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Akanbi et al. One Health Implement Res 2023;3:135-47 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/ohir.2023.29 Page 139

Table 2. Awareness and knowledge of dog owners about rabies
Percentage
Variable Response Frequency
(%)
Heard of rabies before Yes 432 86.4
No 68 13.6
First source of information about rabies Family/friends 201 46.5
School 99 22.9
Veterinary/human hospital 31 7.2
Mass media 70 16.2
Social media 12 2.8
Rabies campaign 19 4.4
Besides dogs, rabies can affect other mammals Yes 187 37.4
No 229 45.8
I don’t know 84 16.8
Only adult and stray dogs can be infected with rabies Yes 135 27.0
No 185 185
I don’t know 180 180
Rabies leads to the death of affected hosts Yes 361 72.2
No 51 10.2
I don’t know 88 17.6
Rabies can be transmitted through the bites and scratches of an infected Yes 376 75.2
animal
No 55 11.0
I don’t know 69 69
Rabies can be transmitted through licks and contact with infected saliva with Yes 62 12.4
skin wounds and mucous membranes
No 331 66.2
I don’t know 107 21.4
Dogs with rabies show sudden changes in behaviour, hypersalivation, and Yes 346 69.2
aggression
No 82 16.4
I don’t know 72 14.4
Some dogs may have rabies and yet be calm Yes 118 23.6
No 287 57.4
I don’t know 95 19.0
Rabies can be prevented by vaccination Yes 319 63.8
No 79 15.8
I don’t know 102 20.4
Rabies can be prevented by the drinking or rubbing of herbs and traditional Yes 116 23.2
concoctions on dog bite wounds or by taking medications
No 233 46.6
I don’t know 151 30.2
Overall levels of knowledge about rabies Knowledge associated with 311 62.2
lower rabies risk
Knowledge associated with 189 37.8
higher rabies risk

Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and their attitudes to rabies
The sex (P = 0.01), age (P = 0.001), level of education (P = 0.001), number of years of keeping dogs
(P = 0.001), and occupation (P = 0.001) of the respondents were significantly associated with their attitudes
towards rabies. Females, younger respondents, those with no formal education, and those who had kept
dogs for five years or less had attitudes associated with higher rabies risk [Table 6].