Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Rabies Among Community Members in and Around Bishoftu Town, Central Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Introduction Zoonotic diseases pose a substantial burden on both animal and human health, with the impact being particularly severe in developing countries. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and May 2024 to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding rabies in and around Bishoftu town, central Ethiopia, using a pretested, structured questionnaire. Data were collected using multistage sampling techniques and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Results Of the 384 respondents interviewed, 210 (54.7%) were male, 229 (59.6%) were aged 20–45 years, and 183 (47.7%) had a level of education above secondary school. The participants’ overall levels of KAP were 55.2% with good knowledge, 83.9% demonstrating positive attitudes, and 42.7% exhibiting good practices. A strong association was found between knowledge scores and age, family size, occupation, and living situation ( p < 0.05). Participants aged 21–45 (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.34, 7) and 46–60 (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.1, 9.4) showed better knowledge than younger individuals (18–20 years). The study revealed that government officials exhibited lower knowledge levels (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1–0.4). Respondents from households with 4–6 members were 52.5% less likely (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3, 0.9) to have good knowledge about rabies compared to those from smaller families. Females were 54.6% less likely than males to exhibit favorable attitudes (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.9). Participants with no formal education were 7.6 times more likely to demonstrate good rabies prevention practices compared to those who attended informal schools (AOR = 7.6, 95% CI = 1.2–46.3). Conclusion The study found that although a larger proportion of participants had good knowledge and attitudes about rabies, a smaller proportion demonstrated good practices. As the study was limited to a specific area in and near Bishoftu, a broader study covering a larger region is recommended.