Abstract:
Rabies is widely distributed viral zoonotic disease of major public health importance that affects
human, domestic and wild animals. The public awareness play important role in preventing this
fatal disease. A cross sectional and retrospective studies were conducted from March to
November 2019 in Limu Kosa District, Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia to assess the
knowledge, attitude and practice of community on rabies and retrospective study of the disease.
A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 250 respondents. Data were collected from
respondents by face-to-face interview and four years retrospective data were obtained from
registered casebook. Logistic regression was used to assessing the association of independent
variable with knowledge, attitude and practices score. All of the respondents (100%) had
previously heard about rabies. However, major of respondents have misunderstanding on the
cause, incubation period and mode of transmission of the disease. Besides overall knowledge,
attitude, and practice score, 55.6%, 50% and 41 % of the respondents had good knowledge,
attitude and practices on rabies respectively. Moreover, the results multivariable logistic analysis
indicated that good knowledge score was significantly higher in respondents from urban than
rural area (OR=3.8; P=0.001), in male than female (OR=4.2 ; P=0.000), while, level of education
(diploma and above) showed statistically significant association with knowledge, attitude and
practice score (p<0.05). Besides, occupation (P=0.027) participant was also significantly
associated with a higher good practices score. The retrospective result shows that 344 peoples
were bitten by rabies suspected animals within the period of 2015-2018 and they was received
post exposure vaccine. Most of the all recorded cases were bitten by dog (85%). Generally; there
was a lack of awareness on knowledge, attitude, and practice of rabies and majority recorded
cases were bitten by dog in the study area .Therefore, different non-governmental organization,
government bodies, veterinarians and health professionals should be prepare deliver continuous
and strategic community awareness programmes on prevention and control of rabies in the study
area
