[Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of people living in rural areas of Erzurum about Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever].

Abstract

After 2002 more and more Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases have been reported and it has become a major public health problem in Turkey. In order to fight CCHF, it is important to inform the public and direct them towards appropriatet attitudes and behavior. Therefore assessment of the effectiveness of health education in the community is essential. A research was carried out for this purpose in the province of Erzurum between May 2010 and September 2010 through a survey. The results depicted that the majority of participants have knowledge that CCHF transmitted by ticks and they should be removed as soon as possible from the body through safe methods. However, in terms of correct attitude and behavior, women were found to have a lower level compared with men. The training of health workers and an increase in the efforts to make the community, especially the women, aware of this problem is ugently needed.