Assessment of community knowledge, attitude, and practice towards rabies and its determinants in Kersa District, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Despite the prevention and control efforts against rabies, it remains a health problem for humans and animals in Ethiopia. A cross- sectional study design was employed from February to July 2022 to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards rabies and associated factors in the Keresa district of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from 384 households, and logistic regression was employed in the data analysis. Fifty-three percent (95% CI= 47.9-58.1%), 62% (95% CI= 57.3- 66.9%), and 50% (95% CI= 45.1-54.9%) had adequate knowledge, a desirable attitude and good preventative practices towards rabies, respectively. 92.7% (95% CI= 90.1-95.3%) of participants had heard of rabies before, and 52.9% (95% CI= 47.9-58.1) of their primary source of information was the community. Nearly all respondents, 95% (95%CI= 93.8-97.7%), admitted to eating rabid animal flesh, and 56.3% (95%CI= 51-61.5%) believed that eating rabid animal meat may transmit the disease. One-fourth, 25.5% (95%CI=21.1-29.9%) of study participants believed that rabies is related to spirits, and 27.9% (95%CI= 23.4-32.6) claimed that holy water might treat rabies. Sex, level of education, occupation, and training status affect the knowledge of study participants. Age, family size, occupation type, and source of information were all linked to preventive practice, but sex and age were the only variables associated with attitude. Respondents having good knowledge and desirable attitudes had better preventive practices against rabies. Therefore, further awareness and disease-related training are needed for the district population and beyond to improve their knowledge of rabies prevention and control.