Evaluation of the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare practitioners about cutaneous leishmaniasis in health centers of Mashhad

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Department, of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Department of community medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Objective:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the common diseases in endemic areas of Iran, including Mashhad, which has a significant economic and psychological burden. Previous studies have shown that the knowledge and performance of healthcare staff play an important role in the prevention and control of this disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and performance of healthcare center staff regarding cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Methods:
This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted using a census method among 110 medical staff in comprehensive health service centers in Mashhad in 2022 and 2023. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on the BASNEF model, and its validity was confirmed through content validity and reliability with Cronbach's alpha. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software and t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression tests.

Results:
Most participants in this study were at the bachelor's level, with physicians, nurses, and laboratory technicians. Results indicated that 90% and 75.5% of participants had good knowledge about cutaneous leishmaniasis and sandflies, respectively. Additionally, individuals with bachelor's degrees demonstrated better knowledge compared to others. Participants with an associate's degree had better knowledge, while those with a bachelor's and master's degree showed better attitudes and performance, respectively. Environmental health professionals also had better attitudes and performance overall.
Conclusion:
The overall level of knowledge, attitude, and performance of healthcare staff regarding cutaneous leishmaniasis was satisfactory, but intergroup differences indicate that targeted training based on education level and type of expertise can increase the effectiveness of control programs.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Serafim TD, Coutinho-Abreu IV, Dey R, Kissinger R, Valenzuela JG, Oliveira F, et al. Leishmaniasis: the act of transmission. Trends in parasitology. 2021;37(11):976-87.
  1. Norouzinezhad F, Ghaffari F, Norouzinejad A, Kaveh F, Gouya MM. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran: results from an epidemiological study in urban and rural provinces. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine. 2016;6(7):614-9.
  2. Okwor I, Uzonna J. Social and economic burden of human leishmaniasis. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 2016;94(3):489.
  3. Bates P, Rogers ME. New insights into the developmental biology and transmission mechanisms of Leishmania. Current molecular medicine. 2004;4(6):601-9.
  4. Alemayehu B, Alemayehu M. Leishmaniasis: a review on parasite, vector and reservoir host. Health Science Journal. 2017;11(4):1.
  5. Pearson RD, de Queiroz Sousa A. Clinical spectrum of leishmaniasis. Clinical infectious diseases. 1996:1-11.
  6. Kevric I, Cappel MA, Keeling JH. New world and old world Leishmania infections: a practical review. Dermatologic clinics. 2015;33(3):579-93.
  7. Abdollahi M, Fakhar M, Tajfard M, Jamali J, Mahdizadeh M. Educational WhatsApp-delivered intervention based on social cognitive theory to promote leishmaniosis preventive behavior of health ambassadors: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2024;24(1):786.
  8. Gunasekara SD, Wickramasinghe ND, Agampodi SB, Fernando MS, Weerakoon KG, Liyanage C, et al. ‘We do not rush to the hospital for ordinary wounds (suḷu tuvāla)’: A qualitative study on the early clinical manifestations of cutaneous leishmaniasis and associated health behaviours in rural Sri Lanka. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2023;17(5):e0010939.
  9. Zeinali M, Mohebali M, Mahmoudi M, Hassanpour GR, Shirzadi MR. Study on knowledge, attitude and practice of health workers of East Azerbaijan, Ilam and Khorasan Razavi provinces about leishmaniasis during 2015-2016: a comparative study before and after intervention. Archives of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2019;14(1).
  10. Bharadava K, Upadhyay TK, Kaushal RS, Ahmad I, Alraey Y, Siddiqui S, et al. Genomic Insight of Leishmania Parasite: In-Depth Review of Drug Resistance Mechanisms and Genetic Mutations. ACS omega. 2024.
  11. Moshaverinia A, editor Knowledge and awareness of students on leishmaniasis and its risk factors2023.
  12. Torres-Guerrero E, Quintanilla-Cedillo MR, Ruiz-Esmenjaud J, Arenas R. Leishmaniasis: a review. F1000Research. 2017;6.
  13. Nuwangi H, Agampodi TC, Price HP, Shepherd T, Weerakoon KG, Agampodi SB. Stigma associated with cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis: A systematic review. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2023;17(12):e0011818.
  14. Polidano K, Wenning B, Ruiz-Cadavid A, Dawaishan B, Panchal J, Gunasekara S, et al. Community-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Systematic Review. Social Sciences. 2022;11(10):490.
  15. Bamorovat M, Sharifi I, Afshari SAK, Almani PGN. Mutual Role of Patients and the Healthcare System in the Control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 2023;2023.
  16. Postigo JAR. Leishmaniasis in the world health organization eastern mediterranean region. International journal of antimicrobial agents. 2010;36:S62-S5.
  17. Geto AK, Malede A, Lingerew M, Bitew Abie A, Berihun G, Ademas A, et al. Knowledge, attitude, prevention practice and lived experience towards cutaneous leishmaniasis and associated factors among residents of Kutaber district, Northeast Ethiopia, 2022: A mixed method study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024;18(8):e0012427.
  18. Guha U, Chatterjee M, Sardar AA, Jana K, Saha P, Maji AK, et al. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices about Visceral Leishmaniasis in Endemic Areas of Malda District, West Bengal, India. Am J Trop Med 2020;104(2):646-52.
  19. Alharazi TH, Haouas N, Al-Mekhlafi HM. Knowledge and attitude towards cutaneous leishmaniasis among rural endemic communities in Shara’b district, Taiz, southwestern Yemen. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021;21(1):269.
  20. El-Mouhdi K, Fekhaoui M, Elhamdaoui F, Guessioui H, Chahlaoui A. Knowledge and Experiences of Health Professionals in the Peripheral Management of Leishmaniasis in Morocco (ELHajeb). Journal of Parasitology Research. 2020;2020:8819704.
  21. Ruoti M, Oddone R, Lampert N, Orué E, Miles MA, Alexander N, et al. Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among paraguayan communities, patients, and health professionals. Journal of tropical medicine. 2013;2013.
  22. سیدحمید ح، محمد ا، رقیه ش، کوروش ا، رضوان رز. دانش، نگرش و عملکرد رابطین سلامت شهرستان اسفراین در مورد بیماری لیشمانیوز جلدی در سال 1392. 2015.
  23. زهرا ن، الهام م، فاطمه رس، الهام جف، شقایق ن، زینب عز. آگاهی، نگرش و عملکرد دانشجویان دختر دانشگاه علوم پزشکی جندی شاپور اهواز در مورد لیشمانیوز جلدی. 2020.
  24. دهقانی تفتی م، اطمینان راد ص. بررسی میزان آگاهی و عملکرد دانشجویان دانشگاه علوم پزشکی یزد از بیماری لیشمانیا در سال 1384. مجله علوم پزشکی پارس. 2022;3(3):16-20.
Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences
Volume 68, Issue 6
January and February 2026
Pages 1736-1752

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics