Effective evaluation of brucellosis related risk behaviors of occupation groups and the effect of health education

Objective To find out demography characteristic and risk behaviors of occupation groups and to evaluate the effect of health education. Methods A baseline survey was conducted among occupation groups in the western part of Liaoning province by stratified random cluster sampling. Health education started to intervene in occupation groups in Linghai city of Liaoning province. An investigation of brucellosis related behaviors was carried out before and after a health education among occupation groups. Other occupational groups were as the control group. The research on high-risk behaviors of occupation groups was in the following eight aspects: protection taken when contact with abortion livestock, timely slaughter and burying deeply of sick animals, not selling sick animals do not eat dead meat, nor drink raw milk, do not eat raw meat, and immunity of livestock. Results Before the intervention, a total of 916 objects, of which intervention group 499 and control group 417 were investigated. The high-risk behaviors of brucellosis were not significantly different between the two groups[70.9% (354/499), 64.3%(321/499 ), 53.8% (268/499), 92.2% (460/499), 82.2% (410/499 ), 87.5% (437/499), 93.6% (467/499), 56.2%(280/499) in intervention group, 68.8% (287/417), 59.2% (247/417 ), 54.7% (228/417), 89.2% (372/417 ), 85.6%(360/417) ,885%(369/417),94.0%(392/417),55.9%(233/417) in control group, all P ＞ 0.05]. After the intervention,a total of 908 survey objects, of which intervention group 499 and control group 409, were investigated. The above eight aspects of high-risk behaviors in the intervention group were 85.4% (426/499),79.0% (394/499),69.9%(349/499),96.4%(481/499),943%(471/499),94.9%(474/499),94.0%(469/499), 99.4%(496/499), respectively; in the control 66.8% (273/409),57.3% (234/409),50.1% (205/409),85.3% (349/409),88.8% (363/409),89.5%(366/409) ,90.1% (369/409), and 57.2% (234/409), respectively. Between the two groups, the difference was statistically significant (x2 = 43.991,49.833,37.111,35.032,9.537,9.826,4.485,253.808, all P ＜ 0.05 ). The above seven aspects of high-risk behaviors except do not eat raw dairy at the beginning of intervention were compared with those of after the intervention, the differences were statistically significant (x2 = 30.426,26.284,27.854,7.364,36.027,17.238,9270.286, all P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions Health education intervention can significantly improve the behavior change rate of occupational groups at high risk of brucellosis, and the education intervention is worthwhile to communicate and promote. Key words: Brucellosis;  Occupational groups;  Behavior;  Investigation