Knowledge, belief's attitudes and practices of dengue fever among the orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia / Josephine Rebecca

Field: Health Professions (Health Sciences)

Dengue is prevalent among Malaysia's indigenous people, known as the Orang Asli, and \nit poses a serious health threat to them. The study aims to look at the socio-demographic \nfactors, health beliefs, and knowledge about dengue and its association to dengue \nprevention practices among Orang Asli communities in Peninsula Malaysia. A crosssectional \nsurvey was conducted in 16 randomly selected Orang Asli villages from eight \nstates in Peninsula Malaysia from April 2012 until February 2013. A total of 560 Orang \nAsli were interviewed and 505 completed the survey. Overall dengue knowledge score \namong the respondent were low; tribes, occupational status and average monthly \nhousehold income significantly correlated to dengue knowledge. The Semoq Beri tribe \n(OR=11.137, 95% CI= 2.98-41.61), was more likely to have higher dengue knowledge \ncompared to the reference group (Kensui tribe). Skilled workers (OR=3.66, 95 % \nCI=1.07-12.52) were more likely to have higher dengue knowledge compared to the \nreference group (unemployed). However, those with income less than RM500 \n(OR=0.60, 95%CI = 0.39-0.94) were less likely to have dengue knowledge compared to \nthe reference group (RM500 - RM1200). With regards to the constructs of HBM, \nmajority of the Orang Asli respondents had perceived dengue severity score of 6-10 \n(n=445, 88.1%) and only 11.9 % had perceived dengue severity score of 1-5 (n=60). \n82.0% of respondents had a score of 1-5 for perceived susceptibility towards dengue \n(n=414) while only 18.0 % of the Orang Asli respondents had score of 6-10 for \nperceived susceptibility towards dengue (n=91). Majority of the Orang Asli respondents \nhad score of 1-5 for perceived barriers to prevent dengue (n=435, 86.1%) and only \n18.0% (n=70) of the respondents had score 6-10 for perceived barriers to prevent \ndengue. Majority of the Orang Asli respondents “Disagree and strongly disagree” that \nthere is a lack of self –efficacy in taking preventive measures against dengue (n=376, \n74.5%). Overall dengue prevention practices were slightly high; perceived barriers to \niv \nprevent dengue, knowledge score and tribes were factors which were significant \ncorrelate to dengue prevention practices. Respondent with low perceived barrier \n(OR=1.867, 95% CI= 1.051-3.317) were more likely to carry out dengue prevention \npractices. Respondents with low knowledge score (OR=0.522, 95% CI= 0.343-0.794) \nwere less likely to carry out dengue prevention practices. Respondents from the Jakun \ntribe (OR=0.167, 95% CI= 0.054-0.514) and Temuan tribe (OR=0.407, 95% CI= 0.181- \n0.916) were less likely to carry out dengue prevention practices compared to the \nreference group (Kensui tribe). Findings imply that efforts to enhance dengue \nprevention practices should focus on eliminating the foremost important factors which \nare the perceived barriers to prevent dengue and lack of knowledge of dengue. \nIntervention should focus on educating the Orang Asli to remove barriers to prevent \ndengue and impart more knowledge of dengue.