The impact of a rabies prevention workshop on children’s understanding of dog bite avoidance and safety in Bali primary schools

Introduction: Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease which kills 59,000 people worldwide annually, 40% being children under the age of 15. Dogs are the main reservoir species for disease transmission. This study assessed the short-term impact of a single, creative teaching style education workshop on children’s knowledge and understanding of rabies prevention and avoiding bites from dogs. Workshops were delivered by the Bali Animal Welfare Association in the Indonesian province of Bali, where rabies continues to pose a considerable threat to human life. Method: The study used a quasi-experimental design. A total of 349 children aged 8–12 years in schools in the Gianyar regency were randomly assigned into two groups to complete multiple-choice quiz either pre or post intervention. The outcome assessed was learners’ understanding of rabies prevention. Findings: Results showed a significant positive effect of a workshop, with a Cohen’s D of 3.3; a large effect size ( p < .01). Those that completed the questionnaire after the lesson had significantly higher scores (mean score = 8.82 ± 1.36) than the group assessed prior to the workshop (3.63 ± 1.72). Conclusion: This study highlights the effectiveness of a single workshop in improving knowledge and understanding of rabies prevention. It also explores the value of creative teaching methods for their potential to improve children’s understanding of rabies. Further research is needed, however, to evaluate long-term impact and ensure that desired influences on human behaviour change are achieved.