Perception about Rabies and its Pre-exposure Prophylaxis among the Staff of Government Veterinary Hospital of Berhampur - A Qualitative Study
Abstract
Background: Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic disease. Animal-related injuries, especially dog and cat bites, have been identified by researchers as important hazards in the veterinary profession.
Objectives: To explore the knowledge and perception of rabies and its pre-exposure prophylaxis among the staff of the Government Veterinary Hospital, Berhampur.
Methodology: It is a qualitative study conducted on the staff of the Government Veterinary Hospital of Berhampur who were interviewed using a pre-designed pre-tested interview schedule till data saturation. The in-depth interviews were recorded using voice recorders, transcribed verbatim, and translated into the English language. Inductive coding was done after careful reading of the transcripts. Codes eventually led to sub-themes and theme generation. The data were analyzed using Atlas.ti version 7.
Results: The knowledge about rabies varied with different staff positions. A few did not have adequate knowledge about rabies. Some people still took harmful measures in case of animal bites. All of them perceived that rabies is fatal and yet vaccine-preventable. There were various misconceptions prevalent about pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Conclusion: The findings indicated that there are many lacunae in knowledge and perception about rabies among veterinary staff. With proper supportive activities and campaigns about animal vaccination and pre-exposure prophylaxis for humans, we can gear toward the goal of “Zero dog-mediated rabies deaths by 2030”.
How to cite this article:
Satapathy DM, Bhakta M, Divya P. Perception about Rabies and its Pre-exposure Prophylaxis among the Staff of Government Veterinary Hospital of Berhampur - A Qualitative Study. APCRI J. 2023;25(1):10-19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0973.5038.202303
References
World Health Organization [Internet]. The NTD road map: together towards 2030; [cited 2020 Mar 21]. Available from: http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/diseases/en/
Hotez PJ, Damania A. India’s neglected tropical diseases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018;12(3):e0006038. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Hampson K, Coudeville L, Lembo T, Sambo M, Kieffer A, Attlan M, Barrat J, Blanton JD, Briggs DJ, Cleaveland S, Costa P, Freuling CM, Hiby E, Knopf L, Leanes F, Meslin FX, Metlin A, Miranda ME, Müller T, Nel LH, Recuenco S, Rupprecht CE, Schumacher C, Taylor L, Vigilato MA, Zinsstag J, Dushoff J; Global Alliance for Rabies Control Partners for Rabies Prevention. Estimating the global burden of endemic canine rabies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(4):e0003709. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Dodet B, Durrheim DN, Rees H. Rabies: underused vaccines, unnecessary deaths. Vaccine. 2014;11;32(18):2017-9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
World Health Organization. Rabies vaccines: WHO position paper. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2010;6;85(32):309-20. [Google Scholar]
World Health Organization [Internet]. Rabies; [cited 2022 Jun 6]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/details/rabies
Epp T, Waldner C. Occupational health hazards in veterinary medicine: zoonoses and other biological hazards. Can Vet J. 2012;53(2):144-50. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Tiwari HK, O’Dea M, Robertson ID, Vanak AT. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards rabies and freeroaming dogs (FRD) in Shirsuphal village in western India: a community-based cross-sectional study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019;13(1). [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
World Health Organization. WHO expert consultation on rabies. TRS 931. Geneva: WHO; 2005.
Alam AN, Siddiqua M, Casal J. Knowledge and attitudes about rabies in dog-bite victims in Bangladesh. One Health. 2020;9:100126. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Digafe RT, Kifelew LG, Mechesso AF. Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards rabies: questionnaire survey in rural household heads of Gondar Zuria District, Ethiopia. BMC Res Notes. 2015;8:400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Bouaddi K, Bitar A, Bouslikhane M, Ferssiwi A, Fitani A, Mshelbwala PP. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rabies in El Jadida region, Morocco. Vet Sci. 2020;7:29. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Khan A, Ayaz R, Mehtab A, Naz K, Haider W, Gondal MA, Umer M, Afzal MI, Shah NA, Afzal MS, Yayi G, Ahmad KS, Ahmed H. Knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) regarding rabies endemicity among the community members, Pakistan. Acta Trop. 2019;200:105156. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Fenelon N, Dely P, Katz MA, Schaad ND, Dismer A, Moran D, Laraque F, Wallace RM. Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding rabies risk in community members and healthcare professionals: Petionville, Haiti, 2013. Epidemiol Infect. 2017;145:1624-34. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Matibag GC, Kamigaki T, Kumarasiri PV, Wijewardana TG, Kalupahana AW, Dissanayake DR, De Silva DD, Gunawardena GS, Obayashi Y, Kanda K, Tamashiro H. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey of rabies in a community in Sri Lanka. Environ Health Prev Med. 2007;12:84-9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Herbert M, Basha SR, Thangaraj S. Community perception regarding rabies prevention and stray dog control in urban slums in India. J Infect Public Health. 2012;5:374-80. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Muthunuwan J, Ganhewa A, Perera HD, Hishaam M, Bandara WM, Gunasekera HA. Preliminary survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding rabies. Sri Lankan J Infect Dis. 2017;7(1):38-46. [Google Scholar]
Matibag GC, Ohbayashi Y, Kanda K, Yamashina H, Kumara WR, Perera IN, De Silva DD, Gunawardena GS, Jayasinghe A, Ditangco RA, Tamashiro H. 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. J Infect Dev Ctries. 2009;3(1):55-64. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Vengatesan S, Gudegowda KS, Sobagiah RT, Krishnappa AK. Effect of counselling on adherence to post-exposure anti-rabies vaccination schedule among patients attending anti-rabies clinic in a tertiary care hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016;3(11):3086-91.
Ellis R, Ellis C. Dog and cat bites. Am Fam Physician. 2014;15;90(4):239-43. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Rana MS, Siddiqi UR, Ghosh S, Jahan AA, Islam MK, Shah MR, Ullah SM, Ali SM, Ahmed BN, Shamsuzzaman AK. Epidemiological study of human rabies cases in Bangladesh through verbal autopsy. Heliyon. 2020;6(11).[PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Acharya KP, Subedi D, Wilson RT. Rabies control in South Asia requires a one health approach. One Health. 2021;12:100215. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
