Knowledge, attitude and practice on rabies among 478 exposed population investigated in Beijing / 中国人兽共患病学报

ABSTRACT

To investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on rabies among a mass of the exposed population in Beijing so as to provide scientific evidence for development of measures on the prevention and protection of rabies, the descriptive studies were employed, in which patients were interviewed face to face with a standard questionnaire in hospital or the center for disease control and prevention (CDC), including history of exposure, knowledge on rabies, post-exposure treatment etc. Of 478 respondents, 76% of them were bitten on the upper limbs with the exposure proportions in category Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of 24%, 70% and 6% respectively. The proportions of awareness of knowledge in rabies before biting, its prevention, the correct measure to treat their wounds themselves, rabies vaccine inoculation, and injections with rabies antiserum constituted in 82%, 55%, 59%, 99% and 22% respectively. Result of this investigation indicates that most of the people investigated had a lower awareness of knowledge on rabies, the correct measures to treat rabies after biting as well as the measures to prevent rabies, suggesting that community-based prevention and control measures should be emphasized, especially targeting the population with high risk and the heath education on rabies should performed promptly by several governmental departments.