Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Rabies among Human and Animal Health Professionals in Senegal

Abstract

Rabies is still a public health problem in Senegal. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on rabies among human and animal health professionals. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in the Kaffrine district. Data were collected from 28 June to 01 July 2021. An exhaustive recruitment was done, and the final sample size was 95 health professionals. R software was used for descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses. Health professionals with sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes and good practices in relation to rabies represented 35.8%, 26.3% and 45.3% of the study respectively. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that professionals who worked in urban areas (AOR = 11.10; 95% CI = [3.50–41.69]) and who worked in animal health (AOR = 7.45; 95% CI = [1.16–70.40]) were more likely to have sufficient knowledge about rabies. Professionals with tertiary education (AOR = 12.40; CI95% = [1.80–268.00]) and with sufficient knowledge (AOR = 3.41; CI95% = [1.01–12.70]) were more likely to have a positive attitude about rabies. Professionals with a positive attitude about rabies (AOR = 3.23; 95% CI = [1.08–10.70]) were more likely to have a good practice when presented with an animal bite case. These results suggest that improving health professionals’ knowledge about rabies is essential in order to influence their attitudes and practices against rabies.

Veterinary students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rabies transmission, prevention, and control in Bangladesh

“…However, a minority percentage (2.6%) disputed this statement as well. In a recent study in Senegal, the outcome was slightly higher (90.6%) (Ba et al, 2021).…”

“…Across this research, 47.7% of respondents correctly assumed that rabies can infect other species of animals including pets. In a research by Ba et al, 2021, the percentage was merely double (Ba et al, 2021).…”

“…However, the rest incorrectly answered the question. In a study in Senegal, the researchers found that 70% of respondents identified the virus as the etiological agent of rabies (Ba et al, 2021). Knowledge of the students about rabies, rabies…”

Involvement of Healthcare Staff from First Contact Health Establishments in the Elimination of Human Rabies in the Health Districts of Ferkessedougou and Kong in Ivory Coast, 2020

“…Our study is justified by the fact that some authors such as Mindeken [6] in 2018 in Chad, Mbaiago [5] in 2020 in Chad and BA [7] in 2021 in Senegal have worked on the knowledge attitudes and practices (KAP) of human health work-ers and veterinarian on rabies while others such as Bhalla [8] in 2005 and Nayak [9] in 2013 in India worked on KAP of general practitioners, and Jidge [10] in 2019 in India carried out KAP study on rabies in military doctors. However, none of these studies has been performed in all healthcare staff in first contact facilities.…”

“…Health workers who ignore PEP for all Category II and III exposures put patients at risk of developing rabies [13]. Thus, effective prophylactic treatment must be started soon after exposure to the virus in order to avoid the appearance of rabies symptoms and death [7]. If immediate suturing after wound cleansing cannot be avoided, the wound should first be carefully infiltrated with rabies immunoglobulin and suturing delayed for a few hours to allow the immunoglobulin to diffuse into the tissues before closure.…”