Public knowledge, belief, and preventive practices regarding dengue: Findings from a community-based survey in rural Bangladesh

BackgroundDengue fever, the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral infection, is a recurrent public health threat in Bangladesh. Despite the government's efforts, dengue fever outbreaks are on the upswing, and people's knowledge and preventive practices regarding the disease at the rural community level are unclear.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, belief and preventive practices regarding dengue and associated factors among community people from rural Bangladesh.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 401 people using a convenient sampling technique from three unions of Savar from August to September 2021. Participants' responses were collected through face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire that included information related to socio-demographics, dengue-related knowledge, preventive practices, as well as the health belief model (HBM) constructs. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with the knowledge and preventive practices of dengue.ResultsOverall, participants (mean age = 33.47 +/- 12.96 years; age range = 18-75 years) correctly answered 66.15% of the knowledge questions regarding dengue. Higher education, travel to dengue-risk regions, and self-efficacy under the HBM construct were all shown to be strongly associated with dengue knowledge. Regarding HBM constructs, about 80% of the participants perceived dengue as dangerous, but less than half (41.4%) believed themselves susceptible to dengue. Considering perceived barriers, 73.07% of the participants believed their residential area was not suitable for Aedes mosquito breeding. Nearly all (93.52%) believed they always kept their surrounding area clean as part of self-efficacy. Moreover, on average participants engaged in 53.69% of all dengue preventive practices. Being older, female, having a higher education, being a service holder, having a good quality of house structure, and perceived susceptibility as well as self-efficacy under the HBM construct were all factors in participants' dengue prevention activities. Participants' dengue preventative practices were shown to be significantly influenced by their knowledge.ConclusionsThe findings of this study found a moderate level of knowledge regarding dengue among the community people. Despite having good practices in several aspects of dengue prevention among the participants, the overall score was not sufficient. This suggests that there is a pressing need for expanded education outreach aimed at increasing public awareness of dengue and encourage preventive practices within rural communities in Bangladesh. Dengue is a serious mosquito-borne disease of substantial public health concern, particularly in endemic countries like Bangladesh. It is vital to assess public knowledge and health beliefs regarding dengue fever in order to adopt efficient preventive practices and develop disease control strategies. The present study highlights dengue knowledge and preventive practices in relation to background characteristics and health beliefs among rural communities in Bangladesh. Findings from this study revealed that people had a moderate level of knowledge regarding dengue. Regarding health beliefs, people had high perceived severity, considering dengue as a dangerous and deadly disease, but their perceived susceptibility to dengue was low. Although people exhibited high self-efficacy, such as keeping their surrounding area clean, public involvement in dengue prevention practices was not satisfactory, except for some specific activities. Moreover, the dengue preventative practices of people were shown to be significantly influenced by their knowledge. Furthermore, evidence from this study emphasizes tailoring community-based health education campaigns to increase public awareness, which will improve health beliefs and encourage dengue prevention in Bangladesh.