KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS TINEA INFECTION AMONG PEOPLE IN KARACHI
Main Article Content
Keywords
Tinea Infection, dermatophytes, fungal infections, public health, quality of life
Abstract
Tinea infections, caused by dermatophytes such as Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton species, are common fungal infections that significantly impact public health and quality of life. Despite their prevalence, awareness and understanding of Tinea infections remain limited in many populations. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) toward Tinea infections among individuals residing in Karachi, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April 2023 and March 2024, using a validated 26-item questionnaire administered to 390 participants from varied demographic and educational backgrounds. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, with logistic regression and Relative Importance Index (RII) applied to assess associations and rank influencing factors. Results showed that while over half of the participants (57.1%) had heard of Tinea infections, many held misconceptions regarding its causes, symptoms, and treatment. For instance, 46.66% believed Tinea to be a viral infection, and only 17.4% recognized antifungal medication as the exclusive treatment. Knowledge regarding prevention and transmission was partial, with poor hygiene and sharing personal items being the most commonly recognized risks. Gender was not found to significantly influence knowledge levels. Recommendations for improving awareness received strong support, particularly regarding the role of friends, family, and healthcare providers. Overall, the study underscores a need for targeted health education programs to address knowledge gaps and promote early diagnosis and appropriate management of Tinea infections in Karachi.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All articles published in JPTCP are licensed under Copyright Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Samina Sheikh
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Mirza Tasawer Baig
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Anwar Ejaz Beg
Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Uzma Shahid
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Sadia Ahmed Zuberi
Faculty of Pharmacy, Salim Habib University, Karachi, Pakistan
Qazi Syed Iftikhar Hayat
SITE Searle Pakistan Limited Karachi, Pakistan
Aisha Jabeen
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Ambreen Huma
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Muhammad Aurangzeb Khan
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Dewan University Karachi, Pakistan
Aneza Arshad
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan