Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Relating to Dengue Fever Prevention and Control among Governmental School Students in Seeb District in Muscat Governorate in Oman.
Fatma Al Fahdi, Mohammed Amin, Padmamohan J. Kurup and Lamya Al Balushi
Dengue is currently the most common mosquito-borne disease globally. In Oman, all reported dengue cases were travel-related until 2018 dengue outbreak in Seeb district. The aim of the study was to assess students’ level of knowledge about dengue fever, its symptoms, mode of transmission and prevention, attitudes and practices regarding DF in Seeb district in Muscat Governorate in Oman. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of 13 governmental schools in Seeb district. Multistage stratified random sample method was used and1209 students participated in this study using a pre-structured and self-administered questionnaire. Results: We found that 92% of students have heard about the Aedes aegypti mosquito & 85% reported it as serious disease. 56.9% reported they don’t feel at risk of Dengue fever. The most common source of information was social media, Friends & relatives and TV. Almost half of students answered incorrectly for the mosquitoes’ bite time and most respondents were not able to correctly identify typical symptoms of DF apart from fever. 52% agreed it is important health problem in Muscat and can contribute to the fight of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Majority of students stated good attitude in terms of importance of preventive and protective measure except for using mosquito repellent. Conclusion: Massive educational campaign targeting school students in addition to incorporating dengue preventive measures into school curriculum should be planned by the concerned stakeholders to enhance level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue as well as other vector borne diseases in Oman.
View pdf