Knowledge, Practice, and Awareness about Preventive Measures of Chikungunya among Traders Community in Mitford Region of Dhaka City

Aim: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitos that causes a regional epidemic and becomes a remarkable public health problem. Chikungunya disease outbreak was first identified in Bangladesh in 2008. Very limited information is available to assess knowledge, practice, and awareness of the community to prevent Chikungunya. As community engagement and motivational interventions are mainly focused to prevent mosquito bite and to control their breeding, the aim of this study was to assess knowledge, practice, and awareness (KPA) of the community for preventive measures about Chikungunya.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Mitford region of Dhaka city from January to May 2021 among 280 traders and data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire and observational checklist.

Results: Most of the respondents had informed about Chikungunya from media (41.79%). About 50.71% respondents were informed about the transmitted vector of chikungunya and out of them, 47.18% also had knowledge that Aedes variant is the specific vector for this disease, but more than half (55.71%) did not know that it is a viral borne disease. Again, only 16.43% of the respondents knew about the actual biting time. Study also revealed that 38.93% respondents practiced bed net, 18.21% mosquito coils and 13.22% aerosol as effective preventive measures. Only 25% aware to keep drain, free from blockage, 20.72% aware to change water from house plant container and only 6.79% aware to notify city corporation authority to take necessary action to prevent spreading of disease though 50% of the respondent stated that they were aware about government existing activity of fogging the areas, destroying the bush (23.93%) and improving water drainage system (18.93%) that effectively destroy further breeding of vector and spreading of transmission. About 67.5% took paracetamol as the primary management and 11.79% aware to take bed rest but 11% did not aware about the management. 62% were conscious about the joint complication but 28.22% did not have any idea.

Conclusion: This study found that community had lack of knowledge, practice, and awareness to take proper preventive measures that might be improved by formulating an extensive community-based guideline involving the concerned municipal authority and other stockholders by updating the gaps in knowledge, practice and to organize awareness tracing program among the community.