Abstract:
Background: Rabies is the most viral zoonotic transmittable disease, as once clinical symptoms
appear, it is almost 100 percent fatal, and there is no specific treatment that manages the virus
after clinical onset. According to WHO estimates, rabies kills over 70,000 people worldwide
each year, with children accounting for half of the casualties. The rising incidence of rabies
among humans and domestic animals is an increasing concern in Ethiopia. Lack of knowledge
regarding human rabies and poor management of rabies. Particularly in the southwest region, in
Tarcha Town, evidence on the prevention and control of rabies among household heads is low.
Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of household heads towards rabies
and associated factors in Tarcha Town Administration, Dawuro Zone, South West Regional
State, Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2023 to June
2023, with a total of 565 study participants. Simple random sampling was used to select
participants. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire, entered into Epi-data
3.1, version, and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic
regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome variable.
Results: This current survey showed that, regarding the overall mean score of rabies prevention
and control, 60.8%, 52.2%, and 56% of participants have good knowledge, a positive attitude,
and good practice on rabies in the study area. According to the study's results, those with two or
more dogs were 5.39 times more likely than those without them to have good knowledge about
rabies (AOR = 5.39, 95% CI = 2.54–11.48). Compared to those who traveled for less than thirty
minutes, those who traveled for more than thirty minutes were 3.17 times less likely to have an
attitude toward rabies prevention and control. Similarly, participants who had previously
experienced a dog bite were 4.33 times more likely to follow the recommended rabies practice
than people who had never experienced a dog bite (AOR = 4.33, 95% CI = 2.14, 8.74).
Conclusion and Recommendation: Based on the findings of the participants in the current
study, more than 50% have a good level of KAP regarding the control of rabies in the study area.
The findings also indicated that, despite the likelihood of dog attacks on most household heads,
the majority were unaware that rabies was a recognized disease. An outreach effort directed
towards the community is required to raise awareness about rabies
