Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC202598 (Oral 118) | Published: 18 Aug 2025
Victor Onyilor Achem1,&, Oladele Oluwafemi Ayodeji2, Danny Asogun3, Marie Jaspard1,4, Marie-Hélène Doucet5, the INTEGRATE study group6
1Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), 2Infection Control and Research Centre, Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria, 3Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, 4Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, APHP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Paris, France, 5University of Bordeaux, National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) UMR 1219, Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) EMR 271, Bordeaux Population Health Centre, Bordeaux, France, 6INTEGRATE Consortium
&Corresponding author: Victor Onyilor Achem, Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA). Email: victorachem@rocketmail.com
Received: 20 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 18 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, clinical trials, community sensitisation, misconceptions, mixed methods, public health research
©Victor Onyilor Achem 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: Victor Onyilor Achem et al., Promoting acceptability and participation in the INTEGRATE Lassa fever clinical trial: Exploration of community perceptions through mixed methods research. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00118. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00118
Lassa fever (LF) is endemic in Nigeria, with Ondo and Edo States serving as epicenters of recent outbreaks. The INTEGRATE clinical trial seeks to identify effective treatments for LF. However, trial participation could be hindered by community sociocultural beliefs, misconceptions, or mistrust. This study explored community knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions surrounding LF and clinical trials in Ondo and Edo States, to inform the design and implementation of a culturally responsive community sensitisation strategy to promote acceptability and participation in the clinical trial.
An exploratory mixed methods design was employed across selected communities in both States, engaging 150 purposive sampled community leaders and members. Quantitative data were first collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed descriptively with SPSS and R software. Qualitative insights were then gathered from a subset of participants to explore sensitive issues through semi structured interviews, and thematically analyzed using MaxQDA. Findings were interpreted within each state’s sociocultural context to ensure their relevance.
Participants generally demonstrated good knowledge of Lassa fever (LF); 91% identified eating food contaminated with rat excreta as a risk factor. However, 13%attributed LF to witchcraft and 11% to divine punishment. Belief in spiritual and traditional cures coexisted with confidence in biomedical treatments. Willingness to participate in LF clinical trials was driven by the promise of quality, free care. Some also viewed participation as a way to serve their community. However, concerns around the clinical trial process—such as randomisation, efficacy, and safety—were key barriers. Notably, 77.3%would only participate if clearly informed, and 36% required family approval.
These findings highlight the need for context-sensitive communication strategies that address spiritual beliefs, clarify clinical trial processes, and build trust in biomedical care. Tailored sensitisation could dispel misconceptions and enhance trial acceptability, supporting LF treatment advancement in Nigeria and beyond.
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