title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15 Nishi-7, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-8638 Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Gino C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Matibag
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohbayashi
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashina
authors.forename: W R Bandula
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Kumara
authors.forename: I N Gamini
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: D D Niranjala
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: De Silva
authors.forename: G S Panduka
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: De S Gunawardena
authors.forename: Ananda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jayasinghe
authors.forename: Rossana A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ditangco
authors.forename: Hiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamashiro
mesh_terms: 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