The Nigerian Health Workers’ Attitude and Knowledge of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

Abstract

Background: This is a study done to assess the knowledge and attitude of health care workers in Nigeria about the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). This study became necessary because there is now exportation of the disease from Saudi Arabia, to other countries. Methods: It is a cross-sectional study, involving 224 respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to get the characteristics, mean attitude and knowledge scores of the study participants. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship that exists between study variables and questions on attitude. Inferential statistics, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests, were used to examine differences between study variables. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Spearman's rho correlation was employed in the identification of the association between knowledge and attitude scores. Results: The respondents showed a fairly good knowledge and good attitude towards MERS. There was a significant correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.301, P < 0.001). Respondents showed poorest knowledge in thinking that MERS is still restricted to the Arabian Peninsula (8.5%), however, they showed good knowledge in the type of people the disease is most devastated in (87.9%). Many of the respondents demonstrated a positive attitude in the sharing of MERS related information among peers (1.39 ± 0.866) but their attitude towards their active participation in infection control is the poorest (2.49 ±1.242). Conclusions: This study revealed that health care workers in Nigeria have fairly good knowledge and good attitude towards MERS, but demonstrated very poor knowledge and negative attitude in some areas.