Awareness and Attitude to Media Sensitisation Messages on Lassa Fever among Residents of Selected States in Southeast, Nigeria
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Abstract
Background: Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness endemic to West Africa that is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by rodent excreta. This study examined awareness and attitude to media sensitisation messages regarding Lassa fever among residents of Southeast Nigeria. The research was directed by four objectives and associated research enquiries.
Method: A descriptive survey design was utilised, employing a structured questionnaire to gather data from residents in the selected states. The study population comprised 15,470,975 residents of selected states in Southeast Nigeria. From this population, a purposive sample of 384 respondents was drawn to assess residents’ awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward media sensitisation messages on Lassa fever among residents of selected states in Southeast Nigeria. The research questions were addressed using mean and standard deviation, while chi-square was utilised to evaluate the hypotheses.
Results: The results showed that media sensitisation had a moderately strong effect on residents' awareness (mean = 3.00, SD = 0.56), especially when it came to hygiene (mean = 3.07). However, residents were not very aware of how vulnerable healthcare workers were (mean = 2.89). The mean awareness score was 2.91, indicating favourable awareness levels among respondents. Chi-square analysis showed a statistically significant association between residents’ awareness of Lassa fever transmission and their engagement in preventive behaviours, χ² = 802.166, p < .001.
Conclusion: The study suggests ongoing and focused media campaigns, especially in rural areas with few resources, to lower the risk of transmission and improve health education.
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