Awareness of Ebola Virus Disease among Non-Doctor Hospital Staff in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to assess the level
of awareness amongst non doctor hospital staff in Bassa L.G.A of Kogi state on
the subject of Ebola Virus Disease.
Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study
design was used. A well structured self-administered questionnaire was given to
278 consenting health staff in Bassa L.G.A selected by a multistage sampling
technique comprising of clustering and simple random sampling. The results were
collated and analyzed manually.
Results: A total of 278 health staff drawn from
different departments completed the questionnaire. 58.2% of respondents
respectively, were between the ages of 21 and 30 years and first degree
holders. All the respondents have heard of Ebola Virus Disease. 83.5% heard of
it from electronic media such as radio and television. 74.8% respectively knew
that it is caused by Ebola virus, can
occur both in the rural and urban areas, putting on protective wears each time
one visits an Ebola patient or during routine clinical work can protect one
from the virus and that Ebola has no cure. 66.5% knew that everyone is at risk
of contracting the disease and that confirmation is by laboratory assays. 91.7%
knew that the incubation period is between 2 and 21 days, the same number knew
that high fever is an early symptom. 50% of the respondents knew vomiting and
bloody diarrhea as late symptoms. None of the respondents knew the location of
the laboratories in Nigeria.
Conclusions: the result shows a below average
awareness about Ebola virus Disease among these health workers. However, more
awareness is needed in certain areas.
KEYWORDS
Ebola
virus disease, Awareness.
References:
1. Ebola
virus disease, What you should know: Nigeria centre for Disease Control and
Prevention,(FMOH, Abuja) 2014.emedicine.medscape.com/article/216288.workup
accessed on December 16th 2014.
2. Osuala
E.C. (2005). Introduction to Research
Methodology (3rd Ed.).p134, Onitsha, Nigeria: Africana First
Publishers Limited WHO/ Ebola virus disease-Fact sheet. Updated September 2014
