Current Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices towards Anthrax Infection Prevention among Community Members and Professionals in Sodo Zuriya District of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia/2021

Background: Ethiopia is predominantly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases like anthrax; about 80% of households directly contact animals, creating an opportunity spread of disease. Anthrax is an endemic disease throughout the country. Despite this, there is a scarcity of information related to knowledge and other human behavioral practices towards anthrax infection among different community members at a country level and particularly in this study area.

Objective: This study aims to assess the current Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAP) towards anthrax prevention amongst community members (livestock owners, consumers) and professionals (medical and veterinary) in Sodo Zuriya District of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Methodology: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among livestock owners, consumers, and professionals from October 01/2020-April 30/2021. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the KAP of the 384 study participants aged 18- >60 years old within selected PA’s/Kebeles of the study area. Data were collected via questioners administered through personal face-to-face interviews, entered into an MS Excel spreadsheet, and then exported to SPSS version 26 for further analysis.

Results: The overall knowledge level of community members was 64% and professionals 91% regarding awareness of the disease, its cause, zoonotic nature, preventability, and knowledge on at least one (clinical symptoms, mode of transmission, and possible prevention methods) of the disease both in humans and animals. Livestock owners who had never been to school were found to be 4.4 times less knowledgeable about anthrax than those who had completed 1st degree and above level education (OR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.001-0.146; p < 0.001). Similarly, farmers had good knowledge about the disease in compression with the self-employed workers (OR: 9.34; 95% CI: 3.34-26.0; p < 0.001). In consumers lower knowledge level related to anthrax infection was seen in age group 18-35 years old (OR: 0.095; 95% CI: 0.24– 0.38; p = 0.001) and in illiterate (OR: 0.246; 95% CI: 0.125– 0.48; p < 0.001) individuals; when compared to age category > 60 years old and one who achieved a 1st degree and above level of education. And the association was statistically significant. Most community members were involved in risky practices such as consumption of raw meat (82.4%), improper carcass disposal (36.7%), seldom using PPE (67%), and habit of home slaughter (76%).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates better knowledge but a low level of the desired attitude and existence of high-level risky practices among community members associated with human and animal anthrax within the study area.

Author(s): Amare Abota Asha, Liang song and Wan Cheng Song

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