Premium
Ebola virus disease – gaps in knowledge and practice among healthcare workers in Lagos, August 2014
Author(s) -
Oladimeji Abisola M.,
Gidado Saheed,
Nguku Patrick,
Nwangwu Iruoma Genevieve,
Patil Nikhil D.,
Oladosu Femi,
Roberts Alero Ann,
Waziri Ndadilnasiya E.,
Shuaib Faisal,
Oguntimehin Olukayode,
Musa Emmanuel,
Nasidi Abdulsalami,
Adewuyi Peter,
Olayinka Adebola,
Odubanjo Oladoyin,
Poggensee Gabriele
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12528
Subject(s) - ebola virus , health care , medicine , virology , disease , family medicine , political science , virus , pathology , law
Objective Healthcare workers ( HCW s) play pivotal roles in outbreak responses. Ebola virus disease ( EVD ) outbreak spread to Lagos, Nigeria, in July 2014, infecting 11 HCW s (case fatality rate of 45%). This study was conducted during the outbreak to assess HCW s' EVD ‐related knowledge and practices. Methods A health facility‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among HCW s across Lagos State using stratified sampling technique. An interviewer‐administered questionnaire was administered to elicit respondents' socio‐demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices. A checklist assessing health facility's level of preparedness and HCW s' EVD ‐related training was employed. HCW s' knowledge and practices were scored and classified as either good or poor. Multivariate analysis was performed with confidence interval set at 95%. Results A total of 112 health facilities with 637 HCW s were recruited. Mean age of respondents was 40.1 ± 10.9 years. Overall, 72.5% had good knowledge; doctors knew most. However, only 4.6% of HCW s reported good practices. 16.6% reported having been trained in identifying suspected EVD patient(s); 12.2% had a triaging area for febrile patients in their facilities. Higher proportions of HCW s with good knowledge and training reported good practices. HCW s with EVD ‐related training were three times more likely to adopt good practices. Conclusion Lagos State HCW s had good knowledge of EVD without a corresponding level of good practices. Training was a predictor of good practices.