Knowledge, perception and preventive practices of Lassa fever among mothers of under-five children in an endemic community in Edo State, Nigeria.

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 behaviours remain, particularly among mothers of young children. This study assessed the knowledge, perception, 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, where as 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, ethnicity 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.