Investigation on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Oral Health among Medical College and University Undergraduate

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the status of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of oral health among medical undergraduate students, and provide reference for implementing oral health interventions. Methods: A total of 528 undergraduate students enrolled in Fuzhou Medical College from February 2023 to September 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Their oral health KAP were investigated, and the oral health behavior habits of different types of medical students were compared, and possible influencing factors were analyzed. Results: The total awareness rate of oral health knowledge among medical students is 77.0%, with an average score of 3.85 ± 1.16 points. The overall positive rate of oral health attitudes among medical students is 80.0%, with an average score of 3.19 ± 0.72 points. The total qualified rate of oral health behavior is 65.9%, with an average score of 4.61 ± 1.23 points. The scores of oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among medical students are related to gender, major, smoking status, and oral health status. The frequency of brushing teeth in the female group was higher than that in the male group, while the habit of brushing teeth before bedtime and the frequency of timely replacement of toothbrushes when deformed were lower, with statistical significance (p 0.05). The frequency of timely replacement of toothbrushes varies among medical students from different majors, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). People who have a habit of eating hot and cold food have a higher frequency of brushing their teeth every day, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). Non smokers have a better habit of brushing their teeth before bedtime and a higher frequency of timely replacement when their toothbrush deforms, with a statistically significant difference (p 0.05). The frequency of using fluoride toothpaste or medicated toothpaste, having a habit of unilateral chewing, and timely replacement of toothbrushes when deformed in patients with existing oral problems is higher than that of those without oral problems, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). Conclusion: The knowledge, attitude, and behavior of oral health among medical students in this school are above average. Students with different genders, dietary and smoking habits, and oral health status have different oral health behavioral habits. It is recommended to include oral health education in mandatory courses for various medical majors.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital on Needle Stick Injury

Purpose: Needle-stick injury (NSI) is one of the most potential occupational hazards for healthcare workers because of the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. As per recent data, around 30 lakh healthcare workers sustain Needle stick injuries each year. This study was conducted to assess healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitude and practices regarding needle stick injury. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Tertiary Care Hospital over the period of 3 months. The study population consisted of Intern Doctors, Post Graduate resident Doctors, Staff Nurses, laboratory technicians of Government Medical College and New Civil Hospital, Surat (n = 300). The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire via the means of Google Forms. Questionnaire was made with prior review literature. The data obtained were entered and analysed in Microsoft Excel. Results: The prevalence of NSI in our study was 46%, with a higher prevalence among the PG residents (72%). Overall scores regarding knowledge and attitude were better in PG residents (knowledge score > 7 in 71% and Attitude Score > 7 in 68% of PG Residents). Even though the PG residents scored highest in the knowledge category, the majority of them suffered needle stick injuries as a result of poor practice scores. Among those who had NSI (n = 139/300), 70% of study participants had superficial injuries, only 9% reported the incident, 18% got medical attention within 2 hours of the incident, and 7% followed up to recheck their viral markers status. Most incidents of NSI were due to hypodermic needles while recapping needles. Conclusion: Exposure to needle stick injuries and their underreporting remains a common problem. It is imperative that healthcare workers receive regular training on the proper handling of sharp objects. We can also draw the conclusion that preventing NSIs requires putting knowledge into practice.

Patients’Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Disposal Methods of Expired and Unused Medicines: Implication for Creation of Drug Take-Back Program

Background: Handling of medicines is a day-to-day activity by patients and many health care providers. However, multiple studies have brought to light inappropriate disposal methods for expired and unused medication (EUM). Improper disposal of expired and unused medicines is hazardous both to humans and the environment. Objective: This sought to measure patients’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on disposal methods of EUM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 384 patients at three outpatient pharmacies at the University Teaching Hospitals (UTHs). The structured questionnaire was used to collect data and STAT version 15.1 was used to analyse the data. Results: 384 respondents participated in this study and, at some point, had EUM. In this study, 356 (92.7%) of the participants reported that they had never heard of a drug take-back system. Most of the participants 285 (74.2%) and 239 (62.2%) kept and donated their unused medicine, respectively. Additionally, 244 (63.5%), 212 (55.2%), and 176 (44.8%) of the participants disposed of expired medicines in the bin or garbage, flushed them in toilets or sinks, or burned them, respectively. Occupation was significantly associated with unsafe disposal of unused medicine [P-value = 0.019]. Conclusion and Relevance: Knowledge of safe disposal methods for EUM was good amongst most participants. However, used unsafe disposal methods. The majority of the participants exhibited positive attitude concerning safe disposal methods. This study highlights the need for drug-take-back program creation in Zambia.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Contraceptive Use among Women of Reproductive Age in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Low contraceptive use among all other factors have been implicated in rapid population growth seen in low and lower middle-income countries (LLMICs). This can be attributed to poor knowledge and attitude of the populace towards use of modern contraceptives. Aim: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception among pregnant women attending ANC at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria from July 1 to August 31, 2021. Methods: This quantitative study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study that recruited 529 women. They were administered with a semi-structured questionnaire which was used to collect their data and responses. The data was analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 25. Results: According to the findings, 57.3% and 47.1% of the women had poor knowledge and negative attitude towards contraception respectively. About a tenth of the women (9.8%) utilised contraceptives of which 44.2% and 42.3% used the natural method and male condoms respectively. The study also revealed the major reason behind the low use as desire for more children (36.3%). Conclusion: The study showed that the women had poor knowledge and negative attitude towards contraceptives and this translated to poor contraceptive use. Hence, awareness campaigns should be intensified by health workers towards enlightening the populace on the different types, uses and benefits of modern contraceptives.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oxygen therapy at emergency departments in Riyadh in 2017: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Administering oxygen therapy(OT) has an essential role in preventing/managing hypoxemia in both acute and chronic conditions. It should be adjusted to achieve the normal oxygen saturation of 94%–98% in most cases. This study aims to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice(KAP) of nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians(EMTs) and Emergency Medical Services(EMS) physicians working at emergency departments(ED) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a structured questionnaire was used to assess KAP related to OT of nurses, paramedics, EMTs and EMS physicians currently working at an ED of a tertiary care hospital. Knowledge and attitude were assessed using a Likert scale from 1–5, whereas practice was assessed as a yes/no categorical variable.RESULTS: A total of 444 emergency health-care workers(EHCWs) participated, of which 225(50.7%) were male, with the majority(77%) in the age group of 20–35 years. Over half of the sample were nurses(266; 59.9%). The mean score for knowledge about OT was 5.51±1.45, attitude was 26.31±3.17 and for practices 4.55±1.76. The main factors which were associated with poor KAP were workload and lack of local guidelines. The distribution of overall practice score was signifi cantly better among paramedics – nurses group and EMT – nurses group.CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that there is a gap in EHCWs' KAP, particularly regarding when to provide OT to a patient. This gap can affect patients' safety. Extensive educational and training programs about OT are needed to raise awareness among health-care providers.

The Impact of Leptospirosis Health Education Module (LHEM) on Changes of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among Army Personnel in Northeastern Malaysia

Community-based interventions in prevention and control of leptospirosis, have been uniformly unsuccessful. Individual counseling and health education play an important role in the prevention and control of the disease. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of intervention on the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) score on leptospirosis among the army personnel after receiving a health education given. A validated questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitude and practice at pre- and post-intervention. A total of 188 army personnel from the two camps involved in this study with 94 respondents in control and intervention groups respectively. Leptospirosis Health Education Module (LHEM) was given to the intervention group. There was significant improvement in knowledge score before and after intervention done (mean difference = 24.25, 95% CI: 21.93, 26.56;p &#8722;14.13, 95% CI: &#8722;15.82, &#8722;12.45;p &#8722;0.72, 1.55;p > 0.05). For the intervention effect, the subjects in intervention group had significantly higher mean attitude score as compared to the subjects in control group (mean difference = &#8722;2.12, 95% CI: &#8722;2.99, &#8722;1.24;p &#8722;0.47, 1.98;p > 0.05). For the intervention effect regardless of time, the subjects in intervention group had significantly higher mean practice score as compared to the subjects in control group (mean difference = 4.16, 95% CI: 2.80, 5.52;p < 0.001). The leptospirosis health education module was found to cause improvement in KAP score in the intervention group.

Nurse’s knowledge, attitude and practice on the initial management of acute poisoning among adult casualties: Study at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to determine nurse’s knowledge, attitude and practice on the initial management of acute poisoning among adult casualties seen at Accident and Emergency Department (AED), Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). The study was cross sectional. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were employed. The target population were all nurses working at AED, KNH. Purposive sampling was used to select study subjects. Sample size included all Accident and Emergency (A&E) nurses who met subject’s inclusion criteria. Structured questionnaires, observation checklist and interview were used to collect the data. Sixty eight (82%) of A&E nurses participated in this study. The study found out that with higher nursing qualification and training on courses related to emergency care, knowledge and skills of A&E nurses on the initial management of acute poisoning is enhanced. A&E nurses with lower education level had a higher mean score of positive attitude compared with nurses with higher nursing qualification. Majority 60 (88.2%) of the A&E nurses indicated that, they required more training on the initial management of acute poisoning. Study recommends that A&E nurses should be trained on various types of poisoning including;assessment, clinical presentations and management to include gut decontaminations. In addition, refresher courses should be organised for those already trained. Flowcharts that will enhance easy identification and management of poisoned casualties should be put in place and utilized accordingly.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Mothers toward Children’s Vaccination at Alfatih One in Sudan

The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and practice of mothers towards children’s vaccination. Background: Vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) are considered one of the main causes of sicknesses and deaths among children all over the world. Parents’ knowledge and attitude towards immunization are likely to influence uptake. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective public health tools to prevent infectious diseases. This study assessed knowledge, attitudes and practice of mothers towards children’s vaccination. Design: Cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1st to May 1st in 2016 among mothers whose children under five years which was carried out at their home in Alfatih one. The sampling method used was simple random sampling. The first house was selected randomly according to availability of household list. Total number of mothers under study were 210 selected randomly from 400 mothers’ home. Structured interviewing sheets were used to assess sociodemographic data, knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers toward vaccination. The data were analyzed using SPSS (Stand for statistical product and service solutions) version 20. Results: It’s revealed that the correlation between knowledge and practice of the studied mothers was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: More than two third of studied mothers had poor knowledge, while on other hand their practice was good towards vaccination.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of General Practitioners on Circumcision and Its Complications in the District Hospitals of the Center Region

Background: The complication rate of circumcision in medical settings is between 0.4% and 2.0%. Circumcision accidents constituted 2.0% of urological emergencies at the Yaoundé Central Hospital. Aim: To assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners on circumcision and its complications in Central Region District Hospitals. Population and Methods: We conducted a multicenter descriptive cross-sectional study the CAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) type. Which took place from March 9 to June 30, 2021 (16 weeks). We included 138 physicians. The variables collected were: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about circumcision and its complications, attitudes towards circumcision and its complications, practices towards circumcision and its complications. Results: In our study, the median age of the study population was 29 years, the sex ratio (M/F) was 0.8. The median ideal age to perform circumcision was 12 months. In our study, 94.9% of general practitioners clearly identified bleeding disorders as a contraindication for circumcision. The material needed to be used to perform a circumcision was ignored by 81.2% of general practitioners. The global knowledge assessment showed that 68.9% of participants had unsatisfactory knowledge about circumcision and its complications. Before circumcision, 91.3% general practitioners first recommended effective disinfection of the operating field, and 83.3% used sterile equipment. Faced with a hemorrhage, 61.6% of general practitioners proposed surgical exploration in the face of rebellious bleeding. 60.2% of general practitioners had bad attitudes towards circumcision and its complications. In our study, 49.2% of the general practitioners questioned did not know the normal procedure for performing a circumcision. Forty-one (29.7%) general practitioners had never performed a circumcision. The median occurrence of a complication during circumcision was 2 times. Bleeding was the most common early postoperative complication (89.2%) in general practitioner practice during circumcision. Conclusion: The majority of general practitioners have not received formal education on circumcision.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Cervical Cancer and Screening among Saudi Women in Ar Rass, Qassim

INTRODUCTION: Internationally, cervical cancer has been regarded as the third most common form of cancer among women after breast and colorectal cancer. However, it is considered one of the most preventable cancers. Research evidence has suggested that infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) significantly increases the relative risk for developing cervical cancer. Papanicolaou cytological testing (Pap smear) permits cervical lesions to be detected before they become cancerous, effectively reducing the incidence of cervical cancer by 75% - 90%. The cervical cancer is the thirteenth most frequent cancer in Saudi women although the health facilities and vaccination are available and can be detected early. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding cervical cancer screening among Saudi women in Qassim. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 85 Saudi Women attending 3 Primary Health Care centers which had been randomly selected by simple random sampling from a list of 4 health centers in Ar Rass city during October 2022. The respondents filled a structured questionnaire after giving informed consent. The data was entered in Excel and analyzed in EpiInfo7 statistical software. RESULTS: The prevalence of cervical cancer in the Qassim region was probably low as 91% of the participants did not have any relatives diagnosed with cervical cancer. About 24% of female participants had good knowledge about cervical cancer and knew the probability of detecting cervical cancer with the Pap smear test before symptoms appear. However, over 56% had never heard of cervical cancer and 48% had not heard about the Pap smear. Only 14% of respondents had a Pap smear test at least once and 82% claimed to have the test done if they were told that the procedure was painless and simple. CONCLUSION: The knowledge and practice regarding cervical screening was inadequate among Saudi women, particularly among women less than 30 years of age, recently married, and with low education level. However, women in Ar Rass have a positive attitude towards cervical screening services although they need to have reassurances that can reduce the barriers to having a test. There is a need to create awareness about cervical cancer screening programs and to educate Saudi women about the symptoms for early diagnosis and treatment.

Knowledge, attitude and practice related to liver fluke infection in northeast Thailand

AIM: To investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in prevention and control of liver fluke infection in northeast Thailand. METHODS: A descriptive KAP survey pertaining to liver fluke infection was carried out in June 2005 to October 2006 using structured questionnaires. Data were collected by questionnaires consisting of general parameters, knowledge, attitude, practice, and a history of participation in the prevention and control of liver fluke infection.RESULTS: A total of 1077 persons who were inter-viewed and completed the questionnaires were enrolled in the study. The majority were females (69.5%) and many of them were 15-20 years of age (37.26%). The questionnaires revealed that information resources on liver fluke infection included local public health volunteers (31.37%), public health officers (18.72%), televisions (14.38%), local heads of sub-districts (12.31%), doctors and nurses (9.18%), newspaper (5.72), internets (5.37%), and others (12.95%). Fifty-five point eleven percent of the population had a good level of liver fluke knowledge concerning the mode of disease transmission and 79.72% of the population had a good level of prevention and control knowledge with regards to defecation and consumption. The attitude and practice in liver fluke prevention and control were also at a good level with a positive awareness, participation, and satisfaction of 72.1% and 60.83% of the persons studied. However, good health behavior was found in 39.26% and 41.42% of the persons studied who had unhygienic defecation and ate raw cyprinoid's fish. The result also showed that 41.25% of the persons studied previously joined prevention and control campaigns. CONCLUSION: The persons studied have a high level of liver fluke knowledge and positive attitude. However, improvement is required regarding personal hygiene specifically with hygienic defecation and consumption of undercooked fish.

Assessment of Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Radiation Safety at Suez Canal University Hospital, Egypt

Doctors who request imaging must be well trained in deciding whether diagnostic imaging is indicated and have an accurate knowledge of the associated risks. Although radiological doses are low and the chance of late effect is minimal, it should be kept as low as reasonably achievable. This cannot be achieved without a proper knowledge and adherence to safe practices. This cross-sectional study investigates the level of physicians’ knowledge about radiation safety and their attitude towards radiation protection. A self-administered questionnaire, for radiation safety was sent to a purposive sample of 120 physicians at Suez Canal University Hospital. Eighty questionnaires were filled by participants (response rate;66.7%). The sample included 22 radiologists, 15 oncologists, 25 surgeons and 18 orthopedists. Most participants did not receive any radiation safety-related training (88.8%). Radiologists and oncologists were exposed to ionizing radiation more frequently;however, their knowledge was as low as that of other physicians. The overall knowledge score ranged from 40% - 60% (mean;56.5 ± 15.2), with a low score among surgeons and orthopedics. The most deficient knowledge was in the dose of background radiation and the radiation dose received by patients in each type of radiation procedure. Adherence to safe radiation practices was violated by most of participants, especially surgeons and orthopedics, but they attributed it to the poor applicability of the protective measures during performing the procedures. This study concluded that physicians at the Suez Canal University Hospital had deficient knowledge, unsafe practices and negative attitude towards radiation safety policies & precautions.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Breast Self-Examination amongst Women in Two Communities of Cameroon

Breast cancer is a major health problem in the world. It is the most common cancer in women and is equally the leading cause of cancer death in women. Though in controversy Breast self-examination (BSE) remains a useful tool in early diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE amongst women in Yaoundé and Monatele. We carried out a cross sectional study in two communities of Cameron over a period of eight months, targeting females older than 15 years. After obtaining authorization, we randomly interviewed 402 consenting participants, using a pretested questionnaire. Data were entered using CS Pro 7.3 and analysed using SPSS 23. Of a total of 402 participants, 256 (63.7%) in Monatele and 146 (36.3%) in Yaoundé VI, the mean age was 26.55 ± 9.57 years. Exactly 50% (201) had earlier heard of BSE. Health personnel and media represented the main sources of information on BSE. Of the total, 46 (11.4%) knew BSE should be done monthly. Fifty-three percent had poor knowledge and 51.0% had a generally low attitude towards BSE. Out of 402 participants, 65.2% reported not practicing BSE. For those practicing, 71.6% had poor practices. The main reason for not practicing was lack of knowledge. Poor knowledge increased poor practice. In conclusion half of the women had heard about BSE even though the majority had a poor knowledge on BSE and very low overall attitude and practice. Health personnel and media played a key role in passing of information. Increasing the number of health campaigns, multiplying TV shows and health talks about breast self-examination will improve knowledge and hence attitude and practice.

Knowledge Attitude and Practice of General Physicians for Early Detection of Diabetic Nephropathy in Cotonou

Introduction: General physicians can play an important role in the early detection of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Purpose: To assess the levels of general physicians’ knowledge, attitude and practice in terms of early detection of DN in Cotonou. Method: It was a cross-sectional, analytical and descriptive study which was conducted from 1st March 2015 to 30th September 2015. Every general physician working in a health structure in Cotonou who consented to participate in the study was included. We did not included medical specialists and general physicians working in nephrology department. Data were collected through a survey form designed with a score to assess the various items such as: knowledge, attitude and practice. The significance threshold is set to below 0.05. Results: In total, 202 general physicians were included. The average age was 30.9 ± 6.9 years ranging from 24 to 68 years. A male predominance was observed with 2.2 sex ratio. The majority of respondent medical physicians had poor knowledge in 76.2% cases, bad attitudes (61%) and bad practices (64.9%) in terms of early detection of diabetic nephropathy. There was positive impact of continuing medical training focused on diabetic nephropathy on attitudes (p = 0.016) and practices (p = 0.001) of these physicians. Conclusion: Diabetic nephropathy requires particular attention. General physicians’ continuous training is a principal solution.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Assessment of Intestinal Parasitic Infection among School Children in Asmara, Eritrea

Purpose: Poor hygiene practice, inadequate sanitary conditions and lack of awareness of correct mode of transmission are some factors that attribute to high intestinal parasitic infection among children. Therefore, having proper knowledge, good attitude and practice (KAP) against the aforementioned factors can significantly mitigate the spreading of intestinal infection. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study which comprised of 127 students who were selected by stratified random sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was used to record KAP of students against intestinal parasitic infection. Total 126 students gave stool samples which were analysed by formol-ether concentration technique. In addition, sewage samples were also collected and analysed for any parasitic load. Statistical data were generated by Chi-square test. Results: A total of 126 stool samples were examined in the study of which 46 (36.50%) were found infected with one or more intestinal parasites. Among the parasites identified, the most common was Hymenolepsis nana with a prevalence rate of 35 (76.0%). Here, most of the students 96 (76.1%) were having poor knowledge about the correct mode of transmission of intestinal parasites. Majority of the students 91 (72.2%) practicing defecation in open air when they are at home, and all 126 (100%) are doing that at school, and significant number of students were not washing hands after defecation. Conclusion: Lack of knowledge regarding mode of transmission and practice of defecation in open air and not washing hands after defecation are issues of great concern, because many parasitic infection have faecal-oral mode of transmission. So, health authorities have to take these issues seriously and action would be vital to resolve it.

Occupational exposures to blood and body fluids (BBF): Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice among health care workers in general hospitals in Lebanon

Healthcare workers (HCWs) who are employed in traditional health care workplaces face a serious danger that may threaten their life;it is their exposure to blood and body fluids (BBF). In Lebanon, the introduction of a hospital accreditation system has put a particular emphasis on staff safety, and on the evaluation of professional practice (EPP) programs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 277 HCWs working in 4 general hospitals in South Lebanon. Objective: 1) describe the prevalence and the risk factors for occupational exposure to BBF among HCWs;2) evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practices of HCW concerning blood-borne pathogens and adherence to universal safety precautions. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 32.14 years (SD = 10.33), 57.4% were females. 43.3% of HCWs expressed that they use gloves all the time for every activeity of care. 67.1% were aware that needles should not be recapped after use;registered nurses and nursing students were more aware than physicians and nursing assistants (nurse) in this subject. 30% of HCWs declared having had at least one occupational exposure to BBF;62.7% of all accidental exposure was reported to the department responsible for managing exposures. Percutaneous injuries were the most frequently reported. Vaccination coverage was 88.4% for hepatitis B, and 48.4% against influenza. The source patient was tested in 43.4% of reported BBF exposures. Accidental exposure to BBF was more frequent in older people (OR = 3.42;p = 0.03) and the more experienced. Subjects working in intensive care unit ward reported more exposure to BBF (OR = 3;p = 0.04). Participants incurring exposure to BBF resorted to different measures after the injury suggesting a lack of a uniform policy for post-exposure prophylaxis. Conclusion: Exposure to BBF represents an important and frequently preventable occupational hazard for HCWs in Lebanon that requires continuous EPP of HCWs, and a comprehensive approach for prevention and management.

Unsatisfactory Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Leptospirosis among Army Personnel’s in Northeastern Malaysia

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease caused by infection of the bacteria belongs to Genus leptospira. It occurs in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. It is also known as occupational-related disease as certain occupations are associated with the occurrence of leptospirosis. Army is identified as one of the high-risk occupations in contracting leptospirosis. This study was done to determine knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among army personnel on leptospirosis. A cross sectional study was conducted among 616 army personnel in four based camps in Northeastern Malaysia, who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A validated KAP questionnaire was used, consisting of knowledge, attitude and practice questions. More than half (52.8%) of the respondents had poor knowledge score. For the attitude score, almost the same proportions had satisfactory attitude. The same finding was seen in practice score, whereby those with good practice (54.9%) and bad practice (45.9%). In conclusion, the finding showed that almost all army personnel had unsatisfactory KAP, thus, it is recommended for the army to have a good health education program on leptospirosis among army personnel to protect the army personnel from risk of getting leptospirosis.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Food Hygiene among Food Vendors in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Background: Food vendors play a critical food safety role in the “farm to plate” continuum that is necessary for the prevention and control of food borne diseases and therefore, any lack of its understanding by the food vendors poses a serious challenge to food safety. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and hygienic practices of food vendors in Owerri town of Imo State, Nigeria. Methods: The study was a Cross-Sectional descriptive design that used a proportionate convenience sampling technique to select 200 food vendors from the three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Owerri town. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were done with frequencies and summary statistics. Chi square statistics were computed to determine significant relationships and p value was set at 0.05 significant level. Results: While a majority of the respondents had a good level of knowledge (81%) and positive attitude (71%) about food hygiene, only 37% of the respondents had a good level of hygienic practice. It was revealed that 32% and 46% of the respondents received training on food hygiene and environmental health worker inspection respectively. It was also revealed that, there were statistically significant relationships between knowledge (p = 0.001), attitude (p = 0.000), formal training on food hygiene (p = 0.000) and the level of food hygienic practices. Conclusion: The public health management of food vending services should involve the development of strategies that will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide vending services in a hygienic and safe manner.

Knowledge Attitude and Practices Related on Prevention of Mosquito Borne Diseases and Sanitation Conditions in a Salvadoran Urban Community

Introduction: In El Salvador Mosquito Borne Diseases (MBDs) is a serious public health problem due to produce morbidity and mortality. They produce a high economic loss, which contributes to the collapse of the public health system. Over the years, the Salvadoran public health system has invested large amounts of resources to minimize the problem through campaigns against MBDs. Despite this, the population is still affected by diseases such as dengue, and more recently chikungunya and zika outbreaks. The aim of this study is to evaluate sanitation conditions variables and identify knowledge, attitudes, practices related to the prevention of MBDs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey about sanitation conditions and knowledge, attitudes and practices on prevention of MBDs of inhabitant’s ≥ 15 years from an urban community of a municipality with the highest number of cases reported in 2015. Results: Majority of respondents (98.2%) had direct supply of drinking water;however 96.4% of respondents were agreed that they had an inconsistent water supply. Regarding MBDs prevention respondents showed high acceptable knowledge (76.8%), high favorable attitude (92.1%) and an acceptable implementation of practices toward prevention reproduction of mosquitoes (58.5%) and a poor implementation of practices to prevent mosquito bites (38.3%). Conclusions: The findings revealed high acceptable knowledge about MBDs and a high favorable attitude regarding to prevent them, but also revealed a scarce implementation of prevention practices. The generalized storage of water on non-covered barrels because the inconsistent water supplies, can be source of proliferation of mosquitoes and therefore increases the risk of transmission of MBDs. High population density of the community can magnify this risk. It is necessary to enhance education to promote better implementation of practices using the most common media together with the local health workers.