22Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) studies have included mainly community-based samples, yet, investigation on in-23 patients with Dengue through hospital-based surveillance has not been done. This study aimed to assess and compare the 24 KAP, identify its determinants and protective factors among 250 clinically or serologically confirmed paediatric (n = 233) and 25 adult patients (n = 17) with DF and 250 youth (n = 233) and adult (n = 17) controls. Paediatric patients with DF had significantly 26 higher knowledge and practice mean scores than adult patients with DF and lower practice mean scores than youth controls.
27Being senior high school, days in the hospital and rash determined increased KAP among paediatric patients with DF.
28Mosquito-eating fish, screen windows and Dengue vaccine were protective factors against DF, though, further studies should 29 confirm these results. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude of paediatric 30 patients with DF, however, similar with adult patients with DF, these domains did not correlate with their practices against 31 DF. This suggests that the translation of knowledge and attitude to better practices against DF was poor. Thus, it is necessary 32 to structure health programs on models that facilitate behavioural change among children and adults.
34 42Alyousefi et al. 6 that poor knowledge on DF has significant positive association with poor preventive practices.
43However, other similar studies had different results. Kumaran et al. 7 and Shuaib et al. 8 reported that knowledge 44 on causes, signs, symptoms, mode of transmission and preventive practices against DF is not correlated with the 45 practice of preventive measures against DF. Aside from these, two case-control studies reported which 46 preventive practices are protective factors against DF. Regression models revealed that removing trash and 47 stagnant water from around the residence, using mosquito repellent oils, use of mosquito bed nets, fumigation 48 inside the house, and piped water inside the house can reduce the risk and vulnerability to DF infection 9, 10 .
49Most of the KAP studies have included only community-based samples and investigation on hospital-50 based samples with clinical or serologically-confirmed DF diagnosis has not been done. Chen et al. 9 interviewed 51 patients who were randomly sampled from a web-based reporting system through telephone interviews.
52However, this method limits the collection to individuals and households with telephones. It also had 50% 53 response and completion rate among respondents 10, 11 . On the other hand, face to face interview with 54 2 questionnaire would obtain good response and acceptance rate (99%) and a low refusal rate (1%) among in-and 55 out-patients 11, 12 . Kenneson et al. 10 also did clinical ascertainment and community screening to interview 56 households with and without DF infections by identifying acute or recent DF infections. However, the data 57 collected among households with acute o...