Knowledge and Preventive Practices Regarding Dengue and Chikungunya Among Outpatients in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, Tanzania: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: The current shift of the burden of infectious diseases from malaria to arbovirus diseases such as chikungunya and dengue is a public health concern. Community understanding and awareness of particular febrile illnesses are essential, especially in controlling and managing such diseases. Therefore, change in Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices are key focus areas for intervention to prevent the disease. We investigated knowledge and prevention practices regarding dengue and chikungunya amongst outpatients in two hospitals in Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 166 individuals from Temeke Referral Hospital and 166 from Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital. The knowledge score was calculated by adding all positive responses to items. Each item was assigned 10 for the positive response and 0 for the negative response, and then all items were included by applying a 10-point scale. The total knowledge scores ranged from 0 to 100, where scores <50 were considered low, while scores ≥ 50 were considered high.

Results: Overall, only 10.2% of all participants had high knowledge of dengue and chikungunya, while 89.8% had low knowledge. Concerning preventive practices, only 4.5% of all participants had good preventive practices, while the majority, 95.5%, had poor practices regarding dengue and chikungunya.

Conclusion: The study shows respondents have insufficient knowledge and risk practices regarding dengue and chikungunya fever. Regular assessments should be conducted using SEM and the KAP approach, which will help improve awareness among community members about the disease’s signs and symptoms, mode of transmission, and improved preventive practices.