KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND PRACTICE OF MOTHERS OF UNDER FIVE ON CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS IN YOLA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ADAMAWA STATE

Abstract

Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) epidemics mostly affect under-5 children and contribute significantly to under-five mortality rate in Nigeria. There is little study conducted in Northern Nigeria to ascertain the knowledge, practice and perception of mothers of Under-5 on CSM. This study was conducted to explore knowledge, perception and practice of mothers of under-five on cerebral spinal meningitis in Yola North Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state. The study was cross-sectional in design. A three-stage sampling technique which involve random selection of 6 ward out of the 10wards in the local government, proportionate selection of 10 communities from the six wards, and random sampling of 401 consenting respondents. Mothers were interviewed using a validated interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire to collect information on knowledge, perception and practice. Knowledge was assessed on a 29-point scale and score >19 was categorized as good, (15-19) categorized as fair while scores <15 was categorized as poor. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and multivariate analyses at p=0.05. Respondents’ age was 31.23±10.37 and majority (70.3%) of the respondents was ≤35 years. Predominantly 72.5% of the respondents were Muslims. Few (30%) of the respondents had tertiary education, 28.4% had secondary education, while those that had primary education and no formal education were of almost equal proportion (20.9%). Majority of the respondents (82.0%) knew that overcrowding, may lead to transmission and spread of CSM in a community. Mean Knowledge score was 13.5±4.9 categorized as good, fair and poor with 7.7%, 39.9% and 52.4% respectively. Marital status, religion, educational status and monthly income of respondents had significant association between levels of knowledge of respondents about CSM. Respondents’ perception on the possibility of their children getting CSM showed that only 3.6% felt it was highly possible while those that felt the possibility was low were 21.8%, 17.2% felt “Never” and 57.4% “Didn’t know”. There was an almost equal perception among respondents who agreed (46.3%) and those who disagreed (43.7%) that malaria is more serious compared to CSM, although majority (81.2%) agreed that CSM is deadly. Few respondents (14.4%) agreed that it is witches and wizards that determine who gets CSM. Few (23.7%) of the respondents agreed that CSM immunization is against their religious doctrines, 48.3% disagreed and 28%

were undecided. Respondents who reported that their children had ever received immunization against CSM accounted for (54.4%) while only (37.3%) reported that their children had immunization 6-7 months preceding this study with the majority (86.0%) receiving CSM vaccine from government owned hospitals, only 59.6% mothers had ever received immunization against CSM. Mothers of Under-5 children had poor knowledge of CSM, very few of the mothers perceived they were susceptible to the disease and the practice of immunization against CSM for children less than 5 years was poor. Therefore, the need to implement a preventive behavioral communication change programme aimed at increasing knowledge and improving best preventive practices that will reduce future occurrences of outbreak is recommended.