Reviewer-1 Comments
Divide the abstract under the headings: Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions
What is the reason to include people of age only 15-25 years?
How the study population is selected?
What was the criteria used by say low, fair, and good knowledge?
How patient will know the drug, dosage, and efficacy of the treatment?
Response
Background of study: Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, prevention, and treatment of gonorrhea among those aged 15 – 25 in Sagbama, Bayelsa State.
Method: A descriptive study design was used. The population of the study comprises all the aged 15 – 25 years in Sagbama town. The questionnaire was used to select one hundred (100) respondents for the study. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25, and expressed using frequency distribution tables and percentages.
Results: The result revealed that 55% of the respondents have a fair knowledge of gonorrhea while 45% of the respondents had a low knowledge about gonorrhea. 62% of the respondents have good knowledge of the prevention of gonorrhea while 38% of the respondents have low knowledge of the prevention of gonorrhea. Also, the results revealed that 56(56%) of the respondents affirmed that ceftriaxone 500mg IM in a single dose be administered for persons weighing <150kg as a means of gonorrhea treatment, 28(28%) said no while 15(15%) of the respondents have no idea. 49(49%) agree that for persons weighing >150kg, should 1g ceftriaxone.
Conclusion: This study clearly identifies adequate knowledge, prevention, and treatment of gonorrhea. This reported knowledge of adequate knowledge, prevention, and treatment of gonorrhea might be due to the participant's information sheet containing detailed information about the study provided for them to read before undertaking this study. However, we suggest further study in the local council areas.
Reviewer-2 Comments
1. Kindly clarify what is this some exposure
2. Add citation for this statement
Response
In prepubertal youngsters, transmission through home exposure happens seldom with house help. When a prepubertal kid is diagnosed with genital, rectal, or pharyngeal colonization or infection after the neonatal stage, sexual abuse should be seriously investigated. (Cisera et al., 2019, David, 2013).
3. Kindly add citation. Write all bacterial names in italic, and write the names of bacteria full when mentioning first time. Kindly add citation for these statements.
Response
Controlling the acute infection and avoiding long-term consequences including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and persistent pelvic discomfort are the main objectives of therapy. If the minimal requirements are met and there are no other apparent reasons for the illness, women who are at risk for STIs should begin empiric therapy for PID. If the sexual partners of women with PID are not also clinically assessed, the care of these women is deemed insufficient. Streptococci, N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, and Gram-negative facultative bacteria should all be covered by treatment plans.(Cisera et al., 2019)
Even with awareness campaigns, gonorrhea is still a sexually transmitted disease that affects people all over the world and is most common in those between the ages of 15 and 25. Every year, millions of new cases of gonorrhea in individuals between the ages of 15 and 49 are recorded. Teenagers in particular are at risk because of their strong sexual desires and risky sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, prevention, and treatment of gonorrhea among adults aged 15 to 25. (World Health Organization, 2021).
4. Are there any similar studies done your locality? Why do you want to do this study?
Response: Yes
5. It is better to include all sexually active people (15-49 years) instead of only 15-25 years age group
Response: The study target is youths.
6. I don’t think patient will decide which antibiotic to be taken. It will be prescribed by the physician
Response: Medicine here a procured from patent medicine shops (PMS) not often from the Pharmacies. The PMS are not professional sellers of medicine.
7. Write the full form
Response:
The study aims to assess the level of knowledge, prevention, and treatment of gonorrhea among adults youths aged 15 – 25 in Sagbama, Bayelsa State.
Objectives of the Study
METHOD
Area of the Study
The study was carried out in Sagbama Local Government Area (LGA) which is located in the southern part of Nigeria, Bayelsa State Capital. These people speak the Ijaw language, their occupations are mainly business civil servants, fishing, and farming. At the 2006 census, they had a population of 187,146. It has a Latitude of 5.152239 and a Longitude of 6.192479.
8. What is the periodicity of census done in Nigeria? It is better to include latest census report
Response: No other official census has been done at the moment in Nigeria
9. How participants are selected? Are participants Gonorrhea affected or general population?
10. How the sample size is calculated? How the study population is selected? Are there any bias in selecting the study population?
11. Rephrase the sentence for better clarity
Response
Population of the Study
Both males and females within the age range of 15 – 25 years in Sagbama LGA. The study target was the Youths who are more vulnerable.
Research Design
A descriptive survey design was adopted in this study.
Sampling Size and Sampling Technique
A stratified sampling simple random technique was used to select a sample of 100 respondents which are the youths that are most vulnerable. The above was done after calculating the sample size using an online power calculation tool and a pilot study. Also, before the commencement of the study participants' information sheet was provided to all potential participants to abreast them on the details of the study, and a consent form was given to them to sign off as an agreement to participate in the study.
Instrument for Data Collection
A structured self-report questionnaire was used for data collection which comprised four (a) sections (A demographic data of respondents, section B contains the level of knowledge, section C contains the prevention, and section D contains the treatment.
Validity of the Instrument
The study instrument was made valid by the study supervisor for face and content validity.
Reliability of the Instrument
A Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine 10% of the population with a core of above 0.7 aimed at determining reliability.
Method of Data Collection
Data was collected using the distribution of the questionnaires to the respondents face to face and retrieved immediately after completion of the questionnaire. Participants filled out the questionnaires and asked questions on areas that were complex to them.
12. How the questionnaire is administered? Did participants fill the questionnaire on their own? What was the attrition rate? What measure did you take to minimize the attrition?
Response: 10% attrition of the total sample size.
13. It is not the standard practice. There will not be any evidence. It is preferred to take “Written, Informed, and signed consent"
Response
Reliability of the Instrument
A Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine 10% of the population with a core of above 0.7 aimed at determining reliability.
Method of Data Collection
Data was collected using the distribution of the questionnaires to the respondents face to face and retrieved immediately after completion of the questionnaire. Participants filled out the questionnaires and asked questions on areas that were complex to them.
Method of Data Analysis
Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 and was presented and expressed using frequency distribution tables.
Ethical Consideration
Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Bayelsa State College of Health Technology. Permission was sought from the relevant authorities and verbal written consent was sought after reading the participant information sheet. All participants were assured of the confidentiality of the information they provided.
14. Study group was mentioned 15-25 years. Here it is mentioned some participants were >25 years. Kindly explain
Response: See the method section for the correction
15. Replace it with unmarried
16. Who are these others? Kindly mention
Response
Altogether, 100 respondents took part in this study. Regarding their demographics, it was found that the majority 70 (70%) of the respondents were aged between 15 - 20 years while 30(30%) were aged 25. Most respondents were also female 54 (54%) while 46(46%) were male. The majority of the respondents were unmarried 63 (63%), 31(31%) were married women and 6(6%) of the respondents were married men Greater numbers of the studied participants were Secondary certificate holders with 66 (66%), 30 (30%) being Tertiary while only 4 (4%) of the respondents were Primary certificate holders. The demographic data of the respondents is shown in Table 4.1.
17. Kindly brief primary, secondary, and tertiary education levels
Response: Pls this has to go from higher percentage to lower. – since it result presentation.
18. Are the study participants Gonorrhea affected or general population? Is there any chapter in School/College Education on Gonorrhea and its clinical features and complications? How did they get information about Gonorrhea? Because many participants mentioned that they know clinical features of gonorrhea
Response: From the participant's participation sheet with detailed information of the study.
19. Replace f with n (number)
Response: Table 4.2: The Level of Knowledge of Gonorrhea among Aged 15 to 25
20. There is nothing called negative and positive knowledge (figure). Kindly look into it. You have assessed several items and I don’t understand what is negative ( does it mean they zero knowledge about gonorrhea? It is not clear. I feel the pie chart is not necessary
Response: Rephrased
21. How did you decide on low, fair, and good knowledge
Response
Level of Knowledge
Figure 1: showing the overall knowledge of gonorrhea among those aged 15 to 25 years, 55% of the respondents have a adequate knowledge of gonorrhea while 45% of the respondents had a poor knowledge about gonorrhea.
The study instrument questions to show poor or inadequate knowledge and adequate knowledge
22. It is about knowledge about prevention of gonorrhea. Add the word knowledge before prevention
Response: Table 4.3 below shows the knowledge prevention of gonorrhea among those aged 15 to 25.
23. There is nothing called negative/positive knowledge. Even pie chart is not necessary
Response: Figure 1: showing the overall knowledge of gonorrhea among those aged 15 to 25 years, 55% of the respondents have a adequate knowledge of gonorrhea while 45% of the respondents had a poor knowledge about gonorrhea.
The Prevention of Gonorrhea among Aged 15 to 25
Table 4.3 below shows the knowledge prevention of gonorrhea among those aged 15 to 25 years, it revealed that 74(74%) of the respondents agreed that gonorrhea could be prevented with the use of a condom during sex, 16(16%) and 10(10%) of the respondents disagreed and have no idea. 59(59%) of the respondents agreed that gonorrhea can be prevented by abstaining from sex, 26(26%) and 22(15%) of the respondents disagreed and had no idea. 59(59%) of the respondents agreed that gonorrhea can be prevented by limiting the number of sex partners, 27(27%) and 14(14%) of the respondents disagreed and had no idea. 64(64%) of the respondents agreed that gonorrhea can be prevented if you and your partner are tested for sexually transmitted infections before intimacy, 22(22%) and 14(14%) of the respondents disagreed and have no idea. 64(64%) of the respondents agreed that gonorrhea.
24. I wonder how general population know about drugs for gonorrhea, dosage and route of administration. It is not relevant to the study population
Response: From the participants information Sheet as stared earlier
25. What is the locality of the participants? Is there anyone from outside region? The study population selection is not clear even in study designing or sampling technique
Response: See Method sections for the correction
26. It is just rewriting again. No need of this
Response: Take off – summary section
27. Kindly add Limitations, Conflict of Interest, and Acknowledgement after Recommendations
Response
Recommendations
Limitation
This study does not cover all age groups and more communities in the local council area of Sagbama were not captured in this study due to limitation of time and funds.
Conflict of Interest
No conflict of interest was declared among the authors after reading the manuscript.
Acknowledgment
The authors are most grateful to all participants who filled out the self-reported questionnaire. Also, for all authors' contributions.