ASSESSMENT OF AWARENESS OF RETINOBLASTOMA AMONG MOTHERS OF UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed awareness of retinoblastoma among mothers of under-five children in
Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population
of the study comprised of all mothers of under-five children in Kaduna State which are
2,050,608. One specific purpose, research question and hypothesis were formulated to guide the
study. A multi-stage sampling technique comprising of systematic, simple random, purposive
and proportionate sampling technique were used in selecting the required number of respondents
for the study as stated above. Four hundred (400) copies of the researcher-developed
questionnaire were distributed using simple random sampling technique, of which 374 (93.5%)
were retrieved and considered valid for the study. Data collected were analyzed using the
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Frequency and simple percentages
were used to describe the demographic characteristics of the respondents, while mean and
standard deviations were used to answer the research question. Inferential statistics of one-
sample t-test was used to test the formulated hypothesis at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The
findings of the study revealed that awareness of retinoblastoma among mothers of under-five
children in Kaduna state was significant (t=29.730, p= 0.001). In conclusion, the study showed
that mothers of under-five children in Kaduna state are aware of retinoblastoma. It was therefore
recommended that health care workers should at all time give health talks on retinoblastoma to
mothers of under-five children during their contact (ante and post-natal days) so as to further
enlighten and help them sustain their awareness of the disease.