Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) towards Rabies, its Suspected Cases and Associated Economic Impact in West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease that affects many developing countries in which it is endemic, including Ethiopia. Regardless of its endemic/epidemic patterns, no study has been conducted on rabies in the study area. Methods A cross-sectional, and retrospective study designs were carried out in selected districts of the West Shewa zone to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice and estimate the economic impacts of rabies in humans and animals from 2017 to 2021. A total of 422 informants were selected as study participants through simple random sampling techniques from the community. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather information from the participants. The relevant data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and then described and interpreted using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression test. Results The results indicated that the community had 91.2%, 74.2%, and 81% knowledge, attitude, and practice scores on rabies. Having a dog (AOR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.050, 2.87), acquiring information from mass media (AOR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.175, 0.788; P-value <0.05), and having a history of previous exposure (AOR=7.3, 95% CI: 1.618, 32.69) were significantly associated with knowledge score about rabies. Positive attitudes toward rabies were higher in dog owners (AOR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.074, 5.993) and private workers (AOR=9.5, 95% CI: 1.981, 45.76). Living in an urban area (AOR=0.19, 95% CI: 0.044, 0.881) and Dirre Inchinni district (AOR=0.03, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.150) had good practices level of rabies. In addition, 579 suspected human rabies cases and 183 animal cases were registered during the study periods. The number of rabies cases that occurred in humans, was higher than in animals in the study area, with varying degrees of incidence. Rabies in the study area resulted in direct and indirect costs of around 142590 USD. Conclusions The study showed that most of the respondents were unaware of rabies. Therefore, effective and well-organized control measures like annual vaccination and awareness campaigns should be developed, focusing on identified risk factors and areas. The incidence of the diseases should be considered while designing control and prevention measures. Author Summary Rabies is a life-threatening zoonotic disease that poses a serious public health and socio-economic impact, especially in regions with poor access to healthcare services and vaccination. The study aimed to assess the community’s awareness of rabies management and prevention and determine the number of suspected cases and the associated economic impact. It assessed what the community knew about the symptoms, prevention, and transmission of rabies from animals to humans. It also identified attitudes that were commonly embraced regarding vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), how people handled dog bites, and the best courses of action. The suspected cases and the economic impact of rabies were determined from registered data on human and animal cases in medical casebooks and veterinary clinics. Because of financial and logistical difficulties like tight budgets and shortages of supplies in the region, the victim households travel a long distance to hospitals to get post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Both direct costs (such as medical care and post-exposure prophylaxis) and indirect costs (such as costs for public health, animal management, travel costs, lost wages, and other alternative medications for adverse reactions) were considered to estimate the economic impact. The economic burden on humans was approximated due to the absence of reliable animal rabies data. This study also offered a systematic analysis of how rabies impacts the livelihoods of West Shewa’s rural and urban communities. Furthermore, the study also underlined the significance of responsible dog ownership, the substantial economic impact of rabies in the region, and crucial insights into the gaps in knowledge and practices related to rabies control. By giving policymakers, medical experts, and veterinarians vital information to establish dedicated actions addressing One health approach to reduce rabies transmission and its socioeconomic effects, our study supports the larger regional effort to combat the disease. Enhancing rabies control and prevention strategies, like raising vaccination coverages, and awareness campaigns, strengthening community involvement, and establishing robust rabies surveillance systems in control programs should be recommended.