Study of General Awareness, Attitude, Behavior, and Practice Study on Dog Bites and its Management in the Context of Prevention of Rabies Among the Victims of Dog Bite Attending the OPD Services of CHC Muradnagar.

OBJECTIVES: This is a recent study conducted during 15th September 2013 to 15th December 2013 at the community health centre (CHC), Muradnagar, distt Ghaziabad, among the victims of dog/animal bite attending the daily OPD services of CHC. To identify the level of general awareness and knowledge of wound management and rabies among the cases of dog bite and to study the awareness of people about antirabies vaccines and health service utilization.

METHODS: The study population composed of 250 victims of dog or animal bite, Patients were selected and approached after proper briefing, with well-prepared two page structured questionnaire designed in local language to assess their knowledge about the wound management, information about the epidemiology of dog bite.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The result of the study reflect the very low level of awareness about the postdog bite management of wounds as well as about the disease rabies group of people questioned and also reveals serious gaps in understanding of wound severity, classification and correct application of PEP with ARV vaccine and RIG. There is definitely a gap in people's knowledge, attitude, and practices about dog bite and its management and there is need of taking serious measures for the control of stray dog population at the block level.