Knowledge, Self-Awareness, Preventive and Control Behaviors Related to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever among Congested/Semi-Urban Community with Continuing Epidemics: a Case study of Samransuk Community, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province

Abstract

During 2017 - 2021, a continuing outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) occurred in a semi-urban, densely-populated community in Khlonghae Sub-district of Hat Yai City, Songkhla Province. No qualitative study was conducted to explore in-depth knowledge, self-awareness, and DHF prevention and control behaviors from perspectives of community health volunteers (CHVs), patients, household contacts, and high-risk populations in the affected community. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, self-awareness, and DHF preventive behaviors among community health volunteers (CHVs), patients, household contacts, and high-risk populations. A qualitative research design was utilized together with quantitative method. Data were collected between 15 August - 31 December 2022, using semi-structured questionnaires, participatory observation, and gathering secondary data. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 34 eligible participants. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. It was found that overall of study groups had a moderate level of knowledge (mean = 7.89), with low levels of self-awareness and DHF preventive behaviors (mean = 6.26 and 5.64 respectively). Most of the study participants (except the group of CHVs) minimally participated in DHF preventive activities, as most perceived it to be the direct responsibility of the CHVs and community leaders. Patients and household contacts had a moderate level of knowledge regarding self-care when getting ill (mean = 8.00, and 8.80 respectively). In conclusion, health care personnel should endorse knowledge to reach community target population frequently, through providing risk communications regarding the danger of DHF disease. In addition, they should also seek ways for implementation by emphasizing the importance of destroying breeding sites of Aedes mosquito larvae, according to the measures recommended by the Department of Disease Control, Thai Ministry of Public Health. These strategies could help raising up self-awareness and support DHF prevention and control behaviors among these target populations to achieve sustainable success in the future.