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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 141

Table 5. Respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics and their knowledge about rabies
Knowledge
*
Variable Associated with lower rabies risk Associated with higher rabies risk X 2* df P-value
n (%) n (%)
Sex
Male 149 (63.4) 86 (36.6) 0.27 1 0.67
Female 162 (61.1) 103 (38.9)
Age (years)
*
≤ 32 147 (53.8) 126 (46.2) 17.85 1 0.001
> 32 164 (62.2) 63 (27.8)
Level of education
No formal education 9 (60.0) 6 (40.0) 7.61 2 0.02 *
Primary to secondary 151 (56.8) 115 (43.2)
Tertiary 151 (68.9) 68 (31.1)
Number of years of keeping dogs
≤ 5 135 (51.9) 125 (48.1) 23.43 1 0.001 *
> 5 176 (73.3) 64 (26.7)
Occupation
*
Dog breeder 63 (69.2) 28 (30.8) 13.14 4 0.01
Unemployed 46 (51.7) 43 (48.3)
Student 46 (52.3) 42 (47.7)
Civil servant 44 (72.1) 17 (27.9)
Private business owner 112 (65.5) 59 (34.5)
* 2 * *
X : Chi square; df: degree of freedom; P-values ≤ 0.05 are significant.

and occupation (P = 0.02) were significantly associated with their practices during rabies exposure and
prophylaxis. 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 7].

Association between respondents’ knowledge of, attitudes to, and practices during rabies exposure
and prophylaxis
There were significant associations between the dog owners’ knowledge of and attitudes to rabies exposure
and prophylaxis (P = 0.008), knowledge of rabies and practices during rabies exposure and prophylaxis
(P = 0.0001), and their attitudes to and practices during rabies exposure and prophylaxis (P = 0.0001). The
majority (54.7%) of the respondents with knowledge associated with lower rabies risk had attitudes
associated with lower rabies risk. The majority (74.0%) of those with knowledge associated with lower rabies
risk exhibited practices associated with lower rabies risk, and the majority (63.1%) of those with attitudes
associated with lower rabies risk exhibited practices associated with lower rabies risk [Table 8].

DISCUSSION
Rabies remains a disease of great public health concern and economic burden in Nigeria. This study
identified knowledge gaps and attitudes and practices associated with higher rabies risk among dog owners
in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. The findings are essential for planning community-based strategies
and resource allocation for rabies elimination in Ogun State, Nigeria. From this study, the majority (84.6%)
of the dog owners were aware of rabies. This is similar to the 86.9% reported in a study on rabies awareness
among dog owners in Abeokuta, Ogun State . The most common sources of the first information about
[15]
rabies (46.5%) were friends and family members. This finding is consistent with that of a similar study in
Oyo State, Nigeria and another one in Ghana . Such informal channels have the disadvantages of limited
[22]
[21]