PERCEPTION ATTITUDE AND ACCEPTANCE OF EBOLA VIRUS SCREENING AMONG TRAVELERS AT THE MURTALA MUHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Ebola virus screening is a public health intervention used to identify persons with possible symptoms of the disease or at risk of exposure to the virus, thus enabling earlier intervention and management in order to reduce mortality and economic loss. Screening can also lead to diagnosis. Screening measures are based upon symptom and risk assessment and can be adapted for air, land, and sea points of departure and arrival. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Time location sampling technique was adopted. 480 study participants were interviewed using pre-tested self-administered semi structured questionnaire as data instrument for quantitative method while key informant interview was adopted for the qualitative method. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi square and multiple logistic regression set at 5% level of significance. Findings revealed that mean age of the participant was 33.5±12.3years. Age group 25-34years had the highest level of participants 124 (25.8%) 94.6% have heard about Ebola virus screening while 83.8% had heard about the Ebola virus disease. The mean knowledge score in this study was 8.7±1.8, the mean perception score was 5.4± 1.0 while the mean attitude score was 43.4±5.5. Those that have good knowledge were 294 (61.3%), while those that had poor knowledge were 186 (38.8%). Those that have good perception were 264 (55.0%) while those that had poor perception were 216 (45.0%). 55.0% had good attitude to screening while 45.0% had poor attitude. Gender (x2=8.5; p=0.004), marital status (x2=4.3; p=0.039) and those who allowed self to be screened because they believed the Ebola virus screening was for their safety (x2=7.0; p=0.029) were found to be associated with the perception of travelers to screening. At logistic regression, men were found to be 2 times more likely to perceive the Ebola virus screening as good than women (OR=1.6; 95% CI=1.1-2.3 ). Departing passengers were found to be 2 times more likely to show good attitude to screening than arriving passengers (OR=1.6; 95% Cl=1.0- 2.2). Passengers who were comfortable with being screened via the use of infrared thermometer were found to be 3 times more likely \0 show good attitude to screening than those not comfortable with the screening (OR=2.9; 95% Cl=1.4-5.8). Those who allowed self to be screened because they believed the screening was for their safety were found to be 3 times more likely to show good attitude to screening than those who allowed self to be screened because they saw others doing it (OR =2.7; 95% Cl =1.2-6.3). Findings from this study revealed that majority of the travellers have good to average knowledge of the Ebola virus disease/screening the mode of transmission and current method of screening. A lot of people also know that their first point of call for medical service would be the hospital if suspected to have Ebola signs. Despite. this level of awareness of Ebola virus disease and its screening among travelers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, many still do not have good perception and attitude towards the Ebola virus screening.