A Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dengue among Undergraduate Social Work Students from Tuljapur, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Zoonotic Diseases are a contemporary concern in public health because it has the animal-to-human transmission mode and influence the cause of infectious diseases. One Health identifies that health is interdependent and interrelated to concepts of environment, agriculture, animals (often act as agents), and the background of the relationship between the vector and the host. Dengue is one such disease which is a concern in South and Southeast Asia because it leads to preventable mortality. Thus, it is significant to understand the mode of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, Practice) among youth; therefore, the enhancement of capacity based upon the existing framework may be implemented. The study was descriptive by nature and followed a convergent parallel mixed methods research design. The data were collected through a survey and semi-structured interviews, with the former providing quantitative components and the latter providing qualitative components. The sample design consisted of purposive sampling, and the sample size was calculated through Yamane's Formula and proportionately distributed among undergraduate students. The informed consent and anonymity of the respondents were ensured in accordance with ethical standards. 33 (58.9%) had heard about both Dengue and Zoonotic diseases. 44 respondents (78.6%) positively identified Zoonotic Diseases as animal-to-human transmission of infection and 38 (67.9%) respondents mentioned all regarding transmission of zoonotic diseases (vector, food, water-borne). The study found 47 (83.9%) possess adequate knowledge to identify Dengue as a zoonotic disease, and there was limited knowledge displayed about national programmes, as 26 respondents had not heard about both NVBDCP and NOHP-PCZ. 22 and 30 respondents were likely to access care through the Local Doctor and Private/Government Hospital respectively, which depicts that students were not keen on the public healthcare services system. Conclusion: It is necessary to create a collaborative multidisciplinary approach adopting social behavior change communication and the development of health seeking behavior and healthcare seeking behavior in the local context through community engagement