Risk Perceptions and Protective Behaviors Toward Bovine Tuberculosis Among Abattoir and Butcher Workers in Ethiopia

Bovine Tuberculosis (BTB) is a serious cause of economic losses and public health threat, especially in developing countries. Humans acquire BTB through consumption of raw or undercooked meat, inhalation of aerosol and occupational exposure. A cross-disciplinary approach to study diseases connecting society and biology helps to understand the ways in which social, cultural, behavioral, and economic circumstances influence a healthy life. The objective of this study was to assess the risk perceptions and protective behaviors toward BTB among abattoir and butcher workers in central Ethiopia. A health belief model was used to generate the desired data following health belief model constructs. A total of 300 meat handlers working in local abattoirs, export abattoirs and butcher houses in Bishoftu, Modjo, Dukem, and Akaki towns of central Ethiopia were selected using a systematic random sampling method. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to assess factors associated with risk of exposure to BTB through the consumption of raw meat. The results showed that among the study participants, 95% heard about BTB and 93% knew that eating raw meat could be a source of BTB for humans. More than 62.7% of the respondents in the high risk group strongly agreed that contracting BTB would prevent them from coming to work, keep them in bed for an extended period of time and cause death. The majority of the respondents believed that free provision of personal protective clothing, compensation with test and slaughter campaigns, television and radio advertisements, educational programs and government-imposed penalties would help in prevention of BTB. Despite the high perceived severity and risk perception, the multivarable logistic regression model showed low-risk protective behavior among male (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2–4.3) and older age (>30) individuals (OR: 14.4 95% CI: 2.1–125.8). The study also noted the importance of media for health education as means for prevention of BTB. The authors strongly recommended the need of promotion of behavioral change toward the consumption of raw meat wich would have potential implications for the public health impacts of zoonotic tuberculosis and ultimately help national and global efforts toward prevention and control of tuberculosis.