Cross sectional study to assess knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) towards animal bite management and vaccination against rabies, amongst interns in a tertiary care hospital of Kolhapur, Maharashtra

Abstract

Background: Rabies disease continues to be most feared of all communicable diseases. Rabies is a zoonotic disease & transmitted by animal bites, mainly dogs. India accounts for 59.9% of rabies deaths in Asia and 35% of deaths globally. One of the important factors associated with successful treatment is the knowledge of the care giver in the correct management of animal bites and vaccination against rabies. Objectives: i) To assess the knowledge towards animal bite management, and (ii) To study the knowledge, attitude & practices regarding pre and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) of rabies amongst interns in a D. Y. Patil Medical College, & Hospital, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, a tertiary care teaching hospital. Material and Methods: i) Study design - An observational - cross sectional, knowledge, attitude & practices (KAP) study. ii) Tools used - Predesigned, pretested, structured questionnaire based survey in interns on animal bite wound management and pre & post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies. iii) Study population – Interns working in D. Y. Patil Hospital, Kolhapur during study period, iv) Statistical tests – mean, percentage and other statistical analysis was conducted by using Microsoft- Excel.