title: Associations between the decrease in bovine clinical mastitis and changes in dairy farmers' attitude, knowledge, and behavior in the Netherlands.
abstract: The aim of this study was to associate changes in dairy farmers' self-reported attitude, knowledge, and behavior with the decrease in incidence rate of clinical mastitis (IRCM). Farmer-diagnosed clinical mastitis cases were obtained from two surveys conducted before (July 2004-June 2005) and at the end (2009) of a mastitis control program in the Netherlands. Information on farmers' attitude, knowledge, and behavior was also obtained by sending the farmers the same questionnaire during both surveys. Multivariable linear regression models identified that the herd level 2004 IRCM explained 28% of the variation in the decrease of IRCM. Changes in farmers' attitude and knowledge, and changes in farmers' behavior additionally explained 24% and 5%, respectively. These results suggest that the way management measures are executed may be at least as important as the fact that they are executed. No control group was available for this study because the intervention was applied at the national level. We therefore do not claim any causal relationships.
authors.affiliation: GD Animal Health, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, The Netherlands; Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Schwarzenburgstrasse 155, 3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland. Electronic address: bart.vandenborne@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: B H P
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: van den Borne
authors.affiliation: Wageningen UR Livestock Research, P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands; St. Anna Advies, St. Annastraat 404, 6525 ZM Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: GD Animal Health, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, The Netherlands; Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T J G M
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: GD Animal Health, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Schaik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attitude; Behavior; Clinical mastitis; Knowledge