Evaluation of bat-related knowledge, perceptions, and practices in an urban community: A strategy for Conservation Biology and health promotion

Abstract

The aim of this ethnozoological study was to identify variables related to knowledge, perceptions, and practices associated with the occurrence of bats in an urban area. We carried a retrospective observational study with residents of 31 cases and 178 control households. We defined the cases as households where accidents occurred from 2012 to 2015, according to official health records. The control households have no accident record in the same area. We conducted data collection through a semi-structured questionnaire and performed descriptive analyses and proportion (chi-square) to identify differences between the responses of cases and controls. We have identified important gaps in relation to basic knowledge, good practices, and the importance of bats to public health. These findings should be targeted for intervention and correction by environmental educators and health managers aimed at reducing the risk of accidents with bats and zoonosis, mainly rabies.