Knowledge, attitude and recommendations for practice regarding dengue among the resident population of Queensland, Australia

Objective:To investigate levels of awareness of dengue among the inhabitants of Queensland (QLD), a dengue-prevalent state in the north east of Australia. Methods: A computer-assisted telephone interviewing survey was conducted in mid 2014. A total of 1 223 randomly selected respondents (≥ 18 years) across QLD completed a structured questionnaire covering all aspects of dengue. Results: 97.55% had heard of dengue and participated further. Among them, 54.70% had travelled overseas (48.11% to dengue-risk countries) in the last five years. A total of 94.47% said transmission is by mosquito bite. In addition, 84.83% knew of current transmission of dengue in QLD, while 80.97% knew the focus is Far North and North QLD. Furthermore, 2.35% and 8.97% had experienced an infection in their life or that of their immediate family/partner, respectively. 85.03% identified correctly at least one means of prevention. A total of 69.72% advised to use insect repellent, wear covered clothing and avoid visiting mosquito-prone areas while 20.93% advised fumigation and clearing water containers around residences. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between residents of South East QLD and the rest of QLD regarding knowledge of prevention. However, such awareness was not affected significantly by overseas travel (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Although many people throughout QLD have heard of dengue, about 15% appear unaware of local transmission, its symptoms and of methods to reduce risk of infection. A lack of knowledge regarding prevention of mosquito breeding is evident in South East QLD, where dengue is not currently reported. The study suggests that future dengue awareness campaigns should target communities in both endemic and potentially endemic areas throughout Queensland.