Social determinants, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to tick exposure in Northwest Mexico
Supporting Agencies
- Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación
Abstract
Objective: To analyze determinants of KAP (knowledge, attitudes, practices) regarding tick exposure and their association with household characteristics in a region with high prevalence of rickettsiosis transmitted by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sonora, Mexico, using stratified random sampling of 228 households in high-incidence areas. A 30-item questionnaire assessed KAP on vector-borne diseases, employing dichotomous, categorical, and Likert scale responses. The chi-square test evaluated associations between variables (p<0.05 significance). Data analysis was performed using IBM® SPSS Statistics software.
Results: The median age of household representatives was 36.9 years; 66.0% were women. Higher levels of knowledge about tick-borne diseases, preventive measures, symptoms, and greater motivation to avoid ticks correlated with educational level (p<0.001), occupation (p=0.001), attitudes and practices like the frequency of dogs entering households (p=0.005), prior tick findings on dogs (p=0.030), fumigation practices (p=0.017), and higher perceived risk of tick bites (p=0.023).
Conclusion: A limited understanding of tick-related risks highlights gaps in KAP, reflecting insufficient individual awareness and systemic public health education failures. These gaps perpetuate risky behaviors and inadequate environmental practices, fostering conditions for vector proliferation and increasing zoonotic disease transmission risks.
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