TITLE:
Surveillance of Acute Flaccid Paralysis: Influence of Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes on Case Detection in the Centre-South Region of Burkina Faso in 2022
AUTHORS:
Eloi Silga, Henri Kaboré, Wendyam Fulbert Ilboudo, Boukari Damiba
KEYWORDS:
Attitudes, Healthcare Professionals, Surveillance, Reporting, Detection, Acute Flaccid Paralysis, Poliomyelitis, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol.15 No.3,
June
4,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is a key component in polio eradication. In Burkina Faso, particularly in the Centre-Sud region, cases reporting deficiencies were observed in 2021, raising questions about healthcare workers’ attitudes. This study aims to analyze the impact of these attitudes on the effectiveness of AFP surveillance. Methods: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2 to 24, 2022, among 268 randomly selected healthcare professionals in public health facilities in the region. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and statistically analyzed, employing logistic regression to identify factors influencing case reporting. Results: The study’s findings indicate that 62.3% of the 268 participants were female, and 45.1% were nurses. Only 30.7% had identified an AFP case in the past three years, and 47.8% had received training specifically in AFP surveillance. Multivariate analysis revealed that having received training (OR = 2.303, p = 0.005), demonstrating high interest in surveillance, and being male (OR = 1.897, p = 0.028) significantly increased the likelihood of case reporting. Conclusion: This study highlights the positive effect of targeted AFP surveillance training and strong professional engagement on the detection and notification of AFP cases, while revealing lower reporting rates among female healthcare workers. Findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive and context-specific strategies to strengthen AFP surveillance, including policy actions to enhance capacity building and motivation among frontline staff.