A pilot study on the usefulness of information and education campaign materials in enhancing the knowledge, attitude and practice on rabies in rural Sri Lanka.
BACKGROUND
Rabies remains endemic in Sri Lanka despite a strong government patronized anti-rabies campaign. Personal, cultural or religious beliefs have been thought to influence health practices that could render rabies prevalent in the country.


METHODS
The knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of 580 household heads/members from Nuwara Eliya District, Sri Lanka, regarding rabies were explored through a structured questionnaire. An improvement/deterioration in their knowledge and practices after the use of information and education campaign (IEC) materials was assessed through a repeat exploration at an interval of four weeks.


RESULTS
Respondents showed inclination toward animal birth control (60%) rather than elimination methods (24%). There was disparity between pet owners enthusiasm to take pets for rabies inoculation (57%) and their ability to show dog vaccination cards (40%). Almost twice more pet owners than non-pet owners believed that it is their responsibility to control the population of roaming pet dogs (aOR=1.78; 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.76). The rabies leaflets were very effective in informing the people on how to deal with rabid animals, the earliest schedule for anti-rabies vaccine (ARV), and repeat vaccination.


CONCLUSIONS
Awareness and proper attitude toward rabies management and canine population control are adequate among the rural Sinhalese and Buddhist populations of Sri Lanka; however, their current health practices should be improved. The rabies KAP could be further enhanced through the use of IEC materials.
Matibag
Gino C
GC
Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15 Nishi-7, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-8638 Hokkaido, Japan.
Ohbayashi
Yoshihide
Y
Kanda
Koji
K
Yamashina
Hiroko
H
Kumara
W R Bandula
WR
Perera
I N Gamini
IN
De Silva
D D Niranjala
DD
De S Gunawardena
G S Panduka
GS
Jayasinghe
Ananda
A
Ditangco
Rossana A
RA
Tamashiro
Hiko
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010067:Ownership; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D012424:Rural Population; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires