East Africa( Healing and Gopal, 2001). Both zoonotic and mortal to mortal connections are possible( Ogbu, Ajuluchukwu and Uneke, 2007).

Population movements, poor sanitation, overcrowding, shy coffers to manage victims and poor epidemic preparedness are some of the factors contributing to complaint outbreak( WHO, 2000). adding transnational trip and the possibility of use of the Lassa contagion as a natural armament may have escalate the eventuality for detriment beyond the original position, and stressed the need for lesser understanding of Lassa fever and further effective control and treatment programs.

Osun State is geographically close to Edo State that has persistently been having the loftiest number of both suspected and verified cases of LF in Nigeria in once times( NCDC, 2012). With the symptoms of LF mimicking that of malaria which is aboriginal in Nigeria, the eventuality of missing the opinion of LF is high. Primary care workers in both public and private conventions are frequently the first set of labor force to handle suspected cases of Lassa fever which is also a possible source of nosocomial infection. In situation where health workers aren’t adequately equipped with needful knowledge and accoutrements to handle cases of LF, transmission and outbreak of the infection is likely. This informed the choice of Primary Health Care( PHC) workers as repliers in this study.

Statement of Problem

Though some studies have reported a fairly good knowledge of health workers about LF, numerous of similar studies had health care workers from largely technical health installations as their repliers, with station to preventative measures still described as poor( Ajayi etal., 2013). This is passing in the midst of poor practice of universal palladium among Nigeria health workers( Kermode etal., 2005), though practice of universal palladium had bettered over the times( Amoran and Onwube, 2013). This study assessed knowledge, station and perceptionof Lassa fever among people attending primary health care in Osun State in Southwestern Nigeria.

Purpose of the Study

The general ideal of this exploration work is toassess the knowledge, station and perceptionof Lassa fever among people attending primary health care in Osun State in South- western Nigeria. The specific objects are as follows;

To assess the knowledge of Lassa fever among people attending PHC in Osun State

To assess the station and perception of Lassa fever among people attending PHC in Osun State

To assess the association of knowledge, station and perception with socio- demographics of repliers

To identify causes, symptoms and consequences of Lassa fever in Osun State

Exploration Questions

The following exploration questions were formulated grounded on the objects of this exploration design.

What’s the position of the knowledge of Lassa fever among people attending PHC in Osun State?

What’s the station and perception of Lassa fever among people attending PHC in Osun State?

Is there any association of knowledge, station and perception with socio- demographics of repliers?

What are the causes, symptoms and consequences of Lassa fever in Osun State?

Compass of Study

This exploration design assessed knowledge, station and perceptionof Lassa fever among people attending primary health care, using the Osun State in South- western Nigeria. Hence this exploration design is limited to Osun State in Nigeria.

Significance of Study

This exploration design will be of immense benefit to communities and health sector shareholders who are involved in policy opinions in the academia. The exploration design will have applicability to programs and major opinions made with respects the healthsector.

Also this work will serve as a reference to the workshop of unborn experimenters who might be interested in studying this subject matter.

Functional Description Of Terms

Lassa Fever an acute and frequently fatal viral complaint, with fever, being primarily in West Africa. It’s generally acquired from infected rats.

Knowledge is a familiarity, mindfulness, or understanding of someone or commodity, similar as data, information, descriptions, or chops, which is acquired through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or literacy.

Perception the capability to see, hear, or come apprehensive of commodity through the senses.

Limitations of Study

This exploration design was limited by certain factors similar as time, finances, uncooperative station of some of the repliers etc. These constituted limitations in this study as some of the repliers didn’t return their questionnaire. The experimenter only made do with responses of the repliers whose questionnaire were rightly completed and returned.