Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, Ås, Norway.
Environ Res. 2021 Feb;193:110509. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110509. Epub 2020 Nov 24.
Dengue is linked with climate change in tropical and sub-tropical countries including the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) and Thailand. Knowledge about these issues and preventive measures can affect the incidence and outbreak risk of dengue. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among urban and rural communities and government officials about climate change and dengue in Laos and Thailand.
A cross-sectional KAP survey about climate change and dengue were conducted in 360 households in Laos (180 urban and 180 rural), 359 households in Thailand (179 urban and 180 rural), and 20 government officials (10 in each country) using structured questionnaires. Data analysis was undertaken using descriptive methods, principal component analysis (PCA), Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test (as appropriate), and logistic regression.
Significant differences among the selected communities in both countries were found in terms of household participant's age, level of education, socioeconomic status, attitude level of climate change and KAP level of dengue (P < 0.05; 95% CI). Overall, participants' KAP about climate change and dengue were low except the attitude level for dengue in both countries. The level of awareness among government officials regarding the climatic relationship with dengue was also low. In Lao households, participants' knowledge about climate change and dengue was significantly associated with the level of education and socioeconomic status (SES) (P < 0.01). Their attitudes towards climate change and dengue were associated with educational level and internet use (P < 0.05). Householders' climate change related practices were associated with SES (P < 0.01) and dengue related practices were associated with educational level, SES, previous dengue experience and internet use (P < 0.01). In Thailand, participants' knowledge about climate change was associated with the level of education and SES (P < 0.01). Their attitudes towards climate change were associated with residence status (urban/rural) and internet use (P < 0.05); climate change related practices were associated with educational level and SES (P < 0.05). Dengue related knowledge of participants was associated with SES and previous dengue experience (P < 0.05); participants' dengue related attitudes and practices were associated with educational level (P < 0.01).
The findings call for urgently needed integrated awareness programs to increase KAP levels regarding climate change adaptation, mitigation and dengue prevention to improve the health and welfare of people in these two countries, and similar dengue-endemic countries.
登革热与包括老挝人民民主共和国（老挝）和泰国在内的热带和亚热带国家的气候变化有关。了解这些问题和预防措施会影响登革热的发病率和爆发风险。因此，本研究旨在确定老挝和泰国城乡社区和政府官员对气候变化和登革热的知识、态度和实践（KAP）。
在老挝（城市 180 户，农村 180 户）、泰国（城市 179 户，农村 180 户）的 360 户家庭和 20 名政府官员（每个国家 10 名）中进行了一项关于气候变化和登革热的横断面 KAP 调查，使用结构化问卷。使用描述性方法、主成分分析（PCA）、卡方检验或 Fisher 精确检验（视情况而定）和逻辑回归进行数据分析。
在这两个国家的选定社区中，家庭参与者的年龄、教育水平、社会经济地位、对气候变化的态度以及登革热的 KAP 水平存在显著差异（P<0.05；95%置信区间）。总体而言，参与者对气候变化和登革热的 KAP 水平较低，除了两国对登革热的态度水平。政府官员对气候与登革热关系的认识水平也较低。在老挝家庭中，参与者对气候变化和登革热的知识与教育水平和社会经济地位（SES）显著相关（P<0.01）。他们对气候变化和登革热的态度与教育水平和互联网使用有关（P<0.05）。家庭对气候变化的相关做法与 SES 有关（P<0.01），登革热相关做法与教育水平、SES、以往登革热经验和互联网使用有关（P<0.01）。在泰国，参与者对气候变化的知识与教育水平和 SES 有关（P<0.01）。他们对气候变化的态度与居住状态（城市/农村）和互联网使用有关（P<0.05）；与教育水平和 SES 有关（P<0.05）。参与者对登革热的相关知识与 SES 和以往登革热经验有关（P<0.05）；参与者对登革热的态度和做法与教育水平有关（P<0.01）。
这些发现呼吁紧急需要综合意识计划，以提高有关气候变化适应、缓解和登革热预防的 KAP 水平，以改善这两个国家和类似的登革热流行国家人民的健康和福利。
