Assessment of Knowledge about Dog Bite Infield Practice Area of Alluri Sitaramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh

Even though 100% preventable, deaths due to human rabies are continued to be reported due to various reasons. Dog-bites are responsible for 99% of human rabies cases in our country, data on dog-bites and people's knowledge, attitude and practice related to such cases are not properly studied at the community level.

To assess the knowledge regarding dog bite in urban field practice area of ASRAM.

A community based cross-sectional study was carried-out among the residents of urban field practice area of ASRAM Medical College, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh during the period from May 2011 to August 2011. Household visits were made to collect the data from a total of 110 residents of both sexes using a pre-structured questionnaire. The data was analysed by means of SPSS 17.0 version using proportions and chi-square as statistical tests.

57 percent of the study group belong to low socio economic status, 73.64 percent were literate,23.64 percent felt provoked Dog bite is more dangerousness. 47.27 percent felt there is no relation between site of dog bite and its dangerousness, 45.46 percent knew symptoms of rabies, 31.82 percent believe on myths like application of turmeric, cloth, mud etc, 14 percent do not know the availability of vaccine, 68 percent of the respondents are unaware about the vaccination of Dog as Control method.

Majority were literate, 55.05 percent were not aware about dangerousness of Dog bite. About 55 percent were unaware about rabies symptoms. 31.82 percent of the respondents have myths regarding treatment of rabies. 68 percent did not know vaccination as prevention and Control method for the rabies.