Community Awareness of Sore Throat and Rheumatic Heart Disease in Northern Ethiopia

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains the leading cardiovascular disease in Ethiopian children and adults. Early treatment of bacterial sore throat is important in primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever (ARF). In Ethiopian population knowledge about RHD and its prevention strategies is expected to be limited but few studies have been done. Methods: To determine awareness of RHD prevention in the community in Northern Ethiopia a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Using structured questionnaire, adults > 18 years selected by systematic random sampling were interviewed. Findings: A total of 1298 participants were included, 1004 (77·4%) were from rural areas, 978 (75·3%) were female and 823 (60·1%) had no formal education. Only 34 (2·6%) of the participants responded that the cause of sore throat is due to bacteria or virus and 6·2 % knew that there is a relation between sore throat and heart disease. Of the respondents, 43·3% would take children with sore throat to traditional healers, 71·6% had history of uvulectomy in their children or themselves. Only 7·8% answered that penicillin injection is useful in children with sore throat as primary prophylaxis and 8·1% answered that regular penicillin injection is useful as secondary prevention in RHD. Interpretation: These results can help understand the beliefs and practices about sore throat in Northern Ethiopia. We conclude that the community awareness on the cause and the link between bacterial pharyngitis and ARF/RHD is almost non-existent. Funding: Klinikpartnerschaften, Germany, supported the study. Declaration of Interest: None. Ethical Approval: An ethical approval for this study was obtained from Mekelle University Ethical Review Committee of the College of Health Sciences, Northern Ethiopia. A letter of permission was issued from the Tigray Regional Health Bureau and the district health authorities. Verbal informed consent from the household heads was obtained.