Abstract
Rabies is endemic in southern Bhutan and children are the frequent victims of dog bites. We surveyed the knowledge, attitude, and practices on rabies among school children in three schools located in southern Bhutan. A total of 701 students (57.9% female, 42.1% male) with an age range of 12–21 years (mean: 15 years) participated in the survey, of which 98.2% had heard about rabies. Most of the students demonstrated a good level of knowledge (59.7%) and a favorable perception towards rabies (57.7%). Multivariable logistic analysis revealed the relation between knowledge and the awareness campaign (OR:1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–2.1). Similarly, higher grades of students (OR:1.9, 95%CI: 1.3–2.9) and employed mothers of the students (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0–2.7) were associated with more favorable perceptions. However, some knowledge gaps were identified in this study, such as students not being able to clearly mention the susceptible hosts of rabies, transmission routes, clinical signs, and prevention and control options. Therefore, regular awareness programs on rabies are necessary among school children in Bhutan.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Our study indicated that most students (98%) surveyed in rabies endemic areas of the country have heard about rabies and have a good level of knowledge, including the source of the disease, susceptible hosts, route of transmission, clinical signs, and preventive measures
Our study in rabies endemic areas of Southern Bhutan showed that most students have a good knowledge and a favorable perception towards rabies
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Rabies is caused by infection with a lyssavirus and is one of the most important Neglected Tropical Diseases [1]. Rabies is transmitted mainly through dog bites and causes approximately 59,000 human deaths every year [2,3]. The disease is endemic in Asia and Africa and most of the victims are children (40%) under the age of 15 years. This zoonosis results in economic losses of up to 8.6 billion USD annually and about 3 billion people are at risk of infection [2]
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