02405nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001653001300042653001400055653003500069653001600104653001400120653001100134100001400145700001100159700001400170700001200184700001600196700001100212700001600223700001100239700001400250700002600264700001500290700001300305700001300318245010500331856007900436300001400515490000700529520150500536022001402041       2019                            d10aEtnicity10aKnowledge10aMycobacterium ulcerans disease10aPerceptions10aPractices10aStigma1 aNwafor CC1 aMeka A1 aChukwu JN1 aEkeke N1 aAlphonsus C1 aMbah O1 aMadichie NO1 aAduh U1 aOgbeifo M1 aIseOluwa-Adelokiki BO1 aEdochie JE1 aUshaka J1 aUkwaja K00aAssessment of community knowledge, attitude, and stigma of Buruli ulcer disease in Southern Nigeria.  uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6794545/pdf/AFHS1902-2100.pdf  a2100-21110 v193 a<p><strong>Background: </strong>Poor knowledge can influence timely care-seeking among persons with Buruli ulcer disease (BUD).</p>

<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To assess community knowledge, attitude and stigma towards persons with BUD in endemic settings of Southern Nigeria.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional survey conducted among adult community members in four States of Southern Nigeria. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to all participants.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 491 adults who completed the survey, 315 (64.2%) belonged to the ≤40 years age group, 257 (52.3%) were males and 415 (84.5%) had some formal education. The overall mean (SD) knowledge score was 5.5±2.3 (maximum 10). Only 172 (35.0%) of the participants had a good knowledge of BUD. A total of 327 (66.6%) considered BUD as a very serious illness. Also, there was a high-level of stigma against BUD patients; 372 (75.8%) of the participants felt compassion for and desire to help them, 77 (15.7%) felt compassion but tended to stay away from them, and 53 (10.8%) feared them because they may infect them with the disease. Having a formal education and ethnicity were independent predictors of good knowledge of BUD.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is poor community knowledge of BUD in endemic settings of Southern Nigeria which influenced the attitude and perceptions of community members towards persons with BUD.</p>
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