Study of general awareness, attitude, behavior, and practice study on dog bites and its management in the context of prevention of rabies among the victims of dog bite attending the opd services of chc muradnagar

Abstract

Objectives:This is a recent study conducted during 15th September 2013 to 15th December 2013 at the community health centre (CHC), Muradnagar, distt Ghaziabad, among the victims of dog/animal bite attending the daily OPD services of CHC. To identify the level of general awareness and knowledge of wound management and rabies among the cases of dog bite and to study the awareness of people about antirabies vaccines and health service utilization.Methods:The study population composed of 250 victims of dog or animal bite, Patients were selected and approached after proper briefing, with well-prepared two page structured questionnaire designed in local language to assess their knowledge about the wound management, information about the epidemiology of dog bite.Results and conclusion:The result of the study reflect the very low level of awareness about the postdog bite management of wounds as well as about the disease rabies group of people questioned and also reveals serious gaps in understanding of wound severity, classification and correct application of PEP with ARV vaccine and RIG. There is definitely a gap in people's knowledge, attitude, and practices about dog bite and its management and there is need of taking serious measures for the control of stray dog population at the block level.

Information gap amongst animal bite victims and their care givers: a study conducted at anti rabies centers of a city in North India

“…On the similar lines to our results, both Jain et al and Singh et al found very low level of awareness about the post dog bite management of wounds. 7,8 But in contrary to our results, two other studies showed that more than three fourth of animal bite victims were found to have sufficient knowledge of the same. 9,10 These differences in the findings could be attributed to education status of victims Time interval between bite and initiation of wound washing is critical in prevention of rabies.…”

“…But Jain et al and Kumar et al reported 18% and 55% of cases respectively were aware about the fatality rate (100%) of the disease once occurred. 7,9 In our study, victims also did not have the desired information regarding symptoms of rabies. This could be because of low education status of victims as out of the 59 victims who were unaware of the fatality of rabies majority (around 86%) were educated only upto XII class.…”

“…8,14 In contrary to above results, another study found 20% subjects knew the name of disease named rabies but 63.7% victims knew that rabies is caused by biting of animal. 7 These differences could be attributed to differential education status and age profile of victims.…”

“…Similarly another study also reveals serious gaps in understanding of wound severity, classification and correct application of PEP with ARV vaccine and RIG. 7 But few others studies found that more than three fourth of respondents believed that rabies can be prevented by vaccination. 8,12,15 ARV is indicated in all category II and category III exposures.…”

A study to assess delays in reporting time and completion of treatment at anti rabies clinic, JA group of hospitals, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India

“…9 Another study conducted in Kolkata reported that maximum number of study participants reported to health center within 24 to 48 hours and very few cases within 24 hours after bite. Late reported cases, especially after 5 days, constituted by younger children or illiterate elderly people were forcefully brought to the hospital by their family members or caregivers.…”