1. A pilot study on the usefulness of information and education campaign materials in enhancing the knowledge, attitude and practice on rabies in rural Sri Lanka
- Author
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Koji Kanda, Rossana A. Ditangco, Hiroko Yamashina, A. Jayasinghe, D. D. Niranjala De Silva, Yoshihide Ohbayashi, G. S. Panduka De S. Gunawardena, Hiko Tamashiro, I N Gamini Perera, W. R. Bandula Kumara, and Gino C. Matibag
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Rural Population ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,Veterinary medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Rabies ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Population ,Pilot Projects ,Microbiology ,Population control ,Birth control ,Dogs ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Virology ,parasitic diseases ,Animals ,Humans ,Medicine ,Dog Diseases ,Socioeconomics ,education ,Rabies transmission ,health care economics and organizations ,Aged ,Sri Lanka ,media_common ,Family Characteristics ,education.field_of_study ,Information Dissemination ,business.industry ,Public health ,Ownership ,General Medicine ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Infectious Diseases ,Female ,Parasitology ,Health education ,Rural area ,business - Abstract
Background: Rabies remains endemic in Sri Lanka despite a strong government patronized anti-rabies campaign. Personal, cultural or religious beliefs have been thought to influence health practices that could render rabies prevalent in the country. Methodology: The knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of 580 household heads/members from Nuwara Eliya District, Sri Lanka, regarding rabies were explored through a structured questionnaire. An improvement/deterioration in their knowledge and practices after the use of information and education campaign (IEC) materials was assessed through a repeat exploration at an interval of four weeks. Results: Respondents showed inclination toward animal birth control (60%) rather than elimination methods (24%). There was disparity between pet owners‟ enthusiasm to take pets for rabies inoculation (57%) and their ability to show dog vaccination cards (40%). Almost twice more pet owners than non-pet owners believed that it is their responsibility to control the population of roaming pet dogs (aOR=1.78; 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.76). The rabies leaflets were very effective in informing the people on how to deal with rabid animals, the earliest schedule for anti-rabies vaccine (ARV), and repeat vaccination. Conclusions: Awareness and proper attitude toward rabies management and canine population control are adequate among the rural Sinhalese and Buddhist populations of Sri Lanka; however, their current health practices should be improved. The rabies KAP could be further enhanced through the use of IEC materials.
- Published
- 2009
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