295 A study on the epidemiological profile and treatment-seeking pattern of snakebite patients in two rural communities of Bangladesh: findings from a community trial

<h3>Background</h3> Snakebite is a neglected public health issue in the rural tropics. In Bangladesh, rural communities account for 95% of snakebite incidents. Care seekers bear a significant financial burden when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. <h3>Objective</h3> The study aimed to determine the snakebite incidence and associated health-seeking behaviors in two rural communities in Bangladesh. <h3>Methodology</h3> A community-based survey was conducted among thirty thousand households in the Shibganj upazilla of Chapainawabganj district and the Kalapara upazilla of Patuakhali district using a multistage cluster sampling method. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to conduct the face-to-face interview. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine the snakebite victim’s characteristics and care-seeking pattern. <h3>Result</h3> The overall snakebite incidence was 174 bites per 100,000 population. The mean age of the patients was 35±14.9 years. Males represented 73.2% of the 231 cases. Approximately two-fifths of the victims were farmers or fishermen. A little over half of the incidence occurred in the agricultural fields or in the river or sea. Snakebites were most common during the wet season (50.6%). Meanwhile, the majority (87.4%) sought immediate first-aid measures. Moreover, a vast majority (82.7%) used a tourniquet above the bite site as a first aid measure. Only 16.9% of patients sought treatment from a healthcare facility; the remainder (69.3%) went to a traditional healer. For snake bite victims who reached the hospital directly, 59% arrived within 1–2 hours of the incident, while for those who visited a traditional healer, the median time was 30 minutes (IQR: 60–25 minutes). However, 15.2% of individuals who had previously seen a traditional healer also sought treatment from a healthcare facility for the second time. The overall median travel time from the bite site to visiting a traditional healer and then to the hospital was 120 minutes (IQR: 210–90 minutes). Furthermore, 51.2% of patients undertook treatment at the primary care facility. We also discovered that three-fifths of victims had a sense of belief that the traditional healers could only provide the successful treatment. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Snakebite outcomes and treatment-seeking behaviors remain complicated in rural Bangladesh. Thus, substantial health education campaigns may aid in reducing snakebite-related morbidity and mortality.