Rabies preventive behaviors of dog owners in Nakhon Pathom Province of Thailand

• Main Authors: Keiko Akai, Jiraporn Chompikul, Cheerawit Rattanapan
• Other Authors: Mahidol University. ASEAN Institute for Health Development
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Rabies; Dog owners; Preventive behaviors; Thailand; Open Access article; Journal of Public Health and Development; วารสารสาธารณสุขและการพัฒนา
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/1560
• Institution: Mahidol University

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate rabies preventive behaviors of dog owners and related factors. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to collect data at four health promoting hospitals of Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 380 dog owners who were selected by the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire in March 2012. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were used to examine associations between independent variables and rabies preventive behaviors. A total of 319 self-administered questionnaires were completed and returned, resulting in a response rate of 83.9%. The results showed that 38.5 % of respondents had good preventive behaviors against rabies. Factors significantly associated with rabies preventive behavior were knowledge (p-value=0.004), perception (p-value = 0.003), dog carers (p-value = 0.008), number of dogs (p-value = 0.024), experience of bitten by a dog (p-value = 0.039), heard about rabies (p-value = 0.006) and accessibility to rabies information (p-value < 0.05). When adjusted for other factors, perceptions towards rabies prevention was the strongest predictor of preventive behaviors (Adj. odds ratio = 1.99, 95% CI;1.11 – 3.59). Dog owners who had positive perception about rabies prevention were about two times more likely to have good preventive behaviors against rabies. The findings suggested that good knowledge and positive perceptions about rabies prevention should be promoted among dog owners and family members to prevent rabies.