Investigating Rabies Prevention and Control: A Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Jimma Town, South-Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Ethiopia has the second highest number of human rabies deaths among African countries. However, the lack of public awareness regarding rabies prevention and control is a major obstacle in combating this disease. To address this issue, the current study was conducted in Jimma Town, southwestern Ethiopia, to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of households regarding rabies and its associated factors. Materials and methods: The current community-based cross-sectional study was carried out, involving a total of 421 participants. The KAP of the respondents was evaluated using principal component analysis and ranked accordingly. Results: Out of the 421 study participants, 53% were female and 63.4% were male. Among the participants, 62.3% demonstrated an adequate level of knowledge, 51% exhibited a positive attitude, and 43% practiced effective prevention and control measures against rabies. On the other hand, younger and male participants were found to have positive attitudes towards rabies. The study revealed that individuals with lower levels of education, specifically those who had not completed college as well as the unemployed and those without dogs had poor knowledge attitudes, and practices about rabies. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to improve the understanding and awareness of rabies within the community.