Radwan Ghada Nasr, Wahid Wafaa Yousif Abdel, El-Derwy Doaa, El-Rabat Maha
aCairo University bFayoum University, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Egypt.
J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 2011;86(5-6):104-10. doi: 10.1097/01.EPX.0000407210.12994.c3.
Avian influenza (H5N1) (AI) is becoming a serious public health threat in Egypt. The current study aimed to assess the existing knowledge, attitudes, and various practices regarding AI in household backyard poultry breeders residing in Fayoum Governorate, in rural Egypt.
Of the 149 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 51 have been fatal. This study was implemented in El Gendy and Manshat Abdllah villages in Fayoum Governorate. The latter village is the one in which a case of AI was confirmed in February 2007. A group of 150 women aged 15 years and above were recruited. A structured Arabic questionnaire was used to collect data.
All interviewed women (N=150) had heard about AI. TV\radio was the common source of information (83.3%). Nearly all interviewed women knew that AI is transmitted from birds to humans (99%). Most of the participants (>90%) correctly identified saliva, nasal secretions, feces, and contaminated vehicles as the modes of AI transmission. The knowledge regarding biosecurity measures (>70%) and measures of prevention (>90%) was generally good. More than 90% of the interviewed housewives agreed that AI is a serious disease that can be prevented, and that sanitary precautions during breeding and food preparation practices are effective measures for prevention of AI infection. Protective measures such as the use of gloves and masks, which minimize the risk of transmission of AI from poultry to humans, were seldom used by housewives in all their breeding, slaughtering, and cooking practices. However, washing hands either with water or with soap and water was reported by the vast majority of the respondents (>90%).
There was a good level of knowledge and favorable attitude of the study participants regarding AI; however, practices appear to be inadequate to achieve full protection against AI. Comprehensive and multidisciplinary interventions should be widely used to enhance the complex behavior change process among the village residents.
禽流感（H5N1）正在埃及成为严重的公共卫生威胁。当前研究旨在评估埃及农村法尤姆省家庭后院家禽养殖者对禽流感的现有认知、态度及各种行为。
在埃及迄今确诊的149例病例中，51例已致死。本研究在法尤姆省的埃尔根迪村和曼沙特阿卜杜拉村开展。后一个村庄是2007年2月确诊一例禽流感病例的地方。招募了150名15岁及以上的女性。使用结构化阿拉伯语问卷收集数据。
所有受访女性（N = 150）都听说过禽流感。电视/广播是常见信息来源（83.3%）。几乎所有受访女性都知道禽流感可从禽类传播给人类（99%）。大多数参与者（>90%）正确识别出唾液、鼻分泌物、粪便和受污染的交通工具为禽流感传播途径。关于生物安全措施（>70%）和预防措施（>90%）的知识总体良好。超过90%的受访家庭主妇同意禽流感是一种可预防的严重疾病，并且在养殖和食品制备过程中采取卫生预防措施是预防禽流感感染的有效措施。家庭主妇在所有养殖、屠宰和烹饪过程中很少使用手套和口罩等防护措施，这些措施可将禽流感从禽类传播给人类的风险降至最低。然而，绝大多数受访者（>90%）报告称会用水或用肥皂和水洗手。
研究参与者对禽流感有较好的认知水平和积极态度；然而，行为似乎不足以实现对禽流感的全面防护。应广泛采用综合多学科干预措施，以促进村庄居民复杂的行为改变过程。
