title: Human pandemic influenza: an assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and prevention practices of doctors in a tertiary health facility in Southern Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study assessed the knowledge level of doctors, their preparedness to respond to pandemic influenza and the preventive practices employed by them.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional survey of doctors from a tertiary-referral teaching hospital in Benin City, Nigeria was conducted between August and October, 2011. Interviewer administered structured questionnaires were distributed to 240 doctors in different departments in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study, 15.4% of participants had poor knowledge, 60.4% of respondents had fair knowledge and 24.2% of respondents had a good knowledge about pandemic human influenza. An analysis of attitudes showed that 46.2% of doctors have poor attitudes to work and only 10% had good attitude to work in the event of a pandemic human influenza emergency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Doctors had basic knowledge about how the virus is transmitted, symptoms and mode of spread of the human influenza infection, and about the preventive measures that should be taken. Most respondents had a poor attitude to work and did not consider themselves competent enough for role specific responsibilities during a pandemic. Up-to-date information and in-service training of health personnel will strengthen national preparedness and will delay international spread of novel influenza viruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital PMB 1111, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: V Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Okukpon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D058873:Pandemics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers