Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever among general people: A cross-sectional study in Pakistan

Abstract

Background Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) continues to pose a serious threat to the fragile healthcare system of Pakistan with a continuous increase of morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding CCHF among general people who resided in Pakistan. Methods An online cross-sectional survey design was applied, and a convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 1039 adult people from Pakistan. Data were collected from September 08 to October 12, 2021. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 32 questions in four parts assessing socio-demographics, as well as knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding CCHF. All statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices. Results Alarmingly, 51.5% of participants heard about CCHF infection before administering the survey. Among these, 20.2%, 33.3%, and 48.2% of the study participants had demonstrated good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that education and income status had a significant impact on knowledge and attitudes (p<0.05). Similarly, the mean attitude scores differed significantly by age, education, and income status (p<0.05). Conclusions The findings reflected inadequate levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding CCHF among general people in Pakistan which may regard as lower than expected. As CCHF is a highly contagious disease, it’s urgent to initiate a comprehensive approach to handle the situation before it spreads further in Pakistan.

Knowledge, perceptions, and exposure to bats in communities living around bat roosts in Bundibugyo district, Uganda: implications for viral haemorrhagic fever prevention and control

“…Knowledge of the disease is considered the first steppingstone to any good measures such as health education activity that is implemented. Knowing the causes and transmission sources of a disease, increases the likelihood that people will become more aware of the spread of bat borne diseases, and of the preventive measures to slow transmission [ 15 ].…”

“…Poor attitudes of people towards bats coupled with hunting of bats for food and medicinal purposes potentially exposes communities to infectious agents as well as threaten the long-term viability of local bat populations [ 14 ]. Understanding the level of knowledge and attitude of community towards bats is thus important to design effective community awareness campaigns aimed at preventing spillover [ 15 ].…”

Seroprevalence of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Occupational Settings: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Despite the increasing claims for the potential health threat associated with CCHFV infection [ 5 , 6 ], this pathogen often remains underestimated, not only by the general population, but also among healthcare professionals [ 64 , 65 ]. Nonetheless, pooled data stress how CCHFV infection may represent a far more common occurrence, even in countries and settings not usually associated with CCHF.…”

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding enteric fever among doctors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

“…This is in contrast to Jamil et al who found a lower overall good practice rate (48.2%) among participants in managing Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. 14 In terms of antibiotic usage, the preference for ceftriaxon (67%) aligns with current treatment guidelines, yet the varied responses indicate a lack of consensus or potential overreliance on certain antibiotics, a concern also echoed in Boran and Kahriman's study on fever management. 15 The attitude and practice patterns revealed in the study, such as 61% always providing supportive care and 17.5% always applying empirical antibiotics, reflect a proactive approach towards management but also highlight the need for more standardized treatment protocols.…”