Moges Eriso, Ramato Habtamu, Mekuriya and Israel Darcho
This cross-sectional study, conducted in Jimma town between November 2017 and April 2018, aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding rabies and identify associated factors among the community of Jimma town. The kebeles for the study were selected, and then further sampled using a systematic random sampling method. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 402 households using pretested and structured questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, employing descriptive statistics techniques and Pearson›s chi- square analysis to assess the associations between the outcome variables (KAP) and explanatory factors. Among the 384 respondents interviewed, 227 (59.1%) were males and 157 (40.9%) were females, with the majority (57.8%) falling between the ages of 15-35 years. Nearly all participants reported previous awareness of rabies. Regarding the KAP scores, 47.6% of the study participants demonstrated a good level of knowledge. Significant associations were found between KAP scores and gender (x2 = 52.12, p < 0.05), educational level (x2 = 14.4, p < 0.05), and occupation (x2 = 10.673, p < 0.05). Overall, these findings indicate that the community in Jimma town possesses a good level of knowledge about rabies. However, there are gaps in accurate understanding of the mode of transmission, symptoms, and appropriate prevention and treatment measures.