Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of abattoir workers towards cystic echinococcosis in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) /hydatid disease is a parasitic zoonotic disease prevalent in developing countries, leading to serious public health concerns and economic impact.” This study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) regarding echinococcosis among abattoir workers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Questionnaires were distributed to 152 abattoir workers from seven abattoirs in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, between April 2024 to June 2024. IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse descriptive statistics, quantitative data, abattoir worker’s KAP and calculate performance scores. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate reliability, which was 0.701. The p-value was considered statistically significant at P£0.05. Only 32.9% had adequate knowledge of cystic echinococcosis,63.2% had a positive attitude towards CE, and 96.1% of the respondents had good practices. Factors associated with knowledge of risk factors were educational level (χ2=8.588 P=0.014), and working title (χ2=19.466; P=0.013, χ2=20.725; P=0.008). Knowledgeable people might have easier access to safer and healthier food through a variety of sources, such as the media, healthcare professionals, and formal education. Respondents were aware of CE and its risk factors, they lacked adequate knowledge about the disease. It is vital that public health education, training on zoonotic disease prevention, and awareness raising programs must be conducted to raise awareness and promote food safety and transmission of cystic echinococcosis.