AWARENESS AND MANAGEMENT OF LASSA FEVER VIRUS AMONG HEEALTH AND NON – HEALTH WORKERS IN TEACHING HOSPITALS IN EBONYI STATES

Abstract

The study centered on the awareness and management of Lassa fever virus among health and non-health workers in teaching hospitals in Ebonyi State. Three research questions guided the study while three hypotheses were tested at 00.5 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. The population of the study comprised 5.340 health and non- health workers in the two teaching hospitals in Ebonyi state. The population for the study was made up of 1.924 health workers and 3.416 non -health workers. The sample for the study was 534 respondents. The instrument for data collection was a researchers developed structure questionnaire titled “Awareness and Management of Lassa fever Questionnaire” (AMLFQ)”. The instrument comprised 20 items divided in clusters according to the three research questions. The instrument was face-validated by three experts which comprised two from Department of Health and Physical Education and one from Measurement and Evaluation Unit of Department of Science and Computer Education, all from Faculty of Education, Enugu state University of Science and Technology (ESUT). Reliability of the instrument was determined using Kuder Richardson K reliability estimate which the index was 0.79 making the instrument reliable. The 534 copies of the Questionnaire were administered on health and non-health workers by the researcher with the help of 2 research assistant who were properly briefed in a one day meeting. Frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze data related to the research questions 1 and 2. Mean with standard deviation was used to answer research question 3. The hypotheses were tested using chi-square as well as t-test the findings of the study revealed that, the health and non – health workers have a high level of awareness of the mode of transmission and symptoms of Lassa fever virus. They also agree on the management practices for prevention of Lassa fever virus. Based on the findings the researcher recommended that government and stakeholders in the health sector of Ebonyi State should carry out campaigns to address possible mode of transmission of Lassa fever virus in order to sensitize the entire populace. The management of the teaching hospitals should educate the health and non-health workers on the common symptoms of Lassa fever virus.