Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025257 (Oral 128) | Published: 14 Aug 2025
Benedict Ndubueze Azuogu1,2,&, Cosmas Kenan Onah1,2, Onyinyechukwu Uzoamaka Oka1,2, Chijioke Vitalus Iloke1,2, Victoria Chioma Azuogu3, Marycynthia Nnenna Otta1, Robinson Chukwudi Onoh4,5
1Department of Community Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria, 2Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo Ebonyi State, Nigeria, 3College of Nursing Sciences, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria, 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Benedict Ndubueze Azuogu, Department of Community Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Email: bnazuogu@gmail.com, bnazuogu@ebsu.edu.ng
Received: 17 Apr 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 14 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, research naïve communities, community engagement, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
©Benedict Ndubueze Azuogu et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Benedict Ndubueze Azuogu et al., Engaging research naive communities for participation in Lassa fever studies within catchment areas of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria: The discourses and dilemmas. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00128. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00128
Lassa fever remains a significant public health challenge in West Africa, with Nigeria bearing a substantial burden of the disease. Effective research and surveillance are crucial for developing targeted interventions. Community engagement is ethically imperative and pivotal for effective research, as emphasised by frameworks like the WHO’s Good Participatory Practice for Emerging Pathogens (GPP EP). However, engaging research naïve communities presents complex discourses and dilemmas critical to advancing regional disease control efforts. This study explores strategies for fostering participation in Lassa fever research among communities participating in the ongoing ‘Enable Lassa’ study in West Africa funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AEFUTHA), Nigeria.
Our research employed a cross-sectional qualitative approach incorporating key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) across ten communities among local community members, healthcare providers, and public health officials from June to December 2024. The interactions were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using NVivo software. Ethical approval and verbal informed consent for recordings and pictures were obtained.
Findings highlight deep-seated mistrust towards research involving blood collection, often rooted in historical misunderstandings and inadequate communication. A significant dilemma emerges around balancing scientific imperatives with sociocultural realities and economic constraints. While communities express a need for health interventions, misconceptions about Lassa fever transmission and suspicion of researchers’ motives persist. This tension is further exacerbated by limited feedback mechanisms and inadequate benefit-sharing models.
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