Epidemiological characteristics of rabies deaths and barriers to rabies prevention and control in the Central region of Vietnam, 2016 - 2021

Abstract

In the central region of Vietnam, rabies causes the highest number of deaths and there are many barriers to the prevention and control of the disease. Across - sectional study was used to describe epidemiological characteristics of rabies deaths in central region from 2016 – 2021. In-depth interviews characterized barriers to rabies prevention and control. Retrospective analysis was conducted for 49 rabies deaths collected according to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines for surveillance and prevention of human rabies. Regional health authorities interviewed 67 staff in charge of rabies at the provincial centers for disease control, district health centers, and local veterinary units. The results showed that the death rate from rabies per 100,000 population in the Central region was 0.41 cases/100,000 people, the average number of deaths was 7 cases/year (5 - 12 cases).Factors associated with having rabies disease were belonging to the age group 15 - 59 years old (59.2%), farming occupation (49.0%). Out of those who died, 47 cases (96.0%) were not vaccinated against rabies, and 2 cases (4.0%) were vaccinated late after the onset of symptoms. Most common reasons for nonvaccination were not wanting to be vaccinated (91.8%)and not knowing the importance of vaccination (8.2%). Barriers to the prevention and control of rabies included lack of specialized human resources, challenges with the management and vaccination of stray dogs, and few people seeking vaccination after exposure. It is necessary to promote communication about rabies and train human resources specializing in this disease.