Impact of a Structured Awareness Program on Mitigating Dog Bite Risks in Rural School Children: A Quasi-experimental One-group Pretest/Posttest Study
Rinu David, Shaly Joseph Pullan, Jimymol M. Giji, Irin Rose JoseyBackground:
Dog bites are a significant public health concern, particularly among children and contribute to increased healthcare costs. Recognizing the importance of prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends consistent awareness programs to reduce dog bite incidents. The present study was aimed to assess the level of knowledge and effect of health awareness campaign on risk mitigation strategies of dog bite among lower primary school children in the selected rural area.
Materials and Methods:
A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest study was conducted among lower primary school children in Thrissur, Kerala. Knowledge was assessed using a self-structured questionnaire administered before and after the awareness program. A structured educational intervention in the form of a video-assisted teaching program on dog bite was implemented among the participants to improve their knowledge and awareness. The data were analyzed using paired t-tests, with statistical significance set at
Results:
A total of 60 students who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. Assessment of knowledge during the pretest showed that a large proportion of children (38.3%) had poor knowledge, while nearly half demonstrated satisfactory level of knowledge. Only a small proportion (11.6%) possessed good knowledge. The mean pretest score regarding risk mitigation strategies for dog bites was 5.30. Following the awareness program, the mean posttest score increased to 10.30, and the improvement was found to be statistically significant (
Conclusion:
The study results showed a significant increase in the level of knowledge regarding risk mitigation strategies for dog bites following the health awareness campaign.