Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study
ABSTRACT Background and Aims Dengue fever epidemics pose an increasing public health threat in Tanzania. Climate change and industrialization may influence outbreaks, while community knowledge plays a vital role in prevention. This study examined public knowledge about environmental and anthropogeni...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Health Science Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70745 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849391664158736384 |
|---|---|
| author | Clement N. Mweya Simeon P. Mwanyonga Liness A. Ndelwa Joyce Massaro |
| author_facet | Clement N. Mweya Simeon P. Mwanyonga Liness A. Ndelwa Joyce Massaro |
| author_sort | Clement N. Mweya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background and Aims Dengue fever epidemics pose an increasing public health threat in Tanzania. Climate change and industrialization may influence outbreaks, while community knowledge plays a vital role in prevention. This study examined public knowledge about environmental and anthropogenic impacts on dengue transmission. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted from April to June 2022 with 482 participants from Bahi, Kyela, and Ngorongoro districts. A validated questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics and knowledge about dengue epidemiology related to climate and industrialization. Multinomial logistic regression and χ2 tests examined associations between variables. Results Over half of the participants (52.9%) were male, and most were aged 26–35 (33.2%). Only 21% demonstrated a good understanding of industrialization's health impacts, while 19% knew the climate change linkage with dengue. Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding climate change and industrialization impacts linked to recurrent epidemics (44.2% poor knowledge). Age over 35 (AOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.39–2.14), primary education or less (AOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.59–0.99), and unemployment (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.23–0.42) were associated with poor knowledge. Gender and occupation significantly predicted climate change knowledge (p < 0.001). Conclusion Communities in dengue‐endemic areas have limited knowledge about climate and anthropogenic drivers of recurring epidemics. Targeted educational interventions can improve understanding and preventative behavior among high‐risk demographics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0027c8aa79b341b697cdcfc209d37e22 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2398-8835 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Science Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-0027c8aa79b341b697cdcfc209d37e222025-08-20T03:41:00ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352025-05-0185n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.70745Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional StudyClement N. Mweya0Simeon P. Mwanyonga1Liness A. Ndelwa2Joyce Massaro3Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences University of Dar es Salaam Mbeya TanzaniaMbeya Medical Research Center National Institute for Medical Research Mbeya TanzaniaDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Health Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital Mbeya TanzaniaDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital Mbeya TanzaniaABSTRACT Background and Aims Dengue fever epidemics pose an increasing public health threat in Tanzania. Climate change and industrialization may influence outbreaks, while community knowledge plays a vital role in prevention. This study examined public knowledge about environmental and anthropogenic impacts on dengue transmission. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted from April to June 2022 with 482 participants from Bahi, Kyela, and Ngorongoro districts. A validated questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics and knowledge about dengue epidemiology related to climate and industrialization. Multinomial logistic regression and χ2 tests examined associations between variables. Results Over half of the participants (52.9%) were male, and most were aged 26–35 (33.2%). Only 21% demonstrated a good understanding of industrialization's health impacts, while 19% knew the climate change linkage with dengue. Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding climate change and industrialization impacts linked to recurrent epidemics (44.2% poor knowledge). Age over 35 (AOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.39–2.14), primary education or less (AOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.59–0.99), and unemployment (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.23–0.42) were associated with poor knowledge. Gender and occupation significantly predicted climate change knowledge (p < 0.001). Conclusion Communities in dengue‐endemic areas have limited knowledge about climate and anthropogenic drivers of recurring epidemics. Targeted educational interventions can improve understanding and preventative behavior among high‐risk demographics.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70745climate changecommunity knowledgedengueindustrializationTanzania |
| spellingShingle | Clement N. Mweya Simeon P. Mwanyonga Liness A. Ndelwa Joyce Massaro Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study Health Science Reports climate change community knowledge dengue industrialization Tanzania |
| title | Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study |
| title_full | Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study |
| title_short | Community Knowledge About Climate Change and Industrialization Impacts on Recurrence of Dengue Epidemics in Selected Districts in Tanzania: A Cross‐Sectional Study |
| title_sort | community knowledge about climate change and industrialization impacts on recurrence of dengue epidemics in selected districts in tanzania a cross sectional study |
| topic | climate change community knowledge dengue industrialization Tanzania |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70745 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT clementnmweya communityknowledgeaboutclimatechangeandindustrializationimpactsonrecurrenceofdengueepidemicsinselecteddistrictsintanzaniaacrosssectionalstudy AT simeonpmwanyonga communityknowledgeaboutclimatechangeandindustrializationimpactsonrecurrenceofdengueepidemicsinselecteddistrictsintanzaniaacrosssectionalstudy AT linessandelwa communityknowledgeaboutclimatechangeandindustrializationimpactsonrecurrenceofdengueepidemicsinselecteddistrictsintanzaniaacrosssectionalstudy AT joycemassaro communityknowledgeaboutclimatechangeandindustrializationimpactsonrecurrenceofdengueepidemicsinselecteddistrictsintanzaniaacrosssectionalstudy |