Knowledge Attitude and Preparedness among Different Health Professionals Towards Potential Bioterrorism Attacks

P. Adithya Teja Prasad; Vineela P.; Siva Kumar P.; Yashwant Sai; Karishma J.; Pratyusha CH.

doi:10.26440/IHRJ/0404.07160

P. Adithya Teja Prasad
Vineela P.
Siva Kumar P.
Yashwant Sai
Karishma J.
Pratyusha CH.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26440/IHRJ/0404.07160

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Health Care Providers, Pandemic, Knowledge

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The threat of bioterrorism, long ignored and denied, has heightened over the past few years. Bioterrorism is the malpractice of microbial agents and their products in-order to create terror or slay humans or animals.
AIM: To assess the knowledge, attitude and preparedness regarding bioterrorism among dental, medical and nursing group of colleges in and around Visakhapatnam, India.
MATERIALS AND METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study with structured self-administered questionnaire with 14 validated questions was done among 1,412 health care providers which includes medical and dental interns, postgraduates, nursing third and final year students and faculty that includes both the practitioners and academicians from 6 medical, 2 dental and 3 nursing colleges in and around Visakhapatnam, India. The data was analysed using, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test and Tukey’s post hoc test.
RESULTS: On overall comparison among the three group of colleges, the knowledge, attitude and preparedness concerning bioterrorism is higher in medical colleges, followed by dental colleges and nursing colleges respectively that are statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: Most of the study population are willing to help the government during the outbreak of bioterrorism but lack of knowledge is hindering them. Hence the curriculum of medical, dental and nursing colleges must be reformed and training courses are to be planned for better knowledge, preparedness and attitude of doctors as well as nurses.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

P. Adithya Teja Prasad

Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

Vineela P.

Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

Siva Kumar P.

Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

Yashwant Sai

Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

Karishma J.

Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

Pratyusha CH.

Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam (Dt), Andhra Pradesh-531163

References

Chaudhari A, Shetiya SH, Kakodkar P, Shirahatti R. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding bioterrorism amongst the medical and dental interns in Dr. D.Y. Patil deemed university − A questionnaire study. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent. 2011;9: 94-9.

Fong I, Alibek K (2010). Bioterrorism and infectious agents. New York, NY: Springer Science & Media, Inc.

Dworkin MS, Ma X, Golash RG. Fear of bioterrorism and implications for public health preparedness. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:503-5.

Wheelis M. Biological warfare at the 1346 siege of Caffa. Emerg Infect Dis 2002;8:971–5.

Robertson AG, Robertson LJ. From asps to allegations: biological warfare in history. Mil Med 1995; 160: 369–73.

Riedel S. Biological warfare and bioterrorism: a historical review. Proc Bayl Univ Med Cent. 2004;17: 400-6.

Das S, Kataria VK. Bioterrorism: A Public Health Perspective; MJAFI. 2010;66(3):255-69.

Guay AH. Dentistry’s response to bioterrorism A report of a consensus workshop. JADA 2002;133:1181-7.

Syal S. Bioterrorism: time to wake up. Current Science 2008;95(12):1665-6.

Kate AR, Nekorchuk DM, Hoick PS, Hendrickson LA, Imrie AA, Effler PV. Hawaii Physician and Nurse Bioterrorism Preparedness Survey. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 2006;21(6):404-11.

Kshirsagar MM, Dodamani AS, Vishwakarma PY, Dodamani GA, Jadhav HC, Bhandari RC. Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of Dentists Toward Bioterrorism Awareness in Dhule (Maharashtra, India): A Cross-sectional Survey. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent. 2017; 15:57-60

Bhatt S, Rajesh G, Thakur D. Knowledge, Perceived Need for Education, and Willingness to Participate in Bioterrorism Preparedness among Students in an Indian Dental Institute: A Questionnaire Study; Med J DY Patil Vidyapeeth 2017;10:526-31.

Moghadam BSA, Pour SH, Toorchi M, SefidiHeris Y. Knowledge and Attitude of Iranian Red Crescent Society Volunteers in Dealing with Bioterrorist attacks. Emergency. 2016;4(1):16-20.

Brown C, editor. Are Nurses Prepared for a Radiological Disaster?: Assessing the Knowledge of Nursing Students to Support the Need of Integrating Radiological/Disaster Content Into Nursing Curricula. Sigma Theta Tau International's 25th International Nursing Research Congress; 2014; Hong Kong: Sigma Theta Tau International.

Aghaei N, Nesami MB. Bioterrorism education effect on knowledge and attitudes of nurses. J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2013;6(2):78-82.

Sridevi V, Vikram Simha B, Gayathri Naidu SS, Chowdary KH, Yaragani A, Sree YS. Awareness on Bioterrorism among qualified dentists in a teaching dental institution in southern India. J NTR Univ Health Sci. 2020;9:32-6.

Katz AR, Nekorchuk DM, Holck PS, Hendrickson LA, Imrie AA, Effler PV. Dentists’ preparedness for responding to bioterrorism: A survey of Hawaii dentists. JADA 2006;137:461-7.

Rebmann T, Mohr LB. Bioterrorism knowledge and educational participation of nurses in Missouri. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2010;41(2):67-76.

Mosca NW, Sweeney PM, Hazy JM, Brenner P. Assessing Bioterrorism and Disaster Preparedness Training Needs for School Nurses; J Public Health Management Practice. 2005:S38–S44.