Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices towards scabies infection among mothers of under-five children in Ibadan south-east local government area, oyo state, nigeria

Abstract Scabies, an infection caused by the infestation of the skin by Sarcoptes scabiei mites, which is endemic in low-resource settings, with under-five children severely affected. In Nigeria, factors such as overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited healthcare access sustains the continued prevalence of the infection, contributing to significant morbidity and secondary bacterial infections. Despite its recognition as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organisation, gaps persist in understanding maternal knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices critical to mitigating transmission in semi-urban settings. This study investigated knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices toward scabies among mothers of under-five children in Ibadan South East, Local Government. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 320 mothers of under-five children, selected via a three-stage sampling technique using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results were presented using descriptive statistics and, multiple linear regression analysis at α0.05. Respondents’ mean age was 28.7±4.9. 48.4%, had good knowledge. A high proportion (76.5%) were unaware of skin-to-skin transmission. However, 79.3% recognised overcrowding as a risk factor. Attitude was predominantly negative (62.8%). Preventive practices were poor (83.1%); 42.5% shared cover clothes, and 24.4% avoided clinics despite detecting symptoms. Regression analysis showed that knowledge was significantly associated with age of the youngest child (β = –0.62 for age 2, p = 0.003; β = 0.54 for age 4, p = 0.017). Attitude was influenced by maternal age, ethnicity, child’s age, and income (p < 0.05). Preventive practices were significantly lower among single mothers (β = –1.22, p = 0.021). This study reveals the critical gaps in maternal knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices toward scabies in urban Nigeria, driven by low education, economic constraints, and cultural practices. Misconceptions about transmission underscore the need for culturally tailored interventions. This can be addressed by implementing, community health education programmes, media campaigns and policy advocacy. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funding Statement The author received no specific funding for this work. Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The research ethics application for conducting this study was reviewed and approved by the Oyo State Ministry of Health Research Ethics Committee with ethical approval no. (–Ref no. AD 13/479/555). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes Data Availability All de-identified participant-level data necessary to reproduce the results reported in this manuscript are provided as Supporting Information with this submission (S1_Data.xlsx).