Knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with personal health care on urticaria in peripheral health facilities of Yaoundé, Cameroon (Sub-Saharan Africa).

Background Urticaria is an acute or chronic inflammatory dermatosis that is characterized by erythematous, edematous, itchy, and transient urticarial plaques that cover the skin and mucous membranes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of consulting staff on urticaria in Yaounde, Cameroon, as well as the attitudes and practices resulting from it. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants were enrolled from January to April 2017 in 25 health facilities in Yaounde, Cameroon. The sample consisted of health personnel including doctors, nurses, and nursing aids. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire; the evaluation scores for each heading were established. Data processing was done using the SPSS software Version 21. Results We recruited 101 participants, with a sex ratio of 0.4 (73/101 were female); 44.6% of the participants were doctors, and 50% of our participants had less than 5 years of professional experience. The level of knowledge on urticaria was insufficient for 40.6% of the staff enrolled. Attitudes towards urticaria were incorrect for 36.6% of staff, and 95% of our sample had harmful practices. Conclusion Our study reveals that skills of the health care provider regarding urticaria are generally poor and do not enable them to ensure an adequate management of the disease.