A study to determine the level of knowledge and risk perceptions of vector-borne diseases in healthcare providers and the community visiting the health facilities in urban Pune, Maharashtra.

Vector-borne diseases have emerged as a seriouspublic health concern, with millions of people getting infected and thousandsof others dying each year. The increasing urbanization, globalization, and increasingdemand for global trade and travel are increasing the spread of thesevector-borne diseases. Among these, the diseases caused by the Aedes mosquito are onalarm as a single species can cause dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.These diseases have been a public health concern. As there are no vaccines andother effective treatments available for these diseases, the only way it can becontrolled is through appropriate prevention and control strategies.

For the preventionand control strategies to be effective, it is very important to focus on socialfactors such as knowledge, attitude, and perception of these diseases. Also, the recent finding of a positive Zika case in Pune, Maharashtra followed by a declaration of 79 villages vulnerable to Zika it is very important to controlthe surge of these diseases in India.

As dengue is common in India, it is possible for zika virus tobe found there as well. Moreover, zika virus causes increased maternalmortality, and with countries like India who have a higher maternal mortalityrate, it is very important to control the spread of such diseases. Hence thisstudy will provide an insight into the knowledge, attitude, and riskperceptions of the three co-circulating vector-borne diseases (dengue, chikungunya, and Zika) in Pune, Maharashtra, which has not only grown out to be an industrialhub in past few years but also has a very favorable climate for the growth of thesespecies.

The aim of the study would be to determine the levelof knowledge and risk perceptions of vector-borne diseases in healthcare providersand the community visiting the health facilities in urban Pune, Maharashtra. The responses of the study participants willbe noted by taking prior informed consent and assuring them thatconfidentiality of the data will be maintained. The includedparticipants for the study would be the healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, lab technicians) from the healthinstitutions and the population visiting the same institutions for routinecheck-ups and follow-ups. The population excluded from the study will include patients inemergency departments, people with physical and mental disabilities, Group-Dworkers and administrative staff, and people who have not given consent toparticipate in the study.

Hence byconducting this study, the findings can be used to shed lighton at-risk communities’ understanding of the vector, symptoms, breedingsites identification, and preventive and treatment strategies. And would helpin understanding the knowledge variation among these three co-circulating VBDsat a fine level, especially differences between endemic and emerging diseasesin urban Pune, which can help improve targeted interventions and educationprograms at a local level. Also, the results could be used to notify the publichealth officials and communities to motivate the communities at risk to take anactive role in vector surveillance and control by increasing communityparticipation, while improving the existing educational and surveillanceresources in Pune, Maharashtra.