COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS POLIO IMMUNIZATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

BackgroundPoliomyelitis remains a public health concern where population immunity is incomplete and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) persists. Although Nigeria interrupted wild poliovirus transmission in 2020, cVDPV cases continue to pose challenges, particularly in parts of Northern Nigeria.

MethodsThis multicentre descriptive cross-sectional study evaluated community knowledge and attitudes towards polio immunization across 37 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A multistage sampling strategy was utilized to select 1,850 adult respondents (50 per LGA) spanning rural, semi-urban, and urban settlements.

ResultsOverall, 40.4% (n = 747) of respondents demonstrated good knowledge, while 58.4% (n = 1,080) displayed positive attitudes towards polio immunization. A striking disparity was observed across residence classifications: respondents in urban/semi-urban LGAs exhibited significantly higher levels of good knowledge (51.7%, 569/1,100) compared to those in rural LGAs (23.7%, 178/750; {chi}2 = 144.00, df = 1, p < 0.001). Main sources of information were health workers (33.0%) and radio (21.1%).

ConclusionKnowledge deficits persist in rural Northern Nigerian communities despite favorable attitudes. Interventions must prioritize localized risk communication, traditional and religious leadership involvement, and primary healthcare integration.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{muhammad2026community,
  title = {{COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS POLIO IMMUNIZATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA}},
  author = {A. G. Muhammad and I. O. Abar and H. Sule and A. N. Olim},
  howpublished = {medRxiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.64898/2026.09.29.26364257},
  url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.26364257v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS POLIO IMMUNIZATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
AU  - A. G. Muhammad
AU  - I. O. Abar
AU  - H. Sule
AU  - A. N. Olim
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/29
PB  - medRxiv
DO  - 10.64898/2026.09.29.26364257
UR  - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.26364257v1
AB  - BackgroundPoliomyelitis remains a public health concern where population immunity is incomplete and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) persists. Although Nigeria interrupted wild poliovirus transmission in 2020, cVDPV cases continue to pose challenges, particularly in parts of Northern Nigeria.  MethodsThis multicentre descriptive cross-sectional study evaluated community knowledge and attitudes towards polio immunization across 37 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A multistage sampling strategy was utilized to select 1,850 adult respondents (50 per LGA) spanning rural, semi-urban, and urban settlements.  ResultsOverall, 40.4% (n = 747) of respondents demonstrated good knowledge, while 58.4% (n = 1,080) displayed positive attitudes towards polio immunization. A striking disparity was observed across residence classifications: respondents in urban/semi-urban LGAs exhibited significantly higher levels of good knowledge (51.7%, 569/1,100) compared to those in rural LGAs (23.7%, 178/750; {chi}2 = 144.00, df = 1, p < 0.001). Main sources of information were health workers (33.0%) and radio (21.1%).  ConclusionKnowledge deficits persist in rural Northern Nigerian communities despite favorable attitudes. Interventions must prioritize localized risk communication, traditional and religious leadership involvement, and primary healthcare integration.
ER  -

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