Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on occupational hazards among veterinary students in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Occupational hazards in the veterinary field are a significant concern due to the nature of the profession. Veterinary students are particularly vulnerable, as they often engage in clinical and laboratory activities before completing their degrees and may lack adequate experience. This was the first attempt to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding occupational hazards among veterinary students. Design and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 330 veterinary students from two conveniently selected institutions in Bangladesh. Third- to fifth-year students were approached to participate in a self-administered survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the chi-square test, Spearman's correlation, and logistic regression to identify associated factors. Results: Among participants, 77.9% were familiar with the term "occupational hazard," and over half of them had a lower level of knowledge (53.7%). More than half (54.2%) demonstrated poor attitudes among total respondents. Notably, 8.5% never used personal protective equipment, and 23.6% were not vaccinated against potential occupational diseases. Recapping needles after use was reported by 87.3% respondents. Familiarity with occupational hazards was associated with educational institution and curricular education exposure. Academic levels, formal training outside the curriculum, and curricular education exposure were linked to knowledge. Moreover, the current year of study and exposure to formal training outside the curriculum were associated with attitude. Conclusion: The findings from the study highlight the need to strengthen veterinary students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding occupational hazards by integrating theoretical and practical training into the curriculum prior to clinical exposure.