A Comparative Study of the Socio-Demographic Variables with Respect to the Knowledge of Bird Flu between a Rural and an Urban Slum Community of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Every year in the early spring Bird Flu poses a threat to the community. H5N1 virus is also getting robust day by day acquiring an ability to cross the species barrier. It is now known as (H5N1) which is emerging as killer virus to man. Though human casualty is yet to be recorded from India but the threat is not over. Objectives of the study:1) To assess and compare the differences of knowledge and practice regarding Bird flu and poultry maintenance in between the rural and urban population. 2) To study the different socio-demographic factors responsible for this. Material and methods: The present study had been undertaken in the village of Hakimpur of Singur Block of District Hooghly, West Bengal with a population 862 of 215 families and in an urban slum of Chetla lockgate area of service area of Urban Health Centre Kolkata with a population of 1014 of 250 families. One responsible adult member from each family was interviewed. Information regarding socio-demographic profile, poultry keeping, correct knowledge about bird flu, mode of transmission, culling etc. was recorded. Result:The Results showed that 45.6% rural and 55.1% urban slum respondents know what Bird Flu is, 75.3% rural and 58.8% urban slum respondents know the mode of transmission, 32.6% rural and 31.2% urban slum respondents know the procedure of culling. The knowledge of transmission by Infected Body Fluids among Literate Respondents were significantly high than the Illiterate Respondents. The predominant source of information was Mass Media. 57.14% of the rural families rearing poultry, kept the birds in shed, 40.48% in cage and 2.38% in living room. 91.67% of the urban slum families rearing poultry kept birds in the cage and the rest of them kept birds in living room.39.2% urban slum respondents believe that isolation of diseased birds is helpful to arrest an outbreak and 44.7% rural respondents believe that the transmission of Bird Flu can be reduced by Culling at the time of an outbreak. 78% urban slum respondents believe that poultry products can be used at the time of an outbreak.