An Epidemiological Survey of Avian Influenza Knowledge and Practices among Poultry Farm Workers in Indonesia

Background:
Avian influenza poses a serious threat to global
public health. Awareness and protective behaviors among the general public, as
well as high-risk populations, are essential for prevention and control. The
purpose of this study is to determine the avian influenza knowledge and
practices of poultry farm workers in Indonesia.
Methods:
This
online cross-sectional study included 200 men and women aged <20–50 years
working on poultry farms in Indonesia. The
study used a pre-designed standardized questionnaire containing 6 demographic
questions, 14 questions for knowledge, and seven questions for practices. The
questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp and email. The Chi-square and Fisher
Exact tests were used to analyze the data.
Results:
The study finding depicted that more than half (67%)
of the respondents had heard of AI and the primary sources of information were
health workers (36%) and TV (34%). The majority of the study participants
(91.33%) had good knowledge regarding AI as a contagious infection that
transmits between animals to animals and birds to birds. 76.8% of the
respondents believe that poultry workers and veterinarians were at high risk of
contracting AI infection. An average of (74.2%) the participants believe that
using of face mask and washing hands with soap and water is a good practice to
prevent AI infection. It is reported that 78.5% of respondents believe that
properly disposing of dead birds prevents AI infection.
Conclusions:

This study
revealed that the poultry workers had good knowledge that was similarly
expressed in practices. Primary sources of information regarding AI
were health workers and TV. The level of knowledge and practices
had a significant relationship among respondents.