Community Awareness of Household Pets Breeding in Zoonotic Diseases Transmission
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20252347Keywords:
Awareness, Household, Pets, Zoonotic diseasesAbstract
Introduction: Zoonotic infections are a significant and growing global public health concern. Among the different modes of transmission, family pets serve as a primary source of human exposure to a wide range of infections.
Objective: To assess population awareness of zoonotic diseases transmitted by pets.
Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was undertaken. The study has 600 participants. The data was gathered using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire had a total of 19 questions; sociodemographic data included 5 questions, 11 questions for awareness, and 3 questions for perception.
Result: The study was completed by a total of 600 participants. The majority of participants were female (69.8%, n=419) and aged between 12-26 years (77.0%, n=462), with an average age of 24.3 (±4.8) years. The majority of respondents were from Riyadh (64.5%, n=387). Health professionals were much more aware than non-health professionals (76.8% vs. 65.4%, p<0.05). Postgraduates were more aware than individuals with primary or middle school education (97.0% vs. 66.7%, p < 0.05). Only 49.8% of participants were categorized as "aware" overall, indicating a significant knowledge gap in the public. A study of preventative behaviors found that individuals who were aware of zoonotic dangers were more likely to provide veterinarian treatment for their dogs (p=0.001).
Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of increased education, interdisciplinary teamwork, and public health activities in reducing zoonotic hazards linked with domestic pets. By bridging information gaps, we can preserve both human and animal health, encouraging safer and more informed pet ownership behaviors.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Elturabi Elsayed Elkhider Ebrahim, Hisham Ali Waggiallah, Sami Almadar, Duaa Yousif Alfaraj, Reem Shafi Alshehri, Abdulkareem Al-Garni, Tarig Karar, Yousif Mohammed Almosaad, Ahmad Khaleel AlOmari, Ghazi I. Al Jowf, Samah O Mohager (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
