Knowledge on Lassa Fever among Primary Health Care workers in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area, Ondo State Nigeria

Abstract

Background: This research work was carried out at Oka-Akoko, the Headquarters of Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State and its objective is to evaluate the Knowledge on Lassa fever among Primary Health Care workers in Oka-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area, Ondo State Nigeria. Methods: The study design adopted for this work was based on cross sectional descriptive study. The Primary Health Care workers working in government owned Primary Health Care facilities in Oka – Akoko are the study population. Questionnaire was used for the purpose of data collection from the respondents for the investigation. Two hundred and seventy three (273) respondents were selected as a sample size for the study and 250 questionnaires were returned. Result: The mean age of respondents was 35.67 years and 103 (41.2%) have been working for almost 20 years. Half of the respondents 126 (50.4%) agreed that they have attended training or sensitization workshop on Lassa Fever and 162 (64.8%) said that Lassa Fever is a common deadly disease while 156 (62.4%) claimed that Lassa fever is an acute Viral Hemorrhagic illness. Larger percent 218 (87.2%) of the respondents agreed that the direct contact with urine or feaces of infected rats (through food, drinks and touch). Also, high proportion 212 (84.8%) claimed that fever, malaise, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea as the signs and symptoms of lassa fever. Conclusion: All the tested variables against overall knowledge on Lassa fever were not significantly associated with the respondents knowledge on lassa fever with p value>0.05.