Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to dengue fever among 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, the Hodeidah governorate had the second highest death rate in the country. Good knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) among the public regarding dengue prevention are needed for successful dengue prevention and control. This 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 populations in six different geographical districts, urban (Al-Hali and Hawak) and rural (Bajil, Al-Zaydiyah, Al-Garrahi, and Al-Maraweah) in the Hodeidah governorate. A total of 422 household heads were chosen at random to complete questionnaires distributed in their neighborhoods. The data were entered and analyzed via the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The chi-square test was used as a test of significance, where p < 0.05 was the cutoff for significance. Results The results revealed that 39% of the participants had good 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 were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with attitudes. Additionally, residence, occupation, and gender were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with practices. Conclusion and Recommendations : This study revealed that a relatively large proportion of the participants demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge, a positive attitude, and a low level of practice toward dengue prevention. We recommend conducting health education on a regular basis and encouraging community participation in control activities against dengue.