PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE AND VICTIMS STIGMATIZATION IN LAGOS NIGERIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemics are
associated with significant social stigma which
is capable of disrupting the quality of life of the
affected both directly and indirectly. Stigma is a
major factor preventing access to health care
services, which leads to late detection and
treatment with further spread of EVD. Good
knowledge is a critical component in increasing
the likelihood of individual to adopt the
prevention and health seeking behaviors. This
research assessed the knowledge, factors
affecting knowledge of EVD and victim's
stigmatization in Lagos Nigeria.
METHODS
A descriptive cross-sectional study among
1982 respondents aged 18 years and above
from five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in
Lagos State was conducted using semistructured
and interviewer administered
questionnaire. Data obtained was collated and
analyzed using Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Chi square was
used to test for association between variables
with level of significance set at p< 0.05.
RESULTS
The mean age of respondents was 32.4±9.9
years. Most 1936 (97.7%) of the respondents
had heard about EVD. About half 1092 (55.1%)
of the respondents had secondary level of
education. Majority of the respondents (97.9 %)
had good knowledge. About half (47.0%) and
(51.0%) of the respondents believed EVD can
be prevented by drinking salt water and bathing
with salt water respectively. More than half of
the respondents 1350 (69.3%) were not willing
to live in the same house with someone who had
been cured of EVD while 1405 (72.1%) would
not work in the same office with someone who
had been cured of EVD and 1357 (70.8%) were
not willing to allow their children to attend a
school where student had died of EVD.
Education was found to be statistically
significant with level of knowledge. (p< 0.001)
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the respondents had good knowledge
of EVD but misconceptions and stigmatization
towards EVD survivors and contacts exists.
Knowledge was found to be statistically
significant with education and stigmatization of
EVD's survivors and contacts. Hence, we
suggest community-based education on EVD
to correct misconceptions among the publics
with emphasis on reduction of stigmatization
towards EVD survivors and contacts.