Treatment-Seeking Behaviors and Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Suspected Dengue Adult Patients at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand
Issued Date
2022-06-01
Resource Type
ISSN
16617827
eISSN
16604601
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85131708817
Pubmed ID
35682240
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume
19
Issue
11
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.11 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Piroonamornpun P., Looareesuwan P., Luvira V., Wongchidwon N., Pakdeewut P., Lawpoolsri S., Phonrat B. Treatment-Seeking Behaviors and Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Suspected Dengue Adult Patients at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.11 (2022). doi:10.3390/ijerph19116657 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/84710
Title
Treatment-Seeking Behaviors and Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Suspected Dengue Adult Patients at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Dengue infection is a major public health problem in Thailand with an increasing incidence in the adult population. Patients’ knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) with regarding dengue infection have direct influences on treatment-seeking behaviors and clinical outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the KAP and treatment-seeking behaviors of suspected dengue adult patients attending the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Bangkok, from March 2014 to February 2015. Among 167 participants, the majority of participants (87.9%) were unaware of dengue infection and most of them reported initial self-medication (95.2%). The mean days of fever before attending to the HTD was 4.9 ± 1.7 days. Outpatient cases reported seeking care significantly earlier than inpatient cases (mean: 3.1 days vs. 5.0 days; p < 0.001). The majority of patients believed that dengue infection has a high mortality rate (63%) and must be treated in hospital (91.3%), highlighting the lack of understanding and misperceptions regarding dengue-related knowledge in the general population. Patients who reported recent or current dengue infection in their family or neighborhood sought medical care early and reported good preventive practices. Health education should focus on the adult population to improve awareness of dengue symptoms and promote early treatment-seeking behavior.