Health knowledge and attitude practices in Pakistani Hajj Pilgrims.

Abstract

Background: Pakistan has one of the highest number of Hajj pilgrims among all Islamic countries. Health of pilgrims play an important role in performing rituals of Hajj. It depends on their knowledge and attitude about health. Aims: In this study, we aimed to determine the Knowledge and Attitude about health in Pakistani Hajj pilgrims. Study Design: Questionnaire based prospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Lahore General Hospital, Pakistan. Period: June to August 2018. Material & Methods: 150 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims were randomly selected. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information (sex, age, previous chronic ailment), health knowledge (4 questions) and health attitude (12 questions). Results: There were more males (71.3%) than females (28.7%). Most participants were between 31 to 50 years (48.7%), above 50 (30 %), 20% below 30 years and only 1.3% above 70 years. Majority (62.7%) had no previous illness, 8.7 % had diabetes, 11.3% Hypertension, 1.3% cirrhotic, and 16% had more than one co-morbidity. Level of knowledge was best in hand hygiene (100%) and vaccination (86.7%), but least in heat stroke 32.7% and chronic ailment 30.7%. Regarding attitude, 64% had positive attitude for wearing mask, 20.7% knew 5 movements, 77.3% food handling, 84% using one time razor for shaving, 25.3% features of heat stroke, 19.3% knew management of heat stroke, 97.3% knew about wearing light colored clothes, 30.7% for maintaining medicine of previous illness, 78% followed same diet precaution, 9.3% aware on carrying medicine, 4% on wearing medic alert bracelet. 86.7% had positive attitude for polio vaccine, 83.3% for influenza vaccine, 84.7% for meningitis vaccine and 82.7% for pneumonia vaccine. Conclusions: Educational strategy is required to improve knowledge and attitude on heat stroke and chronic ailment management.