Lack of awareness and knowledge among people with scabies in a questionnaire based cross sectional and observational study

Abstract

Background: Scabies awareness can decrease the disease health burden. The objective was to assess the awareness and knowledge among people with scabies in a questionnaire based cross sectional, observational study.Methods: Study was questionnaire based, cross sectional, descriptive study. 200 consecutive patients with scabies were enrolled for it.Results: Of the 200 participants, 125 (62.5%) were males and 75 (37.5%) were females. People of all educational levels were affected from scabies ranging from illiterate 25 (12.5%) to graduates 44 (22%). 95 (47.5%) participants did not knew that itching can be because of scabies. 171 (85.5%) participants had no idea of mode of spread of the disease. 199 (99.5%) participants had no knowledge of treatment. None of the participants knew that scabies is preventable.Conclusions: There is a general lack of awareness and knowledge among the people regarding various aspects of scabies. Increased health awareness programmes with more educational and psychosocial support should be provided to the people. Mass drug treatment of scabies in the area should be provided instead of treating the individual patients.

Evaluating the current management approach of scabies at selected primary health care in the Deder district, Ethiopia

“…Additionally, early treatment for those infected and giving focused health education was the main strategy for preventing the spread of the contagion, which emerges also in this study’s findings. Rawat and Thakur found a similar result which indicated that a lack of awareness and knowledge among individuals infected by scabies occurs in various manifestations [ 23 ]. Increasing awareness and knowledge of the community through appropriate health education and psychological support that focuses on the special consideration for the most affected population lessens the burden of the disease.…”