Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Bangladesh is a nation highly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change on infectious diseases. Research on general population's awareness and knowledge of this issue remains limited, making the One Health approach challenging due to factors such as low socioeconomic status, limited public health infrastructure, and gaps in climate-health literacy. To prevent and control climate-sensitive infectious diseases in Bangladesh, this study aimed to (i) assess knowledge and beliefs concerning climate change and infectious diseases and (ii) recommend One Health policies to reduce the burden of diseases. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 1,905 participants in the northern region of Bangladesh from February to April 2024. METHODS: Survey data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire. To assess climate change knowledge, respondents were asked to accurately identify infectious diseases from a list of climate-sensitive infectious diseases, risk factors that increase the likelihood of infectious diseases, methods of transmission, signs and symptoms, and management and treatment. To assess identification of infectious diseases, respondents were asked about malaria, dengue, zika, chikungunya, tuberculosis, Lyme disease, influenza, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Participants' knowledge was classified as high (scores above 75%), moderate (50% to 75%), and low (below 50%), and beliefs were categorized as sound (scores of 80% or more) and poor (scores of less than 80%). Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Of 1,905 valid responses, 70.9% of the respondents knew that climate change and infectious disease outbreaks are related. Only about a third of the respondents (27.9%) reported receiving information about climate change updates and methods to mitigate infectious disease risks. More than half of study respondents had good knowledge about climate change (57.7%). However, fewer were knowledgeable about emerging infectious diseases (21.2%) and about the effects of climate change on infectious diseases (30.3%). Place of residence (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), gender (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2-1.8), income (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 0.9-1.8), and education (OR: 11.4, 95% CI: 8.1-16.4) were significantly associated with respondents' level of knowledge (P < 0.05) about climate change and how it affects infectious diseases. CONCLUSION: This study offers an overview of public perception in Bangladesh to help prevent and control climate-sensitive infectious diseases. The results can be incorporated into the One Health approach to develop integrated and dynamic that promote education, strengthen surveillance, and address socioeconomic disparities.