Knowledge, attitude and practices related to Ebola virus disease among Undergraduate students of Makerere University, Kampala City

Abstract

Over the years, African countries have been greatly challenged with re-emerging diseases such as Ebola virus disease (EVD). Uganda as a country has suffered eight Ebola virus disease outbreaks since 2000 till 2022. Ebola outbreaks are associated with mortality and morbidity as well as, its detrimental effects on the weak health systems of African countries. Furthermore, great economic losses are registered during such times and also, it is important to note that such disease outbreaks leave people in fear and uncertainty of what will happen next. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices related to Ebola virus disease among undergraduate students at Makerere University. Information obtained can be used by researchers to implement Ebola virus disease preventive measures among University students. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study employing quantitative methods of data collection was used for data collection. Data was collected using an online consent form and questionnaire that were developed using google forms. A sample size of 384 undergraduate students was recruited. The data obtained was thereafter exported to STATA version 14 software and Microsoft excel for univariate analysis. Results: Of the 384 undergraduate students that were recruited into the study, 53.6% (206/384) were male. The mean age was 23 years. Majority 92.7% (356/384) respondents had good knowledge about EVD. Majority 92.2% (362/384) of the respondents were aware that Uganda had ever suffered previous EVD outbreaks and most 96.1% (369/384) respondents knew that Uganda had declared an outbreak in 2022. Majority 81.5% (313/384) of the respondents had a good attitude towards EVD. Less than half 36.7% (141/384) of respondents did not think that they were at risk of getting EVD. However, more than half 65.1% (250/384) of the respondents would agree to be vaccinated against EVD if there was an approved vaccine. From our study, more than half 72.1% (277/384) respondents possessed good practices towards EVD. Majority 81.8% (314/384) of the respondents would not go to a traditional healer if they developed EVD signs and symptoms. Few 37.0% (142/384) of the respondents continued to shake hands and hugging loved ones during the EVD outbreak. Conclusion: Our study results indicated that undergraduate students of Makerere University possessed good knowledge, attitude and practices towards EVD. This could be linked to the great efforts invested into sensitizing the general public about EVD by the Ministry of Health of Uganda along with other Humanitarian bodies such as UNICEF, UN and WHO. Therefore, the government of the Republic of Uganda is encouraged to invest more resources into carrying out mass sensitisation about re-emerging diseases such as EVD before outbreaks occur, so that people are aware about the causes, modes of transmission and preventive and control strategies in place against the disease when an outbreak is declared.