Ecological Study on Factors Related to the Mortality of Rabies in North Sulawesi Province in 2015 to 2017

Abstract

Rabies still becomes a global public health problem, particularly in Southeast Asia region. Indonesia, which is part of the region, has 25 provinces which have not been free from rabies endemic. One of the provinces that ranked top in the cases of rabies is North Sulawesi. Therefore, this study aimed to find correlations between factors related to the prevalence of rabies mortality in North Sulawesi Province in 2015 - 2017. This study used mixed ecological study design by applying the principle of total sampling to 15 regencies/ cities in North Sulawesi. The results of the study found that the correlation between rabies mortality and the following factors were: negative and weak correlation on antirabies vaccine coverage (r = -0.165), negative and moderate on ratio of health care workers (r = -0.345) and ratio of health care facilities (r = -0.320). Meanwhile, sex ratio had positive and moderate correlation (r = 0.365) with mortality of rabies. The new findings of moderate strength correlation due to health care facility and health care workers need to be included in the prevention of rabies because it can help facilitate wound treatment.