title: Predictors of bovine TB risk behaviour amongst meat handlers in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study guided by the health belief model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is still a serious public health threat in developing countries. The aim of this study is to determine the social and cognitive factors predicting one of the risk behaviours amongst meat handlers in Nigeria, namely, eating Fuku Elegusi. This is the practice of eating the visibly infected parts of the lung in-order to convince customers to buy meat. The study is guided by the health belief model (HBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study of 349 randomly selected meat handlers in Oko-Oba Abattoir, in Lagos State. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis were employed to determine perceptions and prevalence of risk behaviours and to identify predictors of eating Fuku Elegusi.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Just over a quarter (28.1%) of the study participants knew that eating Fuku Elegusi could be a source of bTB in humans. The prevalence of eating Fuku Elegusi was found to be 22%. Across all knowledge indicators related to bTB, those who don't eat Fuku Elegusi exhibited better knowledge. Strong predictors of eating Fuku Elegusi were: being male (OR: 2.39, 95% CI: 1.10 to 5.19; p = 0.03), not knowing that eating Fuku Elegusi exposes to bTB (OR: 3.72, 95% CI: 1.69 to 8.22; p = 0.001), and the perception that one cannot sell meat without tasting it (perceived barrier) (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.60; p = 0.001). Lower risk of eating Fuku Elegusi was predicted by perceived susceptibility to bTB due to another risk behaviour, namely, not washing hands after handling meat (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.96; p-value = 0.021). Television and radio were the most acceptable media for TB prevention messages (78.5% and 75.6% respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meat handlers in developing countries bear high risk to bTB owing to prevailing social and cognition determinants. Findings were largely consistent with the propositions of HBM.
authors: Federal Department of Livestock and Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors: Dupe
authors: D
authors: Hambolu
authors: Jenny
authors: J
authors: Freeman
authors: Henock B
authors: HB
authors: Taddese
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009549:Nigeria; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine; D055815:Young Adult