Community awareness, knowledge, and practice on prevention of mosquito-borne diseases in the state of Maharashtra

Abstract

Background: Mosquito-borne diseases are increasing problems in various parts of the world, causing high mortality and morbidity for humans. It has revealed a great threat to public health in India. This survey was conducted to study the Community Awareness, knowledge, and practices on prevention of mosquito-borne diseases in the state of Maharashtra. Methodology : A cross-sectional observational study was carried out in the five regional divisions of the state for a period between January 2021 to April 2021. The study was carried out with the help of a pre-tested questionnaire. The data collected was then statistically analyzed and percentage calculation was done. Result: The survey was conducted among 1290 people from various regions and districts of Maharashtra. 23.9% of the respondents were not aware of the mosquito species. 76.6% think that mosquitoes bite in the evening time. 94.4% of the population had awareness regarding the mosquito egg-laying habitat. 83.8% of the population relied on mosquito repellents and chemical insecticides as a precautionary measure. 84.9% never visited the government department and around 56.8% of the population were dependent on social media as a source of information. About 46.5% did not have any idea regarding the Dry day celebrations. Conclusion: There's a crucial need to increase Community Awareness about practices and methods to prevent mosquito-borne diseases amongst people. The efforts need to be enhanced and escalated to achieve community awareness.