Assessment of knowledge regarding dengue& dengue prevention among ordinary level school students in the Kattankudy Urban Council area

Abstract

Background: Dengue is acute viral or viral hemorrhagic fever. Sri Lanka started to experience dengue outbreak since 1960. Dengue contributes to the significant morbidity and mortality in Sri Lanka. So prevention and knowledge about dengue is very important to all. Objectives: To assess the knowledge about Dengue and their prevention, interest of the students regarding prevention of the Dengue in the society and compare economic effects on the knowledge & interest of prevention of Dengue among Ordinary level school students in the Kattankudy urban council area. Method: The study design is Cross Sectional Descriptive study done among Ordinary level students in the Kattankudy urban council area .The total sampling size calculated according to the solvin’sformula . The data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire and was entered into the SPSS V 19. Descriptive statistic was performed to analyze mean, percentage and other relevant information. Result: Total study participants (100%) were in the age group of 16-17 years. All (100%) were Muslims.. Most [79.0%] of the participants’ Family income were more than 20,000 and 18.1% were less than 20,000. Most of the participants [58.7%] have very good knowledge about the symptoms, signs &treatment options of the Dengue. 30.5% have good knowledge, 8.9% have average knowledge and minority of the student [2%] have poor knowledge. Most of the participants [66.6%] have Very good knowledge and interest regarding prevention of the Dengue in the society.19.7% have good, 8.2% have Average and 5.6% participants have Poor knowledge and interest regarding prevention of the Dengue in the society. Knowledge of signs, symptoms & treatment options of dengue were significantly associated with socio-economic status of family. Knowledge of prevention of Dengue and interest in prevention of dengue are significantly associated with the economic status of family. Conclusion: Most of the participants have very good knowledge about the symptoms, signs & treatment options of the Dengue and have interest in preventing dengue. And also very few amount of students have poor knowledge regarding dengue& lack of interest in prevention of Dengue. Knowledge of signs, symptoms & treatment options of dengue were significantly associated with economic status of family. Knowledge of prevention in dengue and the interest of the prevention of the dengue significantly associated with economic status of the family