Perceptions and treatment seeking behaviour of dog bite patients attending regional tertiary care hospital of central Gujarat, India
Author(s): Amit Ganasva, Bhaveshbhai Bariya, mayuree Modi, Kalpita Shringarpure
Abstract
Background: Rabies is practically 100% fatal zoonotic disease but easily preventable with timely administration of vaccine to the dog bite victim, but very commonly myths and practices amongst people prevent them for adequate and appropriate treatment.
Aim & Objective: To know perception of dog bite patients about Anti-rabies Vaccination (ARV) and to know health seeking behaviour of dog bite victims attending a tertiary care hospital.
Material and Methods: A hospital based study was conducted among the animal bite victims who had attended Anti Rabies Clinic from February 2012 to May 2012 after taking their informed verbal consent. All enrolled patients were interviewed using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire.
Results: Majority of the patients (45.6%) in the study were more than 50 years of age. Almost three-fourths of the study population was male (71.7%). One thirds of the population had primary education while 14.2% of the patients were illiterate. Most of the patients (64.1%) lived within 10 kilometres distance from ARV Clinic. There were 37.6% patients who had applied nothing on the wound site, while only 11% of them had washed the wound with soap and water. 93.9% (385) had approached other health facilities before coming to the ARV Clinic, of which no treatment/care was given in 18.8% of the cases.
Conclusion: Animal bite was more common among adults, adolescents and males. The bite victims did not take proper wound care nor take prompt action to reach the health facility after the bite. Indigenous methods for wound care were quite prevalent.
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