Risk factors related to dengue infections in primary school students: Exploring students’ basic knowledge of dengue and examining the larval indices in southern Thailand

Abstract

Dengue is a major problem in southern Thailand. (1) To determine students' basic knowledge of dengue and (2) to examine the larval indices in primary schools and in the students' households. This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative approach involving meetings with students, discussions with groups of teachers, a questionnaire investigating students' basic knowledge of dengue, and a survey of the larval indices in primary schools and in the students' households. The study consisted of three stages: (1) community preparation, (2) data collection and analysis, and (3) feedback. A total of 306 students (from primary education levels 4-6) from five primary schools in the community were included in the study. Of a total of 15 items on the basic dengue questionnaire, only five were answered correctly by more than 80% of the students. Most of the knowledge items showed statistically significantly different distributions of correct, incorrect, and unknown answers (P ≤ 0.05, P ≤ 0.01, and P ≤ 0.001). The larval indices surveyed in the five schools and in 302 student households showed a high risk of dengue, with high indices in the five schools (Breteau Index: BI=200; House Index: HI=60; and Container Index: CI=7.94) and in the students' households (BI=754; HI=77; and CI=35). Risk factors for dengue were related to the students' basic knowledge of dengue and to the larval indices in both the schools and the students' households. Additionally, a coordinated effort will be required to eliminate Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding sites in the community.