Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Rabies Among Community Members in and Around Bishoftu Town, Central Ethiopia.

Introduction: Zoonotic diseases pose a substantial burden on both animal and human health, with the impact being particularly severe in developing countries. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and May 2024 to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding rabies in and around Bishoftu town, central Ethiopia, using a pretested, structured questionnaire. Data were collected using multistage sampling techniques and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Results: Of the 384 respondents interviewed, 210 (54.7%) were male, 229 (59.6%) were aged 20-45 years, and 183 (47.7%) had a level of education above secondary school. The participants' overall levels of KAP were 55.2% with good knowledge, 83.9% demonstrating positive attitudes, and 42.7% exhibiting good practices. A strong association was found between knowledge scores and age, family size, occupation, and living situation ( Conclusion: The study found that although a larger proportion of participants had good knowledge and attitudes about rabies, a smaller proportion demonstrated good practices. As the study was limited to a specific area in and near Bishoftu, a broader study covering a larger region is recommended.