SURVEY OF ZOONOTIC DISEASE AWARENESS AMONG ZOOLOGY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN RELATION TO PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION
Keywords:
Awareness, Cross-Sectional Studies, Public Health Education, Students, Universities, Zoonoses, ZoologyAbstract
Background:
Zoonotic diseases remain a major global public health concern, contributing significantly to emerging infections and posing risks to human and animal populations. Undergraduate students in zoology represent a critical group with the potential to promote public health education due to their academic focus on animal biology and ecology. Understanding their awareness levels is essential for identifying gaps in knowledge and strengthening preventive strategies.
Objective:
To assess the awareness of zoonotic diseases among undergraduate zoology students in Rawalpindi and to explore their potential role in promoting public health education.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over four months among 320 undergraduate zoology students recruited through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire assessing knowledge of zoonotic pathogens, transmission routes, preventive measures, and sources of information. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, with independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA applied to examine differences across demographic and academic variables, considering p<0.05 as statistically significant.
Results:
The mean awareness score was 21.4 ± 5.7 out of 30, with 54.1% of students exhibiting moderate awareness, 22.8% high awareness, and 23.1% low awareness. Senior-year students demonstrated significantly higher scores compared with juniors (p<0.001). Awareness of common zoonoses such as rabies and brucellosis was relatively high, while knowledge of emerging diseases like Nipah and Hantavirus was limited.
Conclusion:
Despite moderate overall awareness, notable gaps remain in students’ understanding of less common zoonoses, highlighting the need for curriculum enrichment and interdisciplinary public health training. Strengthening academic programs could empower zoology graduates to contribute more effectively to zoonotic disease prevention and community education.
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