Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria
Abstract Background Diphtheria remains a significant public health concern in Nigeria, with over 20,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths reported during the 2022–2023 outbreak period, particularly concentrated in the northern regions. Understanding public perceptions and behavior regarding d...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23427-3 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849691384197414912 |
|---|---|
| author | Abara Erim Habibat Ohunene Lawal Chizaram Anselm Onyeaghala Chinenye Claire Chukwu-Mba Olufunke Olayemi Ajibade Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Okechi Eberechukwu Nzedibe |
| author_facet | Abara Erim Habibat Ohunene Lawal Chizaram Anselm Onyeaghala Chinenye Claire Chukwu-Mba Olufunke Olayemi Ajibade Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Okechi Eberechukwu Nzedibe |
| author_sort | Abara Erim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Diphtheria remains a significant public health concern in Nigeria, with over 20,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths reported during the 2022–2023 outbreak period, particularly concentrated in the northern regions. Understanding public perceptions and behavior regarding diphtheria, including symptoms, transmission, and vaccination across different seasons, is vital for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to evaluate seasonal variations in public awareness of diphtheria, including knowledge of its symptoms and information sources. Additionally, it sought to assess the perceived at-risk groups and attitudes toward diphtheria vaccination in the country. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among residents aged 18 years and older in Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Data were collected by trained fieldworkers over 12 months via structured questionnaires divided into four sections: demographics, public awareness, perceived risk, and vaccination attitudes. Ethical approval was obtained, and verbal informed consent was secured from all participants. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and statistical tests to examine associations between variables. Results A total of 3,070 respondents participated in the study. Public awareness of common diphtheria symptoms such as fever (68.0%) and sore throat (60.5%) was high, whereas awareness of conjunctivitis (23.9%) was lower. Children under 5 years of age were consistently perceived as the most at-risk group (80.5%). The willingness to vaccinate against diphtheria remained high at 94.4%, with no significant seasonal variation (p-value 0.894; Chi-square test). Radio (53.1%) was identified as the primary information source, especially during the rainy season (54.6%). Seasonal variations in preventive and vaccination practices were minimal, indicating consistent public health behaviors throughout the year. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of maintaining robust public health education campaigns, leveraging both traditional and digital media to sustain high awareness and vaccination rates for public health interventions. Based on our findings, we recommend implementing targeted school-based health education programs and strengthening partnerships with community health workers to enhance diphtheria awareness, especially among caregivers of young children. Understanding sociodemographic and seasonal contexts is crucial for effective public health interventions, ensuring that at-risk groups are adequately protected. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41230dc8f4a34feab8fc8f31d8ce46f7 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-41230dc8f4a34feab8fc8f31d8ce46f72025-08-20T03:21:02ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-06-012511710.1186/s12889-025-23427-3Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern NigeriaAbara Erim0Habibat Ohunene Lawal1Chizaram Anselm Onyeaghala2Chinenye Claire Chukwu-Mba3Olufunke Olayemi Ajibade4Ukamaka Gladys Okafor5Okechi Eberechukwu Nzedibe6Department of Public Health, Babcock UniversityDepartment of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello UniversityDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching HospitalNuffield Department of Medicine, University of OxfordDepartment of Public Health, Osun State Ministry of HealthDepartment of Global Health and Bioethics, Euclid University, Central African UniversityDepartment of Global Health and Health Systems, Euclid UniversityAbstract Background Diphtheria remains a significant public health concern in Nigeria, with over 20,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths reported during the 2022–2023 outbreak period, particularly concentrated in the northern regions. Understanding public perceptions and behavior regarding diphtheria, including symptoms, transmission, and vaccination across different seasons, is vital for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to evaluate seasonal variations in public awareness of diphtheria, including knowledge of its symptoms and information sources. Additionally, it sought to assess the perceived at-risk groups and attitudes toward diphtheria vaccination in the country. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among residents aged 18 years and older in Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Data were collected by trained fieldworkers over 12 months via structured questionnaires divided into four sections: demographics, public awareness, perceived risk, and vaccination attitudes. Ethical approval was obtained, and verbal informed consent was secured from all participants. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and statistical tests to examine associations between variables. Results A total of 3,070 respondents participated in the study. Public awareness of common diphtheria symptoms such as fever (68.0%) and sore throat (60.5%) was high, whereas awareness of conjunctivitis (23.9%) was lower. Children under 5 years of age were consistently perceived as the most at-risk group (80.5%). The willingness to vaccinate against diphtheria remained high at 94.4%, with no significant seasonal variation (p-value 0.894; Chi-square test). Radio (53.1%) was identified as the primary information source, especially during the rainy season (54.6%). Seasonal variations in preventive and vaccination practices were minimal, indicating consistent public health behaviors throughout the year. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of maintaining robust public health education campaigns, leveraging both traditional and digital media to sustain high awareness and vaccination rates for public health interventions. Based on our findings, we recommend implementing targeted school-based health education programs and strengthening partnerships with community health workers to enhance diphtheria awareness, especially among caregivers of young children. Understanding sociodemographic and seasonal contexts is crucial for effective public health interventions, ensuring that at-risk groups are adequately protected.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23427-3DiphtheriaPublic awarenessSeasonal variationsVaccinationNigeriaPublic health |
| spellingShingle | Abara Erim Habibat Ohunene Lawal Chizaram Anselm Onyeaghala Chinenye Claire Chukwu-Mba Olufunke Olayemi Ajibade Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Okechi Eberechukwu Nzedibe Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria BMC Public Health Diphtheria Public awareness Seasonal variations Vaccination Nigeria Public health |
| title | Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria |
| title_full | Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria |
| title_short | Seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in Northern Nigeria |
| title_sort | seasonal variations in public perceptions of diphtheria in northern nigeria |
| topic | Diphtheria Public awareness Seasonal variations Vaccination Nigeria Public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23427-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abaraerim seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT habibatohunenelawal seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT chizaramanselmonyeaghala seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT chinenyeclairechukwumba seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT olufunkeolayemiajibade seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT ukamakagladysokafor seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria AT okechieberechukwunzedibe seasonalvariationsinpublicperceptionsofdiphtheriainnorthernnigeria |