Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Leptospirosis in Catbalogan City, Samar, Philippines

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a global bacterial infection that can kill millions of people through contact of mucous membranes or broken skin with water moist soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals. This study determines Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Leptospirosis among barangay residents, health workers, and barangay officials in Catbalogan, City Samar. The study employed the analytical research design, analysis as to any differences in the level of knowledge and extent of practice of prevention and control strategies were made with the use of T-test. There were 187 respondents of the study which included the health workers, barangay officials, and selected residents of six barangays in Catbalogan City. Findings revealed that information dissemination through mass media (TV) is the number one preventive and control strategy to avoid leptospirosis and this could be one of the information that they could share to members of the family and friends. The common prevention and control strategies practiced by the three groups of respondents were to maintain cleanliness on the surrounding and to keep good hygiene. The health workers and barangay officials “frequently practiced” them while the barangay residents “always practiced” them. The Barangay health workers in the RHU and local government unit must have proper information dissemination regarding Leptospirosis, it emphasized environmental sanitation, teaching about the proper safety precautions and develops the interest of the respondents. Moreover, another study is conducted in other city/municipality to ascertain the level of awareness and knowledge of the community residents, thereby validating the findings of this study.