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Title Rift Valley Fever: A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practice of slaughterhouse workers and community members in Kabale District, Uganda.
Full text https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0qc0w9kk
Date 2018
Author(s) de St Maurice, Annabelle; Nyakarahuka, Luke; Purpura, Lawrence; Ervin, Elizabeth; Tumusiime, Alex; Balinandi, Stephen; Kyondo, Jackson; Mulei, Sophia; Tusiime, Patrick; Manning, Craig; Rollin, Pierre E; Knust, Barbara; Shoemaker, Trevor
Contributor(s) Aguilar, Patricia V
Abstract BackgroundRift Valley Fever virus (RVF) is a zoonotic virus in the Phenuiviridae family. RVF outbreaks can cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Following the diagnosis of two RVF cases in March 2016 in southern Kabale district, Uganda, we conducted a knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) survey to identify knowledge gaps and at-risk behaviors related to RVF.Methodology/principal findingsA multidisciplinary team interviewed 657 community members, including abattoir workers, in and around Kabale District, Uganda. Most participants (90%) had knowledge of RVF and most (77%) cited radio as their primary information source. Greater proportions of farmers (68%), herdsmen (79%) and butchers (88%) thought they were at risk of contracting RVF compared to persons in other occupations (60%, p<0.01). Participants most frequently identified bleeding as a symptom of RVF. Less than half of all participants reported fever, vomiting, and diarrhea as common RVF symptoms in either humans or animals. The level of knowledge about human RVF symptoms did not vary by occupation; however more farmers and butchers (36% and 51%, respectively) had knowledge of RVF symptoms in animals compared to those in other occupations (30%, p<0.01). The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling animals varied by occupation, with 77% of butchers using some PPE and 12% of farmers using PPE. Although most butchers said that they used PPE, most used gumboots (73%) and aprons (60%) and less than 20% of butchers used gloves or eye protection when slaughtering.ConclusionsOverall, knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding RVF in Kabale District Uganda could be improved through educational efforts targeting specific populations.
Subject(s) Animals; Humans; Rift Valley Fever; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Knowledge; Attitudes; Practice; Disease Outbreaks; Abattoirs; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged; 80 and over; Middle Aged; Child; Uganda; Female; Male; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; Personal Protective Equipment; Clinical Research; Infectious Diseases; Emerging Infectious Diseases; Infection; Biological Sciences; Medical and Health Sciences; Tropical Medicine
Coverage e0006175
Publisher eScholarship, University of California
Type of publication article
Format application/pdf
Source PLoS neglected tropical diseases, vol 12, iss 3
Rights public
Identifier qt0qc0w9kk
Repository Berkeley - University of California
Added to C-A: 2022-11-02;10:04:29