The Level of Awareness that Rat is a Vector of Lassa Fever among the Rural People in Ijebu-North Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigates the level of awareness that rat is a vector of Lassa fever among the rural people of Ijebu-North Local Government Area in Ogun State. A total of 120 people were purposively selected to cover the two constituencies of the area. Two hypotheses were raised and tested at 0.5 level of significance. A 20-item structured questionnaire on people’s awareness level of rat as Lass fever vector was used. The t-test statistics was used in data analysis. The result showed that literate and illiterate rural dwellers irrespective of gender had no awareness of rat as vector of Lassa fever. Among the recommendations made was that serious enlightenment campaigns on the danger of rat as Lassa fever vector should be intensified among rural people and efforts to be made to enthuse them to avoid spreading of food stuffs along road sides and patronize clinics in the event of illness.