Knowledge, Attitude and Practices about Dengue fever among population in Hodeidah, Yemen

In Yemen, dengue is one of the major public health concerns. Cases have been recorded in almost all governorates in Yemen. In 2019, Hodeidah governorate has the second highest death rate in the country. Good knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among the public regarding dengue prevention are required for the success of dengue prevention and control. The study aims to assess KAP about dengue fever among the population in Hodeidah, Yemen. Methodology : A cross-sectional study was conducted (from June 1st to December 30th, 2019) among the populations in six different geographical districts, urban (Al-Hali and Hawak) and rural (Bajil, Al-Zaydiyah, Al-Garrahi, and Al-Maraweah) in Hodeidah governorate. A total of 422 household heads were chosen at random to complete questionnaires distributed in their neighborhoods. The data was entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The Chi-square test was used as a test of significance, where p < 0.05 is the cutoff for significance. Results : The results showed that nearly half (49%) of the participants demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge, 63% had a positive attitude, and 57% had good practices for dengue prevention. The level of education, residence, and occupation were significantly associated (p<0.05) with the knowledge level. Occupation and gender showed significant associations (p<0.05) with attitudes. Also, residence, occupation, and gender showed significant associations (p<0.05) with practices. Conclusion and Recommendations : This study concluded that the larger proportion of the participants demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge, a positive attitude, and a low level of practice towards dengue prevention. We recommend conducting health education on a regular basis and encouraging community participation in control activities against dengue.