KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES TOWARDS TYPHOID FEVER PREVENTION AMONG PATIENTS AGED 15-50 YEARS, ADJUMANI GENERAL HOSPITAL, ADJUMANI DISTRICT

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the study was to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward the prevention of typhoid fever among patients aged 15-50 years in Adjumani General Hospital, Adjumani District. Methodology: The study employed a cross-sectional study design with both quantitative approaches. Simple random sampling was used. Data were analyzed manually by use of tally sheets and were entered in the Excel computer program to generate tables, graphs, and pie charts. Results: The study findings revealed that the overall knowledge of the prevention of typhoid fever among the respondents was generally poor, as most (60%) of the respondents did not know anything about typhoid fever. Regarding attitude, the majority (70%) of the respondents agreed washing hands with soap helped in preventing typhoid fever, most (60%) agreed that boiling water also helped in preventing typhoid fever, and the majority (84%) were willing to prevent typhoid fever. In regards to practices half (50%) of the respondents did not know any of the practices that helped in the prevention of typhoid fever, more than half (56%) agreed washing hands with soap helped to minimize typhoid fever infection, the majority (70%) of the agreed on using pit latrine as a fecal disposal facility to minimize typhoid fever infection. Conclusion: The general knowledge, attitude, and practices of the respondents towards the prevention of typhoid fever were generally poor which in the end could lead to an increase in the spread of typhoid fever within the district. Recommendation: Health workers in Adjumani General Hospital should promote community health-based programs to teach the community the best practices to curb the increasing typhoid fever.

Keywords

• Typhoid fever
• Asymptomatic carriers
• Prevention
• Prevalence
• Health center