Aisha Khan1, Rimsha Ayaz1, Ayesha Mehtab2, Kashf Naz1, Waseem Haider1, Muhammad Asif Gondal1, Muhammad Umer1, Muhammad Inam Afzal1, Naseer Ali Shah1, Muhammad Sohail Afzal3, Guan Yayi4, Khawaja Shafique Ahmad5, Haroon Ahmed6. 1. Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan. 2. Department of Economics, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan. 3. Department of Life Sciences, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan. 4. Department of Echinococcosis, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, WHO Collaborating Center of Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Researches on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, 207 Ruijin Er Lu, Shanghai 200025, China. 5. Department of Botany, University of Poonch (UOP), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir. 6. Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: haroonahmed@comsats.edu.pk.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Rabies is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in numerous regions of the world. Annually, 60,000 deaths have been reported, mostly in Asia and Africa. Dogs are responsible for approximately 99% of human deaths due to rabies. Consequently, incidences of canine bites are increased yet rabies continues to remain a neglected disease in Pakistan. The objective of the study was to investigate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) for rabies, among the participants from urban and rural population of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. METHODS: Data was collected by conducting household based cross-sectional survey over a period of 5 months (from January 2018 to May 2018). Quantitative data was collected in the form of questionnaires to investigate awareness and knowledge of rabies among the participants. The questionnaire compromised of socio-demographic features and degree of KAP with respect to rabies management and control. RESULTS: A total sample size of 434 participants responded in the study. Among them, 89.4% were found to have heard about rabies, 38.7% have no knowledge of signs and symptoms, 93.3% knew that infected dogs are the major cause of spreading rabies and 77.6% considered that the vaccination of animals is important for prevention of rabies. However, only 39.8% actively seek medical treatment at a hospital if bitten by a dog. From the 434 participants 61 reported dog bites, of which 68.8% (42/61) were male and 49.1% (30/61) belonged to age group of 6-25 years. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that respondents have relatively limited knowledge, inconsistent attitude and poor practices towards rabies prevention and control. There is a high need of imparting knowledge to the population from multidisciplinary programs for effective management and prevention of rabies.
INTRODUCTION: Rabies is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in numerous regions of the world. Annually, 60,000 deaths have been reported, mostly in Asia and Africa. Dogs are responsible for approximately 99% of humandeaths due to rabies. Consequently, incidences of canine bites are increased yet rabies continues to remain a neglected disease in Pakistan. The objective of the study was to investigate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) for rabies, among the participants from urban and rural population of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. METHODS: Data was collected by conducting household based cross-sectional survey over a period of 5 months (from January 2018 to May 2018). Quantitative data was collected in the form of questionnaires to investigate awareness and knowledge of rabies among the participants. The questionnaire compromised of socio-demographic features and degree of KAP with respect to rabies management and control. RESULTS: A total sample size of 434 participants responded in the study. Among them, 89.4% were found to have heard about rabies, 38.7% have no knowledge of signs and symptoms, 93.3% knew that infecteddogs are the major cause of spreading rabies and 77.6% considered that the vaccination of animals is important for prevention of rabies. However, only 39.8% actively seek medical treatment at a hospital if bitten by a dog. From the 434 participants 61 reported dog bites, of which 68.8% (42/61) were male and 49.1% (30/61) belonged to age group of 6-25 years. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that respondents have relatively limited knowledge, inconsistent attitude and poor practices towards rabies prevention and control. There is a high need of imparting knowledge to the population from multidisciplinary programs for effective management and prevention of rabies.