An association of knowledge and misconceptions with health seeking behaviour for dog bite: a cross-sectional study in Ahmedabad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20172865Keywords:
Dog bite, Knowledge, ARV, Misconceptions, RabiesAbstract
Background: Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease and most often transmitted to humans through a dog bite. It is 100% fatal yet 100% preventable with timely and appropriate Post Exposure treatment. There are myths associated with a dog bite and rabies and which might affect the health seeking behaviour. The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge and misconceptions regarding dog-bite and rabies in primary school teachers and to know the association of misconceptions with health seeking behaviour for dog-bite in the study group.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 teachers of municipality and self-finance primary schools in Ahmedabad city. A pre-tested and pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect data of knowledge & attitude regarding dog-bite/rabies.
Results: Out of 196 teachers, 118 teachers will not take ARV injection after bite of a normal looking dog. Many of them have a misconception about ARV injection. 128 teachers will discontinue ARV after a dog bite if any symptoms of Rabies will not develop within 10 days after starting ARV. There is an association found between knowledge regarding rabies and treatment seeking behaviour which was found statistically significant.
Conclusions: There is a serious gap in knowledge regarding Rabies in primary school teachers and misconceptions regarding rabies are rampant in most of them. The misconceptions regarding rabies and dog bite found to be affecting the treatment seeking behaviour after dog bite which leads to low compliance to ARV.
Metrics
References
Vyas S, Gupta K, Bhatt G, Tiwari H. Animal Bite Management Practices: Study at Three Municipal Corporation Hospitals of Ahmedabad. National J Community Med. 2010;1(2):75-8.
Ganasva A, Bariya B, Modi M, Shringarpure K. Perceptions and treatment seeking behaviour of dog bite patients attending regional tertiary care hospital of central Gujarat, India. J Res Med Dental Sci. 2015;3(1):60-4.
Kulkarni P, Renuka M, Kumar SD, Siddalingappa H, Ashok NC, Rama HV. Perception of Women Self Help Group (SHG) Members Regarding Rabies and its Prevention in Urban Mysore. International J Health Sci Res. 2013;3(4):11-6.
Gogtay NJ, Nagpal A, Mallad A, Patel K, Stimpson SJ, Belur A, et al. Demographics of animal bite victims & management practices in a tertiary care institute in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Indian J Med Res. 2014;139:459-62.
Sudarshan MK, Madhusudanab SN, Mahendra BJ, Raod NSN, Narayana ADH, Rahmane SA, et al. Assessing the burden of human rabies in India: results of a national multi-center epidemiological survey. Indian J Infect Dis. 2007;11:29-35.
Abubakar SA, Bakari AG. Incidence of dog bite injuries and clinical rabies in a tertiary health care institution: A 10-year retrospective study. Ann Afr Med. 2012;11:108-11.
Bulletin of World health organisation. India’s ongoing war against rabies. Available at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/12/09-021209/en/ Accessed on 3 April 2017.
Shah V, Bala DV, Thakker J. Epidemiological determinants of animal bite cases attending the antirabies clinic at V. S. General Hospital, Ahmedabad. Healthline. 2012;3(1):66-8.
Gupta AK. World Rabies Day activities in Delhi. Global Alliance for Rabies Control 2012. Available At; https://rabiesalliance.org/%20media/news/wrd-activities-in-delhi. Accessed on 3 April 2017.
Vinay M., Sheetal MP, Mahendra BJ. Awareness regarding Rabies and its prevention among first-year Medical College Students of Mandya Instititute of Medical Sciences Mandya. APCRI J. 2012;13(2):13-5.
Agarwal N, Reddaiah VP. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Following Dog Bite: A Community-Based Epidemiological Study. Health Population Perspectives Issues. 2003;26(4):154-61.
Kabeta T, Deresa B, Tigre W, Ward MP, Mor SM. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Animal Bite Victims Attending an Anti-rabies Health Center in Jimma Town, Ethiopia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(6):e0003867.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
