Nwafor CC, Meka A, Chukwu JN, Ekeke N, Alphonsus C, Mbah O, Madichie NO, Aduh U, Ogbeifo M, IseOluwa-Adelokiki BO, Edochie JE, Ushaka J, Ukwaja KN. Assessment of community knowledge, attitude, and stigma of Buruli ulcer disease in Southern Nigeria.
Afr Health Sci 2019;
19:2100-2111. [PMID:
31656494 PMCID:
PMC6794545 DOI:
10.4314/ahs.v19i2.34]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Poor knowledge can influence timely care-seeking among persons with Buruli ulcer disease (BUD).
Objectives
To assess community knowledge, attitude and stigma towards persons with BUD in endemic settings of Southern Nigeria.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional survey conducted among adult community members in four States of Southern Nigeria. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to all participants.
Results
Of 491 adults who completed the survey, 315 (64.2%) belonged to the ≤40 years age group, 257 (52.3%) were males and 415 (84.5%) had some formal education. The overall mean (SD) knowledge score was 5.5±2.3 (maximum 10). Only 172 (35.0%) of the participants had a good knowledge of BUD. A total of 327 (66.6%) considered BUD as a very serious illness. Also, there was a high-level of stigma against BUD patients; 372 (75.8%) of the participants felt compassion for and desire to help them, 77 (15.7%) felt compassion but tended to stay away from them, and 53 (10.8%) feared them because they may infect them with the disease. Having a formal education and ethnicity were independent predictors of good knowledge of BUD.
Conclusion
There is poor community knowledge of BUD in endemic settings of Southern Nigeria which influenced the attitude and perceptions of community members towards persons with BUD
Collapse