Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards the Tiger Mosquito Aedes Albopictus. A Questionnaire Based Survey in Lazio Region (Italy) before the 2017 Chikungunya Outbreak

Beniamino Caputo, Mattia Manica, Gianluca Russo and Angelo Solimini
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Beniamino Caputo: Department of Public Health & Infectious Diseases, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, 00185 Rome, Italy
Mattia Manica: Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010 San Michele all’Adige, Italy
Gianluca Russo: Department of Public Health & Infectious Diseases, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, 00185 Rome, Italy
Angelo Solimini: Department of Public Health & Infectious Diseases, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, 00185 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: The invasion of Aedes albopictus has played a major role in the resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases in Italy, generating the two largest chikungunya outbreaks in Europe (2007, 2017). Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) are important in order to prevent Aedes -borne disease transmission, yet so far they have not been assessed. To this scope we used multivariate logistic regression to investigate KAP of citizen-to- Aedes ecology and transmitted diseases. Data were collated by a structured questionnaire (18 questions) in 2016. Participants were selected in the Lazio region from members of native populations and two resident communities (RC) originating from the Indian subcontinent where Aedes -transmitted diseases are endemic. Results showed that compared to Italians, RC respondents had a higher knowledge and concern of Aedes -transmitted diseases (Odds Ratio = 2.61 (95%CI: 1.03–6.05); OR = 3.13 (2.15–4.65)) as well as their life cycles (OR = 2.49 (1.75–3.56); OR = 9.04 (6.22–13.66)). In contrast, they perceived a lower nuisance due to the presence of Ae. albopictus (OR = 0.2 (0.13–0.32); OR = 0.55 (0.38–0.78). These findings suggest that citizens in the Lazio region are not prepared to face a potential outbreak of arboviruses and further efforts should be made to increase knowledge, awareness and best practices.

Keywords: KAP mosquito; knowledge; awareness and practice; Aedes-borne diseases; Aedes albopictus; mosquito; mosquito life cycle; arboviruses; infectious disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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