title: Health Care Providers' Knowledge and Practice Gap towards Joint Zoonotic Disease Surveillance System: Challenges and Opportunities, Gomma District, Southwest Ethiopia.
abstract: Background. Health care providers play a crucial role for realization of joint zoonotic diseases surveillance by human and animal health sectors, yet there is limited evidence. Hence, this study aimed to determine knowledge and practice gap of health care providers towards the approach for Rabies and Anthrax in Southwest Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 16, 2014, to January 14, 2015. Eligible health care providers were considered for the study. Data were entered in to Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results. A total of 323 (92.02%) health care providers participated in the study. Three hundred sixteen (97.8%) of participants reported that both human and animal health sectors can work together for zoonotic diseases while 96.9% of them replied that both sectors can jointly conduct surveillance. One hundred seventeen (36.2%) of them reported that their respective sectors had conducted joint surveillance for zoonotic diseases. Their involvement was, however, limited to joint outbreak response. Conclusion. There is good opportunity in health care providers' knowledge even though the practice was unacceptably low and did not address all surveillance components. Therefore, formal joint surveillance structure should be in place for optimal implementation of surveillance.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Desta Hiko
authors: 0000-0002-7799-6550
authors: DH
authors: Gemeda
authors: Department of Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Abiot Girma
authors: AG
authors: Sime
authors: Department of Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Kifle Woldemichael
authors: KW
authors: Hajito
authors: School of Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Benti Deresa
authors: BD
authors: Gelalacha
authors: School of Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Wubit
authors: 0000-0001-7190-9041
authors: W
authors: Tafese
authors: Department of Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors: Tsegaye Tewelde
authors: 0000-0002-6205-9898
authors: TT
authors: Gebrehiwot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011818:Rabies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology