Syed Mustafeel Aser Quadri, Mahjabeen Khan, Sidra Zaheer, Ayesha Sarwat, Nikhat Yasmin.
Behavioral Risks Factors Associated With Spread of Dengue Infections: A Community Based Study.
Ann Abbasi Shaheed Hosp Karachi Med Dent Coll Jan ;20(2):132-6.

Objective: To determine the behavioral risks factors associated with spread of dengue infections in a rural community of Gulshan-e-Iqbal town, Karachi, Pakistan. Method: A questionnaire based cross sectional survey was conducted during September 2013- February 2014 in union councils of Gulshan-e-Iqbal town, Karachi. The sample size was 350. Systematic random sampling was used for selecting the study subject, from each household taken as one unit. Sample was taken from a total of 3225 houses to achieve total sample of 350 households. All the data was entered and analysed by using SPSS software version 15. Means with standard deviation for numerical variables and proportions for categorical variables are presented. Chi square test was performed to find the association of behavioral risks factors with spread of dengue infections in a rural community of Karachi, Pakistan. Results: Dengue infection was clinically diagnosed in 203 (58%) patients and were hospitalized during August 2012 to February 2013. Among all patients, higher frequency was found in the middle age group 37 to 54 years i.e. 44% (n=154).The behaviors of self-mosquito bite protection (p<0.01), selfprevention in breading mosquitoes (p<0.01), density of vegetation (p<0.01), behaviors regarding lack of self-efficacy in controlling vector (p<0.01) and lack of preventive measure in community (p<0.01) were significantly associated with transmission of dengue infections. Conclusion: The behavioral risks factors associated with spread of dengue infections in a rural community included lack of preventive measure in community, lack of comprehension of Health belief models, lack of knowledge,lack of self- prevention in breading mosquitoes, high density of vegetation and lack of self-efficacy in controlling vector.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com