Strengthening public understanding and prevention of dengue in Malaysia: insights and recommendations based on knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward vector control and vaccination
Frontiers in Public Health·
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1807183
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- —
- Study type
- Cross-sectional study
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Identifying specific informational gaps and behavioral barriers supports the development of focused outreach initiatives. Aligning communication strategies with established community trust networks could enhance engagement with integrated disease management approaches.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
What are current community knowledge levels, behavioral tendencies, and immunization preferences concerning dengue mitigation within Malaysia?
Study design
A cross-sectional survey utilizing an internet-based questionnaire administered during late September and early October 2022.
Population and setting
Four hundred Malaysian residents between eighteen and sixty years of age who completed an online assessment.
Main findings
Participants exhibited moderate comprehension and routine adherence to environmental controls, scoring below international comparison metrics. Persistent inaccuracies were noted regarding disease recurrence, therapeutic options, and immunization safety profiles. Nearly half of the cohort expressed conditional readiness to accept a dengue vaccine, with elevated acceptance rates observed among individuals reporting previous infections or favorable stances toward medical interventions.
Public-health relevance
Identifying specific informational gaps and behavioral barriers supports the development of focused outreach initiatives. Aligning communication strategies with established community trust networks could enhance engagement with integrated disease management approaches.
Important limitations
Data collection relied exclusively on voluntary digital submissions, which may skew responses through self-selection or reporting biases. The restricted sample scope prevents comprehensive extrapolation to all regional demographics. Furthermore, measuring immunization readiness prior to domestic product approval captures theoretical interest rather than confirmed purchasing behavior.
GIDS interpretation
This report establishes a historical snapshot of community sentiment and informational needs surrounding dengue management in Malaysia. The documented behavioral patterns and preference metrics serve as contextual background material for tracking shifts in public awareness over time, independent of active epidemiological tracking systems.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 10 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.