Background: The dog population in India is estimated to be around 25 million, and most of them are not protected against rabies. Although cases of dog bite constitute a problem of considerable magnitude, not all the victims of a dog bite seek medical help.
Objectives: (1) To find out the prevalence of dog bite cases in a selected rural population and the practice of first aid and (2) To analyze the health seeking behavior among those who are exposed to dog bites.
Materials and Methods: It was a community-based cross-sectional study. About 6 villages selected at Keerapalayam block in Cuddalore district by simple random sampling method. Study participants were 237 dog bite cases reported over a period of 5-year. Data collection was done based on the pre-designed questionnaire. Information could not be obtained for 21 cases due to refusal and migration. Statistical analysis was done using proportion, Chi-square test.
Result: Out of 216 cases of dog bite 57.4% were males. Out of which 34.3% were
Key words: Dog Bite; Heath Seeking Behavior; First Aid; Anti Rabies Vaccine
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