The knowledge of the Maltese population on the prevention and control of mosquito borne diseases

Abstract

Background: Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) are a re-emerging threat that merits attention. This has been highlighted by autochthonous transmission of dengue and chikungunya in various European countries. Any effective strategy to mitigate the threat locally will require public engagement. This study will generate data on the prevailing knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Maltese population when it comes to mosquito control as well as the knowledge and preparedness of local doctors in the eventuality of diagnosing an MBD. This research has been carried out with the purpose of identifying any knowledge gaps and corresponding socio-economic predictors. Methods: The research involves a general public survey comprising 394 Maltese respondents aged sixteen and above. It is a cross-sectional survey carried out in the form of telephone interviews. A second survey was emailed to local GPs and family medicine practitioners, gathering a total of 137 responses. Results Few respondents (7.1%) knew of MBDs other than malaria. Only 55% of respondents knew that mosquitoes required water to lay eggs, 64.2% could correctly identify suitable breeding sites. A majority of 67.1% of respondents reported being minimally worried about MBDs. Only 25.3% of respondents emptied their saucers every three to seven days. The majority (78.7%) of respondents think that the responsibility lies with both environmental authorities and the public. 81.2% of respondents indicated a willingness to be further educated on MBDs and available precautions. The interviewed GPs have a higher knowledge of MBDs compared to the rest of the population, with malaria (39%) and zika (24.3%) most likely to be identified as significant public health threats by them. Results: obtained from the other questions show that the interviewed GPs are inadequately trained to recognise MBD symptoms and take the necessary steps in the eventuality of coming across an MBD case. Only 58.8% of interviewed GPs responded that they would notify public health authorities on suspecting an MBD case and even fewer (44.9%) would have taken lab samples. The interviewed GPs’ ability to match MBDs with case study symptoms was also found to be low when it came to MBDs such as West Nile (36%), chikungunya (54.4%) and dengue (50%). The higher matching rate of malaria (79.4%) and Zika (85.3%), with their respective case symptoms, may be due to give-aways in the descriptions, such as the mentioning of parasites and microcephaly. Conclusion: This is the first study of its kind in Malta, demonstrating that the Maltese population is unfamiliar with the risks posed by MBDs and that the interviewed GPs are inadequately trained to recognise MBD symptoms and proceed accordingly. There are significant knowledge gaps in mosquito-related information, especially among younger respondents. This study recommends raising awareness and preparedness by improved training of GPs as well as other stakeholders who can pass on subject-related information such as teachers, pharmacists and garden centre employees. Alternative media sources such as social media should also be considered to raise awareness among the younger and more educated socio demographics.