The knowledge and attitudes of people at high risk for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever: a cross-sectional survey from an endemic region in Turkey

• DOI: 10.21763/tjfmpc.85437
• Publication Date: 2009-06-01
• Authors: KARTAL, Mehtap; AYDİN, Berna; TULEK, Necla; ACİCBE, Ozlem; TANYEL, Esra; FİSGİN, Nuriye

Background: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has occurred in Turkey since 2002. It has become a growing problem for the country; both the number of cases and the number of geographical regions affected have increased. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of high-risk people for CCHF and to discuss the possible educational approaches. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive one conducted in an endemic region in November 2008. The questionnaires covering socio-demographical characteristics of the participants, their or their relatives’ experiences with ticks and CCHF disease, their knowledge about its transmission, protection and their information sources, were applied by face-to-face interviewing. Results: Most of the participants were male, graduated from elementary school, engaged in agriculture and/or animal husbandry. Of them, 19.8% had been bitten by a tick at least once and one had been hospitalized with CCHF disease. Although they were living in an endemic region; the percentage of whom hearing CCHF (58%) and aware of its transmission (33.3%) were low. They (71.6%) did not know how to remove the tick from the skin. Information regarding CCHF was generally obtained through television (33.5%) and health workers (23.1%). They (71.6%) expressed their need to be informed. Conclusion: The need to educate the public about CCHF and the ticks is at an alarming level. These trainings should be structured with the appropriate use of visual and written media via collaborative approach together with community-based medical education strategies.