Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Relating to Parasitic Diseases among Pet Owners in Hamadan and Kermanshah, Iran, From 2018 to 2020

Keeping pets can expose their owners to various infections, including zoonotic parasites. This study was conducted for the first time in Iran to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to parasitic diseases among pet owners in Hamadan and Kermanshah, Iran.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted with the participation of 200 pet owners in Hamadan and Kermanshah, western Iran. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire containing 62 questions, the reliability and validity of which were evaluated and confirmed. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 19) through descriptive statistics (mean±SD) and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney test).

Most of the participants were female, had university degrees, and kept dogs. There was a statistically significant difference among the participants of both cities in terms of knowledge about parasitic diseases (it was more in Kermanshah, P<0.01); however, no statistical difference was observed in terms of attitude. Spearman's correlation coefficient showed that in Hamadan and Kermanshah, there is a direct and significant relationship between the knowledge score and performance (Hamadan: r=0.489 and P<0.001; Kermanshah: r=0.655 and P<0.001). In general, the level of knowledge and performance of pet owners is at an unfavorable level, and their attitude is at a favorable level.

This study, which was conducted for the first time in Iran, suggests that pet owners need necessary training to increase their level of knowledge about parasites and parasitic diseases of their animals, which will lead to improving their attitude and performance.