When the mosquito bites: A cross-sectional study of regional gaps in awareness and preparedness for West Nile Virus in Slovakia
Keywords:
West Nile Virus, Public health awareness, Mosquito-borne diseases, Preventive behavior, SlovakiaAbstract
Background: West Nile Virus (WNV) represents an emerging public health concern in Slovakia due to climatic changes and the expansion of invasive mosquito species. This study examined demographic and regional differences in knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices related to WNV among Slovak residents.
Methods: A structured online questionnaire was completed by 368 participants from diverse backgrounds. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess the influence of gender, age, education, residence, employment status, regional affiliation, and time spent outdoors on selected WNV-related indicators.
Results: Significant differences were observed primarily for gender, age, and region. Gender was associated with differences in factual knowledge, subjective feeling of threat, and repellent use. Age was significantly related to knowledge levels, while regional affiliation influenced knowledge, perceived threat, and selected protective behaviors. In contrast, educational attainment, type of residence, employment status, and time spent outdoors did not demonstrate statistically significant effects.
Discussion and Conclusions: The findings indicate variability in WNV-related awareness and selected preventive behaviors across certain demographic and geographic subgroups. As an exploratory assessment based on non-probability sampling, the study provides preliminary evidence that may inform future large-scale, representative investigations and context-sensitive public health communication strategies in Slovakia.
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