Awareness of dengue and practice of dengue control measures among urban population in Tamil Nadu, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20180271Keywords:
Dengue infection, Awareness, Control practices, Urban areaAbstract
Background: The dengue infection has become endemic in India as a result of changing environmental conditions and lack of awareness among the public. So, the present study was conducted with the objectives of studying the awareness of dengue and dengue control practices among urban population in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Methods: The study was of cross sectional design conducted in the fever clinic of Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Systemic random sampling was done to select the study participants. A pre-tested, pre-validated semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data was obtained from 270 individuals during August to November 2017.
Results: Among the study participants, 254 (94.1%) had heard of dengue. Among them, 145 (53.7%) correctly identified the symptoms of dengue, 221 (81.6%) correctly responded that the dengue is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and 82 (30.4%) had correct knowledge about Aedes mosquito breeding places. Younger age group individuals and those with higher education had significantly better awareness about mosquito control measures (p<0.005).
Conclusions: Majority of the study population was aware about dengue, only half of them knew about the symptoms of dengue and only one-third correctly knew about breeding habitats of Aedes mosquitoes. Therefore, already functioning health campaigns should ensure that the knowledge acquired is put into practice.
References
Dengue and severe dengue (Fact sheet). World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2016.
Global Strategy for dengue prevention and control, 2012–2020. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2012.
Gibbons RV, Vaughn DW. Dengue: an escalating problem. BMJ. 2002;324:1563–6.
Benthem BH, Khantikul N, Kessels PJ, SomboonP, Oskam L. Knowledge and use of prevention measures related to dengue in North Thailand. Tropical Medicine of Int Health. 2002;7:993-1000.
Begonia C, Yboa BC, Labrague LJ. Dengue Knowledge and Preventive Practices among Rural Residents in Samar Province, Philippines. Am J Public Health Res. 2013;1:47-52.
Kohli C, Kumar R, Meena GS, Singh MM, Ingle GK. A Study on Knowledge and Preventive Practices about Mosquito Borne Diseases in Delhi. J MAMC Med Sci. 2015;1(1):16-9.
Sharma AK, Bhasin S, Chaturvedi S. Predictors of knowledge about malaria in India. J Vector Borne Dis. 2007;44:189-97.
Malhotra G, Yadav A, Dudeja P. Knowledge, awareness and practices regarding dengue among rural and slum communities in North Indian city, India. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2014;3:295-9.
Chellaiyan VG, Manoharan A, Ramachandran M. Knowledge and awareness towards dengue infection and its prevention: a cross sectional study from rural area of Tamil Nadu, India. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2017;4:494-9.
Swaddiwudhipong W, Lerdlukanavonge P, Khumklam P, Koonchote S, Nguntra P, Chaovakiratipong C. A survey of knowledge, attitude and practice of the prevention of dengue hemorrhagic fever in an urban community of Thailand. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Pub Health. 1992;23:207-11.
Gupta P, Kumar P, Aggarwal O. Knowledge, attitude and practices related to dengue in rural and slum areas of Delhi after the dengue epidemic of 1996. J Communicable Diseases. 1998;30(2):107-12.
Van Benthem BH, Khantikul N, Panart K, Kessels PJ, Somboon P, Oskam L. Knowledge and use of prevention measures related to dengue in northern Thailand. Trop Med Int Health. 2002;7:993-1000.
Matta S, Bhalla S, Singh D, Rasania SK, Singh S. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) on Dengue fever: A Hospital Based Study. Indian J Community Med. 2006;31(3):185-6.
Itrat A, Khan A, Javaid S, Kamal M, Khan H, Javed S, et al. Knowledge, awareness and practices regarding dengue fever among the adult population of dengue hit cosmopolitan. PLoS One. 2008;9(3):e2620.
