The level of knowledge of poultry fields workers in Najaf Province, Iraq with preventive practices against bird flu disease

Abstract

This research aimed to determine the level of knowledge of poultry field workers in Al-Kufa City, Najaf Province with preventive practices against bird flu diseaseand its relationship to some of their personal and objective factors. A questionnaire form was adopted to collect data including two parts. The first one was related to personal and objective information of workers in poultry fields. The second one was included a cognitive level test for them, including 40 test items distributed into four areas of knowledge about bird flu as follows: bird flu disease, transmission ways of disease to human, preventive practices against the disease and types of disinfectants used in poultry fields. The study was included 722 workers in all poultry fields of Al-Kufa City and a random sample of them (15%) was applied. Results showed that the level of knowledge of poultry field workers was weak to medium and varied among knowledge areas of bird flu disease. There was a positive correlation between the cognitive level and each of academic achievement and the type of breeding, while, there was negative correlation with age and field specialization variables. Other factors such as years of work, workers number, the level of contact with preventive and indicative information sources, the distance between the field and the house and the type of birds had no significant correlation. The study was recommended the necessity of establishing indicative programs for workers in poultry fields about preventive practices and disinfectant types used against bird flu disease.