title: Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding swine flu among para-medical workers in a tertiary care hospital in Pondicherry.
abstract: Para-medical workers (PMWs) are first contacts for suspected Swine flu patients and also the media to spread key messages regarding its prevention and control strategies. Present study was conducted to ascertain knowledge, attitude and practices regarding Swine flu among para-medical workers in a tertiary care hospital. A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among PMWs during May-July, 2010. KAP regarding Swine flu was collected through pre-designed questionnaire and information on attitude towards Swine flu was also collected through FGD-free list analysis. Data was analysed using Epi_Info and Anthropac software. A total of 237 PMWs responded. Majority of the PMWs knew about signs and symptoms (89.03%), mode of transmission (91.56%) and route of transmission (91.98%) of Swine flu. Television (67.51%) was the major source of information. 75.53% and 58.65% PMWs respectively knew about organ of the body chiefly affected and type of specimen to be collected during Swine flu. 196 (82.7%) and 191 (80.59%) PMWs respectively knew about availability of vaccine and treatment against Swine flu. 94.09% PMWs stated that extra precautions such as use of face mask, frequent handwashing, use of gloves etc. should be taken while handling any suspected Swine flu case and 73.84% PMWs do take such precautions. 80.17% PMWs opined that epidemic of Swine flu can be halted at current stage. In the present study, PMWs possessed good knowledge, attitude and practices regarding Swine flu and this fact should be utilized while designing and guiding containment strategies against existing Swine flu epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India-605014. drshibsekhar.datta@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuppuraman
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Boratne
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D058872:Epidemics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult