Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13317, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13317, Saudi Arabia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Aug 14;21(8):1065. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21081065.
Toxoplasmosis, a prevalent parasitic zoonotic disease, is influenced by various factors such as the climate, dietary habits, and hygiene practices. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors regarding toxoplasmosis among females in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Utilizing a bilingual Google form, a cross-sectional online survey was distributed in both Arabic and English, and it was conducted between 11 January 2024 and 4 March 2024. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 27, with a -value ≤ 0.05 indicating significant qualitative data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. A total of 533 participants were included in the study. Participants aged 18-25 years old constituted the largest group (70.4%), with those aged 26-40 years old accounting for 14.4% and ages 41-60 years old comprising 15.2%. Among the participants, 76.4% were unmarried, and 21.4% were pregnant. Notably, 79.2% of participants reported being unaware of toxoplasmosis, with only 9.0% gaining awareness from doctors and a mere 3.6% from awareness campaigns. Any understanding of the disease's severity and causative factors was limited to 15.9%. Despite a generally positive attitude towards preventive measures, significant correlations were found between toxoplasmosis and age (-value 0.093), as well as the consumption of medium-cooked meat (-value 0.008). Other variables, such as social status, cat ownership, handwashing before meals, and washing fruits and vegetables did not show significant correlations. Diet and hygiene practices notably impact toxoplasmosis transmission. In Riyadh, 79% of participants did not own cats, and 67.7% avoided undercooked meat. However, 6.7% used unfiltered water, and 8.4% did not wash their hands after handling raw meat and vegetables. The study concludes that there is insufficient knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis among females in Riyadh. Despite low knowledge, there is a neutral to slightly positive attitude and a willingness to learn and adopt preventive measures when informed. With better education, attitudes towards toxoplasmosis could improve due to a desire to learn and act. While general hygiene practices were favorable, specific preventive behaviors for toxoplasmosis need enhancement to reduce infection risks.
弓形虫病是一种流行的寄生虫人畜共患病，受到气候、饮食习惯和卫生习惯等多种因素的影响。本研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯利雅得女性对弓形虫病的知识、态度和预防行为。本研究采用双语谷歌表单，以阿拉伯语和英语两种语言在线分发横断面调查，于 2024 年 1 月 11 日至 2024 年 3 月 4 日进行。使用 SPSS 版本 27 进行统计学分析，p 值≤0.05 表示具有统计学意义的定性数据。使用描述性统计和卡方检验对数据进行分析。共纳入 533 名参与者。18-25 岁年龄组的参与者最多（70.4%），26-40 岁年龄组的参与者占 14.4%，41-60 岁年龄组的参与者占 15.2%。参与者中，76.4%未婚，21.4%怀孕。值得注意的是，79.2%的参与者表示不知道弓形虫病，只有 9.0%的人从医生那里了解到，只有 3.6%的人从宣传活动中了解到。仅有 15.9%的人对疾病的严重程度和致病因素有一定了解。尽管对预防措施的态度普遍较为积极，但仍发现弓形虫病与年龄（p 值 0.093）和中熟肉的食用（p 值 0.008）之间存在显著相关性。其他变量，如社会地位、养猫情况、饭前洗手和清洗水果和蔬菜与弓形虫病之间无显著相关性。饮食和卫生习惯对弓形虫病的传播有显著影响。在利雅得，79%的参与者没有养猫，67.7%的人避免食用未煮熟的肉。然而，6.7%的人使用未经滤的水，8.4%的人在处理生肉和蔬菜后不洗手。研究结论是，利雅得女性对弓形虫病的了解不足。尽管知识水平较低，但存在中性到略微积极的态度，且在了解相关信息后愿意学习和采取预防措施。通过更好的教育，可以改善人们对弓形虫病的态度，因为人们渴望学习和采取行动。虽然一般卫生习惯较好，但需要加强针对弓形虫病的具体预防行为，以降低感染风险。
