Knowledge and Perception on Cholera and Climate Change in Sarawak and Sabah

Vanessa, Mit Folten (2022) Knowledge and Perception on Cholera and Climate Change in Sarawak and Sabah. [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Vibrio cholerae is a causative agent causing cholera disease. It can thrive and live in saltwater and freshwater environment well. Cholera is a threat to public health because it is a highly infectious acute bacterial infection due to the colonization and proliferation in the gut that creates illness for those who are infected. Several studies have proven that cholera incidence has a significant association with climate change. However, the general public's understanding of the topic is obscure, and quantitative study is still limited. A quantitative study was conducted by using a survey method that focuses on the respondents' perception and knowledge of cholera disease, climate change and the association between climate change and cholera disease. Through quick and easy sampling to obtain respondents' responses, several platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram were used. Hundred and five people took part in the survey, with the majority being from Sarawak and Sabah. According to the results, 62.9% (n = 66) are mostly females that participated in the survey. Regardless of their occupational statuses, the public indicated a high level of awareness and knowledge about climate change. 29.5% of the participants know about cholera. Meanwhile, 42.9% of the participants have good knowledge of climate change. 55.2% of respondents had considered the impact of climate change on cholera disease and a great proportion (85.7%) were more interested in climate change's effect on cholera. A small portion of people (10.5% and 13.13%, respectively) reported that the survey had no effect on their opinion and was less interested or did not care to know more about the topic. There was no significant difference for all the characteristics since the p-value are above (p = 0.005). This study reveals a knowledge gap among the public about the impact of climate change on cholera disease. These findings might allow the development of public awareness campaigns.

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