Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC202126 (Oral 115) | Published: 16 Aug 2025
Maimuna Kamilu Adamu1,&, Bilkisu Umar2
1She360 Initiative, Kano, Nigeria, 2Jigawa State Hospitals Management Board, Jigawa, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Maimuna Kamilu Adamu, She360 Initiative, Kano, Nigeria. Email: maimunakamiluadam@gmail.com
Received: 11 Jun 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 16 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa Fever, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, cultural beliefs, community engagement, Northern Nigeria
©Maimuna Kamilu Adamu 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: Maimuna Kamilu Adamu et al., Tackling Lassa fever misinformation and vaccine hesitancy through culturally-tailored health dialogues in Northern Nigeria. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00115. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00115
Misinformation and deep-rooted cultural beliefs remain significant barriers to Lassa Fever control in rural Northern Nigeria, where traditional and religious influences shape community behaviors. Despite public health campaigns, vaccine hesitancy and delayed health-seeking behavior persist. This study aimed to assess the impact of culturally-sensitive health dialogues in addressing Lassa Fever misinformation and improving vaccine acceptance in underserved communities of Kano and Jigawa states.
A mixed-methods intervention was conducted from January to November 2024 in 10 high-risk rural communities. Baseline surveys assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) relating to Lassa Fever and vaccination. Community health dialogues were designed in Hausa language, co-facilitated by trained health educators, religious leaders, and traditional chiefs. Post-intervention KAP assessments, focus group discussions (FGDs), and observational checklists evaluated changes in perceptions and behaviors. Ethical approval and community consent were obtained.
Out of 1,200 respondents, baseline data showed that 68% believed Lassa Fever was caused by spiritual forces, and 54% were unwilling to accept a vaccine. Following the intervention, belief in supernatural causes reduced to 21%, while willingness to accept Lassa Fever vaccines increased to 82%. Engagement with trusted leaders emerged as a key enabler. FGDs revealed increased confidence in health workers and improved trust in government health messages. Community leaders formally committed to continued support and integration of Lassa messaging in religious gatherings.
Culturally-aligned community dialogues significantly reduced misinformation and vaccine hesitancy related to Lassa Fever. Collaborating with traditional and religious leaders is a powerful strategy for driving behavioral change in conservative settings. Scaling this model across similar regions in West Africa could enhance epidemic preparedness and improve vaccine uptake during outbreaks.
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