Assessment of Public Awareness and Risk Perception of Lassa Fever in Endemic Regions of Nigeria

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic illness that occurs widely in West Africa, with Nigeria bearing a significant burden. The renewed spread and patterns of LF in affected communities raised concern, as gaps in public awareness and accurate risk perception continued to limit effective preventive behaviours and outbreak control. This study assessed public awareness and risk perception of LF in Nigeria's endemic regions, examining awareness levels, perceptions of contraction risks, determinants of infection perception, barriers to preventive actions and deficiencies in health communication strategies. Rooted in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), a cross-sectional survey was conducted across five purposively selected endemic states: Nasarawa, Gombe, Taraba, Ondo and Ebonyi. The research team selected two Local Government Areas per state based on reported endemicity and accessibility. Using a stratified multistage sampling technique, 720 participants from urban and rural wards were identified, with households selected via systematic random sampling. Structured Likert-scale questionnaires were administered online between October and November 2025, yielding 657 valid responses (91.25% response rate). Statistical analysis was conducted in SPSS (v26) using descriptive measures. Findings indicate high general awareness of LF and strong risk perception regarding susceptibility, severity and transmission. Health education, media campaigns, economic conditions, cultural and religious beliefs and access to health services influenced perceptions. Despite this, structural, financial, environmental, cultural and communication barriers limited translation of awareness into preventive action. Risk communication and health education programs were inadequate, lacking accessibility, cultural relevance, coordination and effective engagement of health workers and community structures. The study concluded that social, cultural, and infrastructural realities more influenced health behaviours than awareness alone, and recommended culturally sensitive, community-oriented education and improved access to preventive resources.