1887
Rapid communication Open Access
Like 0

Abstract

We performed a questionnaire study to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) among people intending to participate in the Hajj or Umrah Muslim pilgrimages. Of the 381 respondents aged between 17 and 85 years, 55% had never heard of MERS, while only one in three knew that it is a respiratory disease. Approximately half were insufficiently informed about protective measures. Prospective pilgrims do not seem prepared to take such precautions.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.38.30023
2015-09-24
2024-10-14
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.38.30023
Loading
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/eurosurveillance/20/38/eurosurv-20-30023-2.html?itemId=/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.38.30023&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Republic of Turkey Presidency of Religious Affairs. Hac kayıtları 16 Mart'ta başladı. [Hajj registration began on 16 March]. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Turkish. Available from: http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/tr/icerik/hac-kayitlari-16-martta-basladi/26639?getEnglish=
  2. The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MoH). Health requirements and recommendations for Hajj and Umrah performers and those working in Hajj area 2015. English. Riyadh: The Saudi Arabia MoH. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://www.moh.gov.sa/en/Hajj/HealthGuidelines/HealthGuidelinesDuringHajj/Pages/HealthRegulations1436.aspx
  3. World Health Organization (WHO). World - travel advice on MERS-CoV for pilgrimages. Geneva: WHO; Jun 2014. [accessed 7 September, 2015]. Available from: http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20140603/en/
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia. Atlanta: CDC; Jun 2015. [accessed 7 September, 2015]. Available from: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/hajj-umrah-saudi-arabia-2015
  5. The Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. General statistics of the `Umrah season of 1436 A.H. until 24:00 hours, 28/09/1436 A.H. Total Number of the Mu`tamirs: 5,715,051 "General statistics of the `Umrah season of 1436 A.H.". Riyadh: The Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://www.haj.gov.sa/en-us/Pages/default.aspx
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Fact sheet no. 401. Geneva: WHO; June 2015. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/mers-cov/en/
  7. World Health Organization (WHO). Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): summary of current situation, literature update and risk assessment. Geneva: WHO; July 2015. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/179184/2/WHO_MERS_RA_15.1_eng.pdf
  8. World Health Organization (WHO). Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Geneva: WHO. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://www.who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/
  9. Bayrakdar F, Altaş AB, Korukluoğlu G, Topal S. Türkiye’de tespit edilen ilk MERS olgusunun moleküler tanısı ve fi logenetik analizi. [Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of the fi rst MERS case in Turkey]. Mikrobiyol Bul. 2015;49(3):414-22.Turkish.  https://doi.org/10.5578/mb.9247  PMID: 26313282 
  10. Republic of Turkey Presidency of Religious Affairs. Religious Affairs delegation leaves for Saudi Arabia. [Accessed: 7 Sep 2015]. Available from: http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/tr/icerik/religious-affairs-delegation-leaves-for-saudi-arabia/8157?getEnglish=True
  11. Gautret P, Benkouiten S, Salaheddine I, Belhouchat K, Drali T, Parola P, et al. Hajj pilgrims’ knowledge about Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, August to September 2013. Euro Surveill. 2013;18(41):pii=20604. https://doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S42959  PMID: 23785246 
  12. Tashani M, Alfelali M, Barasheed O, Fatema FN, Alqahtani A, Rashid H, et al. Australian Hajj pilgrims’ knowledge about MERS-CoV and other respiratory infections. Virol Sin. 2014;29(5):318-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-014-3506-y  PMID: 25338843 
  13. Hogg W, Dahrouge S, Russell G, Tuna M, Geneau R, Muldoon L, et al. Health promotion activity in primary care: performance of models and associated factors. Open Med. 2009;3(3):e165-73. PMID: 21603049 
  14. Asekun-Olarinmoye IO, Asekun-Olarinmoye EO, Fatiregun A, Fawole OI. Perceptions and activities of religious leaders on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and care of people living with the HIV infection in Ibadan, Nigeria. HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2013;5:121-9. https://doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S42959  PMID: 23785246 
  15. Turkestani A, Balahmar M, Ibrahem A, Moqbel E, Memish ZA. Using health educators to improve knowledge of healthy behaviour among Hajj 1432 (2011) pilgrims. East Mediterr Health J. 2013;19(Suppl 2):S9-12. PMID: 24673092 
  16. Alqahtani AS, Wiley KE, Willaby HW,, BinDhim NF, Tashani M, Heywood AE, et al. Australian Hajj pilgrims’ knowledge, attitude and perception about Ebola, November 2014 to February 2015. Euro Surveill. 2015;20(12):pii=21072 https://doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S42959  PMID: 23785246 
  17. Tabatabaei A, Mortazavi SM, Shamspour N, Shushtarizadeh N. Health knowledge, attitude and practice among Iranian pilgrims. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015;17(2):e12863. doi:  https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.12863 . PMID: 25838929.
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.38.30023
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Submit comment
Close
Comment moderation successfully completed
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error