Public knowledge, awareness, and practices regarding rabies in Palestine: a cross-sectional survey, 2025

Background: Rabies remains a major public health concern in many parts of the world, including Palestine. Although preventable through vaccination and timely post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), rabies continues to cause preventable deaths, particularly in disadvantaged populations. This study aims to assess public knowledge, awareness, and practices related to rabies prevention in Palestine. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to August 2025, involving 417 Palestinian adults (≥18 years) from urban and rural areas. A structured, self-administered, pre-validated questionnaire was used to assess awareness, knowledge, and practices related to rabies prevention. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: While 89.0% of respondents had heard of rabies, only 42.3% achieved satisfactory knowledge (≥50% correct answers), with significant gaps in understanding the viral etiology and preventive measures. The majority (83.2%) reported they would seek medical care following a dog bite; however, only 11.8% identified wound washing with soap and water as a key first-aid measure. A substantial portion of respondents (67.9%) perceived local veterinary services as inadequate. Knowledge was significantly associated with education level and age, with higher education correlating with better knowledge, while older adults had lower knowledge scores. Conclusion: Despite high awareness of rabies, critical gaps in knowledge and practices remain in Palestine, particularly concerning transmission routes, prevention, and first-aid measures. Tailored educational campaigns are needed to address these gaps, focusing on the importance of timely wound care and PEP. Additionally, strengthening veterinary services and integrating a One Health approach will be essential to improve rabies prevention and control in Palestine.