ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES AMONG ADULTS DURING PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed health knowledge and preventive practices among adults during public health emergencies in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined adults' health knowledge during public health emergencies, including Lassa fever, cholera, meningitis, and flooding, assessed their preventive practices, and determined the influence of selected socio-demographic characteristics on health knowledge. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data were collected from 396 adults using a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of public health emergencies, and preventive practices. The knowledge and preventive-practice items were measured using a four-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, while inferential statistics comprised Chi-square, independent t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), as appropriate. The findings showed that respondents had a generally high level of knowledge of public health emergencies, with an aggregate mean score of 3.36 (SD = 0.65). Preventive practices were also generally high, with an aggregate mean score of 3.16 (SD = 0.74). The findings further indicated a significant relationship between knowledge of public health emergencies and preventive practices among adults. Knowledge also varied significantly across selected socio demographic characteristics, particularly age and educational attainment, while no significant difference was observed based on gender. The findings suggest that adequate knowledge of public health emergencies is important for promoting appropriate preventive practices among adults. The study concludes that strengthening health education, risk communication, and community engagement can improve public understanding and preventive behaviours during emergencies. It recommends the development of sustained, culturally appropriate, accessible, and audience-specific health education programmes, with particular attention to adults with lower levels of knowledge and educational attainment, to strengthen preparedness and improve community response to public health emergencies in Kaduna State.