Knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding tick bites in the Turkish population in a rural area of the Middle Anatolian Region

The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of a population living in a rural area in regards to tick bites and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The study was conducted in a rural area located in Central Anatolia in the region of EskiAYehir. A total of 1,500 individuals aged 20 years and older chosen by a stratified random sample were enrolled. A questionnaire was administered in person. In 264 (17.4%) participants, there was a history of being bitten by a tick. This rate was higher in older persons, males, married persons, and farmers. The most commonly reported protective behavior was wearing long sleeves and long pants when wandering in rural areas (65.1% of participants). The least commonly reported behavior was using insect repellent on skin or clothes (3.3% of participants). Only 799 participants (54%) had heard about CCHF as a disease associated with ticks. Females, those with primary school education, housewives, and male farmers had a high frequency of having heard about CCHF. Tick bites and CCHF are important public health problems, yet the current knowledge of these problems is not sufficient in populations living in rural areas of the Middle Anatolian Region of Turkey.