• A A Fatiregun, S A Olowookere, and A O Oyebade.
• Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. akinfati@yahoo.com
• Afr Health Sci. 2011 Jun 1; 11 (2): 171175171-5.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge of influenza A (H1N1) infection among health care workers in a secondary health care facility in Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria.MethodsA structured questionnaire assessing participants'knowledge of swine influenza viruses, mode of transmission, clinical criteria, primary prevention, indications for emergency care, care of affected persons and ongoing pandemic of Influenza A H1N1 was hand-delivered to all senior health care workers working in the hospital.ResultsThe mean age of the respondents was 40.4±9.6 years. The majority (59.3%) were females. Television (73.6%) radio (61.5%), newspapers (44%), other health workers (31.9%), and internet (15.4%) were the main sources of information about influenza A H1N1. Nearly all (92.3%) felt that their source of information about the disease was inadequate. About half (51.6%) knew the virus can be transmitted from one person to another. Majority identified correctly the symptoms of infected victims such as fever (83.5%), and runny nose (79.1%). Most (87.9%) identified hand washing with soap and water as a mode of preventing transmission. Most (83.5%) felt an infected person should be isolated while very few knew oseltamivir (13.2%) and zanamivir (17.6%) are drugs to treat. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified, male sex (p=0.029), internet as a source of information (p=0.029) and knowledge of prevention of H1N1 (p= 0.005) as factors that were significantly associated with a high knowledge score on the current pandemic.ConclusionThere is a need to provide comprehensive information to health workers on the current pandemic.

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