Knowledge, awareness and perception of medical college students on rabies and its prevention

Abstract

Background: Rabies continues to be major public health problem in India in-spite of the wide availability of anti rabies vaccine. In India 20,000 dies of rabies annually. The large number of deaths due to rabies can be attributed to people not aware of the various aspects of the disease and its prevention. Aims & Objectives: To assess the knowledge and perception among first year medical college students. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive study conducted at Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hassan using a pretested questionnaire. Results: A total of 90 first year medical college students participated in this study. 80 (88.8%) knew that rabies is caused by virus. 38 (42.2%) knew annual mortality due to rabies in India. 88 (97.7%) knew that rabies is transmitted through bites of an animal. 54 (60%) students knew that rabies is 100% fatal. 44 (48%) students knew the symptoms of rabies. 60 (66.6%) felt that the bites wounds should be washed. 55 (61.1%) knew that an antiseptic to be applied to the wound. 40 (44.4%) students told animal bite wound should not be sutured or bandaged. 15 (16.6%) students knew that 5 doses of vaccine should be taken when bitten by animal. Only 2 (2.2%) were aware of RIGs. Conclusion: Majority of the MBBS students of the first year knew that rabies is caused by virus which is transmitted through dog bite. More than 50% of the students knew about symptoms and post exposure measures correctly. Students had poor knowledge about the other modes of transmission, animal that can transmit rabies, Rabies immunoglobulin and number of vaccine doses. The knowledge regarding rabies prevention among male and female students is same.

Assessment of knowledge regarding rabies and its prevention among the medical students of Government Medical College Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, India

“…14 Praveen et al in their study reported that 48% of medical students knew that hydrophobia and aerophobia are the symptoms of rabies in the human beings. 11 The correct knowledge about fatality of rabies was found in 68.8% of medical students in present study which was near to study done by Praveen et al where 60% of students knew that rabies is 100% fatal. 11 In contrast, Bhalla et al in their study, observed that only 12% of study subjects knew about fatal nature of rabies.…”

“…11 The correct knowledge about fatality of rabies was found in 68.8% of medical students in present study which was near to study done by Praveen et al where 60% of students knew that rabies is 100% fatal. 11 In contrast, Bhalla et al in their study, observed that only 12% of study subjects knew about fatal nature of rabies. 14 About 46% of medical students knew the correct incubation period of rabies in present study which was near to finding of a study done by Shah et al where this data was 51.7%.…”

“…In present study, 83.1% of medical students knew about the viral cause of rabies which was near to a study carried out by Praveen et al where 88.8% of medical students knew that rabies is caused by virus. 11 In contrast, other study done by Singh et al reported that only 41.1% of MBBS doctors knew that rabies is caused by virus. 12 Majority (93.4%) of medical students knew that the dog as main reservoir of rabies which was near to other study done by Chopra et al where 96% knew that rabies is transmitted mainly by dogs.…”

“…15 Majority (91.8%) of medical students knew that the main mode of transmission of rabies by bites of rabid animal in current study which was near to a study conducted by Praveen et al where 97.7% of medical students knew that rabies is transmitted through bites of an animal. 11 Bhalla et al in their study observed that all the doctors were aware about animal bite as mode of transmission. 14 Only 4.4% of medical students knew regarding modes of transmission other than bite in present study.…”

Effect of educational intervention on the knowledge of rabies among medical school students of Chennai

“…[7] Shashikantha et al reported that 74% of the study participants were aware of dog bite as the mode of transmission, 68.8% about hydrophobia as a sign of rabies, 62%–72% about the different categories of wounds, and 10%–52% about the various aspects of PrEP and PEP. [8] Chowdhury et al in their study conducted on medical interns have reported that 27.5%–95% were aware of the different categories of wounds, 10%–73.8% about the various aspects of vaccine administration, 10%–85% about the various aspects of immunoglobulin administration, and 60%–77% about the various aspects of wound management.…”