Economic status as the predictor of dengue awareness among local residents of Sabah, Malaysia

We investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding dengue and its prevention among local residents in all five divisions of Sabah, Malaysia. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with 1,000 residents aged 18 years and above. The results revealed that less than one-tenth of the respondents scored high in knowledge (9.6%), while more than half scored high in attitude (64.6%), and less than one-fifth (15.6%) scored high in dengue prevention practices. Economic factors (monthly salary and occupation) were the final independent predictors in all KAP domains. KAP parameters were correlated with each other, but wide gaps between the scores implied that a positive attitude was not translated into either high knowledge or practice scores. Therefore, it is imperative for the authorities to employ multifaceted approaches in future dengue awareness campaigns to increase all KAP domains, especially among those with lower economic status.