A Comparative Study of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Prevention Behavior among the people living in the Epidemic and Non-epidemic Villages :A case study in Phimai District, Nakhon Rachasima Province

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Dengue fever is a disease which is the issue on public health in Thailand. The general situation from the Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control reported that as of 12 April 2012, the cumulative number of dengue patients are 5,880 cases. This study aim to know the difference of people’s behavior in the prevention of dengue fever between the areas of epidemic and non-epidemic villages.

Methods : This study is a descriptive study. The samples were divided into two groups (n=124, each) in order to compare the behavior of the people in the prevention of dengue fever in the areas of epidemic and non-epidemic villages. The duration of the study was eight weeks. The samples were the representative household aged 20 - 60 years old  who live in the  the epidemic and non-epidemic villages, in area of Pimai district, Nakhonratchasima province.

Result : It was found that both two villages have a slightly difference in the mean scores of knowledge, attitude and practice in the prevention of dengue fever.

Conclusion: This study indicated that the behavior in the prevention of dengue fever of both two villages have the similar mean scores which is unlikely to affect the spread of dengue fever.

Keywords: Dengue fever, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice