Knowledge Sharing Among Public Health Practitioners on Zoonotic Diseases in Plateau State, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Nigerian Veterinary Journal
This study explores factors that motivate and also factors that hinder knowledge sharing among public health professionals in managing zoonotic diseases in Plateau State, Nigeria. A qualitative method using a case study research design was used for the study. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. The analysis was done using qualitative content analysis. Findings revealed that; Forum to share knowledge, Adequate funding, Professional ethics, Policy, and Organizational support constitutes major motivating factors for multidisciplinary knowledge sharing; while Professional dichotomy, Negative traits, Monodisciplinary training, Lack of policy, Lack of funds, and Leadership Issues are major hindrances to multidisciplinary knowledge sharing in managing zoonotic infections in Plateau State, Nigeria.The approach to multidisciplinary knowledge sharing will be positive when factors that motivate public health professionals are adequately in place;...
2021
Two constructs of social exchange theory explain the perception of veterinary and medical health professionals about knowledge sharing on zoonotic disease control. Two research questions were raised as follows: What is the perception of veterinary and medical health professionals about knowledge sharing in managing zoonotic diseases? How do the constructs of social exchange theory explain the perception of veterinary and medical health professionals about knowledge sharing in managing zoonotic disease? A qualitative method using a case study research design was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants for the study. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. The analysis was done using qualitative content analysis. Findings revealed that the two construct of social exchange theory "reciprocity" and "trust" explain the perception of health professionals about knowledge sharing in managing zoonotic disease.
MEDVIX PUBLICATIONS, 2024
A cross-sectional study using a structured and semi-structured questionnaire was conducted from July 15 to September 30, 2022, in Kellem Wollega Zone, with the main goal of determining the community's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding common zoonotic diseases (Anthrax, Brucellosis, and Rabies) and their prevention and control measures. A total of 392 (267 male and 125 female) respondents were interviewed face to face that includes 50 (12.8%) degree and above, 66 (16.8%) diplomas, 99 (25.3%) grade 1-8, 48 (12.2%) learning or completed high school and 129 (32.9%) uneducated respondents. With respect to occupation, 46 (11.7%) animal health and human health professionals, 66 (16.8%) other experts, 56 (14.3%) students, 34 (3.6%) merchants, and 190 (48.5%) farmers were contacted for interviews. The community's Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the study area regarding zoonotic diseases were 221 (56.4%), 317 (80.8%), and 219 (55.8%), respectively. From the total of 263 educated respondents, 178(67.7%) have good knowledge, good perceptions, and practices regarding common zoonotic diseases, while only 85 (32.3%) of them have no information about zoonotic diseases. But, of the total 129 uneducated respondents, only 51(39.5%) have general knowledge, good perceptions, and practices on these diseases, and 78(60.5%) of them heard nothing about zoonotic diseases. In general, out of 392 respondents, 186 (47.5%) have general information on all common zoonotic diseases in the study area (Anthrax, Brucellosis, and Rabies). More respondents have awareness of Rabies 213 (54.3%), followed by Anthrax 201 (51.3%) and Brucellosis 90 (22.9%) as indicated in Table 2 and Figure 3. Statistically, sex, educational level, and type of occupation have a significant impact (P<0.05) on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the community on zoonotic diseases (Table 3). This indicates that females, uneducated respondents, and those respondents with non-related occupations to the health profession were found to have less awareness of zoonotic diseases. It may be due to a lack of training or education, the presence of a knowledge gap from person to person, and differences in circumstances of awareness creation from place to place on zoonotic diseases. Therefore, designing a strategic and continuous health education is mandatory and all concerned professionals need to be committed to creating awareness for the community on zoonotic diseases.
PubMed, 2019
This study was aimed to assess zoonotic disease knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices of animal health professionals in Nigeria. Cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 582 participants and 529 responded. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models. The proportion of veterinarians (92.0%) which knowledge about zoonosis was much higher (P < 0.001) than that of para-veterinarians (32.4%). In contrast to para-veterinarians (46.2%), the majority of veterinarians (76.7%) perceived high risk of zoonotic infections during necropsy/tissue collections. Similarly, a much higher (P < 0.001) proportion of veterinarians (54.0%) considered hand washing before eating at work as effective way of risk mitigation, compared to para-veterinarians (25.0%). Professionals in large animal practice were less likely (OR 0.35; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.77) not to be engaged in satisfactory protective measures. These results constitute public health contributions to the risk mitigation information that may support measures for zoonosis prevention in Nigeria.
Health workers’ knowledge of zoonotic diseases in an endemic region of Western Uganda
Zoonoses and Public Health, 2018
Many factors, including lack of knowledge, influence diagnosis and reporting of disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. Health Care workers (HCWs) are in constant interaction with communities and play an important role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, including zoonoses. We determined knowledge of HCWs regarding cause, vector, transmission, diagnosis and clinical symptoms of five zoonotic diseases: anthrax, brucellosis, rabies as well as Ebola and marburg haemorrhagic fevers in endemic western Uganda. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among HCWs based at health centres in and around Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, Western Uganda. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure knowledge of these five most common zoonoses recently recorded in the area. Data were captured as true if the responses were correct or false if incorrect. Analyses were in STATA and inferential statistics by cross-tabulation, and a chisquare P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. A majority (114/140; 81.4%) of the respondents had heard about zoonoses. The most accurately identified zoonoses were anthrax (128/140; 91.4%) closely followed by rabies (126/140; 90%), while only 21 (15%) respondents knew that cryptosporidiosis was zoonotic. Up to 20% (28/140) and 12.8% (18/140) thought that malaria and HIV, respectively, were zoonotic. There was poor overall knowledge of the endemic diseases brucellosis among all the participants, where only 1.4% (2/140) knew its causative agent, clinical symptoms and transmission. There was a total lack of knowledge (0%) about anthrax and Ebola whereby none of the 140 HCWs knew all the three above aspects required to be knowledgeable for each of the two diseases. Generally, there was poor knowledge of the five zoonoses. We recommend that medical curricula incorporate training on zoonotic and other emerging diseases, and continuing medical education regarding zoonoses should be designed for the HCWs practicing in hotspot zones.
Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research
This study was conducted with the objectives of assessing the level of awareness on zoonotic diseases among residents of Makurdi Metropolis. Questionnaire was structured into 3 sections namely, socio- demographic characteristics of residents, Awareness on domestic animals, and wild animals transmission of zoonotic diseases. Simple and systematic random sampling was used to select sample locations in which a total of 250 questionnaires were administered; Descriptive statistics, Students t-test and chi-square analysis were used to analyzed data. Field result showed that 144 respondents male were interviewed while 106 respondents were female. Residents of Makurdi Metropolis were quite aware of zoonotic diseases in both domestic and wild animals. The commonest domestic animal zoonotic diseases known to residents were: the Mad Dog disease, Bird Flu and Swain Flu. While the commonest wild animal zoonotic diseases known to residents were: Monkey Pox disease, Ebola disease, and Lassa fever...
2020
This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the level of awareness on zoonotic diseases among residents of Makurdi Metropolis. Questionnaire was structured into 3 sections namely, socio- demographic characteristics of residents, awareness on domestic animals, and wild animals transmission of zoonotic diseases. Simple and systematic random sampling was used to select sample locations in which a total of 250 questionnaires were administered; descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test and chi-square analysis were used to analyzed data. Field result showed that 144 respondents male were interviewed while 106 respondents were female. Residents of Makurdi Metropolis were quite aware of zoonotic diseases in both domestic and wild animals. The commonest domestic animal zoonotic diseases known to residents were: the mad dog disease, bird flu and swine flu. While the commonest wild animal zoonotic diseases known to residents were: monkey pox disease, Ebola disease, and Lassa fever,...
Communicating about zoonotic disease: Strategic considerations for wildlife professionals
Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2011
A set of interrelated social and environmental changes have accelerated the transmission of wildlife-associated infectious diseases around the world. Emerging infectious disease (EID) events take a heavy toll on human health and have significant global economic impacts. In the risk-averse society of the United States, EID events associated with wildlife, particularly zoonoses, have potential to diminish the value of wildlife for society, depress interest in wildlife-related activities and decrease support for wildlife conservation. Messages about wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases should promote human and animal health, while avoiding development of exaggerated risk perceptions that can have deleterious effects on participation in wildlife-related outdoor activities or support for wildlife conservation. We outline 3 categories of negative consequences arising from current communication conditions with respect to zoonoses. We then describe key communication links that the wildlife profession needs to address to obviate these consequences. Finally, we propose a number of actions the wildlife professional community can take to improve communication about zoonotic diseases. In this regard, we discuss the One Health concept and other opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration on communication between wildlife health, wildlife management, and public health professionals. We conclude that a foundation for effective communication about zoonotic diseases needs to be built on stronger interdisciplinary collaboration between the wildlife profession and the public health profession. Starting from a solid foundation of collaboration among wildlife veterinarians and wildlife biologists and managers, wildlife professionals should build strong bridges with the public health profession. We suggest that the latter can be spanned by wildlife veterinarians.
Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2010
Zoonoses are infections naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. An exploratory questionnaire-based survey of animal health workers(n=36) and livestock keepers(n=43) was carried out from April 2001 to March 2002 in Tanga and Arusha regions, northern Tanzania, to assess local knowledge, attitudes and public awareness for animal zoonoses. A combination of closed and open-ended questions, focus group discussions and ranking techniques were employed to gather information on perceptions concerning the type of zoonotic diseases prevalent in the study area, level of risk, mode of transmission and methods of preventing disease transmission from animals to humans. The results demonstrated that rabies, tuberculosis and anthrax were considered the three most common zoonotic diseases. Sharing living accommodation with animals, consumption of untreated livestock products (i.e. milk, meat or eggs) and attending to parturition were perceived as routes of transmission. Knowledge about zoonosis was higher in smallholder dairy (92%; 33/36) than traditional livestock keepers (P<0.05). On the contrary, the perceived risk of contracting a zoonosis was significantly higher in traditional livestock (86%; 6/7) than smallholder dairy keepers (P<0.05). Stratification of the risk of zoonosis by farm location revealed that rural farms (85%; 7/8) were considered significantly at a higher risk when compared to peri or urban located farms (P<0.05). Most of the respondents stated cooking of meat or boiling of milk as a way to prevent transmission. However, there was a significant difference in the perception of the risk posed by contact with potentially infected animals /or animal products with animal health workers having a much higher level of perception compared to livestock keepers. These results suggest that in the Tanga and Arusha, Tanzania, patchy awareness and knowledge of zoonoses, combined with food consumption habits and poor animal husbandry are likely to expose respondents to an increased risk of contracting zoonoses. Public health promotion on education and inter-disciplinary one-health collaboration between vets, public health practitioners and policy makers should result in a more efficient and effective joint approach to the diagnosis and control of zoonoses in Tanzania.