Knowledge, attitudes, and practices about dengue among pupils from rural schools in an endemic area in Colombia

01 Sep 2019
Sarmiento-Senior D, Matiz MI, Jaramillo-Gómez JF, Olano VA, Vargas SL, Alexander N, Lenhart A, Stenström TA, Overgaard HJ.

INTRODUCTION:

Dengue is a public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Studies on dengue in rural areas are scarce since the disease is considered mainly urban.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the knowledge (K), attitudes (A) and practices (P) of dengue in an endemic area in Colombia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We conducted a cross-sectional study with 515 pupils (7-16 years old) in 34 rural schools in Anapoima and La Mesa municipalities during 2011. Each KAP category was evaluated independently by a scoring system and then categorized into high, medium or low.

RESULTS:

Pupils recognized knowledge variables such as the symptoms (fever, bone pain), transmission route (mosquito bites), and mosquito breeding sites (uncovered water tanks, solid waste). Average scores on attitude were high in both municipalities indicating a well-developed perception of disease severity. Seeking treatment in medical centers and self-medication for fever management and the use of mosquito net and space-spraying of insecticides were the most frequently identified practices.