A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan.
Rabies remains a disease of significant zoonotic and economic concern in rabies endemic areas of Bhutan. Rabies outbreaks in livestock threaten the livelihoods of subsistence farming communities and pose a potential public health threat. As a part of identifying approaches to prevent rabies in cattl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2019-04-01
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| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6459539?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1819108551253032960 |
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| author | Sangay Rinchen Tenzin Tenzin David Hall Frank van der Meer Basant Sharma Kinzang Dukpa Susan Cork |
| author_facet | Sangay Rinchen Tenzin Tenzin David Hall Frank van der Meer Basant Sharma Kinzang Dukpa Susan Cork |
| author_sort | Sangay Rinchen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rabies remains a disease of significant zoonotic and economic concern in rabies endemic areas of Bhutan. Rabies outbreaks in livestock threaten the livelihoods of subsistence farming communities and pose a potential public health threat. As a part of identifying approaches to prevent rabies in cattle, a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) survey was conducted among cattle owners in selected rural areas of the southern rabies high-risk zone and low-risk zone in eastern Bhutan. Between March and April 2017, 562 cattle owners (281 in the east and 281 in the south) were interviewed using a questionnaire. Eighty-eight percent of the participants had heard of rabies but only 39% of the participants who had heard of rabies had adequate knowledge about rabies. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that residing in the south [OR = 9.25 (95% CI: 6.01-14.53)] and having seen a rabies case [OR = 2.46 (95% CI: 1.6-3.82)] were significantly associated with having adequate knowledge about rabies. Based on our scoring criteria, 65% of the total participants who had heard of rabies had a favorable attitude towards rabies control and prevention programs. The participants residing in the east were two times more likely to have a favourable attitude than their counterparts in the south [OR = 2.08 (95% CI: 1.43-3.05)]. More than 70% of the participants reported engaging in farm activities such as examining the oral cavity of sick cattle and assisting cattle during parturition. Only 25% of the participants reported using personal protective equipment while undertaking these activities. Despite a high level of rabies awareness, we observed that there is a lack of comprehensive knowledge about rabies regarding susceptible hosts, transmission routes, the health outcome of rabies infection in humans, and appropriate health-seeking behaviours. This study highlights the need to strengthen rabies education programs in rural communities to address the knowledge gaps that have been identified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T03:11:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9b501212a17465693507df823ca195d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T03:11:44Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9b501212a17465693507df823ca195d2022-12-21T18:40:55ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352019-04-01134e000730510.1371/journal.pntd.0007305A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan.Sangay RinchenTenzin TenzinDavid HallFrank van der MeerBasant SharmaKinzang DukpaSusan CorkRabies remains a disease of significant zoonotic and economic concern in rabies endemic areas of Bhutan. Rabies outbreaks in livestock threaten the livelihoods of subsistence farming communities and pose a potential public health threat. As a part of identifying approaches to prevent rabies in cattle, a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) survey was conducted among cattle owners in selected rural areas of the southern rabies high-risk zone and low-risk zone in eastern Bhutan. Between March and April 2017, 562 cattle owners (281 in the east and 281 in the south) were interviewed using a questionnaire. Eighty-eight percent of the participants had heard of rabies but only 39% of the participants who had heard of rabies had adequate knowledge about rabies. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that residing in the south [OR = 9.25 (95% CI: 6.01-14.53)] and having seen a rabies case [OR = 2.46 (95% CI: 1.6-3.82)] were significantly associated with having adequate knowledge about rabies. Based on our scoring criteria, 65% of the total participants who had heard of rabies had a favorable attitude towards rabies control and prevention programs. The participants residing in the east were two times more likely to have a favourable attitude than their counterparts in the south [OR = 2.08 (95% CI: 1.43-3.05)]. More than 70% of the participants reported engaging in farm activities such as examining the oral cavity of sick cattle and assisting cattle during parturition. Only 25% of the participants reported using personal protective equipment while undertaking these activities. Despite a high level of rabies awareness, we observed that there is a lack of comprehensive knowledge about rabies regarding susceptible hosts, transmission routes, the health outcome of rabies infection in humans, and appropriate health-seeking behaviours. This study highlights the need to strengthen rabies education programs in rural communities to address the knowledge gaps that have been identified.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6459539?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Sangay Rinchen Tenzin Tenzin David Hall Frank van der Meer Basant Sharma Kinzang Dukpa Susan Cork A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. |
| title_full | A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. |
| title_fullStr | A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. |
| title_full_unstemmed | A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. |
| title_short | A community-based knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of Bhutan. |
| title_sort | community based knowledge attitude and practice survey on rabies among cattle owners in selected areas of bhutan |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6459539?pdf=render |
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