Knowledge, Perception and Preventive Practices of Lassa Fever Among Mothers of Under- Five Children in an Endemic Community in Edo State, Nigeria

Knowledge, Perception and Preventive Practices of Lassa Fever Among Mothers of Under- Five Children in an Endemic Community in Edo State, Nigeria | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Knowledge, Perception and Preventive Practices of Lassa Fever Among Mothers of Under- Five Children in an Endemic Community in Edo State, Nigeria Sulymon A. Saka, Dele O. Ojo, Nneoma M. Mezu, Christian O. Uzuegbu, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Mar, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease endemic to West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Despite efforts to control its spread, gaps in knowledge and preventive behaviors remain, particularly among vulnerable groups such as mothers of young children. This study assessed the perception, knowledge, and preventive practices regarding Lassa fever among mothers of under-five children in Esan Central Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 mothers with children under five using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 30, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to assess the associations between sociodemographic factors, knowledge, and preventive practices. Results All participants (100%) had heard of Lassa fever, with health workers being the most common source of information (55.4%). Most mothers (72%) demonstrated good knowledge of Lassa fever symptoms, whereas 67% reported good preventive practices, such as handwashing (71.5%) and maintaining proper drainage systems (70.8%). Ethnicity and education were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever (p < 0.001), while marital status and parity were significantly associated with preventive practices (p < 0.05). Conclusion This study revealed high awareness and knowledge of Lassa fever among mothers, yet preventive practices were suboptimal. Public health interventions should focus on improving preventive behaviours through targeted health education, particularly in underserved communities, to reduce the disease burden in endemic regions. Lassa fever knowledge preventive practices mothers under-five children Edo State Nigeria Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Lassa fever is an acute zoonotic hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, which is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Arenaviridae family. Originally identified in 1969 in a small town called Lassa in Nigeria, the disease has since become endemic in several West African countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone [ 1 – 4 ]. In Nigeria, Lassa fever cases typically peak during the dry season from December to April, with an estimated annual incidence of 100,000 to 300,000 infections and approximately 5,000 deaths, although these figures are likely under-reported due to inconsistent surveillance [ 5 , 6 ]. The multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) is the primary reservoir for the Lassa virus and transmits it to humans through contact with contaminated food or household items. Although direct transmission through body fluids is rare, it can occur via consumption of infected rodents. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, with approximately 80% of cases presenting with mild or no symptoms, often undiagnosed symptoms [ 4 ]. Severe cases, affecting approximately 20% of patients, can lead to haemorrhage, respiratory distress, and multi-organ failure, with a case fatality rate as high as 50% during epidemics [ 7 , 8 ]. Treatment primarily involves the antiviral drug Ribavirin, which is effective when administered early, along with supportive care [ 9 ]. Preventive measures should focus on community hygiene, including rodent control and proper food storage. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) implemented a surveillance system since 2011 to enhance early disease detection [ 10 ]. Despite these efforts, a significant knowledge gap regarding Lassa fever persists among people living in endemic regions [ 11 – 16 ]. Limited awareness may lead to suboptimal preventive practices and delayed healthcare-seeking behaviour, thereby exacerbating the disease burden. Research has indicated that attitudes toward Lassa fever can significantly impact preventive measures [ 14 , 16 ]. A study conducted in Edo North found that over 59% of respondents demonstrated poor preventive practices, highlighting the need for effective health education strategies [ 14 ]. A study in Sierra Leone reported that only a small percentage of respondents recognized the association between rodent exposure and the risk of Lassa fever, indicating a critical gap in public awareness [ 17 ]. Similarly, another investigation conducted in Nigeria among university students reported that 91.7% of the study population demonstrated poor knowledge regarding Lassa fever whereas 73.3% of those that demonstrated good knowledge exhibited good preventive practices [ 18 ]. No existing study has specifically assessed maternal knowledge and preventive practices regarding Lassa fever, despite the fact that mothers play a crucial role in its prevention by educating their children, recognizing symptoms, and promoting health practices within the family. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge and preventive practices of Lassa fever among mothers of children under five, and examine the influence of sociodemographic factors on knowledge and preventive practices. The findings will provide valuable insights into the challenges of managing Lassa fever and inform targeted public health interventions to enhance maternal awareness and preparedness during outbreaks. Ultimately, increasing the knowledge and improving the attitudes of mothers could play a significant role in reducing the incidence and mortality of Lassa fever in endemic regions. Methods Study Area The study was conducted in the Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, which encompasses an area of 253 km² and had an estimated population of 131,400. Irrua served as the administrative seat in the western part of Esanland, bordering towns such as Agbede, Ewu, Ekpoma, and Uromi. The area comprised ten wards, namely Opoji, Ewu I, Ewu II, Ikekata, Otoruwo I, Otoruwo II, Uwesan I, Uwesan II, Ugbegun, and Uneah. Study Design A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this research, targeting women aged 18 to 49 years with children under five years in Esan Central Local Government Area. Study Population The study population included women with children under the age of five years who resided in the Esan Central Local Government Area. The inclusion criteria included consenting women who were permanent residents of the selected wards, while the exclusion criteria included non-residents and those who were unavailable during the administration of the questionnaire. Study Duration This study was conducted from December 2023 to September 2024. Sample Size Determination Sample size determination was conducted using Cochrane's formula for cross-sectional surveys, utilizing a standard normal deviation (Z) of 1.96, a prevalence (P) of 91.7%, and an error margin (d) to estimate a sample size of 117 respondents with an estimate of a 10% non-response rate giving a final sample size of 130 [ 18 , 19 ]. Sampling Technique A multi-stage sampling technique was used. Five wards were randomly selected, and the number of households in each ward was documented. Systematic random sampling was used to select every 25th household, employing a lottery method to choose one eligible mother in cases with multiple eligible individuals and if no mother of a child under five years old was found in a selected household, the next eligible household was chosen. Data Collection Instrument Data were collected using an interviewer-administered self-structured questionnaire that covered demographic data, knowledge, and practices regarding Lassa fever. The questionnaire underwent pre-testing among a subset of mothers in Eguare, Ekpoma, to ensure its validity and reliability. Reliability and Validity of Measurement To ensure reliability, the questionnaire was administered by household, allowing each respondent to understand and fill out the questionnaire appropriately. The same questionnaire was administered to every respondent. Data Collection Method Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires after obtaining informed consent. Responses were sorted, coded, and analysed using SPSS software (version 30). Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage were employed, along with inferential statistics to examine associations between sociodemographic features and knowledge and practices. Scoring System A scoring system was established for the knowledge section, where each correct answer received a score of 1 and each incorrect answer received a score of 0, with a maximum score of 14. Knowledge levels were categorized as follows: 0–4 indicated poor knowledge, 5–9 represented fair knowledge, and 10–14 signified good knowledge while for preventive practices, score of 1–3 indicated poor practices and 4–7 signified good practices Ethical Considerations Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the health research ethics committee of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. Community consent was obtained from the local leaders before the participants were approached. Written informed consent was provided by the respondents, and the purpose of the research was explained to those who could not read or write, ensuring clarity in their local language. Results A total of 130 respondents participated in the study with a response of 100% Table 1 Sociodemographic features of the respondents Variable Category N(%) Age (years) 18–28 39(30) 29–39 75(57.7) 40–49 16(12.3) SD ± Mean 32.61 ± 6.79 Religion Christian 111(85.4) Muslim 19(14.6) Marital status Married 100(76.9) Engaged 6(4.6) Single 24(18.5) Ethnicity Esan 70(53.8) Bini 9(6.9) Etsako 13(10.0) Yoruba 10(7.7) Hausa 6(4.6) igbo 8(6.2) others 14(10.8) Level of education No formal education 3(2.3) primary 5(3.8) secondary 36(27.7) Tertiary 86(66.2) Occupation Traders 79(60.8) Teacher 19(14.6) doctor 3(2.3) nurse 17(13.1) Engineer 2(1.5) Accountant 5(3.8) Secretary 5(3.8) Parity 1 27(20.8) 2 64(49.2) 3 24(18.5) 4 and above 15(11.5) According to Table 1 , the majority of respondents (57.7%) were between 29–39 years old, 85.4% identified as Christian, most were married (76.9%), and 53.8% belong to the Esan ethnic group. Regarding education, a significant portion of respondents had completed tertiary education (66.2%), while only 2.3% had no formal education. 60.8% of the respondents were traders, and 49.2% reported having two children, while 20.8% had one, 18.5% had three, and 11.5% had four or more. Table 2 Knowledge of Lassa fever Variable Category N(%) Heard about Lassa fever before 130(100.0) Medium of Lassa fever Awareness* Family and Friends 55(42.3) School authorities 38(29.2) Radio 47(36.2) TV 57(43.8) Newspaper 19(14.6) Social media 49(37.7) Health workers 72(55.4) Other sources 26(20.0) Identifies the following symptoms of Lassa fever* Fever 109(83.8) Malaise 70(53.8) Vomiting 101(77.7) Cough 74(56.9) Abdominal pain 53(40.8) Sore throat 49(37.7) Bleeding 69(53.1) Diarrhoea 58(44.6) Knows someone who has had Lassa fever 40(30.8) Knows that Lassa fever can mimic other endemic illness 71(54.6) Knows that Lassa fever is a very severe illness but has good prognosis when diagnosed early 102(78.5) Knows that Lassa fever is a cause of under five death 89(68.5) Knows that Lassa fever can affect under five of different socioeconomic status 90(69.2) As shown in Table 2 , 100% had heard of Lassa fever, with health workers identified as the primary source of information (55.4%). The respondents displayed a good understanding of Lassa fever symptoms, with the most recognized being fever (83.8%), vomiting (77.7%), and malaise (53.8%). Additionally, 30.8% reported knowing someone who had contracted Lassa fever. Table 3 Preventive practices of Lassa fever Variable N(%) Avoids bush burning as a way to prevent Lassa fever infection 90(69.2) Stores food properly to reduce the risk of Lassa fever 82(63.1) Ensures that food is properly cooked to prevent Lassa fever 79(60.8) Practises proper hand washing before eating to reduce the risk of Lassa 93(71.5) Avoids the consumption of rats to lower the risk of Lassa fever 85(65.4) Maintains proper drainage system around home to prevent Lassa fever 92(70.8) Avoids contact with infected persons to reduce the risk of Lassa fever 85(65.4) Table 3 shows that 71.5% of respondents practised proper hand washing before eating, making it the most common preventive measure. Other notable practices included maintaining proper drainage around homes (70.8%), avoiding bush burning (69.2%), and avoiding contact with infected individuals (65.4%). Table 4 Association between some sociodemographic features and knowledge of Lassa fever, as well as preventive practices. Variables Knowledge of Lassa Fever \(\:{\varvec{x}}^{2}\) P-value Good Fair Poor Ethnicity Esan 44 (62.9%) 22 (31.4%) 4 (5.7%) 53.733 < 0.001* Bini 9 (100%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Etsako 13 (100.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Yoruba 9 (90.0%) 1 (10.0%) 0 (0.0%) Hausa 6 (90.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) Igbo 8 (100.0% 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) others 5 (35.7%) 2 (14.3%) 7 (50.0%) Level of education No formal education 0 (0.0%) 3 (100.0%) 0 (0.0%) 43.991 < 0.001* primary 0 (0.0%) 5 (100.0%) 0 (0.0%) secondary 27 (75.0%) 9 (25.0%) 0 (0.0%) Tertiary 67 (77.9%) 8 (9.3%) 11 (12.8%) Variables Preventive practices of Lassa \(\:{\varvec{x}}^{2}\) P-value Good Poor Marital Status Married 61 (61.0%) 39 (39.0%) 7.470 0.024* Engaged 6 (100.0%) 0 (0.0%) Single 20 (83.3%) 4 (16.7%) Parity 1 22 (81.5%) 5 (18.5%) 9.368 0.025* 2 46 (71.9%) 18 (28.1%) 3 11 (45.8%) 13 (54.2%) 4 and above 8 (53.3%) 7 (46.7%) As shown in Table 4 , ethnicity and education level were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever. The p-values for both were < 0.001, indicating a highly significant relationship whereas marital status and parity were significantly associated with preventive practices, as indicated by p-values of 0.024 and 0.025, respectively. Table 5 Bivariable and multivariable analysis of factors associated with practice towards prevention of Lassa fever Variable Category Practice COR (95%CI) P-value AOR(95%CI) P-value Good Poor Age (years) 18–28 30(34.5%) 9(20.9%) 1 1 29–39 49(56.3%) 26(60.5%) 3.333 (0.973–11.415) 0.055 11.402 (0.732–17.608) 0.082 40–49 8(9.2%) 8(18.6%) 1.885 (0.634–5.601) 0.254 4.213 (0.439–40.470) 0.213 Religion Christian 74(85.1%) 37(86.0%) 1 1 Muslim 13(14.9%) 6(14.0%) 0.923 (0.325–2.624) 0.881 2.197 (0.230-20.984) 0.494 Marital status Married 61(70.1%) 39(90.7%) 1 1 Engaged 6(6.9%) 0(0.0%) 0.313 (0.099–0.984) 0.047* 1.473 (0.207–10.490) 0.699 Single 20(23.0%) 4(9.3%) N/A N/A Ethnicity Esan 44(50.6%) 26(60.5%) 1 1 Bini 4(4.6%) 5(11.6%) 1.692 (0.534–5.368) 0.372 0.874 (0.167–4.592) 0.874 Etsako 10(11.5%) 3(7.0%) 0.800 (0.149–4.297) 0.795 0.759 (0.102–5.66) 0.788 Yoruba 8(9.2%) 2(4.7%) 3.333 (0.633–17.566) 0.156 1.294 (0.077–21.856 0.858 Hausa 6(6.9%) 0(0.0%) 4.000 (0.616–25.964) 0.146 5.298(0.455–61.64) 0.183 Igbo 8(9.2%) 0(0.0%) N/A N/A Others 7(8.0%) 7(16.3%) N/A N/A Parity 1 22(25.3%) 5(11.6%) 1 1 2 46(52.9%) 18(41.9%) 3.850 (0.945–15.679) 0.060 2.574 (0.338–19.578) 0.361 3 11(12.6%) 13(30.2%) 2.236 (0.707–7.072) 0.171 1.371 (0.258–7.291) 0.711 4 and above 8(9.2%) 7(16.3%) 0.740 (0.203-2.700) 0.649 0.497 (0.080–3.087) 0.453 COR: Crude Odds Ratio AOR: Adjusted Odds Ratio CI: Confidence Interval N/A: Not Applicable The analysis of Table 5 examines the associations between various sociodemographic factors and preventive practices against Lassa fever. Age emerged as a potentially relevant factor. Respondents aged 29–39 years demonstrated a crude odds ratio (COR) of 3.333 (95% CI 0.973–11.415), indicating a trend toward better preventive practices compared to those aged 18–28. However, this association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, in which the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) increased to 11.402 (95% CI 0.732–17.608), suggesting that other factors may have influenced this trend. Marital status was also significant, with engaged individuals showing a COR of 0.313 (95% CI 0.099–0.984), indicating they were less likely to have good preventive practices than married respondents. This finding was statistically significant (p = 0.047), but the significance diminished in the adjusted analysis (AOR: 1.473 95% CI 0.207–10.490, p = 0.699), indicating that the marital status association may be influenced by other sociodemographic variables. Finally, parity displayed a noteworthy trend. Respondents with two children had a COR of 3.850 (95% CI 0.945–15.679, p = 0.060), indicating a higher likelihood of practising good prevention measures than the respondents with one child. However, this association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, in which the AOR was 2.574 (95% CI 0.338–19.578, p = 0.361). Other sociodemographic features such as ethnicity and religion were included in the analysis, but neither demonstrated a statistically significant association with preventive practices in both bivariable and multivariable analysis. Discussion The demographic profile reflects a young (87.7%), predominantly Christian (85.4%), and educated population (66.2%), with most respondents married (76.9%) and belonging to the Esan ethnic group (53.8%). 72% of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge, with healthcare workers identified as the primary source of information (55.4%), followed by family and friends (42.3%) and television (43.8%). The respondents displayed a good understanding of Lassa fever symptoms, with the most recognized being fever (83.8%), vomiting (77.7%), and malaise (53.8%). However, awareness of other symptoms like abdominal pain (40.8%) and sore throat (37.7%) was lower, suggesting areas for improvement in health education. Additionally, 30.8% reported knowing someone who had contracted Lassa fever. Over half of the participants (54.6%) understood that Lassa fever can mimic other endemic illnesses, whereas 78.5% acknowledged that it is severe but has a good prognosis if diagnosed early. The recognition that Lassa fever affects children across various socioeconomic statuses was noted by 69.2% of respondents. The findings in this study contradicts that done among university students in Benin where the majority (91.7%) of the respondents demonstrated poor knowledge of Lassa fever [ 18 ]. Regarding preventive practices, the most frequently reported preventive practice was proper hand washing before eating, with 71.5% of respondents indicating they followed this measure. Additionally, 70.8% reported maintaining a proper drainage system around their homes, highlighting the importance of sanitation in preventing Lassa fever transmission. Other notable practices included avoiding bush burning (69.2%) and refraining from contact with infected individuals (65.4%), both of which demonstrate an understanding of the environmental factors and direct interactions that can contribute to the spread of the disease. Food safety practices also featured prominently, with 63.1% of respondents stating that they stored food properly to reduce the risk of Lassa fever, while 60.8% ensured that their food was cooked adequately. These figures indicate a significant recognition of the role that food hygiene plays in prevention. Furthermore, 65.4% of participants avoided consuming rats, acknowledging that these animals are primary vectors for the disease. Overall, only 67% of the mothers demonstrated good preventive practices, this value is slightly higher compared to a study done in Ile-Ife where only 49% had good practice towards Lassa fever and in a rural community in Etsako central LGA of Edo state where less than half (41.9%) of the study population had good preventive practices against Lassa fever [ 14 , 16 ]. Furthermore, this study indicates that sociodemographic variables such as ethnicity and education were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever, but these same factors did not significantly influence preventive practices. One potential explanation is that knowledge alone may not directly translate into behaviour change, especially if other barriers, such as access to resources or cultural beliefs, are not addressed. Previous studies have also found that while knowledge of Lassa fever is crucial, the translation of this knowledge into preventive actions often requires sustained health education interventions, particularly in areas with high cultural or resource barriers. For instance, our finding that education level was significantly associated with knowledge but not preventive practices echoes similar results from a study in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, where awareness of Lassa fever was high, but practical preventive measures were limited by socioeconomic constraints [ 13 ]. This highlights the need for public health strategies that not only improve awareness but also address practical barriers to adopting preventive measures, such as access to sanitation facilities and healthcare services. Additionally, the association between marital status and preventive practices may reflect different roles and responsibilities within households, particularly for single or engaged mothers, who may have more control over health decisions than married women. This aligns with findings from other research, suggesting that family dynamics can influence health behaviours [ 16 ]. Examining the associations between various sociodemographic factors and preventive practices against Lassa fever using binary logistic regression. The analysis indicates that age, marital status, and parity may influence preventive practices; however, none of these variables showed statistically significant associations in the multivariate analysis. For example, respondents aged 29–39 had a crude odds ratio (COR) of 3.333 (95% CI 0.973–11.415, p = 0.055), indicating a trend toward better preventive practices compared to those aged 18–28. However, after adjusting for other factors, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) increased to 11.402 (95% CI 0.732–17.608, p = 0.082), suggesting that age might not independently influence preventive practices. Similarly, while marital status appeared significant in the bivariable analysis (p = 0.047), the association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (AOR = 1.473 95% CI 0.207–10.490, p = 0.699), indicating that when other sociodemographic factors are accounted for, marital status alone does not significantly influence preventive practices. This could be due to the influence of other factors such as education or access to health resources, which are not fully explored in this study. This underscores the complexity of health behaviours, where multiple interacting factors may dilute the impact of individual sociodemographic variables. Parity, although showing a trend toward increased preventive practices for respondents with two children were more likely to engage in preventive practices (COR = 3.850,95% CI 0.945–15.679, p = 0.060) compared to those with one child, however, did not remain significant after adjusting for other variables (AOR = 2.574, 95% CI 0.338–19.578, p = 0.361). Similar trends were observed for respondents with three or more children, but were not also significant in the multivariate analysis. These findings suggest that while parity might initially appear to influence preventive behaviours, other underlying factors- potentially related to socioeconomic status, education or household responsibilities- may have a more profound impact. Limitations of the study This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. First, recall bias may have affected the reliability of the data, particularly when respondents were asked to recall past actions or knowledge about Lassa fever. To minimize this, we used structured interviewer-administered questionnaires to ensure the clarity of responses, however the potential for inaccuracies remains. Second, social desirability bias may have influenced respondents' reporting of preventive practices. Some participants may have overreported positive behaviours, such as handwashing or proper food storage, to align with perceived social norms. Future studies could incorporate direct observation of behaviours to mitigate this bias. Third, the study focused specifically on mothers of under-five children in Esan Central Local Government Area, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions in Edo State or Nigeria. Additionally, the cross-sectional design captures data at a single point in time, which limits the ability to assess changes in knowledge or practices over time. Longitudinal studies would be valuable to observe trends and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of health education interventions. Finally, while we examined several sociodemographic factors, other potentially significant determinants of preventive practices, such as cultural beliefs and access to healthcare, were not fully explored in this study. Future research should aim to include these variables to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing Lassa fever prevention. Conclusion The findings of this study have important public health implications for the prevention and control of Lassa fever in endemic regions. While there is a generally high level of awareness and knowledge of Lassa fever among mothers in Esan Central LGA, translating this knowledge into consistent preventive practices remains a challenge. Public health strategies must focus not only on increasing awareness but also on addressing the practical barriers that prevent mothers from adopting preventive measures. Targeted health education campaigns, particularly those that focus on less recognized symptoms of Lassa fever, such as sore throat and abdominal pain, could enhance early detection and timely healthcare-seeking behaviour. Additionally, efforts to improve sanitation, food storage, and rodent control in households should be prioritized, especially in communities with limited access to resources. Healthcare providers, including community health workers, can play a critical role in reinforcing preventive messages and ensuring that mothers have the necessary resources to implement them. Policymakers should consider integrating Lassa fever prevention into broader maternal and child health initiatives, ensuring that mothers are equipped not only with knowledge but also with the tools and support needed to protect their families. Declarations Acknowledgements Authors acknowledge the support from experts who reviewed the survey questionnaire. We would like to thank the respondents who participated in this study and Dr. Perpetua Odafen for reviewing the final manuscript. Authors’ contributions SAS contributed to the study design, the data collection, and performed the data analysis. All other authors contributed equally to this study. Funding Not applicable Availability of data and materials The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Ethical approval and consent to participate This study was performed in accordance with the Helsinki’s declaration and the protocol was approved by the Ethical Review Board at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo state, Nigeria. Informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians in cases where participants had no formal education. Consent for publication Not applicable Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. References Andersen, K. G., Shapiro, B. J., Matranga, C. B., Sealfon, R., Lin, A. E., Moses, L. M., ... & Sabeti, P. C. (2015). Clinical sequencing uncovers origins and evolution of Lassa virus. Cell , 162 (4), 738-750. Pinneo, L., & Pinneo, R. (1971). Mystery virus from Lassa. AJN The American Journal of Nursing , 71 (7), 1352-1355. Garry, R.F. Lassa fever — the road ahead. Nat Rev Microbiol 21 , 87–96 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00789-8 World Health Organization (WHO) Lassa Fever, 2017 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lassa-fever Fichet-Calvet E, Rogers DJ. Risk maps of Lassa fever in West Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009;3(3):e388. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000388. Epub 2009 Mar 3. PMID: 19255625; PMCID: PMC2644764. Bowen MD, Rollin PE, Ksiazek TG, et al. Genetic diversity among Lassa virus strains. J Virol . 2000;74(15):6992-7004. doi:10.1128/jvi.74.15.6992-7004.2000 Okokhere P, Colubri A, Azubike C, et al. Clinical and laboratory predictors of Lassa fever outcome in a dedicated treatment facility in Nigeria: a retrospective, observational cohort study. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases. 2018 Jun;18(6):684-695. DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(18)30121-x. PMID: 29523497; PMCID: PMC5984133. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Viral Hemorrhagic fevers. https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ acccessed 29.09.2024 McCormick JB, King IJ, Webb PA, et al. Lassa fever. Effective therapy with ribavirin. N Engl J Med . 1986;314(1):20-26. doi:10.1056/NEJM198601023140104 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention https://ncdc.gov.ng/news/122/despite-the-reduction-in-new-cases%2C-ncdc-and-partners-intensify-response-to-lassa-fever-outbreak acccessed 29.09.2024 Wada, Y. H., Ogunyinka, I. A., Yusuff, K. B., Ochu, C. L., Yahaya, M., Khalid, G. M., Mutalub, Y. B., & Adeniye, S. B. (2022). Knowledge of Lassa fever, its prevention and control practices and their predictors among healthcare workers during an outbreak in Northern Nigeria: A multi-centre cross-sectional assessment. PLoS neglected tropical diseases , 16 (3), e0010259. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010259 Aromolaran, O., Samson, T. K., & Falodun, O. I. (2023). Knowledge and practices associated with Lassa fever in rural Nigeria: Implications for prevention and control. Journal of public health in Africa , 14 (9), 2001. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2023.2001 Usuwa, I. S., Akpa, C. O., Umeokonkwo, C. D., Umoke, M., Oguanuo, C. S., Olorukooba, A. A., Bamgboye, E., & Balogun, M. S. (2020). Knowledge and risk perception towards Lassa fever infection among residents of affected communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria: implications for risk communication. BMC public health , 20 (1), 217. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8299-3 Ogboghodo, E. O., Adam, V. Y., Omuemu, V. O., & Okojie, O. H. (2019). Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Practices Against Lassa Fever Among Residents in a Rural Community in Southern Nigeria. West African journal of medicine , 36 (2), 165–171. Ndu, A. C., Kassy, W. C., Ochie, C. N., Arinze-Onyia, S. U., Okeke, T. A., Aguwa, E. N., Okwor, T. J., & Chinawa, A. (2019). Knowledge, Misperceptions, Preparedness, and Barriers towards Lassa Fever Control among Health Care Workers in a Tertiary Institution in Enugu, Nigeria. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved , 30 (3), 1151–1164. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2019.0079 Olowookere, S. A., Adegbenro, C. A., Idowu, A., Omisore, A. G., Shabi, O. M., Ikem, U. R., Ekwere, G. A., & Oderinde, I. F. (2017). Knowledge Attitude and Practices Toward Lassa Fever Control and Prevention Among Residents of Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria. International quarterly of community health education , 37 (2), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272684X17701261 Kamara, AB.S., Moseray, A., Fatoma, P. et al. Analysing the association between perceived knowledge, and attitudes on Lassa Fever infections and mortality risk factors in lower Bambara Chiefdom. BMC Public Health 24 , 1684 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19170-w Ighedosa, Stephena & S.U., & Aighewi, Isoken & Usifo, & S.F., & Odigie, Amienwanlen & ASEMOTA, Osakpamwen & D.O.,. (2017). Knowledge, Attitude and practice of Lassa fever prevention by students of the University of Benin. J. Science and Practice Pharmacy. 3. 75-83. Cochran, W.G. (1977) Sampling Techniques. 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files QUESTIONAIRELassafever.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Mar, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 03 Feb, 2025 Reviews received at journal 23 Jan, 2025 Reviews received at journal 22 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Jan, 2025 Reviews received at journal 01 Jan, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Dec, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Dec, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Dec, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 26 Dec, 2024 Editor invited by journal 09 Dec, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 06 Dec, 2024 First submitted to journal 06 Dec, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5582518","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":397791847,"identity":"548d62ca-9f4c-4e1f-a05d-2cca1186d586","order_by":0,"name":"Sulymon A. Saka","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACNhBhASIYHwAJHj4itUiACGYDkBY2UrSwScD5+IB8+7HEjz/bJBLXtvceq/yaYyfDxsD88NENPFoMzqQdluYFatl25lzabdltyUCHsRkb5+DTwpDeIM0I0nIjx+y25DZmoBYeNml8WuT7nzf//AnVUiy5rZ6wFoYbacckeKFaGD9uO0xYi8GNZ2nWPOckjLedOWMszbjtOA8bMwG/yPenGd/8UWYju+14j+HHn9uq7fnZmx8+xuswKHBsABLMPCAmMxHKQcAeRDD+IFL1KBgFo2AUjCwAAKnFRshp7H9JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sulymon","middleName":"A.","lastName":"Saka","suffix":""},{"id":397791848,"identity":"16f15b59-7d12-4acb-ba6f-af13c9f7b9cf","order_by":1,"name":"Dele O. Ojo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dele","middleName":"O.","lastName":"Ojo","suffix":""},{"id":397791850,"identity":"af164a9c-fd98-4973-88a9-d0781d34d933","order_by":2,"name":"Nneoma M. Mezu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Federal Medical Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nneoma","middleName":"M.","lastName":"Mezu","suffix":""},{"id":397791851,"identity":"7ebf1470-0add-4274-b808-2fa3b1f42b0a","order_by":3,"name":"Christian O. Uzuegbu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Federal Medical Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christian","middleName":"O.","lastName":"Uzuegbu","suffix":""},{"id":397791852,"identity":"f0b7b3d5-f2a6-4004-b772-f0a4eb7c4266","order_by":4,"name":"Osazuwa Ighodaro","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Basildon University Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Osazuwa","middleName":"","lastName":"Ighodaro","suffix":""},{"id":397791854,"identity":"c01dd2b2-4624-4691-96b2-e9ff021f413a","order_by":5,"name":"Oluchi O. Illoh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Federal Road Safety Corps Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Oluchi","middleName":"O.","lastName":"Illoh","suffix":""},{"id":397791856,"identity":"4cc61dac-b90f-4079-bc43-53de4a1cf8ed","order_by":6,"name":"Obiajulum N. Emekolom","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Central Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Obiajulum","middleName":"N.","lastName":"Emekolom","suffix":""},{"id":397791858,"identity":"f11e1a7d-15e1-4112-b0be-dde3dd46a19b","order_by":7,"name":"Offiong A. Akpa","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Adiza Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Offiong","middleName":"A.","lastName":"Akpa","suffix":""},{"id":397791860,"identity":"ff7c3d42-ad4c-44bf-bca0-5c218f78c3f7","order_by":8,"name":"Ezinne A. Obiora","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ezinne","middleName":"A.","lastName":"Obiora","suffix":""},{"id":397791861,"identity":"efa28c76-35d9-4d0a-8531-0593afb4cd2d","order_by":9,"name":"Amara P. Muogbo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amara","middleName":"P.","lastName":"Muogbo","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-12-04 21:53:19","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22057-z","type":"published","date":"2025-03-03T15:57:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":73337380,"identity":"c449e43d-aaff-4718-8321-f95a1e3bbe49","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-09 04:44:51","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":26202,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e72% of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge of Lassa fever\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5582518/v1/28152483413787683d0414be.png"},{"id":73337382,"identity":"e6cc1015-8581-4935-864b-b0f34e9b950c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-09 04:44:51","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28233,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e67% of the study population exhibited good preventive practices against Lassa fever\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5582518/v1/7b7f62fd9bd2e38df1e236f9.png"},{"id":78192083,"identity":"8c6a1d8d-b6d0-4560-9111-ae74e4f98b45","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-03-10 20:21:46","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1497024,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5582518/v1/a34a4f30-fe36-423e-b6f7-56a2109ed735.pdf"},{"id":73338137,"identity":"aaacd5a2-a812-450b-86be-dd52a9d66cf9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-09 04:52:51","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":106421,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"QUESTIONAIRELassafever.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5582518/v1/186e321d07b92d5c49c284c2.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Knowledge, Perception and Preventive Practices of Lassa Fever Among Mothers of Under- Five Children in an Endemic Community in Edo State, Nigeria","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eLassa fever is an acute zoonotic hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, which is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Arenaviridae family. Originally identified in 1969 in a small town called Lassa in Nigeria, the disease has since become endemic in several West African countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR2 CR3\" citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. In Nigeria, Lassa fever cases typically peak during the dry season from December to April, with an estimated annual incidence of 100,000 to 300,000 infections and approximately 5,000 deaths, although these figures are likely under-reported due to inconsistent surveillance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) is the primary reservoir for the Lassa virus and transmits it to humans through contact with contaminated food or household items. Although direct transmission through body fluids is rare, it can occur via consumption of infected rodents. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, with approximately 80% of cases presenting with mild or no symptoms, often undiagnosed symptoms [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Severe cases, affecting approximately 20% of patients, can lead to haemorrhage, respiratory distress, and multi-organ failure, with a case fatality rate as high as 50% during epidemics [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Treatment primarily involves the antiviral drug Ribavirin, which is effective when administered early, along with supportive care [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreventive measures should focus on community hygiene, including rodent control and proper food storage. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) implemented a surveillance system since 2011 to enhance early disease detection [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Despite these efforts, a significant knowledge gap regarding Lassa fever persists among people living in endemic regions [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15\" citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Limited awareness may lead to suboptimal preventive practices and delayed healthcare-seeking behaviour, thereby exacerbating the disease burden.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch has indicated that attitudes toward Lassa fever can significantly impact preventive measures [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. A study conducted in Edo North found that over 59% of respondents demonstrated poor preventive practices, highlighting the need for effective health education strategies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. A study in Sierra Leone reported that only a small percentage of respondents recognized the association between rodent exposure and the risk of Lassa fever, indicating a critical gap in public awareness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. Similarly, another investigation conducted in Nigeria among university students reported that 91.7% of the study population demonstrated poor knowledge regarding Lassa fever whereas 73.3% of those that demonstrated good knowledge exhibited good preventive practices [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo existing study has specifically assessed maternal knowledge and preventive practices regarding Lassa fever, despite the fact that mothers play a crucial role in its prevention by educating their children, recognizing symptoms, and promoting health practices within the family. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge and preventive practices of Lassa fever among mothers of children under five, and examine the influence of sociodemographic factors on knowledge and preventive practices. The findings will provide valuable insights into the challenges of managing Lassa fever and inform targeted public health interventions to enhance maternal awareness and preparedness during outbreaks. Ultimately, increasing the knowledge and improving the attitudes of mothers could play a significant role in reducing the incidence and mortality of Lassa fever in endemic regions.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy Area\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted in the Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, which encompasses an area of 253 km\u0026sup2; and had an estimated population of 131,400. Irrua served as the administrative seat in the western part of Esanland, bordering towns such as Agbede, Ewu, Ekpoma, and Uromi. The area comprised ten wards, namely Opoji, Ewu I, Ewu II, Ikekata, Otoruwo I, Otoruwo II, Uwesan I, Uwesan II, Ugbegun, and Uneah.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStudy Design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this research, targeting women aged 18 to 49 years with children under five years in Esan Central Local Government Area.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStudy Population\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study population included women with children under the age of five years who resided in the Esan Central Local Government Area. The inclusion criteria included consenting women who were permanent residents of the selected wards, while the exclusion criteria included non-residents and those who were unavailable during the administration of the questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStudy Duration\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted from December 2023 to September 2024.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSample Size Determination\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSample size determination was conducted using Cochrane's formula for cross-sectional surveys, utilizing a standard normal deviation (Z) of 1.96, a prevalence (P) of 91.7%, and an error margin (d) to estimate a sample size of 117 respondents with an estimate of a 10% non-response rate giving a final sample size of 130 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSampling Technique\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA multi-stage sampling technique was used. Five wards were randomly selected, and the number of households in each ward was documented. Systematic random sampling was used to select every 25th household, employing a lottery method to choose one eligible mother in cases with multiple eligible individuals and if no mother of a child under five years old was found in a selected household, the next eligible household was chosen.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData Collection Instrument\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData were collected using an interviewer-administered self-structured questionnaire that covered demographic data, knowledge, and practices regarding Lassa fever. The questionnaire underwent pre-testing among a subset of mothers in Eguare, Ekpoma, to ensure its validity and reliability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eReliability and Validity of Measurement\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo ensure reliability, the questionnaire was administered by household, allowing each respondent to understand and fill out the questionnaire appropriately. The same questionnaire was administered to every respondent.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData Collection Method\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eData were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires after obtaining informed consent. Responses were sorted, coded, and analysed using SPSS software (version 30). Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage were employed, along with inferential statistics to examine associations between sociodemographic features and knowledge and practices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eScoring System\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA scoring system was established for the knowledge section, where each correct answer received a score of 1 and each incorrect answer received a score of 0, with a maximum score of 14. Knowledge levels were categorized as follows: 0\u0026ndash;4 indicated poor knowledge, 5\u0026ndash;9 represented fair knowledge, and 10\u0026ndash;14 signified good knowledge while for preventive practices, score of 1\u0026ndash;3 indicated poor practices and 4\u0026ndash;7 signified good practices\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthical approval for the study was obtained from the health research ethics committee of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital. Community consent was obtained from the local leaders before the participants were approached. Written informed consent was provided by the respondents, and the purpose of the research was explained to those who could not read or write, ensuring clarity in their local language.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e "},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" type=\"Results\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 130 respondents participated in the study with a response of 100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSociodemographic features of the respondents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN(%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39(30)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29\u0026ndash;39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75(57.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u0026ndash;49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16(12.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSD\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;Mean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e32.61\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReligion\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChristian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e111(85.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMuslim\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19(14.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarital status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100(76.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngaged\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6(4.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24(18.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthnicity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEsan\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e70(53.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBini\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9(6.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEtsako\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13(10.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYoruba\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10(7.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHausa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6(4.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eigbo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(6.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eothers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14(10.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLevel of education\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3(2.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eprimary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5(3.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003esecondary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36(27.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86(66.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraders\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79(60.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeacher\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19(14.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edoctor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3(2.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003enurse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17(13.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngineer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2(1.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccountant\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5(3.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecretary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5(3.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eParity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27(20.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e64(49.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24(18.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 and above\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15(11.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, the majority of respondents (57.7%) were between 29\u0026ndash;39 years old, 85.4% identified as Christian, most were married (76.9%), and 53.8% belong to the Esan ethnic group. Regarding education, a significant portion of respondents had completed tertiary education (66.2%), while only 2.3% had no formal education. 60.8% of the respondents were traders, and 49.2% reported having two children, while 20.8% had one, 18.5% had three, and 11.5% had four or more.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowledge of Lassa fever\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN(%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHeard about Lassa fever before\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e130(100.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium of Lassa fever Awareness*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamily and Friends\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55(42.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSchool authorities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38(29.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRadio\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47(36.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTV\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57(43.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNewspaper\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19(14.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocial media\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49(37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHealth workers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72(55.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOther sources\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26(20.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIdentifies the following symptoms of Lassa fever*\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFever\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e109(83.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMalaise\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e70(53.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVomiting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e101(77.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCough\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e74(56.9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbdominal pain\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53(40.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSore throat\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49(37.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBleeding\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69(53.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiarrhoea\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e58(44.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnows someone who has had Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40(30.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnows that Lassa fever can mimic other endemic illness\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e71(54.6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnows that Lassa fever is a very severe illness but has good prognosis when diagnosed early\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e102(78.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnows that Lassa fever is a cause of under five death\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89(68.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnows that Lassa fever can affect under five of different socioeconomic status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e90(69.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, 100% had heard of Lassa fever, with health workers identified as the primary source of information (55.4%). The respondents displayed a good understanding of Lassa fever symptoms, with the most recognized being fever (83.8%), vomiting (77.7%), and malaise (53.8%). Additionally, 30.8% reported knowing someone who had contracted Lassa fever.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreventive practices of Lassa fever\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN(%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvoids bush burning as a way to prevent Lassa fever infection\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e90(69.2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStores food properly to reduce the risk of Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e82(63.1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEnsures that food is properly cooked to prevent Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79(60.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePractises proper hand washing before eating to reduce the risk of Lassa\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e93(71.5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvoids the consumption of rats to lower the risk of Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85(65.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaintains proper drainage system around home to prevent Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e92(70.8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvoids contact with infected persons to reduce the risk of Lassa fever\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85(65.4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e shows that 71.5% of respondents practised proper hand washing before eating, making it the most common preventive measure. Other notable practices included maintaining proper drainage around homes (70.8%), avoiding bush burning (69.2%), and avoiding contact with infected individuals (65.4%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAssociation between some sociodemographic features and knowledge of Lassa fever, as well as preventive practices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKnowledge of Lassa Fever\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{\\varvec{x}}^{2}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFair\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePoor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthnicity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEsan\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44 (62.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22 (31.4%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (5.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53.733\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBini\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEtsako\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 (100.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYoruba\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 (90.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 (10.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHausa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 (90.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIgbo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (100.0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eothers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 (35.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2 (14.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (50.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLevel of education\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (100.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43.991\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eprimary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 (100.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003esecondary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27 (75.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 (25.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e67 (77.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (9.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 (12.8%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreventive practices of Lassa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{\\varvec{x}}^{2}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePoor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarital Status\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e61 (61.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39 (39.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.470\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.024*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngaged\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 (100.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20 (83.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (16.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eParity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22 (81.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 (18.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.368\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.025*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46 (71.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 (28.1%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 (45.8%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 (54.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 and above\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (53.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 (46.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, ethnicity and education level were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever. The p-values for both were \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001, indicating a highly significant relationship whereas marital status and parity were significantly associated with preventive practices, as indicated by p-values of 0.024 and 0.025, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBivariable and multivariable analysis of factors associated with practice towards prevention of Lassa fever\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePractice\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCOR (95%CI)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAOR(95%CI)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGood\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePoor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30(34.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9(20.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29\u0026ndash;39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49(56.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26(60.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.333 (0.973\u0026ndash;11.415)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.055\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.402 (0.732\u0026ndash;17.608)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.082\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u0026ndash;49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(9.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(18.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.885 (0.634\u0026ndash;5.601)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.213 (0.439\u0026ndash;40.470)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.213\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReligion\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChristian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e74(85.1%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37(86.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMuslim\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13(14.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6(14.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.923 (0.325\u0026ndash;2.624)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.881\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.197 (0.230-20.984)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.494\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarital status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e61(70.1%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39(90.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngaged\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6(6.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0(0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.313 (0.099\u0026ndash;0.984)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.047*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.473 (0.207\u0026ndash;10.490)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.699\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20(23.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4(9.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthnicity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEsan\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44(50.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26(60.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBini\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4(4.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5(11.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.692 (0.534\u0026ndash;5.368)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.372\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.874 (0.167\u0026ndash;4.592)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.874\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEtsako\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10(11.5%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3(7.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.800 (0.149\u0026ndash;4.297)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.795\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.759 (0.102\u0026ndash;5.66)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.788\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYoruba\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(9.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2(4.7%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.333 (0.633\u0026ndash;17.566)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.294 (0.077\u0026ndash;21.856\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.858\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHausa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6(6.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0(0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.000 (0.616\u0026ndash;25.964)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.146\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.298(0.455\u0026ndash;61.64)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.183\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIgbo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(9.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0(0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7(8.0%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7(16.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN/A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eParity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22(25.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5(11.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46(52.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18(41.9%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.850 (0.945\u0026ndash;15.679)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.060\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.574 (0.338\u0026ndash;19.578)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.361\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11(12.6%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13(30.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.236 (0.707\u0026ndash;7.072)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.171\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.371 (0.258\u0026ndash;7.291)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.711\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 and above\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8(9.2%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7(16.3%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.740 (0.203-2.700)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.649\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.497 (0.080\u0026ndash;3.087)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.453\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCOR: Crude Odds Ratio AOR: Adjusted Odds Ratio CI: Confidence Interval N/A: Not Applicable\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis of Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e examines the associations between various sociodemographic factors and preventive practices against Lassa fever. Age emerged as a potentially relevant factor. Respondents aged 29\u0026ndash;39 years demonstrated a crude odds ratio (COR) of 3.333 (95% CI 0.973\u0026ndash;11.415), indicating a trend toward better preventive practices compared to those aged 18\u0026ndash;28. However, this association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, in which the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) increased to 11.402 (95% CI 0.732\u0026ndash;17.608), suggesting that other factors may have influenced this trend.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarital status was also significant, with engaged individuals showing a COR of 0.313 (95% CI 0.099\u0026ndash;0.984), indicating they were less likely to have good preventive practices than married respondents. This finding was statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.047), but the significance diminished in the adjusted analysis (AOR: 1.473 95% CI 0.207\u0026ndash;10.490, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.699), indicating that the marital status association may be influenced by other sociodemographic variables.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, parity displayed a noteworthy trend. Respondents with two children had a COR of 3.850 (95% CI 0.945\u0026ndash;15.679, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.060), indicating a higher likelihood of practising good prevention measures than the respondents with one child. However, this association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, in which the AOR was 2.574 (95% CI 0.338\u0026ndash;19.578, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.361). Other sociodemographic features such as ethnicity and religion were included in the analysis, but neither demonstrated a statistically significant association with preventive practices in both bivariable and multivariable analysis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe demographic profile reflects a young (87.7%), predominantly Christian (85.4%), and educated population (66.2%), with most respondents married (76.9%) and belonging to the Esan ethnic group (53.8%). 72% of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge, with healthcare workers identified as the primary source of information (55.4%), followed by family and friends (42.3%) and television (43.8%). The respondents displayed a good understanding of Lassa fever symptoms, with the most recognized being fever (83.8%), vomiting (77.7%), and malaise (53.8%). However, awareness of other symptoms like abdominal pain (40.8%) and sore throat (37.7%) was lower, suggesting areas for improvement in health education. Additionally, 30.8% reported knowing someone who had contracted Lassa fever. Over half of the participants (54.6%) understood that Lassa fever can mimic other endemic illnesses, whereas 78.5% acknowledged that it is severe but has a good prognosis if diagnosed early. The recognition that Lassa fever affects children across various socioeconomic statuses was noted by 69.2% of respondents. The findings in this study contradicts that done among university students in Benin where the majority (91.7%) of the respondents demonstrated poor knowledge of Lassa fever [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegarding preventive practices, the most frequently reported preventive practice was proper hand washing before eating, with 71.5% of respondents indicating they followed this measure. Additionally, 70.8% reported maintaining a proper drainage system around their homes, highlighting the importance of sanitation in preventing Lassa fever transmission. Other notable practices included avoiding bush burning (69.2%) and refraining from contact with infected individuals (65.4%), both of which demonstrate an understanding of the environmental factors and direct interactions that can contribute to the spread of the disease. Food safety practices also featured prominently, with 63.1% of respondents stating that they stored food properly to reduce the risk of Lassa fever, while 60.8% ensured that their food was cooked adequately. These figures indicate a significant recognition of the role that food hygiene plays in prevention. Furthermore, 65.4% of participants avoided consuming rats, acknowledging that these animals are primary vectors for the disease. Overall, only 67% of the mothers demonstrated good preventive practices, this value is slightly higher compared to a study done in Ile-Ife where only 49% had good practice towards Lassa fever and in a rural community in Etsako central LGA of Edo state where less than half (41.9%) of the study population had good preventive practices against Lassa fever [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, this study indicates that sociodemographic variables such as ethnicity and education were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever, but these same factors did not significantly influence preventive practices. One potential explanation is that knowledge alone may not directly translate into behaviour change, especially if other barriers, such as access to resources or cultural beliefs, are not addressed. Previous studies have also found that while knowledge of Lassa fever is crucial, the translation of this knowledge into preventive actions often requires sustained health education interventions, particularly in areas with high cultural or resource barriers. For instance, our finding that education level was significantly associated with knowledge but not preventive practices echoes similar results from a study in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, where awareness of Lassa fever was high, but practical preventive measures were limited by socioeconomic constraints [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. This highlights the need for public health strategies that not only improve awareness but also address practical barriers to adopting preventive measures, such as access to sanitation facilities and healthcare services. Additionally, the association between marital status and preventive practices may reflect different roles and responsibilities within households, particularly for single or engaged mothers, who may have more control over health decisions than married women. This aligns with findings from other research, suggesting that family dynamics can influence health behaviours [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExamining the associations between various sociodemographic factors and preventive practices against Lassa fever using binary logistic regression. The analysis indicates that age, marital status, and parity may influence preventive practices; however, none of these variables showed statistically significant associations in the multivariate analysis. For example, respondents aged 29\u0026ndash;39 had a crude odds ratio (COR) of 3.333 (95% CI 0.973\u0026ndash;11.415, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.055), indicating a trend toward better preventive practices compared to those aged 18\u0026ndash;28. However, after adjusting for other factors, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) increased to 11.402 (95% CI 0.732\u0026ndash;17.608, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.082), suggesting that age might not independently influence preventive practices. Similarly, while marital status appeared significant in the bivariable analysis (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.047), the association was not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.473 95% CI 0.207\u0026ndash;10.490, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.699), indicating that when other sociodemographic factors are accounted for, marital status alone does not significantly influence preventive practices. This could be due to the influence of other factors such as education or access to health resources, which are not fully explored in this study. This underscores the complexity of health behaviours, where multiple interacting factors may dilute the impact of individual sociodemographic variables. Parity, although showing a trend toward increased preventive practices for respondents with two children were more likely to engage in preventive practices (COR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.850,95% CI 0.945\u0026ndash;15.679, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.060) compared to those with one child, however, did not remain significant after adjusting for other variables (AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.574, 95% CI 0.338\u0026ndash;19.578, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.361). Similar trends were observed for respondents with three or more children, but were not also significant in the multivariate analysis. These findings suggest that while parity might initially appear to influence preventive behaviours, other underlying factors- potentially related to socioeconomic status, education or household responsibilities- may have a more profound impact.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations of the study\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. First, recall bias may have affected the reliability of the data, particularly when respondents were asked to recall past actions or knowledge about Lassa fever. To minimize this, we used structured interviewer-administered questionnaires to ensure the clarity of responses, however the potential for inaccuracies remains.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecond, social desirability bias may have influenced respondents' reporting of preventive practices. Some participants may have overreported positive behaviours, such as handwashing or proper food storage, to align with perceived social norms. Future studies could incorporate direct observation of behaviours to mitigate this bias.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThird, the study focused specifically on mothers of under-five children in Esan Central Local Government Area, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions in Edo State or Nigeria. Additionally, the cross-sectional design captures data at a single point in time, which limits the ability to assess changes in knowledge or practices over time. Longitudinal studies would be valuable to observe trends and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of health education interventions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, while we examined several sociodemographic factors, other potentially significant determinants of preventive practices, such as cultural beliefs and access to healthcare, were not fully explored in this study. Future research should aim to include these variables to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing Lassa fever prevention.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study have important public health implications for the prevention and control of Lassa fever in endemic regions. While there is a generally high level of awareness and knowledge of Lassa fever among mothers in Esan Central LGA, translating this knowledge into consistent preventive practices remains a challenge. Public health strategies must focus not only on increasing awareness but also on addressing the practical barriers that prevent mothers from adopting preventive measures.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTargeted health education campaigns, particularly those that focus on less recognized symptoms of Lassa fever, such as sore throat and abdominal pain, could enhance early detection and timely healthcare-seeking behaviour. Additionally, efforts to improve sanitation, food storage, and rodent control in households should be prioritized, especially in communities with limited access to resources.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHealthcare providers, including community health workers, can play a critical role in reinforcing preventive messages and ensuring that mothers have the necessary resources to implement them. Policymakers should consider integrating Lassa fever prevention into broader maternal and child health initiatives, ensuring that mothers are equipped not only with knowledge but also with the tools and support needed to protect their families.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthors acknowledge the support from experts who reviewed the survey questionnaire. We would like to thank the respondents who participated in this study and Dr. Perpetua Odafen for reviewing the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSAS contributed to the study design, the data collection, and performed the data analysis. All other authors contributed equally to this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was performed in accordance with the Helsinki\u0026rsquo;s declaration and the protocol was approved by the Ethical Review Board at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo state, Nigeria. Informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians in cases where participants had no formal education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndersen, K. G., Shapiro, B. J., Matranga, C. B., Sealfon, R., Lin, A. E., Moses, L. M., ... \u0026amp; Sabeti, P. C. (2015). Clinical sequencing uncovers origins and evolution of Lassa virus. \u003cem\u003eCell\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e162\u003c/em\u003e(4), 738-750.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePinneo, L., \u0026amp; Pinneo, R. (1971). Mystery virus from Lassa. \u003cem\u003eAJN The American Journal of Nursing\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e71\u003c/em\u003e(7), 1352-1355.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGarry, R.F. Lassa fever \u0026mdash; the road ahead. \u003cem\u003eNat Rev Microbiol\u003c/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e21\u003c/strong\u003e, 87\u0026ndash;96 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00789-8\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWorld Health Organization (WHO) Lassa Fever, 2017 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lassa-fever\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFichet-Calvet E, Rogers DJ. Risk maps of Lassa fever in West Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009;3(3):e388. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000388. Epub 2009 Mar 3. PMID: 19255625; PMCID: PMC2644764.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBowen MD, Rollin PE, Ksiazek TG, et al. Genetic diversity among Lassa virus strains. \u003cem\u003eJ Virol\u003c/em\u003e. 2000;74(15):6992-7004. doi:10.1128/jvi.74.15.6992-7004.2000\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOkokhere P, Colubri A, Azubike C, et al. Clinical and laboratory predictors of Lassa fever outcome in a dedicated treatment facility in Nigeria: a retrospective, observational cohort study. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases. 2018 Jun;18(6):684-695. DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(18)30121-x. PMID: 29523497; PMCID: PMC5984133.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Viral Hemorrhagic fevers. https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ acccessed 29.09.2024\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMcCormick JB, King IJ, Webb PA, et al. Lassa fever. Effective therapy with ribavirin. \u003cem\u003eN Engl J Med\u003c/em\u003e. 1986;314(1):20-26. doi:10.1056/NEJM198601023140104\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention https://ncdc.gov.ng/news/122/despite-the-reduction-in-new-cases%2C-ncdc-and-partners-intensify-response-to-lassa-fever-outbreak acccessed 29.09.2024\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWada, Y. H., Ogunyinka, I. A., Yusuff, K. B., Ochu, C. L., Yahaya, M., Khalid, G. M., Mutalub, Y. B., \u0026amp; Adeniye, S. B. (2022). Knowledge of Lassa fever, its prevention and control practices and their predictors among healthcare workers during an outbreak in Northern Nigeria: A multi-centre cross-sectional assessment. \u003cem\u003ePLoS neglected tropical diseases\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e16\u003c/em\u003e(3), e0010259. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010259\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAromolaran, O., Samson, T. K., \u0026amp; Falodun, O. I. (2023). Knowledge and practices associated with Lassa fever in rural Nigeria: Implications for prevention and control. \u003cem\u003eJournal of public health in Africa\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e14\u003c/em\u003e(9), 2001. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2023.2001\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsuwa, I. S., Akpa, C. O., Umeokonkwo, C. D., Umoke, M., Oguanuo, C. S., Olorukooba, A. A., Bamgboye, E., \u0026amp; Balogun, M. S. (2020). Knowledge and risk perception towards Lassa fever infection among residents of affected communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria: implications for risk communication. \u003cem\u003eBMC public health\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e20\u003c/em\u003e(1), 217. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8299-3\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOgboghodo, E. O., Adam, V. Y., Omuemu, V. O., \u0026amp; Okojie, O. H. (2019). Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Practices Against Lassa Fever Among Residents in a Rural Community in Southern Nigeria. \u003cem\u003eWest African journal of medicine\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e36\u003c/em\u003e(2), 165\u0026ndash;171.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNdu, A. C., Kassy, W. C., Ochie, C. N., Arinze-Onyia, S. U., Okeke, T. A., Aguwa, E. N., Okwor, T. J., \u0026amp; Chinawa, A. (2019). Knowledge, Misperceptions, Preparedness, and Barriers towards Lassa Fever Control among Health Care Workers in a Tertiary Institution in Enugu, Nigeria. \u003cem\u003eJournal of health care for the poor and underserved\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e30\u003c/em\u003e(3), 1151\u0026ndash;1164. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2019.0079\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOlowookere, S. A., Adegbenro, C. A., Idowu, A., Omisore, A. G., Shabi, O. M., Ikem, U. R., Ekwere, G. A., \u0026amp; Oderinde, I. F. (2017). Knowledge Attitude and Practices Toward Lassa Fever Control and Prevention Among Residents of Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria. \u003cem\u003eInternational quarterly of community health education\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e37\u003c/em\u003e(2), 107\u0026ndash;112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272684X17701261\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKamara, AB.S., Moseray, A., Fatoma, P. \u003cem\u003eet al.\u003c/em\u003e Analysing the association between perceived knowledge, and attitudes on Lassa Fever infections and mortality risk factors in lower Bambara Chiefdom. \u003cem\u003eBMC Public Health\u003c/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e24\u003c/strong\u003e, 1684 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19170-w\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIghedosa, Stephena \u0026amp; S.U., \u0026amp; Aighewi, Isoken \u0026amp; Usifo, \u0026amp; S.F., \u0026amp; Odigie, Amienwanlen \u0026amp; ASEMOTA, Osakpamwen \u0026amp; D.O.,. (2017). Knowledge, Attitude and practice of Lassa fever prevention by students of the University of Benin. J. Science and Practice Pharmacy. 3. 75-83. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCochran, W.G. (1977) Sampling Techniques. 3rd Edition, John Wiley \u0026amp; Sons, New York.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Lassa fever, knowledge, preventive practices, mothers, under-five children, Edo State, Nigeria","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease endemic to West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Despite efforts to control its spread, gaps in knowledge and preventive behaviors remain, particularly among vulnerable groups such as mothers of young children. This study assessed the perception, knowledge, and preventive practices regarding Lassa fever among mothers of under-five children in Esan Central Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 mothers with children under five using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 30, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to assess the associations between sociodemographic factors, knowledge, and preventive practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll participants (100%) had heard of Lassa fever, with health workers being the most common source of information (55.4%). Most mothers (72%) demonstrated good knowledge of Lassa fever symptoms, whereas 67% reported good preventive practices, such as handwashing (71.5%) and maintaining proper drainage systems (70.8%). Ethnicity and education were significantly associated with knowledge of Lassa fever (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), while marital status and parity were significantly associated with preventive practices (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study revealed high awareness and knowledge of Lassa fever among mothers, yet preventive practices were suboptimal. Public health interventions should focus on improving preventive behaviours through targeted health education, particularly in underserved communities, to reduce the disease burden in endemic regions.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Knowledge, Perception and Preventive Practices of Lassa Fever Among Mothers of Under- Five Children in an Endemic Community in Edo State, Nigeria","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-01-09 04:44:47","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5582518/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-02-03T12:03:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-01-23T09:35:08+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-01-22T10:00:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"254582787701845939958640324643789785032","date":"2025-01-18T14:46:02+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"196786973664316340578780816592530247214","date":"2025-01-12T15:11:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"90711212191316320151364120615555633249","date":"2025-01-11T20:24:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"127850911799769232524330320511466612776","date":"2025-01-10T06:29:01+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-01-01T18:56:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"197872728404447785439862527063920436846","date":"2024-12-26T16:57:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"328548149616616937550960438456450276603","date":"2024-12-26T09:45:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-12-26T08:11:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-12-26T08:06:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2024-12-09T06:01:12+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-12-06T13:10:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Public Health","date":"2024-12-06T13:09:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"7657edf5-7653-4b3d-bc41-c9f37d018265","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 9th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-03-10T20:21:40+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5582518","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22057-z","journal":{"identity":"bmc-public-health","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Public Health"},"publishedOn":"2025-03-03 15:57:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 3rd, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-01-09 04:44:47","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12889-025-22057-z","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22057-z","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5582518","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5582518","identity":"rs-5582518","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}