{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,26]],"date-time":"2026-10-26T23:23:20Z","timestamp":1793057000675,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]],"date-time":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1581465600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]],"date-time":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1581465600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Public Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Lassa fever (LF) is an epidemic-prone zoonotic disease prevalent in Nigeria and Ebonyi State is a high burden area in Nigeria. Low risk perceptions have been reported to prevent appropriate preventive behaviours. We investigated the knowledge and risk perception of residents towards LF and determined the factors influencing their risk perception in communities that have reported confirmed cases of LF.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>We conducted a cross-sectional study in the affected wards in Abakaliki Local Government Area (LGA). We interviewed 356 adult respondents recruited across 6 settlements in 3 of the affected wards through multistage sampling technique. Information on participants\u2019 knowledge of LF, their risk perception using the health belief model as well as factors influencing risk perception were obtained. We estimated the proportions of respondents with good knowledge and high risk perceptions. We also explored the relationship between risk perception, knowledge and sociodemographic characteristics using Chi Square and logistic regression at 5% level of significance.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>The mean age of the participants was 33.3\u2009\u00b1\u200912.2\u2009years, 208 (63.2%) were females, 230 (69.9%) were married and 104 (31.6%) had attained tertiary education. Though 99.1% were aware of LF infection, 50.3% among them had poor knowledge of LF symptoms and risk factors, 92.9% had high risk perception of severity, 72.4% had a high feeling of susceptibility towards LF infection, 82.5% had a high perceived self-efficacy towards LF infection, 63.5% had a low perceived benefit of LF preventive practices and 31.8% had high perceived barrier towards LF preventive practices. Good knowledge of LF was the only significant factor influencing risk perception; perceived severity: (COR: 3.0, 95%CI: 1.2\u20137.8), perceived susceptibility (AOR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.25\u20133.3) and perceived benefit (COR: 2.1, 95%CI: 1.3\u20133.3).<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Good knowledge of LF influences risk perception towards LF which has great import on LF preventive practices. A gap exists in the content and acceptance of LF risk communication information in the LGA. There is a need to review the risk communication messages in the state towards LF in the community with special focus on the males and younger population.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]],"date-time":"2020-02-12T14:02:47Z","timestamp":1581516167000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Knowledge and risk perception towards Lassa fever infection among residents of affected communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria: implications for risk communication"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9584-784X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ifeoma Sophia","family":"Usuwa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian Obasi","family":"Akpa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chukwuma David","family":"Umeokonkwo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"MaryJoy","family":"Umoke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chukwuemeka Steve","family":"Oguanuo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdulhakeem Abayomi","family":"Olorukooba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eniola","family":"Bamgboye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammad Shakir","family":"Balogun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"8299_CR1","volume-title":"Lassa Fever","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2017","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Lassa Fever. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 2017. Available from: https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/lassa-fever"},{"key":"8299_CR2","volume-title":"Rapid Risk Assessment Lassa Fever in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Germany and USA","author":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)","year":"2016","unstructured":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Rapid Risk Assessment Lassa Fever in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Germany and USA; 2016. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Available from: https:\/\/ecdc.europa.eu\/sites\/portal\/files\/media\/en\/publications\/publications\/RRA-Lassa-Fever-Germany-march-2016.pdf"},{"issue":"1","key":"8299_CR3","first-page":"1","volume":"44","author":"O Ogbu","year":"2007","unstructured":"Ogbu O, Ajuluchukwu E, Uneke C. Lassa fever in west African sub-region: an overview. J Vector Borne Dis. 2007;44(1):1\u201311 Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/m\/pubmed\/17378212.","journal-title":"J Vector Borne Dis"},{"key":"8299_CR4","volume-title":"Lassa Fever","author":"Nigeria Center for Disease Control","year":"2019","unstructured":"Nigeria Center for Disease Control. Lassa Fever; 2019. Nigeria Center for Disease Control. Available from: https:\/\/ncdc.gov.ng\/diseases\/factsheet\/47"},{"key":"8299_CR5","volume-title":"Lassa fever","author":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention","year":"2019","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lassa fever. 2019. Available from: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vhf\/lassa\/index\/html"},{"key":"8299_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0016460","volume":"6","author":"P Poletti","year":"2011","unstructured":"Poletti P, Ajelli M, Merler S. The effect of risk perception on the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza dynamics. PLoS One. 2011;6:e16460.","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"8299_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mbs.2012.04.003","volume":"238","author":"P Poletti","year":"2012","unstructured":"Poletti P, Ajelli M, Merler S. Risk perception and effectiveness of uncoordinated behavioral responses in an emerging epidemic. Math Biosci. 2012;238:80\u20139.","journal-title":"Math Biosci"},{"issue":"1","key":"8299_CR8","first-page":"1","volume":"11","author":"NK Janz","year":"1984","unstructured":"Janz NK, Becker MH. The health belief model: a decade later. Health Educ Behav. 1984;11(1):1\u201347.","journal-title":"Health Educ Behav"},{"issue":"2","key":"8299_CR9","first-page":"175","volume":"15","author":"IM Rosenstock","year":"1988","unstructured":"Rosenstock IM, Strecher VJ, Becker MH. Social learning theory and the health belief model. Health Educ Behav. 1988;15(2):175\u201383.","journal-title":"Health Educ Behav"},{"key":"8299_CR10","first-page":"45","volume-title":"Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice","author":"VL Champion","year":"2008","unstructured":"Champion VL, Skinner CSC. The health belief model. In: Glanz K, Rimer B, Viswanath K, editors. Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey Bass; 2008. p. 45\u201365.","edition":"4"},{"key":"8299_CR11","unstructured":"Rimer BK, Glanz K. Theory at a glance: A guide for health promotion practice. 2nd ed. US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 2005. https:\/\/cancercontrol.cancer.gov\/brp\/research\/theories_project\/theory.pdf."},{"key":"8299_CR12","unstructured":"Stretcher V, Rosenstock IM. The Health Belief Model. In: Glanz K, Lewis FM, Rimer BK, editors. Health Behaviour and Health Education: Theory, Research and Practise. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1997. p. 31\u20136."},{"key":"8299_CR13","volume-title":"Risk Communication: Frequently asked questions","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2019","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Risk Communication: Frequently asked questions. 2019. World Health Organization. Available from: https:\/\/www.who.int\/risk-communication\/faq\/en\/"},{"key":"8299_CR14","volume-title":"Press release:NCDC Reviews Lassa Fever outbreak response amidst reducing number of cases","author":"Nigeria Center for Disease Control","year":"2019","unstructured":"Nigeria Center for Disease Control. Press release:NCDC Reviews Lassa Fever outbreak response amidst reducing number of cases. 2019. Nigeria Center for Disease Control; Available from: https:\/\/ncdc.gov.ng\/news\/164\/press-release%3A-ncdc-reviews-lassa-fever-outbreak-response-amidst-reducing-number-of-cases"},{"key":"8299_CR15","first-page":"115","volume-title":"Sample size determination. Research Methodology with Statistics for Health and Social Sciences","author":"M Araoye","year":"2004","unstructured":"Araoye M. Sample size determination. Research Methodology with Statistics for Health and Social Sciences. Ilorin: Nathadex Publishers; 2004. p. 115\u201321."},{"issue":"4","key":"8299_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.9734\/ACRI\/2018\/39904","volume":"13","author":"E Nwonwu","year":"2018","unstructured":"Nwonwu E, Alo C, Una A, Madubueze U, Eze I, Eze N, et al. Knowledge of Lassa fever and its determinants among traders in Izzi Community in South-East Nigeria. Arch Curr Res Int. 2018;13(4):1\u20139.","journal-title":"Arch Curr Res Int"},{"key":"8299_CR17","first-page":"56","volume":"30","author":"IT Ijarotimi","year":"2018","unstructured":"Ijarotimi IT, Ilesanmi OS, Aderinwale A, Abiodun-Adewusi O, Okon IM. Knowledge of Lassa fever and use of infection prevention and control facilities among health care workers during Lassa fever outbreak in ondo state, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J. 2018;30:56.","journal-title":"Pan Afr Med J"},{"issue":"6","key":"8299_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"922","DOI":"10.4103\/2141-9248.144914","volume":"4","author":"A Kamran","year":"2014","unstructured":"Kamran A, Sadeghieh Ahari S, Biria M, Malepour A, Heydari H. Determinants of patient\u2019s adherence to hypertension medications: application of health belief model among rural patients. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014;4(6):922\u20137 [cited 2018 May 4]. Available from: http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/25506487.","journal-title":"Ann Med Health Sci Res"},{"issue":"9","key":"8299_CR19","first-page":"11","volume":"20","author":"SIS Onoruoiza","year":"2015","unstructured":"Onoruoiza SIS, Musa A, Umar BD, Kunle YS. Using health beliefs model as an intervention to non compliance with hypertension information among hypertensive patient. Int Organ Sci Res J Humanit Soc Sci. 2015;20(9):11\u20136 Available from: www.iosrjournals.org.","journal-title":"Int Organ Sci Res J Humanit Soc Sci"},{"key":"8299_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"882","DOI":"10.4081\/jphia.2018.882","volume":"9","author":"JO Wogu","year":"2018","unstructured":"Wogu JO. Mass media awareness campaign and the prevention of the spread of Lassa fever in the rural communities of Ebonyi state, Nigeria: Impact evaluation. J Public Health Africa. 2018;9:882.","journal-title":"J Public Health Africa"},{"issue":"2","key":"8299_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1177\/0272684X17701261","volume":"37","author":"SA Olowookere","year":"2017","unstructured":"Olowookere SA, Adegbenro CA, Idowu A, Omisore AG, Shabi OM, Ikem UR, et al. Knowledge Attitude and Practices Toward Lassa Fever Control and Prevention Among Residents of Ile-Ife , Southwest Nigeria. Int Q Community Health Educ. 2017;37(2):107\u201312.","journal-title":"Int Q Community Health Educ"},{"issue":"1","key":"8299_CR22","first-page":"014","volume":"2","author":"C Reuben","year":"2016","unstructured":"Reuben C, Gyar S. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of Lassa fever in and around Lafia, Central Nigeria. Int J Public Heal Epidemiol Res. 2016;2(1):014\u20139.","journal-title":"Int J Public Heal Epidemiol Res"},{"issue":"2","key":"8299_CR23","first-page":"15","volume":"1","author":"O Ochei","year":"2014","unstructured":"Ochei O, Abejegah C, Okoh E, Abah S. Housing factors and transmission of Lassa fever in a rural area of south-South Nigeria. Gen Heal Med Sci. 2014;1(2):15\u201320.","journal-title":"Gen Heal Med Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"8299_CR24","first-page":"1","volume":"4","author":"OS Ilesanmi","year":"2015","unstructured":"Ilesanmi OS, Omotoso B, Alele FO, Adewuyi P. Awareness of Lassa Fever in a Rural Community in South West Nigeria . Original Article Awareness of Lassa Fever in a Rural Community in South. J Community Heal Res. 2015;4(1):1\u201310.","journal-title":"J Community Heal Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"8299_CR25","first-page":"26","volume":"3","author":"WO Adebimpe","year":"2015","unstructured":"Adebimpe WO. Community awareness and perception towards rodent control : implications for prevention and control of Lassa fever in urban slums of South- Western Nigeria. Malta J Heal Sci. 2015;3(1):26\u201332 Available from: http:\/\/www.um.edu.mt\/healthsciences\/mjhs.","journal-title":"Malta J Heal Sci"},{"issue":"4","key":"8299_CR26","first-page":"122","volume":"1","author":"A Aigbiremolen","year":"2012","unstructured":"Aigbiremolen A, Duru C, Awunor N, Abejegah C, Abah S, Asogun A, et al. Knowledge and application of infectious disease control measures among primary care workers in Nigeria: the Lassa fever example. Int J Basic, Appl Innov Res. 2012;1(4):122\u20139.","journal-title":"Int J Basic, Appl Innov Res"},{"issue":"8","key":"8299_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1059","DOI":"10.14202\/vetworld.2018.1059-1063","volume":"11","author":"EJ Awosanya","year":"2018","unstructured":"Awosanya EJ. Post-epidemic awareness and knowledge of Lassa fever among residents in affected community in Ibadan , Oyo State , Nigeria. Vet World. 2018;11(8):1059\u201363 Available from: www.veterinaryworld.org\/Vol.11\/August-2018\/7.pdf%0A.","journal-title":"Vet World"},{"issue":"May","key":"8299_CR28","first-page":"286","volume":"130","author":"OO Adetola","year":"2019","unstructured":"Adetola OO, Adebisi MA. Impacts of deforestation on the spread of Mastomys natalensis in Nigeria. World Sci News. 2019;130(May):286\u201396.","journal-title":"World Sci News"},{"key":"8299_CR29","first-page":"9","volume-title":"National Guidelines for Lassa Fever Case Management","author":"Nigeria Centre for Disease Control","year":"2018","unstructured":"Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. National Guidelines for Lassa Fever Case Management; 2018. p. 9. Available from: https:\/\/ncdc.gov.ng\/themes\/common\/docs\/protocols\/92_1547068532.pdf"},{"issue":"5","key":"8299_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0002789","volume":"8","author":"L Wong","year":"2014","unstructured":"Wong L, AbuBakar S, Chinna K. Community Knowledge,health beliefs,Practices and Experiences Related to Dengue Fever and its association with IgG Seropositivity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014;8(5):e2789.","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"}],"container-title":["BMC Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,11]],"date-time":"2021-02-11T12:27:29Z","timestamp":1613046449000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]}},"alternative-id":["8299"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12889-020-8299-3","relation":{},"ISSN":["1471-2458"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1471-2458","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,12]]},"assertion":[{"value":"22 October 2019","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"29 January 2020","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"12 February 2020","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Review Committee of Ebonyi State Ministry of Health (Reference number: EBS\/MOH\/ERC\/V.53\/032). Written informed consent was obtained before collecting data from respondents. Confidentiality was maintained by avoiding specific personal identifiers in the study instrument.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare that they have no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"217"}}