Prevalence of Health information on vaccination of domesticated dogs to prevent the spread of Rabies disease among community Households in Rusizi District, Rwanda

Oscar NIYONSABA; Maurice B Silari; Uwamahoro Bibiane

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.81374

Prevalence of Health information on vaccination of domesticated dogs to prevent the spread of Rabies disease among community Households in Rusizi District, Rwanda

Author(s)	Oscar NIYONSABA, Dr. (Phd) Maurice B Silari, Uwamahoro Bibiane
Country	Rwanda
Abstract	Rabies remains a fatal yet preventable zoonotic disease, predominantly transmitted through bites from infected domestic dogs. Despite global efforts toward elimination, access to health information on dog vaccination remains uneven in many low- and middle-income countries contributing to low vaccination coverage and continued disease transmission. Understanding factors influencing access to such information is critical for designing effective rabies prevention strategies. It was these reasons that led to the study on the factors associated with access to health information on vaccination of domesticated dogs among community households in Rusizi District in Rwanda to prevent rabies transmission among community households. This was a mixed study, exploring descriptive, cross-sectional, and triangulation designs. In a survey, a semi structured questionnaires was administered to 309 households owning domesticated dogs, and interviews were conducted using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Data were managed in SPSS version 25 and analyzed using cross-tabulations of descriptive and inferential statistics. Results, the majority gender participation on access to health information of prevention and control of rabies via vaccination, majority of households were male 278 (89.96%), while females accounted for 31 (10.03%), indicating that dog ownership and related responsibilities were predominantly reported by men with significant impact protection from spread of rabies of RR( 0.9. 0.1) and chi square values of 0.84 in both gender households. The majority were aged 46 years and above 124 (39.8%) and age range in households that keep domestic dogs was 55 years. On marital status of the study area most respondents were married 254 (82.3%), while the least participants were divorced/ separated 5 (1.6%) with insignificant protective from rabies disease on P values 0.058 and chi square of 1.96. For religious affiliation, Results opined majority of 249 (65%) Catholic religion domesticated dog while Muslim region only 6 ( 1.6%) domesticated dogs , which was significant with line of affiliate religion beliefs of P values 0.023 . The skewness of domesticating dog by muslim region was also discussed during KII, who said “According to religion doctrine keeping animal with hook on feet like dog and pig is a sin” KII held 12/9/2025. The study opined that a prevalence of 250 (81%) , households owning domestic dogs reported being informed on dog vaccination as a strategy for preventing and controlling rabies, while only 59 (19%) community households indicated that they have limited access to quality health information information with protective significant of potential impact of RR ( 0.8, 0. 2) and P values of 0.023 on prevention and control rabies disease in the community heath, The results showed all respondents generally have the knowledge about rabies vaccination 309, (100%) , were aware of rabies, indicating a high general awareness of the disease among dog owners in Rusizi District. However, when asked about the cause of rabies, only about half of the respondents 191, (49.7%) correctly identified it as a viral infection. A notable portion of participants held misconceptions, with some attributing rabies to spiritual causes 49, (12.8%), psychological problems 9 (2.3%), or factors such as shortage of feed and water 31, (8.1%). Regarding sources of information, the majority of participants 231 (75%) relied on informal sources, such as veterinary officers, family, friends, or community members, while only a small fraction 77, (25%) accessed formal channels, such as veterinary services, health professionals, or educational programs. Concerning knowledge of the parts of the body affected by rabies, the largest proportion 150, (39.1%) correctly identified the brain as the primary organ affected, A small number of respondents (32, 8.3%) did not know, reflecting partial understanding of the pathophysiology of rabies. Finally, a majority of participants 275 ( 88.5%) were aware that rabies can be transmitted from animals to humans, reflecting good understanding of the zoonotic nature of the disease. However, 34 (11.5%) either did not know or did not believe in this transmission route, suggesting the need for continued public education to ensure comprehensive knowledge of rabies prevention. The practices of dog owners in Rusizi District regarding rabies prevention and management indicate several areas of concern. Most participants 207 ( 70.2%) allowed their dogs to roam freely, while only 88 (28.4%) kept their dogs tied. This widespread free-roaming behavior increases the risk of dog-to-dog and dog-to-human transmission of rabies, highlighting a gap in responsible dog ownership practices. Similarly, only 88 participants (28.4%) reported that their dogs had ever been vaccinated, whereas the majority 207, (70.2%) had not. This was also heard during KII with one of the sector veterinary who said : “In case of outbreak of rabies we usually alert the community we are going to kill all stray dogs on a particular day to contain the infection in the community” KII held on 12/11/25.The study found that access to information on dog vaccination in Rusizi District is not uniformly distributed. Socio-economic vulnerability and structural factors, including limited outreach and geographic accessibility, contribute to unequal access.
Keywords	Rabies, dog vaccination, health information access, knowledge, attitudes, One Health
Field	Medical / Pharmacy
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-06-13
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.81374

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Prevalence of Health information on vaccination of domesticated dogs to prevent the spread of Rabies disease among community Households in Rusizi District, Rwanda

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