COMMUNITY-BASED SURVEY OF MOSQUITO CONTROL AWARENESS IN DENGUE-HIT UNION COUNCILS RAJJAR AND MC1, DISTRICT CHARSADDA
Abstract
Background: In 2025, as dengue fever tightened its grip on the Union Councils of Rajjar and MC1 in District Charsadda, a silent epidemic of misinformation and knowledge gaps ran parallel to the viral outbreak. The community's ability to fight back was blindfolded by a lack of crucial understanding, creating an urgent need to map the landscape of public awareness.
Objective: This study was designed as a diagnostic mission to measure the community's knowledge of mosquito control and pinpoint the demographic factors—such as education and access to information—that shaped this understanding during the peak of the outbreak.
Methods: We conducted a rapid, household-based survey of 400 residents, systematically selected from both Union Councils. Using a questionnaire, we assessed awareness of dengue transmission, breeding sites, and prevention. Responses were scored and classified into ‘Good,’ ‘Satisfactory,’ or ‘Poor’ knowledge categories.
Results: The data reveals a community dangerously in the dark: nearly half (48.7%) of residents had ‘Poor’ knowledge of dengue control. While superficial measures like mosquito coils were common (82.5%), fewer than a third (32.5%) consistently practiced the most critical step—covering water containers. Education and guidance from health workers emerged as powerful lifelines, significantly linked to better knowledge (p<0.01).
Conclusion: This study is more than data—it is a distress signal. It uncovers a critical vulnerability at the heart of the outbreak response: a profound gap between basic awareness and life-saving action. Our findings demand an immediate shift to hyper-local, behavior-focused education campaigns that equip the people of Rajjar and MC1 with the practical knowledge to protect their own homes and health.
