Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever among Healthcare Providers, Tennessee, 2009

Emily Mosites Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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L. Rand Carpenter Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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Kristina McElroy Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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Mary J. Lancaster Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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Tue H. Ngo Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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Jennifer McQuiston Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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Caleb Wiedeman Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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John R. Dunn Department of Health, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee; Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia; West Tennessee Regional Office, Tennessee Department of Health, Jackson, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0126
Volume/Issue:
Volume 88: Issue 1
Page(s):
162–166
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Tennessee has a high incidence of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), the most severe tick-borne rickettsial illness in the United States. Some regions in Tennessee have reported increased illness severity and death. Healthcare providers in all regions of Tennessee were surveyed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding RMSF. Providers were sent a questionnaire regarding knowledge of treatment, diagnosis, and public health reporting awareness. Responses were compared by region of practice within the state, specialty, and degree. A high proportion of respondents were unaware that doxycycline is the treatment of choice in children ≤ 8 years of age. Physicians practicing in emergency medicine, internal medicine, and family medicine; and nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and providers practicing for < 20 years demonstrated less knowledge regarding RMSF. The gaps in knowledge identified between specialties, designations, and years of experience can help target education regarding RMSF.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Caleb Wiedeman, Communicable and Environmental Diseases Services, Tennessee Department of Health, 425 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243. E-mail: caleb.wiedeman@tn.gov

Financial support: This study was supported by a Prevention Emerging Infections Program grant from the Centers for Disease Control and the Tennessee Department of Health.

Authors' addresses: Emily Mosites, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, E-mail: emosites@uw.edu. L. Rand Carpenter, Caleb Wiedeman, and John R. Dunn, Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Sections, Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, TN, E-mails: l.rand.carpenter@tn.gov, caleb.wiedeman@tn.gov, and john.dunn@tn.gov. Kristina McElroy, United States Army Veterinary Corps, Montgomery, AL, E-mail: k.mcelroy.dvm@gmail.com. Jennifer McQuiston, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, E-mail: fzh7@cdc.gov. Mary J. Lancaster, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Applied Statistics and Computational Modeling, Richland, WA, E-mail: Mary.Lancaster@pnnl.gov. Tue H. Ngo, Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, E-mail: ngoth@musc.edu.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2013
Received:
23 Feb 2012
|
Accepted:
04 Sep 2012
|
Published Online:
09 Jan 2013
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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