ABSTRACT
A wide range of zoonotic pathogens can be transmitted during human-wildlife interactions. Few qualitative studies have been conducted on human-nonhuman primate interfaces in Thailand, notably direct and indirect contact. Since Long-tailed macaques (LTMs) are prevalent in Thailand's Banphot Phisai district, part of Nakhon Sawan province, this qualitative study was conducted in 2019 to determine in-depth contact characteristics between humans and LTMs in the communities. Key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 35 villagers who reported close contact with LTMs in this study location. The results showed that villagers had different levels of contact with LTMs, depending on their occupations, perceptions, beliefs, religions, previous experiences, and local regulations. Monks in temples and vendors selling food for LTMs were reported to have the closest contact with them. LTMs have been reported to destroy personal property, houses, buildings, and crops. However, the villagers do not hurt them due to their religious beliefs relating to a respected abbot (a man who headed an abbey of monks). Even community members have had extensive interaction with LTMs, but they lacked awareness and information regarding diseases transmitted to humans directly or indirectly by non-human primates. Therefore, individuals who have frequent and close contact with LTMs should be provided health education, and appropriate behavioral change communication interventions should be performed. Furthermore, the results could be used to develop future disease prevention strategies and public awareness campaigns in the area.
Subject(s)
Animals, Wild , Love , Animals , Humans , Macaca fascicularis , Thailand , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
This sequential explanatory mixed-method study consisted of analytical, cross-sectional, and qualitative studies. The research was conducted in the Khao Nor and Khao Kaew areas of the Banphot Pisai districts of Nakhon Sawan Province in 2019. Here, we examined the rodent contact characteristics of villagers in these areas and determined the potential characteristics/risk factors associated with rodents using a semi-structured questionnaire, key informant interview (KII), and focus group discussion (FGD). Results of the quantitative study (N1 = 372) characterized participants that contacted rodents per gender, age, occupation, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), including their cultural contexts, and beliefs. Ninety participants (24.2%) reported contact with rodents, and the reasons for their direct physical rodent contact were hunting (35, 9.4%), killing (41, 11.0%), preparing rodents as food (33, 8.9%), consuming cooked meats (12, 3.2%), feeding food (4, 1.1%), cleaning feces (17, 4.6%), and cleaning carcasses (33, 8.9%). Moreover, logistic regression results showed that males encountering rodents were statistically significant (Adjusted OR = 3.137, 95% CI 1.914-5.139, p < 0.001). Low monthly household income (
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bats serve as an important reservoir for emerging infectious diseases. Bat contact and consumption, which persists in Asia, poses risks for the transmission of bat-borne infections. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional survey for risk factors associated with bat contact and consumption behaviors was conducted in ten provinces of Thailand from May 2016 to December 2017. A standardized questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews was used to collect information from 626 villagers who lived in or nearby areas of high bat density. The questionnaire contained 23 independent variables related to sociodemographic, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions. RESULTS: The respondents (n = 626) were 285 females and 341 males, mean age of respondents was 47.58 years-old and lived in rural setting. Our results showed that 36.42% of respondents (n1 = 228) in 10 provinces reported bat contact during the past 6 months. Furthermore, 15.34% of respondents (n2 = 96) in 9 out of 10 provinces reported of having consumed bat meat in the past 6 months. Risk factors for bat contact included sex (male) (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.09-2.28), educational attainment (lower than secondary school) (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.18), and the consideration of bats as being economically beneficial to the community (OR = 3.18, 95% CI 2.03-4.97), while agriculture-related occupation (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.79), knowledge that it is safe to eat bats (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.37-0.93), practice of allowing children to play with bats (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.96), and attitude of feeling safe in areas where bats live (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38-0.86) were statistically significant protective factors against bat contact. Risk factors for bat consumption included sex (male) (OR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.49-4.11) and educational attainment (lower than secondary school) (OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.27-3.85), while knowledge of whether bats are safe to eat (OR = 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.25), knowledge of whether there are laws pertaining to hunting bats for consumption (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.18-0.71), and the practice of allowing children to play with bats (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.31-0.81) were statistically significant protective factors against bat consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a better understanding of the sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices that might influence bat contact and bat consumption behaviors. Information on risk factors can be used for the development of appropriate education and communication interventions to promote proper knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding bats and bat-borne zoonotic diseases in Thailand and other areas in the Southeast Asia region with similar environmental and cultural characteristics.
